100% understand the philosophy behind using a $1500 grinder to test a $60 espresso machine, but would also loved if you did try it with a $250 grinder just to see whether you still thought the espresso was decent enough
I do agree overall, but you could argue he's only testing the machine here. If you can get a good espresso out of a £60 machine using a $1500 grinder, you know the machine is at least capable of producing good shots. It's not the machine's fault if you can't grind fine enough to produce a good shot, and that would be true in any machine. Besides, a £250 grinder should be capable of getting pretty close to the $1500 anyway, so it shouldn't ever be that you *need* the expensive grinder.
I have bought the same looking machine on the Ali for 70 EUR and good handgrinder for 90 EUR and i am able to make better espresso than most of the coffee bars with the pro italian machines in my home town. Been using it for 10 months with no issues. Thank You James for the honest reviews and the education on the coffee magic from Croatia.
@dæmnKris for this product it wasn't. Depends on the seller also. I think for this machine they have EU warehouse. Covid measures have been loosen' for some time now and EU warehouses are becoming a thing again. Just check in detail shipping options for each ad...
@@georgeweah9717 Thanks -- I got a stainless steel espresso tray of the same brand as your grinder and it's smooth, simple, solid, and well made. I was surprised by the decent quality of the things I got from Ali -- very different from temu.
What I’m understanding from these series of ultra low budget espresso machines is that for folks that are new to this can spend most of their budget on a grinder and less on the machine. As one becomes knowledgeable in espresso making one can save up for a “great” entry level machine or your endgame machine. Great video.
exactly, whenever you are entering a new hobby, I always suggest to start slow and cheap just to see if you even like it to begin with. and then as you start to notice the limitations of your setup and they start to bother you, then you upgrade.
That's actually a pretty good take on it. And since coffee nerds tend to clump together this type of machine will probably do a series of hand-me-downs until it eventually dies.
Scooptamp is like plastic utensils take-out give you, it's useless unless you have no choice. It's almost single-use if you know what real tamper is like.
I feel like you guys should have brought a cheap but excellent grinder in for one final test - just to see how cheap you can get to making a "it's okay" espresso :D
I know this machine. It is a shell that many companies use (change buttons, layout). I had the brand called MAttinata. It worked great, but the pump burnt out after 4 months. Lowes has this same format $70 machine listed for $250 on the website. Same one as on Temu for $70. MAttinata did refund the full price since it was under a 6 month warranty. I was happily surprised.
I used a simlar machine for many years, it was from Lidl, brand Silvercrest and I learned to do a decent espresso with not so decent grinder. These machines are really forgiving for their price and work really well
After watching it all, I will clarify "many years" - almost 10 years at this point and it's still going strong to a point I am selling it, because I finally bought something better
Yeah. Im used similar ''espresso'' machines over 10 years. And I had 4 of them. The first one worked for 7 years, then 2 years, and two for one year. 🤣
Hey James, I've bought a combo from Lidl 4 years ago and it still work, the Grinder + Espresso machine combo was only 75 Euros, since then, I only bought a good tamper, a needle tool, bottomless portafilter and 2 baskets for it and a scale. Except the regular, descaling and cleaning of the shower head, no issues (also has detachable water tank). The espresso comes out pretty good (had worse on renounced espresso places), even though I now know how early I must stop the pump to get to the right weight :) This combo was bought when I was on a tight budget and I do not regret it. I plan to go for something more expensive, once this one gives up on me :)
I think this kind of machine is a great idea for people just getting in the door. When there are so many additional accessories to make pulling espresso easier or better, this frees up that budget to see if they even enjoy doing it themselves, and get more quality tools. After a year it may wind up in a landfill, but then at least the person knows if they want to continue with it and invest in a longer standing machine, as opposed to the many people who go all in on a pricey machine, use it twice, and it collects dust until it gets tossed while still functional.
I have a delonghi dedica which my friend just gave me. so it's seen some use, but I've repaired and upgraded it and the fella is chugging along happily. It gives me great joy to fix broken things, and even more joy to fix things that aren't broken and make them better. The dedica now has a competition shower, a competition basket, a proper three hole milk frother, and I'm thinking about fiddling with its pressure regulator valve spring and bringing it back down to the 9 bars it should be.
