Oh Kyle, add another boiler? The Cube is expensive at what it is now, do you imagine the price adding another boiler? I think is not worth it. It is beautiful, full of feature, but I feel that at this price point they need to do a little better on the function area. The brew lever goes upward, blocking the display. Is like designing something that is going to collide to another part. When you said “But you paid for that” I have not take that serious, I thought is going to be like 3,000 or so with taxes, then I realize that is a little bit more…
Besides the look and connectivity, I don’t see what problems it solves that lower price machines solve. I personally can’t see myself paying that much for a heat exchanger.
Great video and first look. I think for the pricing it is lacking some key features I would want to see in a machine like this such as pre-infusion and flow profiling. The steam pressure is also a big one as well. Not having the dual boiler for this just sends some red flags at first and as you pointed out the steam pressure isn't the best. BUT it is a beauty! Good thoughts!
Great video. Thanks for the review. Love the aesthetics of the machine, but I think at that price for a rotary pump heat exchanger, might as well just go all in and commit to an Eagle One Prima or Linea Mini
In the Philippines its already available and the non R model sells for $3500 USD, but at that price range I felt the Decent DE1 Pro was the better buy.
Hi, just to clarify that we only sell Cube R versions in the Philippines at Php 168,000. By the way, we are exclusive distributor for entire Sanremo range therefore you will have fully support and warranty.
to fix the steam power problem: it helped us to use a steam-head with slightly bigger holes. It really has the power to create great milk foam but it is slowed down by to tiny holes. I dont know why they didnt test theyre machines before selling them.
I was actually set to buy the R as here in Europe prices are a bit more affordable (about 2300 euro for the R), however, in the end I went for the Bianca. The bianca is literally 500 euro cheaper and although it doesn't look as sexy, I'm sure it will age better as a home espresso machine. The dual boiler + flow profiling will just increase the longevity of the machine exponentially
The Bianca is a way better buy than this machine and will still look god in a decade!!! Sanremo makes very good commercial machine but have a long way to go for prosumer machines!!
Long term reliability which could be tied to build quality is worth the extra money. The You machine looks more interesting though, even though I don't know pricing.
Just bought a Quick Mill Aquila which is a beautiful machine and has all these features without the WiFi for less than half the money of this. Can't say I think I made the wrong choice to be honest..... I think this cube might appeal to the home fashionista but not the real coffee enthusiast.
5:28: YES, I like the look! Virtually all the higher-end machines out there look like a plumber’s nightmare. This looks clean, and the dark metal would better fit my modern kitchen. 7:45: I wish the standard brewing devices had better connectivity. It would be great to be able to program it for different times on weekends, for instance, than on weekdays. Great touch, along with the ability to alert you to service needs. 12:30: that price, however, is a total deal-breaker. When equal or better functionality (minus connectivity) can be had for 1/3 the price, there’s no chance I’d get this thing
One gripe is the steam wand should be updated at this price point. I think profitec gives more as a prosumer brand. I think Lelit as a brand gives a ton of option at every price point. The cube coupled with the brand, the build quality and overall performance checks the boxes for most home baristas. Especially comparing to La marzocco
I'm confused as the the place for this. Comparisons to the Bianca seem really kind when feature wise it seems closer to a profitec pro 500 with wifi. For that cost you can get a really good machine without compromising. If anyone is interested in this machine I'd love to hear why. As far as I can tell you are paying an extra 3k for wifi and a look which is the price of a more feature rich espresso machine on its own.
@@KyleRowsell The other thing I would be concerned about is, how many features are dependent upon the app? If you are investing this much in the build quality of something it would suck to be locked out because app support stops after a few years. For a home machine in this price range I would either want all the features (like the Decent) or to be able to pass it on to my kids (like an Olympia Cremina) this seems to fall into neither category at least at first glance.
Fellow Canadian here, love your channel bro. However, I can't justify paying $4900 CAD for a HX machine. If this was a dual boiler then that's a big maybe, as there are other machines with much longer brand name, proven longevity for a much cheaper price. 1.8 L water tank is pretty poor, unless your plumbed, those constant refills are going to get annoying. Heck I get annoyed on my Synchronika, and that has a 3L tank lol.
Sanremo jumped in the home espresso market. Not properly. Not with a machine that deserves it's money. But at least they jumped in, and hopefully they will learn out if their mistakes and the competition around
Thanks, Kyle, for a fantastic video. I know you didn’t say it outright, but it was implied that you have the same concerns about such a machine. If Breville / Sage can make a dual boiler with full preinfusion customisation and a pressure sensor at the group at a $1000 AUD (~$700 USD) price point in Australia (commonly goes on sale for that price in Aus), why can’t the big guys make a dual boiler and match these features at multiples of the same price? I understand that the concept of brewing and steaming at the same time may not be important for someone who has only ever made coffee in a domestic space. But for someone like you or me, who has had the luxury of working behind a busy bar, with a state-of-the-art coffee machine, it’s really hard to justify going backwards to a single boiler or heat exchange system.
The Sanremo Cube is awesome looking. Love the stealthy black and industrial vibe. It would look perfect in a Soho hipster loft.... but there's too many issues, all of them you astutely mentioned. For instance, pre-infusion is a joke. For a home espresso machine, like it or not, the Olympia Cremina still reigns supreme.
Great video! Been waiting for someone to have a legit review on this machine. Great intro as well💯 wondering if this machine can hold up in a commercial setting?
Thanks for the video! Personally I'm a bit tired of the e61 hx approach that a lot of companies take. Brands like Breville and Decent show how modern pid, heating solutions and digital controls can greatly impact the consistency and user experience of espressomachines. When a company makes a machine this expensive without bringing anything new to the table, it is not worth it for me. Besides that, I'm not really a fan of the e61 aesthetic. But I must confess, that is one very sexy looking machine.
