20 Best Espresso Machines For Office (2023 Updated)

I was recently sent the Philips 3200 series LatteGo espresso machine for free in exchange for my opinion. My thoughts are entirely my own. I am an avid coffee enthusiast and drink some sort of caffeine all day, every day.

I freaking LOVE this espresso machine!! It has saved me so much money from buying $4-6 espresso drinks. This unit was very easy to assemble out of the box and to set up. Double check that the brew unit is aligned and inserted properly.

It took about 5 cups run through it before I got a proper espresso. I tried using ground coffee but it doesn’t work as well, in my opinion. Much better with whole beans. I love that you can dump a decent amount if beans in the top and that it automatically grinds and dispenses them during each run.

I also really like that the big pieces are dishwasher safe (drip tray, latteGo unit, etc). Very simple cleaning. I will say that this unit is VERY LOUD. it isn’t an issue for me, but I do find myself not wanting to make a cup of joe before my husband gets up in the morning.

Super loud, but worth it! I love macchiatos and can now make them every day at home within minutes. The price tag is a little high, but in comparison to similar products it isn’t overpriced and given how much money espresso costs at a coffee shop, I think it is totally worth it.

Definitely recommend this to anyone looking for the at home Barista experience.

Short version it does what it is supposed to do. I bought this as a temp replacement while my Exprelia is being serviced. I will not compare the LatteGo to the Exprelia as that is not fair but you need to have it close to a plugin.

There is a fault light that came on when it was plugged into a strip to extend it. The cord is short so I had to rearrange my counter to replace the Exprelia with the LatteGo3200 and get it to work. Also, the shelf for your cup while making a drink is very sensitive.

I had the same fault light came on after I dumped the grounds and excess liquid tray but after I jiggled it to push it up against the machine on the right side the fault light went away and it warmed up again for the next use.

I can recommend it but the short cord is about saving money not for safety as stated in the manual and the tricky shelf combined lose 1 star. Also the buttons are not push buttons. You put your finger on the drink button then the start/stop button lights and you push it to make a drink It might be I need to tune drink settings but I had to make 3 Cappuccinos to get as much drink as I would 2 with the Exprelia so you will need to experiment with the drinks.

We love espresso in our house, and this machine is the next level up from where we once were. It comes with everything you’ll need to make espresso including: a really nice portafilter with a decent weight and a rubber stopper to help with tamping, a really nicely weighted tamper, a great hopper for storing your beans, as well as a nice grinder to go directly into the portafilter.

The steam wand is great as well, and certainly easy to froth milk with. It also has a pressure gauge to help you see if you are making good espresso or not. This is definitely something you have to have a little practice with to master and make your prefect cup of espresso.

On to the things I’m not so huge with. Out of the box, the portafilter and espresso section have a few issues. The first being that the locking mechanism is SUPER tight. You really have to crank it down to get it locked in, and really have to crank on it to unlock it.

That’s certainly a good and a bad thing – good because it’s definitely a tight fit for higher pressure, but bad because I am scared of braking the portafilter, fitting, or even the machine. Next is that when you go to lock in the portafilter the handle is millimeters from hitting the grinder.

It’s such a tight fit, and I think that is poorly designed – especially with the lock on the portafilter being tight, you have to crank it and risk smacking it into the grinder. Overall, this machine will definitely take some breaking in, but the end product is what we all love; a perfect cup of espresso!.

I got this to replace a much cheaper (less than half the price) Cuisinart machine that was starting to leak after several years of service. I was not much impressed at first – I guess I was expecting coffee that was way better than the cheaper machine, and that’s not what it provides (I had learned how to get the best out of the old one) – but it has grown on me.

Very consistent, even when varying the grind and beans, even when operated by someone with no idea about how to make good coffee. It’s really intelligently designed – little things, from the magnetic tamper, to the handle on the water container, to the 360 degrees of movement in the steam pipe, to the lack of vibration when brewing, to the ingenious drip tray that both tells you when it is full and that pulls out the really convenient accessory tray just the right amount when removed – and just a bit more attractive and solidly built than the cheaper competition.

Even though you can (with some effort) get equally great coffee out of a machine that costs half the price, this one makes it simpler, more consistent, and more pleasurable. It took me a while to find the right combinations of settings (it’s very configurable) and I am still not that impressed with its limited ability to automatically pre-heat the basket but, on the whole, it just feels right.

Altogether, though no particular feature is *that* much more wonderful than cheaper machines, in sum they add up to something that is worth the price. Kind of like the difference between an Apple and a generic PC – nothing is that much more amazing than the cheaper systems but, overall, it oozes quality and smart design.

This is the 2nd espresso machine for me. I absolutely love my new espresso machine as a latte art learner. About two years ago, I got fed up with Starbucks coffee and my hubby bought me the first espresso maker as a Xmas gift that was a little pricey from a B(ig) brand in the espresso maker industry, but unfortunately it stopped working recently.

Anyways, it helped me to ramp up my latte art skills so thanks for that. After a careful comparison between many brands at amazon, I came to buy this Sincreative espresso maker at a more reasonable price two weeks ago, and I loved it already.

The setup was straightforward, we got it cleaned up and put together in about 10 minutes. The controls are easy and self-evident. Just note the photos may have made it look larger than it really is, it actually takes up little counter space and looks so nice with its quality stainless metal.

The first part that surprised me positively was the temper and filter holder, they were the first parts I picked up after opening the box. They were very well designed with high quality materials. The temper is heavy and lets you easily feel the quality of the machine immediately.

