Why we love it
The gauge is the reason to buy it. A beginner's shot fails for one of two reasons — the grind is too coarse and the water rushes through, or too fine and it chokes — and a needle that sits low or pins high tells you which, shot by shot. That is feedback a $139 machine doesn't give you. It ships with one- and two-cup baskets, a portafilter and a tamper, and has a real steam wand rather than a sleeve. The catch is written into its own listing: brew straight after steaming and it trips overheating protection, so you pull the shot first and steam second, or wait for it to cool. The 20-bar figure on the box is what the pump can reach, not what the coffee sees: espresso brews at around 9 bars, and the gauge is how you'll know where this one sits.
Pros
- Pressure gauge shows whether the grind is too coarse or too fine
- Real steam wand, not a frothing sleeve
- One- and two-cup baskets and a tamper in the box
- Narrow stainless body
Cons
- Brew right after steaming and it trips overheating protection
- Lesser-known brand with a shorter service record than De'Longhi or Breville
- The 20-bar headline is a pump rating, not what reaches the coffee