My main issue is that this machine doesn't solve any problems in hx machines that are half the price from companies that have been making prosumer level products for years. For a first attempt at a home prosumer machine they're hitting the price bracket of a dual boiler machine with profiling and mechanical preinfusion and yet those features are missing. I am currently saving up for a Bianca and while I was disappointed to see the hefty price tag for a repackaged system with a nicer paint job I'm glad that it also seems to reinforce my purchase decision. thank you for your unbiased review and highlighting the pros and cons for me c:
One topic that I felt was a bit underrepresented: which features do we loose of e.g. our internet is down, or when the cloud they seem to be using gets inevitably shut down. A question often overlooked for connected devices...
Nice review, thank you. I was attracted by the styling, especially in the black. The Wifi link would be a bonus, but tbh beyond turning the machine on and off when I'm on the way home (done by my wife atm!!!) I wouldn't pay a premium for the feature. The killer for me is the reservoir size & access (kitchen cupboards), lack of warning for low water, and no brew temp. The ECM Synchronika outperforms or matches this in every respect, and still leaves you with cash for a top class Titanium grinder for that same money. It does look stunning, but performance before looks every time. Iirc the Vesuvius V10 can be had for the same money as this - also stunning and a proven, better and more desirable machine in every respect.
For that price I would want to see automated pressure profiling. Shouldn't be too hard to integrate the app software in the machine since it's already has connectivity. Just need to add the hardware inside the machine to give it the capability. Hopefully they're working on it for the future.
You didn’t mention that drip tray in your list of Cons - It looks TINY! Can it be plumped to a drain line? If not then I reckon that alone would put me off. Not sure if some of it appears style over substance; first thing that springs to mind is those handles/levers for the steam and hot water - Do they look great and stylish … mmm, maybe - Are they very practical or ergonomic … uh, I doubt it
Cool design. You pay for that and the hi tech features. In terms of price, maybe this is a cafe quality machine for the home? So, e.g., how much does it weigh? How easy is it to maintain and use the various features? WLL recently posted a vid comparing two seemingly similar machines, and although it was obviously biased, one point that hit home was the use of plastic parts vs long lasting steel parts. This machine, from the outside at least, looks like a solid beast. Who knows, maybe it's a great value! As for me, I think I'll stick with my GCP for the time being and put the money I save into quality locally roasted beans! Thanks for your informative video.
It looks good, but apart from that I don’t see the attraction at all. For me E61 and HX is synonymous with being stuck in the past. What does this bring to the table that hasn’t been done a hundred times before (apart from the slightly different design)? As others have said for this price I’d always get a decent.
There's quite a few E61 machines depending on being plumbed in (which requires a rotary pump, I believe?) to get some pre-infusion pressure... I think that's one area where the Lelit Elizabeth innovates in a cool way, using the steam boiler to bring some pressure into the brew boiler when doing pre-infusion, haven't seen that anywhere else?
Great Video Kyle! Keep up the great content! Thinking about upgrading my breville dual boiler to dual boiler E61 machine. Leaning towards ECM synchronika with flow control. What are your thoughts?
Hey there, I owned a BDB, and upgraded to an ECM Synchronika with FC. Overall after the upgrade I missed the tech behind the BDB. If you got your grinder dialed in, a e61 won't give you any better shot than the BDB. This is a bit different with the FC, but the BDB can do the same with a quick 5 minute slayer mod. The FC, from my own experience, it was a bit finicky to use, as the FC was an afterthought on the Profitec/ECM machines. You can go beyond stock flow, but you really don't need to do that. I was not a fan of the 360 turn with the tiny ball knob. The ECM Synchronika however is built like a tank, solid heavy machine, with excellent internal engineering. The machine is a steam monster at 2 bars. The reason I'm getting rid of it was because I didn't take into account of the heavy weight and large size. My family is moving, and the new place can't take into account of the size and weight. This machine is really large and heavy at 80lbs. I'm leaning towards the Lelit Bianca now only because it ticks all the boxes while keeping a slimmer profile. Granted, the internals of the Bianca looks like the typical Italian machine mess, but I've done some minor repairs throughout to have an ok understanding, and if not, there are plenty of great espresso forums online. The ECM is a solid choice, people always knock on the BDB for being an appliance, and believe by upgrading to the e61 will give you better results, which IMO is simply not true. I know this because I was in that same boat. So go with the ECM, but just an FYI the pre infusion on the ECM will only be through plumbed feed, or if you use the FC. I personally just miss holding unto that manual button on my BDB for 10 seconds then letting it go for that quality shot. So take it from an owner who has the BDB side by side with the Synchronika, shot for shot is the same if you have the same coffee dialed in your grinder, but that build quality of owning a handmade e61 machine by craftsman's is sweet. You will not be disappointed. Let me know if you have any questions about the Synchronika.
@@naf4361 Yeah, a lot is made of E61 machines, but I think it's mainly because a lot of people think they look cool... Personally, a BDB or a Lelit Elizabeth are both more advanced and innovative machines (super quick warm up, combination DB+HX in the BDB, pre-infusion driven by steam pressure on the Lelit), lacking only FC (which can be modded on the BDB, as you point out).
@@pphaneuf Agreed sir, the BDB is a fantastic machine for the price, probably the best you will get for below $1500 cad as they go on sale pretty frequently. The Slayer mod is also very simple. The drawback to Breville is the longevity of the machine. I heard users using them for 5+ years with no problem aside from gaskets and o ring changes, and then there are users who had issues a few times within 1-2 years. Breville does have a pretty decent repair exchange program for $350-$400. They will either repair your unit, send you a refurbished, or a brand new one. This is pretty good considering if the machine lasts you another 5+ years. I personally had mine for 2 years with zero issues, before I sold it to get the Synchronika. Now I'm getting sellers remorse. I might get one back again in the future as they go on sales so frequently, or possibly a cheaper one on Kijiji.