With just a little force, it brings me nice dark and delicious espresso with multiple layers, and makes my latte more consistent and better. The steam nozzle is more powerful than my first one, and helps me make greater milk froth, as you may know better than me, this is so important for latte art.

The first latte art with this machine came out so good and made me so happy. Check out a few pictures of the very first cups of latte I made. The grinder features 1~15 grade, from coude to fine. I usually use 6~7 and it works great for me; it makes less noise.

Lastly, it is nice enough to feature a red tag at the drip tray under the draining rack, when there’s too much water, it’ll rise and remind me to dump and clean up the water. Just a little nice feature makes my life easier.

Not to complain, but the machine comes with 20 bars of pressure and probably because of that it takes me a little extra strength to lock in the filter holder. Overall a great purchase for me, and I’d recommend to other latte/espresso lovers, enjoy!.

I’ve been upgrading Breville machines for about 15 years, and jumped on this one 5 years ago when it first came out. It checks all the boxes, dual boiler, consistent milk frothing, grinder and automated features that makes it easy to use.

If you’re picky, it allows you to adjust every setting (milk frothing, milk temperature, brew temperature, tamper force, grind grain, pre-infusing time, water force, amount, etc). After 5 years of use I had a bittersweet experience, where its brewing temperature wouldn’t go above 160F, after a descaling cycle.

I upgraded to the Oracle Touch (this model is/was soldout), but after experiencing issues with its touch screen I ended up returning it. My wife convinced me to call Breville to try to repair the original Oracle (I thought it would be a waste of time because the machine was out of warranty) after emailing them, Breville support offered to service it for $500 (upfront).

A couple of weeks later Breville emailed me that the machine was not repairable and instead they shipped a replacement, exact same model (seems like new, but not sure). Bittersweet experience aside, the machine consistently makes awesome coffee, americanos, cappuccinos, etc.

Easily beats any chain coffee house. It is an integral part of my household’s morning routine, while the automated grinder and tamper fills the portal filter, I am cracking eggs, simultaneously, the automated frother foams and heats up the milk to my specified settings, while I am beating the eggs, the Oracle pours the most creamy brew, while I am cooking eggs I am enjoying a luxurious cappuccino, the routine goes on and on doing three others coffees for my wife and two daughters, 365 days of the year.

In the weekends, my wife and I look forward to getting up in the morning and enjoy the coffees this machine poors. It saved us during the COVID lockdown, it is a small luxury and sets the tone for the day.

I thought long and hard before buying this machine, because I really wanted a quality machine that would allow me to make great coffees and I had serious doubts this was a good option. Initially, I did not think the brand was worth considering especially at this price point.

However, I ended up buying it mainly because I also needed a machine that would allow my wife and daughter to easily make their own coffees when I’m away from home, so this machine seemed to be a practical choice.

I confirmed my decision after watching a video review on this site. I knew it wasn’t the best option in terms of the actual quality of the coffee shots I would be able to make, but according to the video review it was good enough and provided the practicality and ease-of-use that I was looking for.

After 3 months of use, the machine started to do funny things on its own, like steaming on its own out of the blue with no way to stop it. Another time, when trying to make an espresso, the machine simply started to make americanos while steaming at the same time! These things started to happen more and more and now the machine totally broke down and it won’t start at all.

It’s only been four months since I bought it, I only make three coffees in the morning a day in average, and this thing can’t seem to handle it! Avoid buying this machine and buy a proper espresso machine from a good quality brand.

Breville is clearly trying to punch way above its weight and can’t simply play in this space. I sorely regret my decision and have no idea what I’m going to do as I can’t spend another $2K on a coffee machine now and want to get rid of this one.

Don’t make the same mistake!!!.

I entered in to my relationship with the Oracle BES980XL in December 2015. The BES980XL, however, is like an unfaithful lover; when it behaves it makes the most exquisite espresso and cappuccino. But without warning you are on your own! My first copy of the BES980XL went back under warranty after about 18 months.

By 2019 the machine went back to Breville again, this time out of warranty, at a cost $500 to me. Breville sent me a new unit with a 6 month warranty. Three years later I am looking at another $500 to have the machine repaired! The machine will trip the GFCI breaker when heating up and then go back to normal for a few weeks.

The machine will trip the GFCI when grinding coffee and then go back to normal for a few weeks. While turned on and sitting idle, without warning one of the solenoids will fire off like a jack hammer and won’t stop until the machine is unplugged! After an hour the machine becomes operable.

Now the tamper is not working properly! I think my relationship with the Breville BES980XL is coming to an end. I have faithfully maintained both machines, cleaning and descaling them as soon as the reminder messages came on.

I will be looking at other options before I hand over another $500 for an unreliable machine.

i’ve had it now less than 9 months. trouble started few months ago when the machine won’t power up after pressing the power button. press, press, press and nothing happens. i unplug the machine and that seems to get the machine to function.

few days pass and this issue occurs yet again. wash, rinse repeat. this goes on for 2 months. then, a few weeks ago no matter how many times i plug and unplug, the machine won’t start up. i finally call help desk and the guy walks me thru a reboot by pressing a combo of buttons and it comes back to life.

all seemed well for a few days and the problem returns. last one was a bit different. after powering up, it just froze with one green light on. none of the buttons operate. it’s just frozen. i call help desk and he makes me unplug and plug and things are working again.

i told him this is not what one should have to go thru to make my cup of joe every morning. he says if it happens again take a video and then they’ll decide what to do next. i mean really? if it needs to be serviced, i will be be without it for few weeks min.

really hard to cope with that. i realize this is a first world problem especially with a war going on in Ukraine but. both times when i called we did a video link so that they can see what is happening and for them to record video of the malfunction.

my previous machine, also an XS, never gave me a lick of trouble. it finally gave out with watery pucks and mid process aborting of the shots being made. the machine gave me 12yrs so i was happy to just let it die.

based on the reviews, most seem happy with the machine. in my case, i am not happy with the service i’m getting from the help desk. i realize duds can occur. i just wish they would be more responsive and attentive to what i am going thru.

