CASABREWS CM5418 Espresso Machine, Espresso Coffee Maker with Steam Wand | Stainless Steel, 20-Bar Pump, Built-in Pressure Gauge, Powerful Steam Wand for Cappuccino Latte for Home, 34oz Water Tank

I am not one to write reviews very often, and I am not a coffee snob obsessing over everything to do with the perfect espresso shot. I do have lots to say about this machine though. My previous Mr Coffee Cafe Barista machine died after many years and I wanted something that would allow me to steam my own milk instead of it being done for me. I also didn’t want to spend more than $150 either as my circumstances are not great right now… Anyway, after reading many reviews on similar machines, I settled on this beaut. I am more than happy with my purchase! The machine is small and takes up half the space my old machine did, which earns high spousal approval. The all stainless steel body looks good and durable and wipes down easily. It looks good on the countertop. It heats up fast for a thermoblock design, and while the water capacity in the tank isn’t the greatest, a full tank is enough to pull two espresso shots, steam two jugs of milk, plus allows for preheating the group head and portafilter and flushing everything afterwards. The machine pulls a pretty decent shot with pre-ground espresso and leaves a hard puck after extraction, something I always had issues with on my old machine which would always leave a soupy mess. I do weigh my dose (13 grams), use a WDT needle tool, distributor, tamper and puck screen. While I do not have control over everything, you can set the volume of water dispensed for each of the buttons on the panel. The single shot button is set at 30 milliliters. I can’t get a full 15 grams into the portafilter for a true 1:2 ratio but it’s close enough. The milk frother is fast and steams the milk in about a minute and actually produces some good results. The wand seems durable and the rubber grip is well placed so you don’t scald your fingers. This does a great job for frothy cappuccinos or silky lattes. The pump is not loud either which is good for a machine at this price point. Please follow the instructions to prep the machine when you first set it up. Run a few shots through the machine before you start using it to remove any trace particles in the water lines and pump. And plastic smell from the water tank will be removed by doing this. For a basic espresso machine, this is a good buy. It seems to be well made, and it suits my present financial circumstances. Sure, I wouldn’t mind a more mainstream brand and probably a better quality machine, but for the money, don’t hesitate in buying this machine. I got mine for $129 in early 2025 and I’ve seen this at $99 before over the holidays. It’s a simply delightful espresso machine that I’m glad to have.

I should have written this review a long time ago as I bought this machine over two and a half years ago. It gets to operating temperature very quickly and makes very good espresso with nice crema. The frother is also ready to steam very quickly. The compact size is a plus. It's an excellent machine at an extraordinary value. A speaking of extraordinary, what prompted this overdue review are recent interactions I had with Casasbrews customer service over some technical questions I had. Despite being well past warranty period, they were extremely responsive and helpful. For a basic espresso maker this one is hard to beat - highly recommended.

Been using this machine every day for over 3 months. It works great and makes a fantastic cup of espresso. Some observations: - Use with a conical grinder. Small changes to the size of the grind makes a significant change to the pressure that can be generated (smaller grind = higher pressure). This results in significant changes to the flavor of the espresso. - The screen cups have a small notch/bump in them to keep them from falling out of the handle when dumping the grinds. They can only be inserted/removed from the handle in one way. I replaced them with ones without the notch (my preference). - If you allow it to run out of water while running, you have to release the internal pressure by opening the steamer wand valve (put a cup under the wand). The machine is not broken - don't panic. - The pour volume for a single and double can be adjusted (read the manual) but the minimum pour size is a little large in my opinion. The pour can be stopped manually but you have to be monitoring the pour to turn it off. - There is some vibration in some conditions that can cause the cup to wander during the pour. So it is best to keep an eye on the pour in any case (see comment above)