@@naf4361 I mentioned the Lelit as comparable, but I think the pricing outside of Europe and the UK might not make it nearly as interesting as the BDB... Excellent machine for the money, no doubt!
I’d be interesting to compare the specs of the Linea Mini or the single group head Slayer to the CUBE. One of the most obvious upgrades would be a light to alert you that the water level is low. I’ve been looking forward to learning more about this espresso machine for a while now! Thanks for the video. 😁👍🏻
Heat exchange dual boiler similar to the GS3 would be nice especially for the money you spend even that brings the price up a bit I'd like to see someone bring that technology at a more attractive price point
It looks *fantastic* (and I don't really like the looks of E61 machines usually), but I can't imagine getting this over a Bianca (and I don't really like the looks of E61 machines!). What I *can* imagine is Lelit making an updated version of their LCC (which, remember, can be upgraded in an existing machine) with Bluetooth/Wi-Fi support, and bring it even closer. But the looks are unbeatable, I'm sure some wealthy people will get it on that basis!
For the price of a used car you can tweak a Gaggia, take a barista course in Italy, buy a top-notch grinder, keep your cupboard full of magnificent coffee, make a beautiful device-stand-table for all your gadgets, pay a month of rent and live the espresso life for twenty-odd years. That's what I've done. 22 years ago. Do we REALLY NEED these things? Of course not! Open a coffee shop and put it to work. Plumb it. Make it a money machine. Anyway, there's always a market for over-the-top luxury that is usually not part of the world of connoisseurs or most of us, simple mortals.
I think this machine looks fantastic. They pretty much nailed the design. So my question is can one install a flow valve over the group-head? If so, will that not solve the pre-infusion issue? The only real design flaw I see is in their quest for cool design, they left the drip tray a bit wonky and shallow. Aside from this it’s a really cool machine. I like it. Blue please!
Great video! What do you think of the cube - I own one of this machine and it is 100% not up to the quality id expect from Sanremo. Still yet to navigate my way in using this machine but the SANREMO logo peeled off - yes they are like stickers! Another was the inside of the group handle that comes in the pack had peeled off as it is plated. Which I guess made the inside of the group head peeled as well. It also came in a scratched drip tray. Machine is only 2 months old and I’m finding all these issues, I wonder what else do I not know yet. How disappointing and misleading!
My Pro500 PID displays only boiler temp, it does not display brew temp (so not sure what machine you meant); unless they’ve changed that in last year. Translating steam temp to brew temp is so inaccurate in an HX that Profitec dropped the entire translation table from their most recent manual. I’ve seen a recent machine that works that way.. and I shake my head .. why? It might say 200F.. but it is an open loop control system.. it is not measuring the brew water so there is no way that display can always be accurate.. Such a machine would say 200F in 8 minutes (from startup) because the boiler will be hot, but if you pull a shot the group is so cold the brew water will be about 170F. I’ve measured it. San Remo had a chance to put a temp sensor near the head and they didn’t so there is no way to know what your brew water temp is.. Many of us HX owners use a group head thermometer and I’d think I’d want to add one to this. You did not mention the size of the restrictor in the thermosiphon and this can be important. 2.5mm (Profitec) is slow and can exhibit slow rebound. 3mm (rocket) is faster. Unless you use a group thermometer you will not know when your machine is hot enough to pull a shot.. 20 min .. 30 min… 40 min .. from power on? My Pro500 is 40 min… Lelit Bianca is 20 because it super heats the boiler specifically to reduce the warm up time.. To really analyze this machine, you would need a SCACE and pull a shot, wait 3 min.. pull shot, etc.. and see how close the brew water temp is to what you want.. One problem with an HX is there is no accurate table that will tell you if your steam temp is .. say.. 250.. your brew water will be 201F.. no.. HXs aren’t that predictable.. You’ll find one cube HX likely performs slightly different than another cube HX because the thermosiphon geometry has much to do with its performance. So for me the app would be of very little value.. if they put in more sensors near the screen to tell you exit temp, then you can more easily develop a workflow that might include some flushing, to get the brew temp you want.. $5k in Canada.. I wouldn’t even think of it for basically an HX design that has no improvements over a 10 year old HX. It has some bells and whistles, that do not improve the performance of the machine. It also looks like the mushroom in that machine might be chrome plated brass.. not stainless.. If it is.. it is very susceptible to corrosion even when use RO + TWWater. I did this for 3 years and had significant corrosion on my mushroom. Adding a second small brew boiler (only needs to be 1/2L or so) would have been a better design.. Since HXs generally require flushing, the smaller water tank is worse with an HX than a dual boiler. And no low water sensor is unforgivable.. So overall, think this is a huge miss.
That pricing is insane. I got my Decent Espresso DE1pro for around 3K USD and I'm confident that it will run circles around this thing. Gravimetrics and flow profiling alone outclass this thing. Decent Espresso doesn't look this nice though. -- Kayo Cosio, Manila.
Pass because of the high price. Even for the nice aesthetic and wifi connectivity, at this price point, they should have also included some programmable shots features.
It’s a great looking machine, but I can buy a smart plug to kick start my machine in the morning at a given time. Not worth the price tag for a single boiler, heat exchanger, that connects to your phone. Dual boiler, or as you mentioned a steam/brew priority switch maybe we are getting to this price point. Just my opinion
I know it is far away from the Flair 58, but what i like with the Flair 58 is that they bring in our home a good looking and “cheap” expresso machine that makes you be able to really brew wonderful shots of expresso. I always look automatic expresso machines from far away cause it seems to be to far away from my budget. I Wish being able to have a company like Flair, making cheap wonderful automatic expresso machines, that works fine out of the box and being able to upgrade over time to make it looks like a prossional expresso machine. If a company comes and gives a Auto expresso machine at 500euros to start and that you can easily (like plug and go) upgrade overtime even if its to put 5 or 6 time the original cost of the machine after 5 or 6 years having and being comparable at the end with a Bianca or La Marzocco it would be so nice ! I know some people will talk about the gaggia or this kind, but upgrading it is a bit touchy for a newbie, just being able to add or replace elements easily on it like you would do on a computer would be so nice and satisfaying !