Bought about 30 months ago. Easy to use, good coffee. Started descaling this month and followed directions precisely as usual. However, red light kept flashing afterwards and then no water would flow to continue the descaling.

So, turned off machine, waited half hour then started over again. Unfortunately still would not work. May have to purchase new DeLonghi machine, same model as use frequent & good over years. BUT not happy about last descaling process! Expensive getting new one & disappointing so hope works okay with descaling, etc.

Overall, I am very pleased with this this Espresso maker. It is certainly not a top of the line model but on average does the job very well for making espresso, americano’s, cappuccinos, and lattes. My only reservation about this unit is it’s frothing ability for milk.

I find it quite challenging to get steamed milk that has very tiny froth bubbles, And thus it’s hard to get the Super smooth, silky milk froth. I’ve had this machine since spring of 2020, and it is still producing high quality espresso and quite decent lattes and cappuccinos.

I don’t think you can go wrong at this price point. Pro’s: • Fast espresso: some reviewers are dinging this for having to wait 15 minutes. You don’t have to. The water is hot relatively quickly and you can just press a water shot to heat up the handle and metal components that touched the coffee.

• Fast steam: the steaming unit heats up quickly • The water reservoir holds enough for many shots of coffee before having to be refilled, and is easy to refill without removing it entirely. Just slide it out partway and use a pitcher/water bottle to fill it.

• Stainless steel components, particularly along the pathway where coffee contacts the materials the unit is made of. People complaining about the amount of plastic on this unit need to pony up more money for an espresso maker that’s all stainless steel.

This is a good balance of form and function, and thus value. • The cup support base is easily removeable so you can press shots into larger cups. It also make it easier to clean. • The cup warming plate at the top is a nice touch, along with the rails.

Great place to put parts to dry after rinsing them post-shot. • The frother parts easily disassemble for cleaning. Nice plus here. Cons: • Plastic parts: the surface color layer is already wearing through on the most used/washed parts.

Using plastic that’s solid color through and through would fix this easily enough. • Tamper is useless. I use a stainless steel one. Easy to apply downward pressure.

Loved this machine when we got it. Great machine at the outset. Over time, i realize it has limitations (incapable of microfoam, steam takes too long, cup warmer isn’t very warm, etc. ), but it’s a tenth of the price of many espresso units.

At time of writing, ours is ~5 years old and now the steam valve is leaking. I watched YouTube videos and took the top off to investigate. Looks like there is no way to retighten the steam valve without replacing or disassembling the boiler.

And there isn’t an official Support Center within a reasonable drive. Unfortunate. I guess if you’re shopping for your first machine and are tight on budget, as we were, this product makes sense and is OK, at least at first.

Just be aware that it may only last a couple years and you might want an upgrade.

It has a little bit of a learning curve and the instructions aren’t very helpful. Had to go on YouTube to find helpful video instructions. It is not automatic, so you have to shut it off once you think you have enough espresso in your cup.

To make an Americano, it is easier to add extra hot water from an external source rather than the machine. The frother also takes a little practice to learn how to use, and again, instructions aren’t that great.

It is also a bit messy (grounds on the counter and drips of coffee and frothed milk after use). However, the taste of a cup of coffee made this way is better than a pod coffee maker or drip coffee using the same grounds.

It just takes a few weeks of experimenting with the machine to find the best strength and flavor for you.

It’s kind of big but it has its own dedicated spot in my kitchen. It’s nice enough to be left out and not have to store away in a cabinet. What I REALLY like about it is that it’s pretty much an all in one system without the thousand dollars plus all in one cost.

I push one button and all the magic happens, and it’s quite entertaining to watch the espresso cascade through the milk and create separate layers. I also like that I can take the milk and store it in my fridge.

I’ve done some temperature tests and only noticed a 5-degree increase after making a double latte before I put it back in the fridge. This is nice as you would think to be so close to all that heat it would be a much bigger temperature fluctuation.

Just make sure you put the blasted spout up otherwise you’ll have a fun time cleaning up a giant mess of milk. I really wish there was some sort of sensor that assisted with this issue as I guess I’m stupider than I thought when it comes to lifting that lever.

For anyone who wanted to know, it fits a full-sized pint glass underneath it if you remove the drip tray. It is a tight fit as you will have to angle the pint glass to slide it in but I use pint glasses for my large lattes consistently.

The latte puts out almost double the amount of milk that the cappicino does. I think all single servings should be able to fit in your regular sized coffee mug. Another aspect I really like is the cleaning aspect.

Just hold the top button for the coffee grind connector (w/e you call it) to get cleaned and hold the bottom button for the milk frother to get cleaned. that’s pretty simple! I did notice that the milk froth cleaner doesn’t get all the milk out of the metal tube, but since it slides right off and is pretty easy to clean it’s not that big of a deal to me.

I am no expert on espresso, but I have been working on my espresso technique for a long time. For years I owned an Elektra Microcasa semiautomatica, a well respected hx machine. Paired with a Super Jolly grinder, I made very nice cappucinos easily.