@@dw-yl3lnI think the difference Is that the machine doesn’t come with a grinder. So since he had to provide a grinder anyway he figured he might as well use a good one.
I heard of the *Cheap Audio Man* who started out pushing cheap speakers/audio equip. now he's pushing $3000 speakers, but James giving a 7 to the shot from a $60 machine is good news for espresso newbies, after all young kids/adults need a cheaper starting point in todays bad economy, good find James. A good entry level machine is had to find, I went with a Gaggia now I need an uptick, but overall like you stated, it was a fine machine which will last, thanks for that info buddy.
I have something similar that I bought at Walmart after their black Friday sale for $35. Bought a bottomless porta filter and unpressurized basket, a good tamper, a decent grinder (the cheap kingrinder that James reviewed), and most importantly locally roasted beans. Yeah, for the price you can't beat it. I think it's already paid for itself at this point it was all so cheap. The limiting aspects of it (no control over pressure, temp, etc) are actually nice when you're starting out, the only factor is the grind and puck. When it kicks the bucket eventually, I'll upgrade to something decent. I've always been economical, and I understand where James is coming from regarding waste, but I'm not going to drop $$$$ just because I can. I have enough hobbies as it is.
This! This is the target audience. The people who will do best to buy a machine of this nature are those who are just figuring out if they want to buy an espresso machine and make it at home. It's a beginner's setup, nothing else.
Bought one of these for my parents for Christmas. Which porta filter did you buy for it? I was worried that I would have a hard tuning finding one that fits!
For beginners, who are not sure how much they want to / willing to spend on this hobby, it's an excellent machine. Because if it breaks down they can make a choice to buy another one, leave this hobby or step up to the next level!
As James said, I think you'd need to be pretty experienced making espresso to make this thing work. It'll be frustrating for beginners and experts alike, but the experts will have the needed experience to finesse the best espresso possible out of this machine. Beginners might be completely turned off by the challenge. My first thought was, "This might be a good machine for a barista who makes barista wages, knows how to pull shots, and wants an espresso machine at home."
As someone who owns a Mr Coffee Brand espresso machine that they thrifted for $10 from a 2nd hand shop (which looks exactly like the one in this video)... I am perfectly happy with the quality of espresso it makes; especially seeing as I treat it more like a kuregg type machine and primarily use it to make iced/hot americanos. My only goal when getting it was to be better than dunkin, for it to last long enough to recoup it's costs, and for it not to take up to much space in my small kitchen. 10 years later it has done all three perfectly.
@@Count_Smackula best part is that Mr. Coffee stocks replacement parts for it. I had to replace my Portafilter a few years back, and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was (outside of them sending me the wrong thing as first lol).
It’s great that it’s kept going for so long, that’s made up for the $10 within 3 days of owning it! I am curious when it does go what you would get to replace it with? Would you go for something in the same price range, or upgrade?
@PT_Lacky hard to say. I would still check out my favorite thrift store to see what they had in stock, but I wouldn't be against buying a nicer new model. The real issue is I still live in a place with a small kitchen so that would probably play a bigger factor into things than it should.
@@mickleman52Makes sense! I got my Sage Barrista Express for £230 on a Black Friday sale and it’s been going on for 6 years with no faults, along with a Sage Grinder Pro for £80 on Black Friday, also going strong, it sounds like a lot, but I always think of how much I’d have spent on coffee daily at Costa/Starbucks. If your second hand shop doesn’t have much like mine, Black Friday is key! Best of luck, hope your coffee machine keeps going strong!
I don't have one, but from your description I definitely got the vibe that it's something an experienced maker of espresso could make work but be annoyed by, but a novice would be endlessly frustrated by it.
I'm an experienced maker and I'm not annoyed with mine. However, having used this and similar cheap machines, I think that I would be annoyed if I shelled out the necessary grand or more to get the "right" machine and it was no better than what I'm now more than happy with!
@@robertellis6853 only in price. It's a local brand ("Ultracomb CE-6108"), but probably made by an OEM. It has no electronics, only 3 switches and electromechanical controls (something i consider an advantage, since it gives me more control, and it's easier for me to fix or mod). It's a bit ugly, very plastic-y, but it works well for my use.