I am thinking for example just going straight to a rough product, single boiler, no case, making you be able to good quality shots first. And being able to upgrade it with a case, adding a other boiler, change for better quality pipes etc.. Today if you have a good expresso Machine and we really want an upgrade we go for a Lelit Bianca for example and just paying straight more for it, if we could begin with a Gaggia and after upgrade having a Bianca keeping the “same”machine, i would love it. Which to see a crowdfunding like that
Sanremo HAS made a home espresso machine before. This is effectively the replacement for Sanremo's Treviso (an E61 pro-sumer). I've got the Treviso LX (rotary) and it has nice, unique, styling but lacks the build quality of say a similar spec Rocket. Owning a Sanremo I would be cautious about buying another one unless I saw SCACE measurements at the head. I had to find a brass machinist to make me a new thermosyphon restrictor valve for my Treviso which was doing a really bad job of producing a good, consistent, brew temperature regardless of what I set the boiler temp to be. It felt "thrown together" inside without much thought. Does Sanremo spend too much time on the externals and not enough on the internals? This is my 2nd Sanremo, home espresso machine. The first one I had was made sometime in the mid 90's (not E61). I got the Treviso probably due to sentimental brand loyalty but that's worn thin now. The Cube looks nice but at the end of the day it's the flavour that counts and the Cube has a lot of work to do to prove it can match the big hitters in this market space.
Hello Kyle, even in Belgium we are appreciating your excellent videos. Really nice design, I miss innovation, finally too expensive, maybe there is a gap in the market, to create a mixture between design and features like the decent. Modern design but not from technical perspective side. I miss really innovative smart people in the coffee industry, old technology in a new jacket, that's what I admire in the Decent philosophy, new really innovative features. The majority of the coffee machines do exactly the same as 20-30 years ago, but in the meantime we have made a real jump in the technology world. If they add more features the price should be acceptable.
Ouh that's sexy expensive!!! I noticed few things that bother me at this price range : - misaligned front panels, especially when you show the gages plan, there's like 2mm vertical difference between the 2 panels. - feet are not perfectly horizontal - upper panel with chrome? Mmmm that's gonna scratch and hurt when cups are going to be put on. - black finish is very nice but it clearly let ugly greasy fingerprints and stains - are you confident enough to raise that 2kg water tank from what it seems to be a very thin plastic lid? I mean is it intented for that? Overall this is a damn sexy cube that is refreshing compared to the sterile coffee machines landscape. Except for the Descent that is pretty gorgeous.
Looks amazing however for that price it would have to be the only espresso machine I would ever want. And quite frankly I'm still a lever guy. The machine of 2021 I am most curious about is the Odyssey Argos, but that's a wait and see.
What do you think of the cube?! 👀◼️
Looks beautiful, maybe my next espresso machine. :D
Fantastic looking machine and features.
looks awesome but it probably should've been a dual boiler for that price.
Nice looking but awful drip tray!!! I’ll keep my Linea mini!!
Oh Kyle, add another boiler? The Cube is expensive at what it is now, do you imagine the price adding another boiler? I think is not worth it.
It is beautiful, full of feature, but I feel that at this price point they need to do a little better on the function area. The brew lever goes upward, blocking the display. Is like designing something that is going to collide to another part.
When you said “But you paid for that” I have not take that serious, I thought is going to be like 3,000 or so with taxes, then I realize that is a little bit more…
Besides the look and connectivity, I don’t see what problems it solves that lower price machines solve. I personally can’t see myself paying that much for a heat exchanger.
True for many E61's. There are HX machines out there which work way better (commercial levers, Bezzera heated group).
Very ture, i am no tgoing to pay for heat exchanging type model any more, traditional extraction way need some update!
Kyle is great, the quality on these videos is amazing, any new fan would think he had over 1 mil subs easy! Keep up the great work love the Channel!
Wow, thanks!
Holy shit. I assumed as much too but just saw he’s only at 37k. Great content Kyle. Keep building it and they will come!
I’m leaning towards the eagle one prima with that price.
Love your review
Thanks for watching!
@@KyleRowsell I bought the j max because of your review! Waiting for it to arrive. Woot woot.
The E1 Prima is like $6K, though. Not really in the same price category.
Why'd you have to make that intro B-Roll so good? My wallet started crying in the room because of that!
🙂
That was the best b-roll intro I've seen.
That gamecube startup music is an absolute slap. Brb as I get crunk and over caffeinated with my espresso machine
That intro was just so freaking good, I cried a little.
😂😂
even if i had that much money, i'd rather go for something like a bianca or spend lesser on a rancilio pro.
Great video and first look. I think for the pricing it is lacking some key features I would want to see in a machine like this such as pre-infusion and flow profiling. The steam pressure is also a big one as well. Not having the dual boiler for this just sends some red flags at first and as you pointed out the steam pressure isn't the best. BUT it is a beauty! Good thoughts!
Thanks for watching Brian!
Great video. Thanks for the review. Love the aesthetics of the machine, but I think at that price for a rotary pump heat exchanger, might as well just go all in and commit to an Eagle One Prima or Linea Mini
or… you simply sell your grandmas most expensive jewelry and get a gs3 lol
Oh yeah! That Eagle One is some machine. I have that on my upgrade horizons as soon as my guilt for spending that sorta dough is assuaged!
How hot does the water get in the reservoir when the machine is running for a couple of hours.
as you said Kyle, I just paused the video and going to brew a cup of coffee ;) Then relax and enjoy the rest of the video :D
In the Philippines its already available and the non R model sells for $3500 USD, but at that price range I felt the Decent DE1 Pro was the better buy.
168k right?