Eventually, the boiler on the Elektra failed, and with kids, mortgage and other financial commitments, I decided to not put another $2200 into my espresso hobby. The Super Jolly went unused for several years while I tried to decide if I could live with any machine under $6k – I had decided my next machine would be a dual boiler, and they all had compromises I didn’t like (I am aware that as of 2020, there are a couple of db machines under $3k that I could be very happy with).

Anyway, I saw the Flair machines advertised on a ‘what to get dad for Christmas’ ad, and thought ‘why not’? I went for the 58 because it was most like the machines I have used. So far, I have been able to get very nice espresso shots; I love having a bottomless portafilter to get an idea of how my shots are flowing.

I am still dialing in my extractions, but my shots are coming in balanced and flavorful (currently using Bella Espresso from Klatch). I miss steaming the milk (the Elektra was an excellent steamer), but I am satisfied with the foam from a $14 Bodum foaming pitcher for now.

To me, the best part of the 58 is the opportunity to understand how each variable (grind, dose, pressure, temperature, etc. ) influence the flavors you get in the cup. It’s particularly interesting to play with different shot pressure profiles and pre-infusion periods; the 58 allows you to easily see and taste the changes.

Overall, I am really enjoying using the 58. I will still probably purchase a db machine in the future, but my purchase will be influenced by my experience with the 58; I will want programmable pre-infusion and to be able to control the pressure profile through the shot, as well as tight control of the brew temp.

Thanks Flair for making a great leap forward in affordable espresso machines!.

It wasn’t the caffeine that was keeping me up at night. It was the daunting question: What would happen if the power grid went down and I couldn’t get my morning shot? After getting myself a nice hand grinder, my search moved on to manual espresso machines.

The Flair machines caught my eye, mainly because of the superb design. Simple, unpretentious and functional. I started with the Classic, but found that plucking a hot boiler out of a mug of hot water lost its roll-up-your-sleeves appeal after a couple of months.

Also, the shots weren’t quite big enough for my needs. So I upgraded to the 58 and I’m pleased with my decision. I like the 58mm portafilter for its size and simplicity (my old Gaggia’s portafilter retained water and took ages to shake out – The 58’s is lighter and way easier to wipe off for the next shot).

I’ve found the capacity is perfect for a 2 OZ shot. The handle is sturdier and leverage is better, and I’ve found the pressure gage to be an essential guide. The shots, although faster than other machines I’ve used, are consistent and yield good crema.

I’m still experimenting on different beans and grinds, so couldn’t say I’ve arrived at perfection yet. Criticisms? The brew head and gage feel a little sloppy when you move the lever and inserting the portafilter when the lever is down gets a little awkward.

But putting those nits aside, this device is as easy to use as a regular electrical machine only it doesn’t have the potential for weak or failing pumps – or power outages, for that matter.

I received my 58 recently, and so far I think it’s great. I was able to get excellent results almost immediately. If you don’t have much experience brewing espresso, it might take a little more practice, but the results should be good before too long, especially if you have a quality grinder.

I bought the 58 for use at home, and overseas. It was important to me that it works with 110 and 220 voltage. I already had a Flair pro, which I like, but the 58 is a big step up in every respect except for portability.

My main espresso machine is a Decent, so I am used to working with the standard 58 mm portafilter. It’s great that the new Flair 58 has that since it makes puck preparation techniques easily transferable between machines.

It’s fun to use an espresso brewer that relies completely on manual pressure. You will find it takes a bit of effort, but the leverage is excellent and the handle and arm are well-designed. It’s great to see the flow and to get the pressure read out on the gauge.

Combined with a scale, you get nice control of the shot. I expect soon to connect a better scale by Bluetooth so I can use a phone app to track flow rates more precisely. I’ve had my eye on the Flair 58 before it hit the market, and I’m glad I got one now.

Also glad I waited for this updated one, which includes a couple of nice improvements in the brewing mechanism. Bottom line, you can get café – quality espresso with the Flair 58, and it’s hard to say that about any other machine under $1000.

This is an amazing machine. Quirky, but once you learn it, it’s a breeze. There are certainly some valid complaints re the water capacity and tank location, but the A1’s clean lines make up for it. You can’t really go wrong here, great coffee, attractive machine and great customer service.

If you’re looking for coffee shop level coffee at home, you’ll be happy you bought it. Note: I live in a split, decaf/regular household. This issue can be addressed by measuring beans each day and not filling the bean compartment.

Some have suggested you can easily use the ground bypass for one of the drinkers. If you plan to use ground coffee in the Jura you should probably stick to drip coffee. The Jura is clearly designed for beans and ground is honestly just a waste in the Jura.

It’s very nice to have a bypass, but I’d love for Jura to offer some type of optional bean dispenser. Overall, the A1, especially at the refurbished price, is a great investment.

I have been using a capsule machine for a long time but had become disappointed with the quality and prices of the coffees. I did a lot of research and concluded I wanted a superautomatic with quality coffees; I do not use milk.

Everything pointed to the JURA A1 as more than adequate for my needs. A lot of my research indicated this type of machine needed non-oily, medium roast beans so I bought some from my local roaster. My first experiment was an excellent balanced cup of coffee, but the espresso was disappointing because of the medium roast.

I experimented with grind but still no joy. I contacted JURA and they told me no problem with dark roasts, used on coarse. So I bought a bag of my local roasters recommended espresso. Wow! This machine makes excellent coffee and espresso very easily and quickly.

