Espresso Machine, Paster Blue ECF01PBUS

A little pricey but it cranks out some great espresso with very little tuning needed and it looks good to boot.

This amazing espresso machine is not only the most beautiful appliance I own, but it also makes such a quality latte, cappuccino, and espresso. Easy to use and I have been using it daily. I hope it holds up over time because if so, this will be by far my favorite/most used kitchen appliance!

I was excited for this to arrive only to discover it is cheaply made (all plastic) and would not turn on. I called SMEG service and they just said it’s defective and to send it back without any extra help. For a $500 machine - so disappointed.

It's a 15 bar machine, really good for house usage. The most important thing aside the Machine, is the blend, the coffee you select, that the most important is the grind!! those are the three most important parts of a coffee, if you fail in one, the other two are oboslet.

I bought this espresso machine a little less than four years ago and I've used it nearly every day, so at least 1400 shots. I am not terribly disappointed that the machine is failing now when I think about the use of it over time. I looked around at replacing this machine, and ouch did the price go up about 20%. Next I thought about repairing this one since it matches the rest of the appliances already. I watched a couple of videos online and bought a replacement valve off Amazon for $10. Turns out that the inside of this machine is exactly the same as the inside of almost every other 15 - 20 bar espresso maker on the market today. It is not the easiest fix since the housing is plastic, but overall I felt confident enough to repair it. I have the four slice toaster, the tea kettle, and the espresso maker. I replaced the tea kettle when it was about four years old too, because Smeg would not sell me just the base for it, so four years of use from the espresso maker isn't worth the extra money to me. These appliances are pretty to look at, but they function the same as models that I've had ten or more years of use from for less money. I am beginning to phase out Smeg's small appliances and thank my lucky stars that I didn't invest in the bigger ones when I thought about it. UPDATE MARCH 2025 Since my last review I purchased three new Espresso machines in the $100-$150 range and they were all garbage. One lasted nine months and it was okay, but the next two I returned within a month. I have now repurchased this Smeg machine because I realize that there is no such thing as a decent $100 machine. This time I purchased the 4 year warranty and I will hope for longevity. The Smeg machine delivers a smooth shot of Espresso with a real head on it, and the design is flawless. I added a star to make it 4 instead of 3. I hesitate to give it a 5 star review because I don't know how long this one will last.

if you have any experience using basic Italian espresso makers from the 70s and 80s 90s, this machine will be perfect for you. And even if you haven’t, it’s quite easy to use once you read the instructions a few times and practice a bit. It can be difficult to get delicious espresso from a basic machine, but with this one my very first cappuccino was very good plus. This Italian company bought La Pavone one of the very best espresso machine makers in Italy for decades. Yes, you can be super fussy and want what you want; so make sure you don’t mind a plastic exterior etc. but for my budget this is far and away the best tasting espresso, cappuccino machine I have tried. Some of the cheaper machines do make a lovely crema but it is full of air rather than a traditional stylr. you don’t really have to fuss with it, but you can change the temperature of the coffee, which I like.

It's a pretty concept, but you're literally paying for the name. Espressos do not come out as dark as it should be.

I have typically had wonderful experience with breville products but this one is a piece of garbage, when I plugged it in it wouldn't even start (yes even after pressing the power button). If you have a smooth countertop this product is not for you. Overall, this product feels like a cheap plastic version of what an espresso machine is supposed aspired to be.