The fact that you can pull great espresso from manual espresso machines, the fact that you can pull good espresso from the goddamn picopresso speaks to the fact that the machine is not as important as the grinder. Have been pulling great shots from a ecp3420 with upgraded portafilter/basket/tamper/distribution tool.
I remember hunting a Aldi espresso machine with a friend of mine one summer. Every store it was sold out. We drove by car from store to store, but couldn't get it. Afterall I might think it's for the best, but it was a really good time nonetheless!
For cost/price-point I'd envisage this will be popular for people who are setting up short tenure living (e.g. locating somewhere for a fixed duration contract) or perhaps a holiday home, etc. It would suit the comparatively occasional manual machine user, perhaps someone using it on weekends (given the time required) and they endure pods or outsourcing their coffee the rest of the time. I'm extremely glad to see this tier of machine reviewed and a considered opinion offered, I do like the accessibility aspect of it.
You see this so often in craft supplies : The cheap "for children" or "for beginners" version cuts so many corners that only experts can get good results from it.
My wife was into the crafting thing, and that was something she noted early on as well. And yeah, that's the real problem. People are saying "Well, they can just use this until they decide if they want to keep doing home espresso, then upgrade." The problem (aside from the fact it's going to end up in a landfill in a couple years), is that disposable consumer-grade machines like this are going to be such a pain to use that they'll drive people away from the hobby. Whereas a decent quality entry-level machine -- which, yes, will cost five to ten times as much -- will be so much easier to get good results from that they'll encourage more people to stick with it, and can last a lifetime if properly cared for.
I use a delonghi and I am pleased with it. Replaced some parts. What these cheap machines lack is they start to drop after a short while. So speaking of landfill product might be nice to bring up some repair coffee sessions with fellow coffee tekks. Time is right coffee prices skyrocketing world in turmoil. Keep on rocking James and the rest of the pack!
I have had a Gaggia Classic for 15 years and it was second hand when I got it. It has been in the repairshop and I take care of it and I love that I can repair it.
It is sold out. I bought one when they arrived in store mid-December. It worked just as James showed for 3 weeks. It then failed, the machine wouldn't work and the supplier said they have no stock left, no spare parts, and no knowledge of what the fault was. I took it apart and nothing obvious so I raced round our local stores for a day to try find one but none left anywhere. Got my money back. Lidl have one in this week, might give that a go.
Hearing you talk about the density/ratio of the pucks and the effect that has on the coffee was hilarious because you described it exactly the same way (terminology and all) as we do at my work where we design asphalt for roads. Lab testing of asphalt designs is done in pucks that are then analyzed for all the properties you described!
Thanks for your balanced judgement when it comes to weighing the pros and cons of this. I’m equally impressed by its brewing abilities but was also wary about the durability & longevity of it and I really appreciate you taking that into consideration when reviewing it.
I really appreciate, and I think it showcases your character that you reserve an endorsement for the moral standpoint of how these products are both made in distributed. Within all industries and especially within this current time we are always looking for the cheapest product to satisfy our needs and when you have a product which while not the same but able to be in the conversation with something that costs 3 to 4 times it is very enticing and people can easily forget about not just the human cost but longevity of this product
Ive got to say that I am more surprised at your enthusiasm about the result than the result itself. You were genuinely happy about what you found there😂
Fast electronics, the cousin of fast fashion... Even brands that were considered reliable just a decade ago are going in that direction - more plastic, less options to repair. Products that look and feel cheap while maintaining the price tag of the quality of the past. The "toy" comparison was spot on.
Pretty certain that you could never get a quality of the past espresso machine for 70$ though, same as fast fashion. A quality shirt never cost the equivalent of two 2025 dollars. Both crappy and unnecessary and will get binned after a short time.
Interesting! I got this same machine (with different branding) as a gift from work. It's a bit frustrating to use, but after a few days of use, you get used to it and as James says, it's...surprisingly adequate.
19:37 I had the Lidl 50€ machine for two years and never thought to take off the attachment. That is a great tip for cheap machines. Steaming milk with the attachment was so hard and I ran a coffee shop for 3 years.
