Smeg ECF01 Espresso Machine Review [June 2023]

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Many people get up in the morning and do not feel energetic or motivated until they get a cup of coffee. So to boost up a day, most people start their day with a dose of caffeine. Some of you all have common questions like-Are filter coffee and espresso the same? The answer is no, as these drinks possess their own origin. The only significant difference is in the firmness of grinding and brew timing. You can love both the drinks if you perfectly prepare them.

Smeg is a well-known high-grade domestic appliance producer from Italy started by the Bertazzoni family in 1948. Smeg is a reputable company and is mainly known for its chic retro style design. So if you’re looking for a 70’s style machine with press and play features to deliver your first caffeine hit of the morning, then the Smeg espresso coffee machine is ideal for you.

Once you master the skill to use it, this machine will provide you with the ultimate Italian espresso taste. To know more about its hidden characteristics and functioning, look over to our complete survey of this machine.

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Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Machine Review: First Impressions

Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Machine Specifications
Dimensions	12 x 6 x 13 inches
Weight	11 pounds
Material	Stainless Steel
Average Pressure	15 bar
Human Interface Input	Buttons
Water tank capacity	1 Liter
No. of Filters	3
Wattage	1300 W
Cord Length	1 meter

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Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Machine: Detailed Specifications

1. Design and build quality

The Smeg Espresso has a sleek appearance with a retro-style design. The retro looks are matched by Smeg’s reputation for perfection, making it a lovely addition to every kitchen. Available in many unique colors like pastel colors as well as cream, red, and black. The pastel colors are pretty rare for kitchen appliances, and each machine displays Smeg branding in raised chrome lettering.

This coffee maker becomes the primary focal spot due to its flawless aesthetic. The machine comes in a stainless steel wrap and plastic-painted housing. The filter uses stainless steel, and the steam lever is made up of chrome Zamak with a chrome-plated base. The control panel is user-friendly and straightforward to operate. The bottom of the smeg espresso is anti-slip which makes it less vulnerable to falling.

The smeg espresso coffee machine is splendidly compact with hardly a centimeter of wasted surface. There are smart additions hidden in the slim design. The top of the coffee machine doubles as a coffee cup warmer, and although it seems as if only an espresso cup will fit under the spot, the drip tray can be removed, letting you hold a medium cup below.

2. Performance 

The Smeg ECF01 espresso pushes the water through the coffee filter at a pressure of upto 15 bars. At this pressure, the hot water can extract the maximum flavors from the best coffee without turning them bitter. You get a rich, intense flavour without any acrid aftertaste. It also uses thermo block heating technology for quickly dispensing hot coffee or steam. With such a heating mechanism, it doesn’t require heating the whole tank of water.

Instead, only the required amount of water is heated. It takes a few seconds for the espresso coffee machine to heat the water. Another benefit of this technology is that the device can turn instantly from dispensing coffee to steam – usually around 10 seconds.

3. Settings 

It comes with adjustable temperature and quantity settings. You can choose how hot your coffee comes out. There are three temperature levels ranging from high to low. You can also adjust how much coffee the machine dispenses. It provides the option of 1 cup or 2 cups. 

Whether you forget to shut your coffee maker off or purposely leave it on all the time. You should know about the automatic shut-off feature that this particular device is equipped with. It enables you to choose between three-option 9 minutes,30 minutes, and 3 hours of automatically going into standby mode when it’s not in use.

4. Milk frothing

This coffee machine includes a manual milk frother that heats up within a few seconds and makes well-textured, frothy milk that’s perfect for all types of milky coffees like cappuccino, latte, and macchiato. It mixes steam, air, and milk to create a dense, creamy foam. The steam wand also dispenses hot water for espresso drinks into a long glass. The manual states that the steam wand should not be used for more than sixty seconds simultaneously, which could be a problem if you make multiple milky coffees.

Frothing the milk is a smooth method. But initially, you have to learn how to create steam and froth milk. The most incredible feature is the steam wanding movement that makes the steaming simple. Its performance is a desirable task of creating hand texture micro-foam milk.