I've been running this machine daily for a few months now, mostly with light and medium roasts, and it's been a pleasant surprise for the price point. Espresso Quality: Once you dial in the grind for a specific bag, the consistency is solid. I went straight to a naked portafilter (didn't even touch the pressurized basket), which I know might scare some people off—it does require practice and watching a few tutorials—but the flavors I'm getting are genuinely impressive for what I paid. Why drop crazy money on a high-end machine when you're just starting out? Within a couple months of using this, you'll be a legit coffee snob. Heat-Up & Workflow: This thing heats up ridiculously fast—10-15 seconds and you're ready to pull a shot. Pro tip: run a blank shot first to warm up the portafilter before pulling your actual espresso. It makes a noticeable difference in temperature stability. Milk Frothing: The steam wand has enough power—you don't need more strength. It took me a while to get the technique down (I was angling the pitcher wrong at first), but once it clicked, it clicked hard. Now I'm making café-quality lattes every day . Daily Use: I make about two coffees a day, so I refill the 34oz reservoir maybe once a week. The shot timer is intuitive—I just stop it when I hit my target volume since I'm consistent with dosing. The 4-Star Reasons: It's mostly plastic, which doesn't bother me functionally but knocks it down a bit in the "premium feel" department. Also, mine arrived with a small scratch on the water reservoir (I ordered it internationally to Colombia), but nothing that affected performance. Bottom Line: For the price, this is unbeatable. If you're new to espresso or don't want to drop $500+ on your first machine, this is the move—and honestly, as a novice you really shouldn't start with a big expensive machine until you can master a much cheaper one. Realistically, the most important parts of great coffee are: 1) good quality beans roasted within 2-3 weeks, 2) a solid grinder, and 3) everything else. You can get really decent machines now that, with good puck prep and small tweaks like heating up the portafilter before pulling your shot, make a huge difference in quality.

Spoiled myself with this coffee making and the quality of coffee was astounding! Very user friendly. Easy to clean. Little loud when brewing but worth it! Heats up fast

Updated 2/25/25 - after being contacted in January by Casabrews and keeping the machine rather than returning it… it now leaks water all over the counter out of the bottom of the water container when I’m adding water and when I’m making espresso. I’ve taken it apart and put it back together - didn’t help. Video attached. Turns out the Bambino is worth the price. I do not recommend this machine - it is NOT made to last. Alright… longest story short - I’m directly comparing this machine to what seems to be the highly coveted Breville Bambino Plus that costs 3.6% more than this machine. For the overall response without reading any further - get this one over the more expensive option! For the longer version keep reading. I need a new machine to replace my very old espresso machine that isn’t working properly anymore. I didn’t want to go too crazy with spending if I didn’t have to. So many people seem to LOVE the Bambino Plus. I bought one three days ago. I returned it two days ago. It made espresso, but not well, and the auto milk frothing, two out of three times, did not stop and boiled fairly hot milk over the pitcher and everywhere. Not a good feature. Not worth the extra $200 they add for that feature over the regular Bambino. The regular Bambino is still slightly more than 2x the price of this machine. This morning out of frustration I opened Amazon and looked for the highest rated/reviewed machine that I could get TODAY before 3pm. Helped narrow it down out of thousands of machines quickly. So here we are. Why 3 stars? Here are the pros and cons for me (and mind you I’ve made ONE drink - the video that is attached). Pros: It’s cute / kinda retro looking with the guage. Which due to filming and watching the coffee flow I realize I didn’t even look at it so I don’t know if it is helpful or not yet. It’s very compact and is smaller than most drip coffee machines. It should cause zero space issues for anyone. It seems fairly sturdy despite the price. It didn’t rattle my cup around etc. Yes I had to hold onto it for the portafilter - but not in an agressive way. The Bambino felt like I had to hold onto it more so. The box and the directions it comes with - they really do cover a lot of information for people who are new to espresso making - which I think is a nice added touch. Cons: The steam wand, turned all the way up, does a terrible job at frothing. If you want hot milk that doesn’t get any real texture - that was my experience. Again - first use - but I steam milk everyday and this steam wand was a let down. The portafilter, the baskets, the "tamper"…. All three need to be replaced immediately. The portafilter is very lightweight and the baskets have to be turned and placed inside with little slots. They feel very low quality overall. The tamper is the flat side of a plastic spoon. I didn’t open the bag with the spoon or the single basket - I didn’t bother trying to use it. I used one I already have. No milk pitcher included. Casabrews does sell upgraded portafilters and baskets and a tamper. I don’t know if I am going to keep this machine (I make milk drinks all day and that steam wand is rough for me) - but if I do - I will spend the extra for the better accessories (bottomless portafilter - non pressurized basket etc). For a budget machine though - overall I’d say this machines reviews are pretty accurate. I did follow all the instructions - and I’m going to go make another coffee now. Update: 1/7/25 - I will still leave my rating at 3 stars because of everything I said a couple of days ago. After a couple of days with this machine and many espresso drinks made - I wanted to add a couple things. First - it really does not froth milk. I’ve tried three different kinds and it just gets it really hot with zero texture and zero froth. Massive letdown for me since I like milk drinks. I also meant to mention in the first review, the steam wand is not the insulated kind - so it gets VERY hot. Just something to be careful with if you aren’t aware that not all steam wands are made the same. I tested the machine with coffee ground for espresso machines and it did not like it. With the pressurized basket it comes with, the machine does better with a more coarse grind (similar to a drip coffee/sea salt texture grind). That would be a plus if you want to use pre ground coffee from the grocery store. The instructions for the machine also say that you cannot use the steam wand and then make another espresso shot right after. If you try to do that the machine goes into heat protection mode. It locks the machine and there is a sequence you run that ends up using a lot of water in your reservoir to cool the machine back down. If you wanted to make a milk drink for someone and make another drink right after for someone else, you can’t. Or you can’t without either waiting an unknown amount of cool down time OR running the routine to cool the machine first. HOPEFULLY this review helps in someone’s decision making. If you ONLY drink espresso shots - this machine is probably tidally worth it! If you like milk drinks…. Maybe try it out and see if you have better luck than me. Today I had to use my old espresso machine’s steam wand to go with my espresso shot from this new machine.