In my opinion, this is a good first machine for somebody who is willing to experiment a bit and doesn't know if he wants to keep up with the hassle of making Espresso by hand in the long run. Ultimately everybody has to decide for themselves what they seek in a good coffee, or enjoyable coffee to their taste. And on a camping trip, that might be the Mörkröst Gevalia instant coffee, dissolved in hot water on a gas stove, it might be a nice cup in the lunch break at your favourite barista bar, or it might be a cup from this at home in your student appartment. Different circumstances, different tastes, different brewing methods. I could see someone getting the taste of the whole shebang with this and then moving up to, say, a refurbished more professional machine as some sort of hand-me-down from someone who has risen even further on the coffee ladder. Me? For my everyday office fill I am happy with the combo of Graef Cm503 and the old Moccamaster, that one still performs well for "standard coffee" if you take good care of it. But if I have some time, and want something nicer... I'm still looking for something there, so I don't have to visit friends so often :D
I have used a similar grade Delonghi ($125) to much success. Adding a puck screen reduces that headspace and corrects the imperfect showerscreen. By adding a dimmer switch I can control the flow rate and thus extract at lower, kinder bars to achieve more consistent shots. For the DIYer looking to advance their espresso game, these kind of machines can really hold their own with milk drinks at 1/10th of a price. Great vid as always!
Before I was able to afford my Gaggia I used a Mr Coffee ECMP50 for about 8 years. Very similar to this machine. When paired with a decent grinder and a non-pressurized basket I really couldn’t believe what I was able to produce👍🏻
I always think about the Victoria Arduino Black Eagle whenever I watch reviews of the cheapest espresso machines on the planet, because the Black Eagle is one of the most user-friendly machines out there for new baristas, but hardly any new professional baristas would have the pleasure of learning about espresso on that machine. For home baristas, effectively no one can learn on a machine as user-friendly as that. And if machines that are truly beginner-friendly are out of nearly everyone's budget, the next best thing seems like it would be a manual espresso machine like a Flair or Cafelat Robot which are easily serviceable (and borderline indestructible) and have no electronics or boilers that are difficult to repair/replace. There's no need to worry about wonky temperature/pressure controls, bad drip trays, or any of the other flaws of cheap espresso machines, and it's so much easier to learn about the relationships between grind size, pressure, flow, time, dose etc. when you can feel how much you have to push on the lever of a manual machine.
I got this machine for Christmas 2 or 3 years ago and ive been using it almost daily it been working great, the company went under a diffrent name but the machines are the same, it's been working well and has helped with learning how to take care of a machine without the fear of messing up a multi hundred dollar espresso machine, it's definitely great for younger beginners or just anyone without a big budget like me
As always, our intrepid host ventures where others would never dare. I'm actually really impressed - it's not even that ugly! Yeah, it looks like you need to figure out how to get the best out of it, but James is already providing great starting points. "It performs extremely adequately!" we should all be so lucky
I sold my Decent machine about a year ago since I've just gravitated towards drip and pour over, but I get the itch for a nice latte once in awhile. I JUST got a HiBrew H10B, which is the 51mm version of the H10A, but for $100 less. I think I paid ~$150. Heats up in seconds, has controllable temp and shot volume, comes with a non-pressurized basket and a normal (if tiny) steam wand. I can make a great latte with it. You are right - it is incredible how cheap some things are right now. It's disruptive.
Beautiful. I'm not entirely sure if it was THE first, but the 366 Pounds Aldi Espresso Machine was for sure one of the first Videos I've seen on this channel and it really stuck with me for some reason. I'm happy to see this unexpected little continuation. Surely this review will change nothing for me on a decision making level, but it will no doubt be quite entertaining, so many thanks for that ^^ Edit: This went quite differently to what I expected. Either way, big props to James for telling us to consider longevity more than the cheap price.