@@dundun5312 yes, so about $3360 if @P50 exchange
Hi, just to clarify that we only sell Cube R versions in the Philippines at Php 168,000. By the way, we are exclusive distributor for entire Sanremo range therefore you will have fully support and warranty.
@@nervincruz6025 yeah think he prefers the Decent at that price point...
but how much is a decent here?
Amazing video Kyle, you're killing it!!!
to fix the steam power problem:
it helped us to use a steam-head
with slightly bigger holes.
It really has the power to create great milk foam
but it is slowed down by to tiny holes.
I dont know why they didnt test theyre machines
before selling them.
13:52 the timer is not visible due to the lever? Or is it just a bad angle?
Man! What an intro.... BANGER!!!
Thanks!
VIBING to that intro!
That intro edit is INSANE! Awesome job haha
Thanks!
intro was 👨🏻🍳💋🔥
Dude, that intro was killer! Great vid! Cheers
Ah thanks!
At that price point I’d maybe go with Decent. It does look great and I like that it can be plumbed. I’m sure it will sell well.
That intro though 😍
I was actually set to buy the R as here in Europe prices are a bit more affordable (about 2300 euro for the R), however, in the end I went for the Bianca.
The bianca is literally 500 euro cheaper and although it doesn't look as sexy, I'm sure it will age better as a home espresso machine. The dual boiler + flow profiling will just increase the longevity of the machine exponentially
The Bianca is a way better buy than this machine and will still look god in a decade!!! Sanremo makes very good commercial machine but have a long way to go for prosumer machines!!
@@dripper agreed. I'm very, very happy with my Bianca. She's a beaut
Awesome Honest & realistic comprehensive informative Review
Thank you ❤
Long term reliability which could be tied to build quality is worth the extra money. The You machine looks more interesting though, even though I don't know pricing.
how does it look on the inside?
Lol why is the water tank so small though? That is a BIG machine!
That intro was golden
Ah, glad you liked it
Just bought a Quick Mill Aquila which is a beautiful machine and has all these features without the WiFi for less than half the money of this. Can't say I think I made the wrong choice to be honest..... I think this cube might appeal to the home fashionista but not the real coffee enthusiast.
At those prices, I’m saving a bit more for an eagle one prima
Man I love Kyle’s videos, never thought I’d fined another “James Hoffmann”
Intro was freaking dope
Thanks!
That intro though!!!!
5:28: YES, I like the look! Virtually all the higher-end machines out there look like a plumber’s nightmare. This looks clean, and the dark metal would better fit my modern kitchen. 7:45: I wish the standard brewing devices had better connectivity. It would be great to be able to program it for different times on weekends, for instance, than on weekdays. Great touch, along with the ability to alert you to service needs. 12:30: that price, however, is a total deal-breaker. When equal or better functionality (minus connectivity) can be had for 1/3 the price, there’s no chance I’d get this thing
Thank you for this thoughtful response!
One gripe is the steam wand should be updated at this price point. I think profitec gives more as a prosumer brand. I think Lelit as a brand gives a ton of option at every price point. The cube coupled with the brand, the build quality and overall performance checks the boxes for most home baristas. Especially comparing to La marzocco
That intro! 👏 Kyle you are killing it!
Thank you. Much appreciated.
Amazing video as always Kyle!
Glad you enjoyed!
I'm confused as the the place for this. Comparisons to the Bianca seem really kind when feature wise it seems closer to a profitec pro 500 with wifi. For that cost you can get a really good machine without compromising.
If anyone is interested in this machine I'd love to hear why. As far as I can tell you are paying an extra 3k for wifi and a look which is the price of a more feature rich espresso machine on its own.
Fair point! I Tried not to be to direct with that since it’s still pre-production. Wouldn’t be fair to the engineers. Time will tell.
@@KyleRowsell The other thing I would be concerned about is, how many features are dependent upon the app? If you are investing this much in the build quality of something it would suck to be locked out because app support stops after a few years. For a home machine in this price range I would either want all the features (like the Decent) or to be able to pass it on to my kids (like an Olympia Cremina) this seems to fall into neither category at least at first glance.
@@Bakeden To answer your question, smart features are optional. No required use for any features other than programable standby.
Is there a homekit enabled coffee machine already?
I'd love a bean to cup machine that can make great coffee with the push of a button on my phone
Fellow Canadian here, love your channel bro. However, I can't justify paying $4900 CAD for a HX machine. If this was a dual boiler then that's a big maybe, as there are other machines with much longer brand name, proven longevity for a much cheaper price.
1.8 L water tank is pretty poor, unless your plumbed, those constant refills are going to get annoying. Heck I get annoyed on my Synchronika, and that has a 3L tank lol.
Thanks for sharing! And I appreciate your input.
Sanremo jumped in the home espresso market. Not properly. Not with a machine that deserves it's money. But at least they jumped in, and hopefully they will learn out if their mistakes and the competition around
Sickest intro and music ever!
Thanks!
Ooooooft great video just found your channel
Thanks, Kyle, for a fantastic video. I know you didn’t say it outright, but it was implied that you have the same concerns about such a machine. If Breville / Sage can make a dual boiler with full preinfusion customisation and a pressure sensor at the group at a $1000 AUD (~$700 USD) price point in Australia (commonly goes on sale for that price in Aus), why can’t the big guys make a dual boiler and match these features at multiples of the same price? I understand that the concept of brewing and steaming at the same time may not be important for someone who has only ever made coffee in a domestic space. But for someone like you or me, who has had the luxury of working behind a busy bar, with a state-of-the-art coffee machine, it’s really hard to justify going backwards to a single boiler or heat exchange system.
Yes, but it's comparing a hand built piece of engineering with a throwaway when broken Chinese appliance.
The Sanremo Cube is awesome looking. Love the stealthy black and industrial vibe. It would look perfect in a Soho hipster loft.... but there's too many issues, all of them you astutely mentioned. For instance, pre-infusion is a joke. For a home espresso machine, like it or not, the Olympia Cremina still reigns supreme.