I thought the barrier to entry into espresso would cost more. I assumed the machines under $500 would be absolute junk. I still have a $600 unit in my save for later that I was going to "graduate" to if it turned out I'm into espresso as much as I thought I'd be. Decided to get my feet wet with this unit fully expecting to eventually buy the $600 one I had my eyes on. Turns out, I could not possibly fathom what I'd need to replace this thing for? It does exactly as it should. Maybe the pressure isn't perfect or the temps are not 100% stable like a professional grade machine, but this makes a damn good cup of double shot espresso. The steamer wand works well. I will use this thing until it doesn't espresso no more. One thing I had to get used to is the order of operation: 1. Get the steamer going by spraying water/steam mix into your cup, when it's fully steam, use your chilled milk pitcher to get your steamed milk, 2. Clean off the steam wand, turn off the steam button, then open up the steamer again until it spits out nothing but hot water (no steam) because this cools down the machine's internals, if you try to brew a cup of espresso before this step, it will not work, it must cool down and the only way to do that is to send water through the steamer, 3. Brew a single cup with no grinds, just pass water through to pre-heat everything, 4. Load the grinds and make your actual espresso. If you're on the fence, don't hesitate, this thing is amazing for the price.

It is easy to use, heats quickly and prepares a coffee with a very good flavor and an excellent cream. The build quality feels solid and cleaning is easy. It has exceeded my expectations and I use it every day. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to enjoy quality espresso at home.