The mechanism in this machine is SUPER common. I had it in a Cookworks brand machine from Argos, it's what is in the Swan Retro, the Blaupunkt machines in B&M, every random letter *thing* from Amazon and so, so much more; I think Breville even had a related machine in this form factor (the Bijou, which my parents have). When I had my Cookworks machine I had a false burr grinder. I swapped said grinder for a Sette 270 I got on discount, a proper tamp and an £8 basket from Amazon that fit the weird portafilter. It honestly worked for milk drinks. Espresso wasn't special but it did the job, but no joke if my Rancilio died tomorrow and I needed a machine NOW, I wouldn't sniff at one of these for sixty quid. Also, American prices don't include tax, so in yankie money it's more like $66 before tax. As for longevity, I bought my sister another cookworks machine with the same mechanism but in a delonghi dedica style narrow shell. It was a present when her first baby was born. It's still going. Said baby will be eight this year. Either she's very lucky or quality parts are so commodotised that even cheap stuff can last a decade as long as you maintain it.
It's because parts and assembly quality on these things are really variable. Some will last for years and years, others will break as soon as the warranty runs out. Most will be in the lower end of the range, but a handful will last a lot longer. My wife used to really like the Senseo pod machines (she did the folded filter trick to use her own coffee), which were in the same price range as this thing. We've been through five of them over the years; four of them broke within two to three years, but one of them has lasted over a decade so far and is still going. It's just luck of the draw.
I have a DeLonghi from Costco which I purchased years ago for around the same price, and it still makes a decent espresso provided the following (in order of importance): 1. Excellent, fresh beans 2. Decent grinder (or at least, a good grind in a serviceable grinder) 3. Good water (filtered at minimum) 4. One of those needle things to distribute the grinds evenly in the portafilter (before brewing)
@@seldonplanB-24 The needle things break up clumps and make the coffee more uniform to get rid of channels and prevent channeling. You don't want to create channels. Channels are the enemy.
@AdamRapW Thanks for clearing that up! I've been using the needle thingy for years correctly, but for the wrong reasons. I'll change the wording in my original post so hopefully no one else like me gets confused. I do appreciate the clarification!
Ex pat in Costa Rica. I bought the Walmart equivalent of this over a year ago, for about the same equivalent price. It looks pretty much like the same machine! I replaced the basket and put in a spring after the flippy flappy thing unsurprisingly broke! I also removed the sleeve on the wand. If it was possible to buy a "proper" machine, I would have done, but this seemed like it was worth a try. I'm a qualified barista and I find that it STILL produces a perfectly acceptable espresso. I'm using a Forte Baratza grinder and a proper tamper lol. I actually went back and bought a second one, expecting that it wouldn't last....it's still sitting in the box! Excellent value for money, but I agree that you need to understand what you're doing, especially with the steamer and i guess that I'm the perfect person to get the best out of this, because my only option is to have a proper machine shipped to me and I'm not going to do that, for price and warranty issues etcétera.
What a terrifically detailed review! I even looked up Aldi finds to see if it was upcoming in store and unfortunately don't see it on upcoming Aldi finds. Enjoyed your review and would buy the item
I really appreciate the summary. One aspect that I think was only tangentially mentioned is the human cost to produce something like this at this cost. I don’t think anybody could reasonably argue that there was no exploitation in this product‘s supply chain. We have (flawed) certifications and more awareness to the real impact of what buying cheap cloths can mean for people and the environment. But this is unfortunately lacking a lot when it comes to products like these.
I’m always quite pleasantly surprised by Aldi kitchen things. I have a lot of small kitchen appliances, pot and pans from Aldi and they are always surprisingly capable. What an interesting video.