The machine is easy to use, but there are some nuances that were readily explained by a phone call to JURA customer care. It is so nice to have customer support available! I am looking forward, now, to excellent coffee and espresso every morning and hoping for no problems with the dark roast beans.

This is a luxury item coffee drinkers need to own! It’s priced well and is very high quality. It blows my mind just how fast it goes from powering on to being ready to pour! I’m so happy I found this website with the White A1 available! The customer support is fantastic and they are a secure site to use.

Very detailed machine Features and Specs. I will absolutely be buying more from Whole Latte Love because they show a whole lot of love! – Use either whole bean or grounds – Adjustable coffee strength – Each cup button is adjustable to program more or less to pour – Powers up and is ready to pour so quickly – Self cleaning – It is sexy – Perfect temperature coffee – Awesome price for what you get – Comes with the Jura Warranty.

It took me a long time to feel comfortable with the price tag of HX and E61 type machines, but once I upgraded from my Rancillio Silvia v3 to the ECM Mechanika V Slim I immediately saw the value and realized that the cumbersome workflow of a single boiler machine had me pretty unenthused about making espresso at home.

I went from looking for an excuse to skip the temp surfing and just go to a coffee shop to making multiple drinks daily with this machine. The Mechanika specifically is beautiful from afar and up close.

It’s small footprint is perfect in our tight kitchen and the water tank and drip tray still have generous capacity. The knobs and levers have great mechanical feedback while still feeling smooth. Hot water and a microfiber cloth keep all the mirror finish stainless clean and clear with minimal effort.

Steaming and brewing are excellent and very consistent. With this and a Niche Zero grinder, I feel like the coffee and my technique are no longer secondary to the equipment quirks and limitations. Making espresso and milk drinks at home is nothing like it was with my first setup (it got me started though!) The compact form factor has a couple ergonomic drawbacks.

You have to be sure the steam wand is pointing well within the drip tray to keep a condensation purge from wetting your counter. I don’t use the hot water spigot much at all, and it feels a bit in the way – it’s either sticking outside the footprint of the machine, or turned over the drip tray but interfering with the brew lever.

While it’s not ergonomic perfection, I doubt any of these style machines are. The minor drawbacks really don’t compare to how great this machine is overall, especially for the price and size. Ask me how my ECM machine is and I will tell you 5/5 stars, without hesitation.

If this fits your budget, go for it!.

I had a ncie Gaggia Anima Prestiage super automatic, it was great at milk based drinks, so easy. Push the cappuccino button and come back in 3 mins for a pretty good drink. The fly in the ointment was the espresso shots, which is my normal.

The Prestiage made OK shots but they were pretty weak and I wanted better. I chatted with the WHL sales team and bounced between the Gaggia Classic Pro, the Rancillo Silva, Berezza Hobby and the ECM Casa V, all great machines I am told.

I watched a bunch of Youtube and everytime, the ECM quality stood out. So I took the plunge and I am very happy. The fit and finish of this ECM is second to none. The portafilter is heavy duty and I love the fact the basket sits level on the counter for tamping.

The Casa is pretty quiet, heats in a reasonable time, the brew to steam time is fine with me at about a minute or so. Steam power is perfect, I am no latte artist but I have the tools to learn with the great milk quality from the Casa.

So far, I love this machine. The Whole Latte Love crew were excellent. My machine arrived in 4 days of ordering, it came bench tested and ready to use. What an awesome team. Thank you Whole Latte Love.

We’ve been using the ECM Casa V for about a month or so, and we’re really happy with it. No issues so far and it’s a really nice looking machine. This was our first espresso machine setup, so the first week was spent figuring out our process and finding good/forgiving beans.

While not a negative in anyway, if I had to point out one thing I’d mention it doesn’t have PID temperature control, so you control water temperature through your process (like flushing overheated grouphead water before pulling shot) and just learning the machine in general.

It’s something to keep in mind if your main use case is for perfecting plain espresso shots. The steam power has been perfectly fine if you follow the process they recommend, but we’re also not steaming 12+oz of milk.

I’d say we steam 6oz or less most times and have never had an issue. My three favorite drinks to make with the Casa V that I think it excels at are an Americano for breakfast, Macchiato after dinner, and of course a plain espresso when you have your beans and process figured out.

I’ve been using this machine daily now for a few weeks and have really been enjoying the consistency and quality of the drinks. The design built around the tried and true brew group is good all around.

The LatteGo is easy to use and clean as is the drip and ground trays from the front of the machine. Being able to visually see the water level is a nice addition. I like the notifications on the screen of this machine and the clean options for the LatteGo and brew group.

A clean cycle is run on startup and shutdown of the machine to keep the brew circuit clean. This seems like a good idea, but does consume extra water, maybe an ounce for each cycle and runs the pump.

The bean hopper doesn’t have much of a slant to it so the beans aren’t pushed down towards the grinder. I’ve had to manually push the beans towards the front of the hopper. Also the coffee ground from the hopper ends up taking multiple drinks to clear this area instead of being ground directly to the brew unit in one go.

It can multiple tries to notice changes after adjusting a grind, beans, etc. I feel these were design choices so the machine can fit under kitchen cabinets. Tips: You can purchase tablets for cleaning the brew group stale coffee oils and using the machine clean option for brew group to run through that clean cycle.

After using the LatteGo empty out any milk in the container, place the LatteGo back on the machine and use the clean option to run hot water through the LatteGo and milk circuit to remove any remaining milk.

Seems to take under a minute and is worth it to clean out the residual milk. Since I’m the only one using this machine I use the profiles for whole bean and ground coffee of the saved drink customization.