5. Ease to use

If you already own an espresso machine, then the Smeg espresso machine is no different. The control panel has only three buttons and a knob on the side to release steam. After turning on, it takes about a minute to warm up; then it’s a simple press of a button for whatever espresso you want. To make the coffee longer, simply double-tap.

1. To begin making espresso drinks follow the following steps-
2. Place the desired filter basket into the filter holder.
3. Now put freshly ground or pre-grounded coffee into the basket and tamp it down using the inbuilt tamper.
4. Lock the filter holder into the group head and place the mug or cup below the filter holder. Press the desired button present on the front of the machine to make a single shot or double shot.
5. The espresso will be extracted, and now you are ready to froth the milk.
6. Press the third button on the front of the machine to warm up the milk frother. When the light stops flashing, it’s ready to use.
7. Next, place the milk container under the frother and turn the steam valve towards the front. Move the container up and down to achieve a decent foam. Then turn off the valve and proceed to pour milk over an espresso.

6. Cleaning and Descaling 

Regular cleaning and maintenance are necessary for this machine. First, you should wipe everything down after each use. The drip tray can be removed and rinsed, and it features a float that raises when it is time to remove it. The filter baskets can be cleaned by wiping them from time to time with running water. To remove any remaining residue inside the steam wanding unit, you should manually turn on and off the steam wand five times after every use. The water reservoir should be cleaned by hand about once a month.

This device has an adjustable water hardness which is a great feature as every place has different water hardness levels. The system enables you to change the hardness level of water based on your taste preferences and the area in which you reside. It consists of three hardness settings: light, medium, and hard. After about 200 coffees are made, the group head should be descaled. The Smeg ECF01 also has an intuitive descaling indicator that will let you know when the machine needs to be descaled.

7. Price 

This machine is an excellent purchase for its high performance, beautiful design, and ease of use. Some of the reviewers say it’s too costly, but paying this much for an espresso machine is not crazy. It is made of high-grade materials and has excellent features. It will be challenging to find such an option for a lower price than this well made. This machine also comes with a one-year limited warranty to add to its value. While this is certainly not top of the line in espresso machines, it’s an excellent middle-ground option and especially great for beginners. 

8. Included Accessories

1. Three filters: One to make single-shot espressos, another for double espresso shots or two cups of coffee, and a third for use with soft coffee pods. The pod filter works with standard ESE coffee pods.
2. A combined measuring spoon and tamper: One side scoops to measure the precise amount of ground coffee. The other tamp it down for a more robust flavour.

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Final Verdict ​

Smeg has devised its new coffee maker, an iconic style piece without compromising the need for the highest quality performance. The lustrous body is available in Smeg’s range of 50’s style pastel colors. While the cup and filter holder is built of stainless steel, and the base is chrome plated, making it an extremely stylish domestic appliance. Fast and straightforward to use, thanks to the user-friendly buttons on the control panel.

This machine will indeed become your best buddy when it is time for you to take a break. If you favor a cappuccino or other milk coffees, the coffee machine has a steam nozzle to froth up the milk. If your counter is compact or already overloaded with appliances, the Smeg’s small footprint is comfortable to work with. It would be an excellent machine for anyone who wants to spend time improving their barista skills. For fashion-conscious coffee lovers who desire to combine style with quality, the Smeg ECF01 Espresso Machine is impossible to beat.

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Frequently Asked Questions ​

1. What is the capacity of filter baskets?

The single filter basket has a capacity of 5 to 7 grams of coffee, and the double basket holds 13 to 16 grams of coffee. The capacity depends on the grind size you are using and how hard or lightly you are tamping them.

2. Can we directly make espresso just after steaming milk?

You have to wait until the boiler cools down if you want to make more espresso after steaming milk. To do this, take an empty container and place it under the milk frother, bring the level down and wait for the machine to release excess steam. Once it stops, bring the lever back up and make more espressos.

3. How can we reprogram the water amount?

Place a cup below the group and press and hold the 2 cup button down to reprogram the water amount. When you have the correct amount of water in the cup, release the button. The water amount is now saved.

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