Was it just the camera angle, or does the lever to turn the flow on/off block the shot timer on the machine?
Will they be able to do international shipping?
Yes
Any chance you’re going to get to review the Sam Remo You?
Great video! Been waiting for someone to have a legit review on this machine. Great intro as well💯 wondering if this machine can hold up in a commercial setting?
Just recently discovered your channel. Great videos! Love everything so far 😃
Loved the intro!!!
Thanks!
I think I see one of those really simple lever machines in the background. Comparison video coming?
You know it
@@KyleRowsell ayyyyyyyyyyy
Yoooo, that intro
Thanks for the video! Personally I'm a bit tired of the e61 hx approach that a lot of companies take. Brands like Breville and Decent show how modern pid, heating solutions and digital controls can greatly impact the consistency and user experience of espressomachines. When a company makes a machine this expensive without bringing anything new to the table, it is not worth it for me.
Besides that, I'm not really a fan of the e61 aesthetic. But I must confess, that is one very sexy looking machine.
How does this compare to the Victoria Arduino E1 Prima?
that's beautiful
what about water supply from main line? (max. pressure bar?)
Does it comes with a naked protafilter? If not that’s a bummer. I saw other video of the unboxing, which doesn’t.
Bought it, love it!
My main issue is that this machine doesn't solve any problems in hx machines that are half the price from companies that have been making prosumer level products for years. For a first attempt at a home prosumer machine they're hitting the price bracket of a dual boiler machine with profiling and mechanical preinfusion and yet those features are missing. I am currently saving up for a Bianca and while I was disappointed to see the hefty price tag for a repackaged system with a nicer paint job I'm glad that it also seems to reinforce my purchase decision. thank you for your unbiased review and highlighting the pros and cons for me c:
While I love this machine, I can't afford anything like this. La Marzocco fan. Now a San Remo fan, too :D!!!
How do you compare this to a rocket mozo r?
One topic that I felt was a bit underrepresented: which features do we loose of e.g. our internet is down, or when the cloud they seem to be using gets inevitably shut down. A question often overlooked for connected devices...
Nice review, thank you. I was attracted by the styling, especially in the black. The Wifi link would be a bonus, but tbh beyond turning the machine on and off when I'm on the way home (done by my wife atm!!!) I wouldn't pay a premium for the feature.
The killer for me is the reservoir size & access (kitchen cupboards), lack of warning for low water, and no brew temp. The ECM Synchronika outperforms or matches this in every respect, and still leaves you with cash for a top class Titanium grinder for that same money. It does look stunning, but performance before looks every time.
Iirc the Vesuvius V10 can be had for the same money as this - also stunning and a proven, better and more desirable machine in every respect.
Ill buy one when they make it a dual boiler. best e61 aesthetics hands down.
For that price I would want to see automated pressure profiling. Shouldn't be too hard to integrate the app software in the machine since it's already has connectivity. Just need to add the hardware inside the machine to give it the capability. Hopefully they're working on it for the future.
This would be amazing at half the price. So many great options that are WAY cheaper. They are really counting on aesthetics to sell, unfortunately.
Kyle I would like your take on the Olympia Cremina or other lever machine
You didn’t mention that drip tray in your list of Cons - It looks TINY! Can it be plumped to a drain line? If not then I reckon that alone would put me off. Not sure if some of it appears style over substance; first thing that springs to mind is those handles/levers for the steam and hot water - Do they look great and stylish … mmm, maybe - Are they very practical or ergonomic … uh, I doubt it
They need too bring all the bells and whistles too compete with the top dogs , flow control double boiler pre infusion are must haves
Cool design. You pay for that and the hi tech features. In terms of price, maybe this is a cafe quality machine for the home? So, e.g., how much does it weigh? How easy is it to maintain and use the various features? WLL recently posted a vid comparing two seemingly similar machines, and although it was obviously biased, one point that hit home was the use of plastic parts vs long lasting steel parts. This machine, from the outside at least, looks like a solid beast. Who knows, maybe it's a great value! As for me, I think I'll stick with my GCP for the time being and put the money I save into quality locally roasted beans! Thanks for your informative video.
It looks good, but apart from that I don’t see the attraction at all.
For me E61 and HX is synonymous with being stuck in the past.
What does this bring to the table that hasn’t been done a hundred times before (apart from the slightly different design)?
As others have said for this price I’d always get a decent.
There's quite a few E61 machines depending on being plumbed in (which requires a rotary pump, I believe?) to get some pre-infusion pressure... I think that's one area where the Lelit Elizabeth innovates in a cool way, using the steam boiler to bring some pressure into the brew boiler when doing pre-infusion, haven't seen that anywhere else?
good luck sanremo....
Great Video Kyle! Keep up the great content! Thinking about upgrading my breville dual boiler to dual boiler E61 machine. Leaning towards ECM synchronika with flow control. What are your thoughts?
Hey there, I owned a BDB, and upgraded to an ECM Synchronika with FC. Overall after the upgrade I missed the tech behind the BDB. If you got your grinder dialed in, a e61 won't give you any better shot than the BDB.
This is a bit different with the FC, but the BDB can do the same with a quick 5 minute slayer mod. The FC, from my own experience, it was a bit finicky to use, as the FC was an afterthought on the Profitec/ECM machines. You can go beyond stock flow, but you really don't need to do that. I was not a fan of the 360 turn with the tiny ball knob. The ECM Synchronika however is built like a tank, solid heavy machine, with excellent internal engineering. The machine is a steam monster at 2 bars.
The reason I'm getting rid of it was because I didn't take into account of the heavy weight and large size. My family is moving, and the new place can't take into account of the size and weight. This machine is really large and heavy at 80lbs.