Blue = beans, Green = ground so that it’s quick to choose between ground coffee drinks using the bypass door and whole bean ground drinks. If you want to keep the machine under kitchen cabinets there are small round Teflon pads to use so the machine slides out easily on countertops.

I initially wanted the Philips 5400 Series for its coffee travel-mug setting but it appears to be a discontinued model. The 4300 is the model below and cheaper but is no worse for that. I had been a long term user of a coffee pod system (the one that spins the pods) but since they stopped producing their largest pod – for that coffee travel-mug – I got to appraising my investment in their ecosystem and the wider environmental implications of recycling all that aluminium.

My research of bean-to-cup (super automatic) machines brought me to the Philips Latego machines. Reviews and coffee video channels liked them and the orientation of their water tank and height matched what I needed.

It wasn’t the cheapest but the 4300 had the nice screen rather than a series of buttons on the lower models. Packaging was good and setup was relatively straightforward. The first cup of coffee wasn’t coffee.

Here’s the rub. This machine takes a while to bed-in and only after 10 – 20 cups did I get what I would would describe as a coffee comparable to my spinny-pod machine. And this is not pod-machine simple.

You have to experiment with all the various settings to get what you like. But this is why this machine it so good. You’re not getting what a pod maker thinks is the coffee you’ll like with not adjustment – you get the coffee you actually want.

But it does take time and you have to stick with it. After 130 cups and using beans from a high street coffee chain I’m there and glad I made the change. As for the lack of coffee travel-mug setting, I just select the X2 setting and 400ml of tasty freshly ground coffee goes into my travel-mug.

Weekly cleaning is straightforward. Although the water tank is the same size as my old pod machine, it does need refilling more often because the machine rinses when first switched on and again when it switches off.

The Aquaclean filter also takes up room in the tank. But I do like the fact the filter reduces the need for descaling and there is a countdown to tell you when the filter needs changing. Only after using 8 filters do you need to descale.

Overall it’s giving me the coffee I love, quickly, cheaply and with style. A good investment which will pay for itself over the next year or two given the amount I was spending on all of those aluminium pods.

I bought the latte to go last may- EP3241 is the model. The coffee is great, the espresso is pretty good but I am glad I waited to review it because the maintenance is proving to be a nightmare. My machine is still under warranty so Seattle Coffee Gear won’t touch it.

It abruptly stopped dispensing coffee. No I don’t use oily beans- I use mostly Tony’s and beans from Seattle Coffee Gear. I have spent hours going through all the videos. I also registered the product with Philips in May and kept a record of that but had to reregister in December when this problem started.

Even though the product is registered, I have to provide proof of purchase at every potential conversation and Philips expects me to be talking to them on the phone during their open hours. I wish I could take the machine to the Seattle Coffee Gear repair shop and and thinking of just going to a different shop since they won’t help.

I like Seattle Coffee Gear on balance but this issue, their support of it and specifically Philips support is very bad. Note I don’t use Facebook or Twitter because I have privacy and policy concerns with social media but on my behalf someone used Facebook messenger and after 1.

5 hours ended up with them telling me to call Philips support. When I called Philips support by the way, I spent 15 minutes spelling my name and providing all the information they needed to talk to me, then I was put on hold while the representative actually considered my problem.

But I had to get back to work. I asked if he would email the information. That was last Friday and no email (although I spelled out my email twice for him) has appeared- not even an acknowledgement with a case number.

I’ve only had it a few weeks, but absolutely love it! I want to give it 5 stars, but for cappuccino lovers, it’s just shy of being perfect. I don’t miss a separate grind and tamp at all. No mess, you can tweak the grind to the particular bean or coarseness you like.

You can adjust the flavor by amount of water or length of time. The inside bin fills up after about 10 coffees, and the water tank needs to be filled about as often. My only CON is the frothing wand.

For whatever reason, it just doesn’t seem to have the right amount of power, stream, or whatever, to get great micro bubbles to create amazing foam. It’s great foam, and you can bring it to the temperature you like, but it’s not amazing foam.

There are many comments about the noise, that is from people who don’t grind their own beans. It’s as noisy as any grinder out there. Which brings me to the speed. It heats up faster than me walking to close the front door, because I forgot to put clothes on, and come back.

Brewed by the time I find my shorts and apologize to the neighbors. Yeah, that fast! I’ve tried two different beans so far, and love toying with the flavor profiles it creates.

After using this machine for a few months, I’m incredibly disappointed in my purchase. While it makes good coffee, it has recurring issues with the feeder and grounds hopper. It will only accept the driest (no oil on the surface) beans and even then, they will fail to feed unless you stir the hopper while grinding to allow them to drop into the grinder.

Often, the feeder will back up and coffee will come up out of the top of manual feed tray, requiring you to scoop all of the coffee out and brew several failed cups before it’s functional again. Every couple of weeks, the full grounds light comes on and takes several minutes to an hour of two of tinkering before it will go off and allow me to make coffee.

Yes, the grounds container is emptied and cleaned, the internal components are cleaned, all grounds have been brushed out of the machine, and directions are all being followed. For $900, it’s not unreasonable to expect a functional coffee maker, but unfortunately that’s not the case.

This was a housewarming gift for my daughter. She absolutely loves it. It apparently makes great espresso, coffee, cappuccino, lattes, iced coffee, and more. It is fully automatic. After the pandemic, I’ll get to visit her and taste it for myself.

