CASABREWS CM5418 Espresso Machine 20 Bar, Stainless Steel Espresso Maker with Milk Frother Steam Wand, Compact Cappuccino Machine for Home, Espresso Coffee Machine with Removable Water Tank, Black

I'm a trained barista who owns a cafe. We have a La Marzocco Linea and Mahlkonig grinders. This Casabrew unit is pretty amazing for the price. It makes great espresso, and the steamer, while not powerful like the one at the cafe, works fine (it just takes way longer to steam).I've used other 'at-home' units like Breville (also nice but 3x more $), and this machine performs right there with them. I even like it better in many ways. The look is simple and classic unlike a lot of the weird-shaped bodies and gizmos many home units tend to have (think - your parents robo-wine opener vs a simple, classic wine key). The pressure gauge isn't just for looks; it works great when pulling shots (nice to make sure you don't over-under tamp your grind, or over-fill the portafilter).Basically, all these little home machines are quirky and kinda wimpy tbh. They can't compete with the $10k+ machines. At least not on efficiency and power. You have to learn these quirks, and how each one works to get the most out of it. Otherwise your espresso will taste cold, bitter or watery, and your steamed milk won't have microfoam. Look, this thing is a pony, not a stallion, but it can still deliver. I use it daily, and takes me a few minutes end to end.If you get one, also invest in a small AND medium stainless steam pitcher. They come in handy for cortados vs cappuccinos vs lattes. Also get a scale. I use a Hario V60. When you weigh your coffee, it comes out better. I also use my electric pour over kettle to heat my cups so the espresso stays hotter. If you take too long, your espresso drink will be warm at best. Know what? Just nuke it until you get better/faster. No one will know but your pet rolling it's eyes at you. ;DMaking espresso:- hit power on the machine to preheat it.- Grind your coffee for espresso ONLY. A good grinder isn't cheap, but they last and really deliver. I use a Mahkonig.- Put dry/clean portafilter on scale and zero it out. Add 10-12oz espresso to basket. Pick it up, tap side gently til grind are flat-ish, then use the chintzy plastic 'tamper' to GENTLY tamp the espresso (don't push too hard or your coffee will be bitter when it takes longer to pull through filter!)- Heat your cup with hot water (ideally), empty water once it's hot to touch, then hit double pull button on the machine (not single)Note: Most espresso bar drinks are double shots. Using the double pull button on this machine allows you the option to cut a pull short, or do a full pull. I cut it a bit short when pulling into classic short espresso glass. The shorter the pull, the better the quality of espresso and crema. Otherwise, I let it finish out for drinks with dairy.Cap/Latte: This is a bit different.Get your coffee and cup ready.- Follow the steps above. You should have a loaded portafilter in the unit, ready to pull coffee. Just don't pull it yet.- also pre-heat your cup with hot water (if you want a nice hot drink)Now get all your dairy stuff squared away.- Put everything out on the counter so you're not frantically hunting it down while brewing.- Fill stainless pitcher 'almost' 1/2 way up with dairy (whole milk steams best because of the fat)- Hit the far right button to turn on the steamer. The pump starts building pressure.- Take a random mug and put under steamer. Then turn the knob all the way up and 'clear' the wand.- Once you see steam and not water, you're in business to steam your dairy — not until.Steam your dairy.- And don't move it all over the place when you do. It's just a few subtle movements, that's it.- In the pitcher, rest the wand head slightly below the surface to add some air to the dairy.- After some seconds, drop it down 2/3 depth along side of pitcher so it swirls and evenly mixes into silky microfoam. This unit is slow, so give it ample time to do it's thing.- Temp-wise, you know when it's done if it's too hot to keep your hand on the side of the pitcher.- Once steamed, QUICKLY set milk aside, putting something on top of pitcher to keep the dairy hot (dish?).- Then use hot water to wet part of a rag (aka a barista cloth) and wipe down the wand before the proteins can harden on it. Also blast steam out of the wand to clear it using the knob. All this should only take you 5-10 seconds tops to clean/reset wand.Pull your coffee.- Dump the hot water out of your cup and place it under the portafilter.- pull a double shot. Let it finish.- Grab the hot dairy with your other hand and pour it over the espresso (making the best damn latte art of your life of course!)Enjoy! Then clean up your mess. Or...TIP: I pull into a double-walled stainless tumbler. A smallish one. It heats way better, and has a lid so I can pop it on, clean up my mess, reset the machine, THEN go enjoy my still-hot drink.Beware: If the gauge is in the black, you probably over-stuffed or over-tamped your basket. It will taste bitter and undrinkable. If you don't tamp at all, it will be watery and weak with no crema. If you use old-ass coffee that's ground for drip, you will not be enjoying good espresso my friend. Just use your head.In the end, it takes time to get your routine down. Making good espresso drinks isn't hard. But it does take practice to get right. Most people can't be bothered. They will blame the machines, the beans, their spouses, anything but themselves.Coffee drinks want to be made right or they'll suck. Put in the effort, and you'll be a happy camper once you have it down. You might even impress someone! At minimum, your drinks will taste as good or better than many coffee bars out there. Not ours of course!It's nice to grab a great coffee drink from a local cafe we trust. But it has to be great for the price. When it is, we're getting so much more than just coffee; the whole ritual gives us a sense of reward, place, and being. It's what communities are all about. But it's also nice to make our own at home and save some money in the process. With coffee, I think people who love it can do both — have their cake and eat it too.Hope this helps anyone adventurous enough to actually read this long review!

My husband got me this espresso machine for Christmas, and I love it! I’ve made coffee with it almost every day since then.It fits very neatly in my kitchen (I live in an apartment, so limited counter space). The instructions were very clear on how to get it started and how to make espresso.The tamper tool is kinda flimsy, but it gets the job done. I’m no pro barista or anything, so it doesn’t bother me. If it would bother you, I’m sure Casabrews makes sturdier ones you could buy somewhere.I felt misled by a lot of the reviews before picking this machine, so I kinda want to address what I thought would go wrong with my machine and what actually happened.First, I read some reviews saying it rattles too loudly. My machine does rattle some, but I notice it rattles more if there’s not a lot of water in the tank. The instructions manual says some rattling is normal and will diminish with use. I’ve only used mine for about a month, so not sure about that yet. But keeping the water tank full seems to help. Sometimes I gotta hold my cup in place while it’s brewing if it rattles lol.I also read that some people got used machines with water in them?? The instructions manual says manual has a note saying to contact them if your machine is used or broken. And it also says the machines are tested with pure water before being shipped, so it’s possible there is still some water residue. Mine was completely dry and in perfectly new, working condition.I read that some people think the machine is too light to lock the portafilter into place. Yes, that does happen sometimes. I have to grip my machine with one hand and lock the portafilter in with the other to keep the machine from sliding across the counter. Kinda annoying, but nothing huge.My biggest struggle was with the steaming wand. I could not figure out how to get foamy milk, and the steam wand screeched so loudly it hurt my ears! Turned out it was a skill issue. My barista friend told me how to steam milk properly, and it’s so much quieter now. Just a user error lol.Overall, the machine does have a couple flaws, but I find them easy to overlook. It works great, it looks adorable, and it’s so easy to use! I’m super happy with my espresso machine and would totally recommend it!