J'ai longtemps hésité à commander cette machine à espresso, cherchant à avoir un bon café de qualité sans trop y mettre d'argent. J'ai finalement passée ma commande et reçu la machine le lendemain. Je pensais sérieusement que j'allais devoir faire des essais-erreurs avant de réussir à avoir un bon espresso. J'ai préchauffé la machine comme recommandé par la marque, en faisant couler un 2 tasses, sans y mettre d'espresso, avant de faire une vraie tasse. Hé bien, mon tout premier espresso était vraiment excellent. J'ai choisi un sac de café Lavazza "crema e gusto" moulu finement que j'ai trouvé au supermarché, j'ai mis 11-13g dans mon portafilter, et dès ma première gorgée j'ai été grandement surprise. Aucun arrière-goût, aucune amertume. Un café très doux, mais fort en même temps. Points importants à noter: - Le mousseur à lait prend parfois un peu de temps à être bien chaud et je n'ai pas réussi à faire mousser mon lait au complet, mais ce n'était pas ma priorité. - Le mousseur est aussi très bruyant, au point de faire siler mes oreilles. - J'utilise l'eau chaude du mousseur à lait (sans mettre l'option steam) pour allonger mon espresso, mais parfois l'eau n'est pas aussi chaude que j'aimerais qu'elle le soit. Je suis très contente de mon achat, et après une semaine à me faire des café régulièrement je n'ai aucun problème majeur avec la machine. Je recommanderais clairement cette machine pour ceux qui souhaitent se faire des espressos, ou allongés de qualité, sans trop dépenser (surtout considérant que certaines machines à pods sont encore plus chères que celle-ci). Évidemment il est possible de "modder" la machine en changeant le portafilter, mais honnêtement, étant quelqu'un qui prend de 2-5 cafés par jour, je ne vois pas l'intérêt pour le moment puisque le café est très bon! Je recommande!!

Estoy muy satisfecho con este producto. La calidad y como se ve es muy buena!

Muy buena con accesorios mas adecuados hace maravillas

Petite et efficace, pas bruyante. Chauffe rapidement et fait un très bon café. Vraiment pas cher pour ce produit 😊

4 stars if you're intent on learning to make great espresso, 5 stars if you're happy to stick with beginner mode. There's nothing inherently wrong with this machine. It can make good espresso, with a nice crema, if you use fresh, quality coffee that's ground correctly AND you run it at least twice without coffee before making a cup -- the portafilter needs to be hot or you'll get a subpar extraction that's thin and lacks the silky smooth mouth feel. Ignore the single shot basket. It's pretty much useless. No one makes single shots. Fill the double shot basket as close to the max line as you can (~15g of coffee), and MOST IMPORTANTLY reprogram the 1 cup button so that you get about 30 to 32 grams of espresso in your cup. 15g of coffee for 30 grams of espresso is the "golden ratio" of 1:2. From the factory, both the 1 cup and 2 cup buttons allow way too much water. The ratio is closer to 1:4, which will yield a terrible espresso. Buy a coffee scale with a timer function and reprogram the 1 cup button as I said above (for ~30g of espresso in the cup). The 2 cup button will be your "manual" button -- you can use it as an on/off button to do a manual extraction while watching your coffee scale and timer, the way a professional manual espresso machine is used. If this is all you ever want to do, and you like the results, then it's a 5 star machine. However, if you were hoping to experiment with your grind and your tamping to achieve different extraction pressures and times, then you'll have to buy a new portafilter, one that does not use a pressurized basket. The cheapest I found was a bottomless portafilter from a 3rd party for $60 CAD. You'll also need a real tamper, which is another $20 to $30 depending on features ($30 for a spring-loaded one). And you'll likely need a coffee distributer and leveler too ($30) since you'll be working with a bottomless portafilter and they are much less forgiving (on purpose). That's why I say 4 stars if you had aspirations of learning the art of espresso making -- after buying all the additional parts, you'll have spent almost as much as a De'Longhi Maestro Plus which comes with both pressurized and non pressurized filter baskets (so you get the best of both worlds) plus all the accessories you need, AND you'll still be stuck with the Casabrews 51mm portafilter which is a little small and only holds 14-15g of coffee -- larger diameter portafilters are preferred, 58mm being the standard for pro systems, and being able to hold 16-20g of coffee is preferred. Like I said, it does make good coffee. It just doesn't offer any way to grow your skills and make even better coffee. I've had it for 24 hours and I already wish I'd bought something more professional, but I'm the kind of person who will take the time to learn, so if that's not you, then go for the Casabrews.