CASABREWS CM5418 Espresso Machine, Small Coffee Maker with Steam Wand

I recently returned from a trip to Spain, where I drank a lot of cafè con leche (coffee with milk or cappuccino) and wanted the same experience at home. The Casabrews makes excellent expresso, takes up very little counter space for something you want to keep handy and is simple to operate. The build quality is excellent, all the parts fit together properly, the machine worked right out of the box. Only thing extra I needed was a container for the steamed milk. You can spend a lot more money but if you simply want a great cappuccino, look no further. The Casabrews is a great little machine. 1 year in it’s still going strong, no problems except when I let the water tank run dry, so that’s on me. Several people commented on the “cheap, plastic tamper. I recently purchased a stainless steel tamper, just in case, but so far I’ve made about 350 Cappuccinos and the plastic tamper is still working just fine, but I’m sure it may eventually fail, so I’ll be covered. For those of you who want to make 2 drinks at more or less the same time, you need to make both espresso beverages BEFORE you steam your milk. If you do this often you may want to purchase an extra filter basket so you can fill that while the first cup is brewing, and then you can steam your milk for the finished cups. At this point I’d figure the 350 beverages I’ve made thus far would have cost me about $1,400 (350 X $4.00 per latte) at a coffee bar, plus I would have needed to go out to get it. It takes me less than 4 minutes to make the whole thing in my own kitchen. With a modest investment in equipment you can cut the cost of those 350 cappuccinos a year to about little less than $15 a month if you grind my own beans; about $30.00 if you buy Illy’s ground coffee instead, including whatever milk you choose to steam. Illy’s cost about 83 cents per 14 grams of coffee (enough for a double shot). I buy a locally sourced whole bean coffee from Costco, so my 14 grams cost about 33 cents, and I grind that fresh. I’m using a Cuisinart Burr Grinder (about $75 from Amazon) that’s going strong in its 5th year. The machine will pay for itself in less than 6 months if you make only one coffee drink a day - and you can also use it for your regular coffee maker as well. If you’re just starting, you might consider adding a stainless steel cup for steaming your milk and a small digital scale for portion control of your coffee. Both should cost less than $25. IF you were to buy ONE espresso coffee drink a day at a coffee bar for the next 2 months, you would spend about $250. That’s roughly the cost of all the stuff you need to do-it-yourself.

Great espresso machine for the price! It is fairly easy to operate, and cleaning is not difficult at all. I used a few cheap espresso machines before, and this one definitely at a much better experience. I use it every morning to make cappuccino or latte. Besides the little noise, there is not much to complain about. The milk frother is my favorite function. It makes very smooth foamy hot milk quickly and satisfying. It does take a few tries to get the correct grind size. But once you get it right, it works pretty consistently. There are a couple points can be improved, such as the metal plate where you coffee cup sits is too slippery, I wish it was a rubbery material instead; the frother nozzle is a little low, makes it difficult to make the milk with a larger cup. After all, I highly recommend this espresso machine to any casual coffee drinker that love to experiment different coffee drinks at home and not too picky about the brand. Great espresso machine for the price! It is fairly easy to operate, and cleaning is not difficult at all. I used a few cheap espresso machines before, and this one definitely at a much better experience. I use it every morning to make cappuccino or latte. Besides the little noise, there is not much to complain about. The milk frother is my favorite function. It makes very smooth foamy hot milk quickly and satisfying. It does take a few tries to get the correct grind size. But once you get it right, it works pretty consistently. There are a couple points can be improved, such as the metal plate where you coffee cup sits is too slippery, I wish it was a rubbery material instead; the frother nozzle is a little low, makes it difficult to make the milk with a larger cup. After all, I highly recommend this espresso machine to any casual coffee drinker that love to experiment different coffee drinks at home and not too picky about the brand. Great espresso machine for the price! It is fairly easy to operate, and cleaning is not difficult at all. I used a few cheap espresso machines before, and this one definitely at a much better experience. I use it every morning to make cappuccino or latte. Besides the little noise, there is not much to complain about. The milk frother is my favorite function. It makes very smooth foamy hot milk quickly and satisfying. It does take a few tries to get the correct grind size. But once you get it right, it works pretty consistently. There are a couple points can be improved, such as the metal plate where you coffee cup sits is too slippery, I wish it was a rubbery material instead; the frother nozzle is a little low, makes it difficult to make the milk with a larger cup. After all, I highly recommend this espresso machine to any casual coffee drinker that love to experiment different coffee drinks at home and not too picky about the brand