2 downsides: 1. Her roommates are in awe of the machine so much, they claim they don’t want to break it, so my daughter makes them coffee. She puts up with it so, whatever. That bugs me more than it bugs her.

2. Here’s the bigger issue: It prompts for a cleaning cycle with no warning, when you’re trying to make coffee. This would be a perfect machine if it gave you a 5-cup warning for the clean cycle — you could start it AFTER you get your next cup.

Instead, you’re just waking up, and you need that first hit of caffeine to start your day. But NO! You have to clean your coffeemaker first! 30 minutes later, you can have coffee. I suggested they track/count every cup made so they’d know when the clean cycle is coming.

Geez – I’m such a mom. My daughter highly recommends this machine.

This is a well designed De’Longhi Dedica coffee machine which sleep in design and offers custom made espresso drinks with big and bold flavor. It also has a My LatteArt steam wand which assists with making decorative images in milk foam ever single time.

The machine has a quality portafilter with adjustable frother. It also has an enhanced dosing capability and premium tamper capability. There is a 15 bar pressure pump which features the adjustable controls and maximizes the extraction of flavor and aroma.

The adjustable frother can be used to customize milk foam and steam levels for cappuccinos and other types of latte drinks. There is an automatic flow stop dispenser which dispenses 1 or 2 espressos and eliminates the guess work.

The coffee amount and temperature can be adjusted to our personal needs. There is a removable water tank which is easy to refill and attach back. The coffees machine is easy to use with ground coffee beans and is also compatible with easy serving espresso (ESE) pods.

A great addition to our home daily coffee needs.

Espresso (or, to be more accurate, drinks with espresso in it) is pretty much the only coffee that I will routinely drink. This is the second countertop espresso maker I’ve tried, as well as the cheapest.

And, much to my surprise, it’s by far my favorite. The unit comes with pretty much everything you need including four different permanent filters which lock into place rather than just sitting in the arm, a very nice tamper, a frothing cup, and a cheat sheet teaching you how to assemble some of the more popular drinks you can make with it.

Setup is very simple: you just need to plug in the frothing wand, fill the water chamber, purge the group nozzle without the filter in place once to wash out any contaminants from the factory, and you’re ready to go.

The scoop included for filling the filter holds about 10g of espresso, and the frothing cup holds just about the perfect amount of milk for a single cappuccino. You can configure it for three different water temperatures or hardness levels, and out of the box it comes set for the hardest water (which, where I live, is accurate) and medium water temperature.

I found these settings to be pretty much perfect. Once you’ve actually got everything set up it can produce a single or double shot of espresso in about a minute. The process is, admittedly, noisy, but also nearly completely painless.

The frother also works very fast, at least once you’ve worked out how to use it. The instructions for it are a bit vague (it took me a little while to realize that you’re supposed to end things by pointing the nozzle straight down into the cup to let it heat up the rest of the milk) but once you get the knack of it you can put together an entire drink in five minutes or less.

There’s also some expansion options if you want to make it even more automated – with an automatic frother you can attach in place of the manual one. As far as quality goes, I have no complaints. I’ll admit I don’t have the best palate when it comes to assessing the quality of coffee but the first shots I drew tasted fantastic.

As a sanity check I also gave some to a couple of friends of mine who are self-described coffee snobs, and they both agreed that it did a very good job. They agreed that it wasn’t quite as good as what can be achieved with a truly professional grade machine, however they felt that it was close enough that it didn’t matter much.

There are, however, a few things that I feel are probably worth mentioning. First up: cleaning the frothing wand can be a little tricky. Milk tends to bake onto the tip of this thing very easily, and in my experience I’d say you really do need to wipe it down and purge it as soon as possible after you’re finished if you want to avoid any issues.

You’re going to want to be very aware of the current state of your drip tray, as it’ll fill up very quickly (particularly if you’re following the manufacturer’s advice and regularly flushing your frothing wand into it.

There’s no included storage solution for all the different filters and tools, making it somewhat cluttered to store. And it stores a fair bit of water internally to cut down on startup times, which makes me a little nervous about possible sediment forming.

Given that I would highly advise you to pay attention to the section in the manual going over regular descaling, as I’m sure more direct maintenance would be a major undertaking. At the end of the day, though, I think you’re going to struggle to find another countertop espresso maker that’s both this small and easy to use.

It’s a great choice for anyone who’s fed up swinging by Starbucks each morning to feed their latte habit.

The KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine is an attractive, compact unit that does not take up too much space on my kitchen counter. It is sturdy and comes with everything you need to make professional-tasting coffee beverages at home.

The machine includes 4 filter baskets, single or double shot, and single or double-wall, for either freshly ground or pre-ground coffee, a portafilter, tamper, coffee scoop, and milk pitcher. These parts are heavy and have almost a commercial feel to them.

There is a water tank with a handle in the back of the unit that can be removed to fill. The machine is relatively simple to use, however, there is a learning curve to make the perfect cup of espresso, or at least the perfect cup for you, as we all have individual preferences.

Set-up directions are pretty straightforward and come with diagrams, which is helpful. I grind my own coffee beans and therefore use the single wall filter basket. After placing the basket in the portafilter and tamping the grounds, you then lock the portafilter in place under the group head of the machine.

You then select the Mode button (espresso) Dose (single or double shot), and the start button. The water heats up incredibly quickly and your espresso is ready to go. There is also a manual milk frother wand which is handy if you are only making one serving.

In this case, you set the toggle button on the front to steam, fill the milk pitcher with the desired amount of milk and insert the steam wand into the milk, then press the run button until the desired amount of foam is obtained.