I'm leaning towards the Lelit Bianca now only because it ticks all the boxes while keeping a slimmer profile. Granted, the internals of the Bianca looks like the typical Italian machine mess, but I've done some minor repairs throughout to have an ok understanding, and if not, there are plenty of great espresso forums online.
The ECM is a solid choice, people always knock on the BDB for being an appliance, and believe by upgrading to the e61 will give you better results, which IMO is simply not true. I know this because I was in that same boat. So go with the ECM, but just an FYI the pre infusion on the ECM will only be through plumbed feed, or if you use the FC. I personally just miss holding unto that manual button on my BDB for 10 seconds then letting it go for that quality shot. So take it from an owner who has the BDB side by side with the Synchronika, shot for shot is the same if you have the same coffee dialed in your grinder, but that build quality of owning a handmade e61 machine by craftsman's is sweet. You will not be disappointed. Let me know if you have any questions about the Synchronika.
@@naf4361 Yeah, a lot is made of E61 machines, but I think it's mainly because a lot of people think they look cool... Personally, a BDB or a Lelit Elizabeth are both more advanced and innovative machines (super quick warm up, combination DB+HX in the BDB, pre-infusion driven by steam pressure on the Lelit), lacking only FC (which can be modded on the BDB, as you point out).
@@pphaneuf Agreed sir, the BDB is a fantastic machine for the price, probably the best you will get for below $1500 cad as they go on sale pretty frequently. The Slayer mod is also very simple. The drawback to Breville is the longevity of the machine. I heard users using them for 5+ years with no problem aside from gaskets and o ring changes, and then there are users who had issues a few times within 1-2 years.
Breville does have a pretty decent repair exchange program for $350-$400. They will either repair your unit, send you a refurbished, or a brand new one. This is pretty good considering if the machine lasts you another 5+ years.
I personally had mine for 2 years with zero issues, before I sold it to get the Synchronika. Now I'm getting sellers remorse. I might get one back again in the future as they go on sales so frequently, or possibly a cheaper one on Kijiji.
@@naf4361 I mentioned the Lelit as comparable, but I think the pricing outside of Europe and the UK might not make it nearly as interesting as the BDB... Excellent machine for the money, no doubt!
I’d be interesting to compare the specs of the Linea Mini or the single group head Slayer to the CUBE.
One of the most obvious upgrades would be a light to alert you that the water level is low. I’ve been looking forward to learning more about this espresso machine for a while now! Thanks for the video. 😁👍🏻
Heat exchange dual boiler similar to the GS3 would be nice especially for the money you spend even that brings the price up a bit I'd like to see someone bring that technology at a more attractive price point
For that much money, I’d rather buy a Decent.
These are so different worlds, like do I rather buy a boat or a car.
False, it’s like do you buy an electric car or a manual car.
It looks *fantastic* (and I don't really like the looks of E61 machines usually), but I can't imagine getting this over a Bianca (and I don't really like the looks of E61 machines!). What I *can* imagine is Lelit making an updated version of their LCC (which, remember, can be upgraded in an existing machine) with Bluetooth/Wi-Fi support, and bring it even closer.
But the looks are unbeatable, I'm sure some wealthy people will get it on that basis!
For the price of a used car you can tweak a Gaggia, take a barista course in Italy, buy a top-notch grinder, keep your cupboard full of magnificent coffee, make a beautiful device-stand-table for all your gadgets, pay a month of rent and live the espresso life for twenty-odd years. That's what I've done. 22 years ago. Do we REALLY NEED these things? Of course not! Open a coffee shop and put it to work. Plumb it. Make it a money machine. Anyway, there's always a market for over-the-top luxury that is usually not part of the world of connoisseurs or most of us, simple mortals.
As you spoke so highly of the build quality thought for sure you'd show us the internals.
I can’t take apart a pre-production unit.
@@KyleRowsell I saw the inside looking down from top on another review.
That GameCube beat is 🔥.
I think this machine looks fantastic. They pretty much nailed the design.
So my question is can one install a flow valve over the group-head?
If so, will that not solve the pre-infusion issue? The only real design flaw I see is in their quest for cool design, they left the drip tray a bit wonky and shallow. Aside from this it’s a really cool machine. I like it. Blue please!
Great video! What do you think of the cube - I own one of this machine and it is 100% not up to the quality id expect from Sanremo. Still yet to navigate my way in using this machine but the SANREMO logo peeled off - yes they are like stickers! Another was the inside of the group handle that comes in the pack had peeled off as it is plated. Which I guess made the inside of the group head peeled as well. It also came in a scratched drip tray. Machine is only 2 months old and I’m finding all these issues, I wonder what else do I not know yet. How disappointing and misleading!
Nice!!
My Pro500 PID displays only boiler temp, it does not display brew temp (so not sure what machine you meant); unless they’ve changed that in last year. Translating steam temp to brew temp is so inaccurate in an HX that Profitec dropped the entire translation table from their most recent manual. I’ve seen a recent machine that works that way.. and I shake my head .. why? It might say 200F.. but it is an open loop control system.. it is not measuring the brew water so there is no way that display can always be accurate.. Such a machine would say 200F in 8 minutes (from startup) because the boiler will be hot, but if you pull a shot the group is so cold the brew water will be about 170F. I’ve measured it. San Remo had a chance to put a temp sensor near the head and they didn’t so there is no way to know what your brew water temp is.. Many of us HX owners use a group head thermometer and I’d think I’d want to add one to this. You did not mention the size of the restrictor in the thermosiphon and this can be important. 2.5mm (Profitec) is slow and can exhibit slow rebound. 3mm (rocket) is faster. Unless you use a group thermometer you will not know when your machine is hot enough to pull a shot.. 20 min .. 30 min… 40 min .. from power on? My Pro500 is 40 min… Lelit Bianca is 20 because it super heats the boiler specifically to reduce the warm up time.. To really analyze this machine, you would need a SCACE and pull a shot, wait 3 min.. pull shot, etc.. and see how close the brew water temp is to what you want.. One problem with an HX is there is no accurate table that will tell you if your steam temp is .. say.. 250.. your brew water will be 201F.. no.. HXs aren’t that predictable.. You’ll find one cube HX likely performs slightly different than another cube HX because the thermosiphon geometry has much to do with its performance. So for me the app would be of very little value.. if they put in more sensors near the screen to tell you exit temp, then you can more easily develop a workflow that might include some flushing, to get the brew temp you want.. $5k in Canada.. I wouldn’t even think of it for basically an HX design that has no improvements over a 10 year old HX. It has some bells and whistles, that do not improve the performance of the machine. It also looks like the mushroom in that machine might be chrome plated brass.. not stainless.. If it is.. it is very susceptible to corrosion even when use RO + TWWater. I did this for 3 years and had significant corrosion on my mushroom. Adding a second small brew boiler (only needs to be 1/2L or so) would have been a better design.. Since HXs generally require flushing, the smaller water tank is worse with an HX than a dual boiler. And no low water sensor is unforgivable.. So overall, think this is a huge miss.