My wife and I have a bad cappuccino habit. Started while on a visit to Italy. Continued when we returned home. Gets expensive to buy two a day from a coffee bar. This machine came highly recommended. For once the recommendations were on the money. It makes good cappuccino, is modestly priced and after some trial and error makes cappuccino as good as most coffee bars. Instructions that come with the machine are clear and have pictures to make the procedure clear. Just follow the instructions. Bought three essential tools to go with the machine. A good heavy weight, aluminum tamper. The plastic one that comes with the machine is wimpy. Here it is: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09H24D5YQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Also got a stainless steel frothing pitcher to use in steaming milk. Better than anything you have at home. Here it is: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KFYXTRR?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details Lastly, bought a coffee canister designed to keep ground coffee fresh. Works well. Here it is: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H38T264/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Making the perfect cup of cappuccino is by trial and error. Took me about ten tries. First, get the right espresso coffee. Tried some Italian versions. Not so good. Settled on Starbucks espresso, dark roast. Not ground to a powder like some espresso coffee, but works well in this machine. I'm too lazy to grind my own beans. Next, the right milk. Many coffee bars use one percent milk. We found it too watery. Changed to whole milk and that works fine. The amount of frothed milk you add to the espresso affects the strength of the taste. I suggest you don't add all the frothed milk in the pitcher to the top of the espresso cup all at once. Try 3/4 full. Probably too strong. Then keep adding the frothed milk in increments until you find the right amount of frothed milk that satisfies your taste. You don't have to buy this. But you need two cups. Any cup to capture the steam coming from the machine and a 12 ounce cup for the espresso/cappuccino. The 12 ounce cup has to be wide and not high so it will fit under the spouts where the espresso comes out. Tip. Turning the handle while on the machine was hard. A tiny drop of vegetable oil on your finger tip, rubbed on the edge of the cup containing the coffee, before inserting it into the machine, makes the handle turn easily. Doesn't effect the taste. Just use a tiny smear. All in all, this is a great buy. The machine makes 12 ounces of fine cappuccino in the convenience of your own home. I timed the process. Took me 15 minutes total in preparation, making the cappuccino, and cleaning up. A bright spot in our daily routine.

Since I’m the only coffee drinker in the house, I’ve been very happy with my Bodum French press for years, not being able to justify the high price tag of an espresso machine just to make myself a latte on Sundays. I got this machine for Christmas after reading the great reviews. I was a barista for a short time and a coffee lover for decades, so I was very suspect on how this machine would perform. While there are better, more efficient machines out there, they are also quadruple the price. To start, the Casabrew makes pretty good espresso with nice crema. I get great foam from the milk steamer. It’s very easy to use and comes with detailed instructions. I upgraded for a real tamper (a must) and will also upgrade the portofilter at some point as well. I bought a rubber mat to go underneath so the machine doesn’t move around. It takes up very little counter space and that’s a huge plus for me. Three months in, I haven’t had any problems or issues with the machine at all. I’m v happy with my purchase and definitely recommend for someone new to home espresso machines

I spent a lot of time searching reviews between affordable and expensive options. I decided on this unit because it was affordable, compact and had relatively positive reviews. I’ve been using it for the past three months and it’s been wonderful. By no means does it compare to a commercial unit but it gets the job done. That being said, I use it daily to make a latte and I couldn’t be happier. I’m not one to bother measuring the volume or the time it takes to pull a shot so I won’t comment on those aspects. If you’re looking for an entry level, affordable, and simple solution to making your own espresso at home, then this might be the machine for you. I’ll generally be happy (in relation to cost of the unit) if the unit operates for at least one year but I’ll hope it gives me much more than that.

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 bought my Casabrew almost 2 years ago now, and I still love it as my day 1. It brews me a perfect cup every time. Never had issues with it even when I accidentally let it run dry (the leftover water mark in the water holder tricked me). Paired with an electric grinder where I can change the grind size, casabrew is fantastic. Also, I still have the instruction manual but it’s been very helpful and easy to follow.

Really good coffee maker for the price. Getting the right coffee grinder and bottomless portafilter really changed the game and allowed the coffee maker get to nearly the max pressure with perfect crema, its a good machine, easy to use and the frother makes perfect foamed milk everytime. The size is also space saving.

Buen producto. Al ser pequeña hace ruido y vibra mucho, pero funciona muy bien. Ya tenemos 6 meses con ella.

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!!

Great coffee machine. It’s slim and take a little space on my countertop. This already second one, first had an issue with programming after two years of hard working in our family (three adult coffee addicted person - it’s definitely hard life for appliances). The taste of coffee rich and froster for milk works perfectly. I do recommend this brand and their products. Other word what to say about customer service - friendly and fast answering all of the time with wise suggestions.

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

Muy buena con accesorios mas adecuados hace maravillas