There is a milk frother attachment available as well which I will review separately. There is also a hot water feature for hot cocoa, tea, etc. You can set the machine to your home’s level of water hardness (distilled water is not recommended,) there is a descaling feature, and a programming function as well, so you can program it to your usual settings.

The unit is also relatively easy to clean, and the instructions are clear as to how to maintain it as well. I would highly recommend the KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine if you want a sharp-looking, easy-to-use espresso machine with which you can make delicious coffee beverages at home that taste like they came from the coffee shop.

My beloved stainless steel Breville, of 15 years, recently ended it’s days so it was time for a replacement. Coffee for me is a religious experience as I’m sure many of you out there can relate. This new morning wake up experience for me is certainly no longer the same.

Overall the appearance is a little austere. Other than the operational buttons & dial, you are met with solid stainless steal. It appears most of their models are designed this way now. Water tank is awkward to open & close, the mechanism feels cheap.

There’s only 1 way to fill the tank, from the back, whereas my older Breville model had a tank that was also accessible from the front of the machine. My older model had their signature blue light inside which allowed you to easily see the water level.

The light is not a feature of this model, so the water tank is always dark & the water level very difficult to see. Filling the coffee filter is a simple as always & I really like that the tamper is magnetically built in.

The portafilter is a little stiff during insertion into the machine but no doubt that will loosen up a little over time. If you have fingernails & don’t have thumbs of steel, good luck getting the filters out of the portafilter when you are finished.

The spring mechanism that keeps them tightly in position does it’s job much too well… Getting to the other accessories in the internal basket is interesting…. It is all the way in the back & has to catch on the water tray to pull out.

Otherwise you’re digging around with the your fingers. Alternatively the basket can pull forward unnecessarily when all you want to do is clean out the water tray… The steamer nozzle is a single piece making it harder to clean, whereas my older model was a 2 piece nozzle that I could slide off easily for cleaning.

Getting the thick foam I was used too has not yet been achieved with this new model. I’ve had the machine now for over 3 months. Irrespective of the type of milk I used I could get a decent amount of foam before.

My older model (which I would have repurchased if I could) had an air hole at both the bottom & the top of the steamer nozzle allowing for greater airflow & making foam a breeze. This model has only 1 hole & I have to really really work at getting a light foam after much bobbing up & down barista style of the milk jug… By the time you go to turn off the steam, the dial has heated up & gets very stiff due to the expansion of the plastic.

Again making the overall quality feel cheap. Overall I’m making it work. I’ve past the return date but I will be waiting for the next incarnation of Breville coffee machines before buying another….

We bought this as a replacement for a previous version of the same model which, after 10 years, stopped working and is no longer supported by Breville (the local small appliance repair shop couldn’t repair it since Breville no longer supplies the required parts).

When I picked up the box, I assumed I had bought the wrong item. This was so much lighter than the original machine. Upon opening the box, I understood why. The old machine was solid metal. This one is largely made of plastic.

I am doubtful this will last as long as the old one. The top of the original machine was a heating plate to warm up the cups before making the coffee. This one is made of plastic, obviously doesn’t warm anything.

The original machine had a very large water reservoir accessed from the front of the machine, making it very easy to access and to verify the water level. The reservoir on the new one is much smaller (ie: more frequent refills) and at the back of the machine, making it less easily accessible and more cumbersome to fill.

But what about the coffee? This machine produces much less crema and definitely less froth than the old one, using the exact same grinds. Overall, we are very disappointed with this machine.

I expected this to be much the same as my 2010 version (which was great), but the coffee is so much better now. I love this machine. It makes great tasting coffee. It doesn’t take up too much space on the bench top and the functions are simple and easy to operate.

Why pay more? Two tricks: double-wall 2 cup of fine ground coffee runs 60 ml of water and stops. You can do it again to produce a bigger volume of coffee without diluting the taste. Second – and this was just my experience – the wand screamed in the milk against the metal milk jug causing ear pain for 20 minutes & I was worried about hearing loss.

I figured out this – expel the initial air/dribble from the wand onto the tray first, turn steam off, immediately insert into milk and turn on again. If you have the wand at the right height you won’t get screaming.

If in doubt, just shove into the milk to stop the squeal, then adjust. You will get the hang of it in no time and it will be a breeze. Price, coffee quality, ease of use and cleaning – all joy, no regrets.

(Also, the simpler the machine, the less to go wrong. ).

This Hamilton Beach Espresso Maker is of great quality and very durable. It can be used to brew one cup or two simultaneously by using loose grounds or a coffee pod. It comes out tasting so rich and delicious! The water tank holds up to 40 ounces which means it will last a while before having to refill.

The right side of the expresso machine has a milk frother built in! Incredibly easy to use and great for guests. Perfect conversation starter. We highly recommend this!!.

This is the coffee gadget to have if you are a coffee fanatic like me! Very simple to set up. Doesn’t take up too much room on the counter. Very easy to understand instruction booklet so set up and usage was a breeze! I have enjoyed making a few fancy espresso drinks since getting this a week ago! The milk frothed was a little tricky for me at first, but after a small amount of practice I’ve got it down now.

Would highly recommend this machine for any coffee drinker!.

This espresso maker was easy to set up and use. The instructions are fairly straight forward. It doesn’t take a long time to make a decent cup of black espresso. Now adding in the steamed/frothed milk did take a bit on my part.

After messing around with various ways, it finally came out how I wanted. This coffee maker has a smallish foot print which helped to fit it into our space. You will also obviously need different size cups to fit under the spout.