That pricing is insane. I got my Decent Espresso DE1pro for around 3K USD and I'm confident that it will run circles around this thing. Gravimetrics and flow profiling alone outclass this thing. Decent Espresso doesn't look this nice though.
-- Kayo Cosio, Manila.
Valid thoughts. Thanks for the comment!
Why is the water flow in group head inconsistent? Right off the bat that’s a dealbreaker for me
I wouldn’t worry about that based on this video. My table for filming Broll wasn’t 100% stable.
It needs a shot timer, brewing temperature control and one more boiler then it's a killer :)
Add flow control and custom pre-infusion to that list and a few hundred off the price..
Pass because of the high price. Even for the nice aesthetic and wifi connectivity, at this price point, they should have also included some programmable shots features.
It’s a great looking machine, but I can buy a smart plug to kick start my machine in the morning at a given time. Not worth the price tag for a single boiler, heat exchanger, that connects to your phone. Dual boiler, or as you mentioned a steam/brew priority switch maybe we are getting to this price point. Just my opinion
Very valid point on the smart plug 👍🏽
You can buy a Olympa Cremina! Hand made in Switzerland.
I know it is far away from the Flair 58, but what i like with the Flair 58 is that they bring in our home a good looking and “cheap” expresso machine that makes you be able to really brew wonderful shots of expresso.
I always look automatic expresso machines from far away cause it seems to be to far away from my budget. I Wish being able to have a company like Flair, making cheap wonderful automatic expresso machines, that works fine out of the box and being able to upgrade over time to make it looks like a prossional expresso machine.
If a company comes and gives a Auto expresso machine at 500euros to start and that you can easily (like plug and go) upgrade overtime even if its to put 5 or 6 time the original cost of the machine after 5 or 6 years having and being comparable at the end with a Bianca or La Marzocco it would be so nice ! I know some people will talk about the gaggia or this kind, but upgrading it is a bit touchy for a newbie, just being able to add or replace elements easily on it like you would do on a computer would be so nice and satisfaying !
I am thinking for example just going straight to a rough product, single boiler, no case, making you be able to good quality shots first. And being able to upgrade it with a case, adding a other boiler, change for better quality pipes etc.. Today if you have a good expresso Machine and we really want an upgrade we go for a Lelit Bianca for example and just paying straight more for it, if we could begin with a Gaggia and after upgrade having a Bianca keeping the “same”machine, i would love it. Which to see a crowdfunding like that
Sanremo HAS made a home espresso machine before. This is effectively the replacement for Sanremo's Treviso (an E61 pro-sumer). I've got the Treviso LX (rotary) and it has nice, unique, styling but lacks the build quality of say a similar spec Rocket. Owning a Sanremo I would be cautious about buying another one unless I saw SCACE measurements at the head. I had to find a brass machinist to make me a new thermosyphon restrictor valve for my Treviso which was doing a really bad job of producing a good, consistent, brew temperature regardless of what I set the boiler temp to be. It felt "thrown together" inside without much thought. Does Sanremo spend too much time on the externals and not enough on the internals? This is my 2nd Sanremo, home espresso machine. The first one I had was made sometime in the mid 90's (not E61). I got the Treviso probably due to sentimental brand loyalty but that's worn thin now. The Cube looks nice but at the end of the day it's the flavour that counts and the Cube has a lot of work to do to prove it can match the big hitters in this market space.
Hello Kyle, even in Belgium we are appreciating your excellent videos. Really nice design, I miss innovation, finally too expensive, maybe there is a gap in the market, to create a mixture between design and features like the decent. Modern design but not from technical perspective side. I miss really innovative smart people in the coffee industry, old technology in a new jacket, that's what I admire in the Decent philosophy, new really innovative features. The majority of the coffee machines do exactly the same as 20-30 years ago, but in the meantime we have made a real jump in the technology world. If they add more features the price should be acceptable.
same color watch i like it
Ouh that's sexy expensive!!!
I noticed few things that bother me at this price range :
- misaligned front panels, especially when you show the gages plan, there's like 2mm vertical difference between the 2 panels.
- feet are not perfectly horizontal
- upper panel with chrome? Mmmm that's gonna scratch and hurt when cups are going to be put on.
- black finish is very nice but it clearly let ugly greasy fingerprints and stains
- are you confident enough to raise that 2kg water tank from what it seems to be a very thin plastic lid? I mean is it intented for that?
Overall this is a damn sexy cube that is refreshing compared to the sterile coffee machines landscape. Except for the Descent that is pretty gorgeous.
Looks amazing however for that price it would have to be the only espresso machine I would ever want. And quite frankly I'm still a lever guy.
The machine of 2021 I am most curious about is the Odyssey Argos, but that's a wait and see.
Love the look and connectivity but the price.... Prefer other options at that price bracket. A bit cheaper and it would have been a killer combination