That one comment in the review is why I've steadfastly avoided the "beginner" espresso gear, and waited years until I could afford a decent quality machine. I am just not comfortable supporting a disposable industry. And this machine is clearly intended to be disposable. I have too much experience with these things to want to waste money on yet another one. They're clearly not intended to last, or to be repaired. They're also not intended to be "daily driver" machines, they're for someone who is likely going to be going to the office every day and getting their coffee out of a big all-in-one machine in the breakroom; with the home machine only getting a look-in on the weekends. Under those conditions, it will probably last three to four years, five if you're lucky. As a daily driver, you've got a couple years max, and a lot of users will see them start failing in about six to eight months when the warranty runs out. And good luck trying to fix them when they break. Parts will be effectively impossible to find; and if you can they'll be stupidly expensive. By the time you replace two or three parts, you might as well have bought a whole new machine. Again, if you can even get parts, which is unlikely. (Some will say, "Well, you can just pick up someone else's broken machine and scavenge for parts." Which, yeah, that's a good philosophy; but I can practically guarantee that when this thing breaks, it will be the same part that breaks first nearly every time. The one that they cut the biggest corners on.) Sure, for some stuff you can probably bodge together a repair with hardware store bits, if you're handy; but those repairs aren't going to last, or something else will fail shortly afterwards. And if it's part of the pressure system, you may be looking at safety issues. Of course, that's all assuming you can even get inside the thing to begin with. A whole lot of stuff inside will be glued in place instead of properly screwed or bolted; and will be difficult-to-impossible to get at or get out without breaking something else in the process. I've spent too much time trying to do exactly that, and it's rarely ever worth the time, effort, or bloodshed (you can be sure to scrape a few knuckles or stab yourself on a sharp bit). And that's before even looking into how these things are built in the first place. In my opinion, they're just not worth the cost. Not worth the cost in exploitative sweatshop labour. Not worth the cost in environmentally destructive materials, "recycling" practices, and landfill impacts. Not worth the cost in having to spend money over and over and over on something utterly unnecessary because it wears out far faster than it should, thus costing more in the long run (look up Terry Pratchett's "Boots Theory"). Not worth the cost in further contributing to disposable culture which is destroying our world. For five hundred pounds/dollars or less you can find a used or refurbished basic pump espresso machine, or new manual lever machine and kettle, which will last for decades if properly maintained; and which will come with a whole community of enthusiasts who can help with advice on maintenance, repair techniques, parts, and especially mods to improve them. And if you decide that home espresso isn't for you (or you want to upgrade to something better), then there's a fair-sized resale market for these things that will help you recoup a lot of the money you put into it. Aside from that, a good ceramic V60 brewer will cost twenty pounds/twenty-five dollars, and last a lifetime. An Aeropress will cost forty pounds/fifty dollars and last for decades. Buying an espresso at a local specialty coffee shop will cost only marginally more than making it yourself at home.
When using machines like this, I have a second cup ready and watch the scale; once it's at 2:1, I pull the main cup and push in the secondary one. It's the only way to control the ratio, but works well.
Lol, I just watched the first Aldi video for the first time and now i see you just dropped this (quite the timing). I can say that my expectations are pretty high for this one (sourness-wise) Holy f it is actually good
Some parts of this look suspiciously like the de longhi parts. Especially that steam wand, the "tamper", and the brewgroup. I wonder if this is a whitelable situation or if it's just readily available parts Edit: it seems like these parts are very similar but not identical. Maybe aldi got some "inspiration"
I have used its predecessor about 15 years ago. It has served me well over 7 years with good coffee before I upgraded to a full automatic. My wife quite likes the fact that its far less messy
Blimey. A whole new world of stuff. I never knew there was so much to making a very small, one-and-done coffee. I had no idea that you could buy a grinder that costs more than the car we bought for our son to learn to drive, or that the way the beans are ground could make such a difference. Frankly, my taste buds and nose are not up to the task of distinguishing good espresso from bad. Though, admittedly, I haven't tried and I wouldn't know what I was looking for. Since I'm in the process of learning Italian I'd perhaps better address that. Interesting and well-presented vid that I enjoyed - thanks! I gave it a like 👍
I actually bought one and wondered if you had/would review it! I’m definitely an espresso novice, but I have always enjoyed good coffee. Ihave a few things I want to share: 1. It actually comes with a three year warranty, I didn’t realise until the assistant in Aldi told me and too keep the receipt, 2. I just have a cheap Bodum grinder and despite an inconsistent coarseness to the coffee, it makes perfectly serviceable coffee. Maybe I will look into a better grinder to improve my experience! 3. When I have tried to use the steamer it has a TCP kind of taste. I have just been using my (also from Aldi) milk frother and hoping the taste will go away, but I think I may need to purge the water first. 4. The tamper is indeed rubbish and I will look to replace this and the basket. Overall I’m satisfied with what I paid for and the suggestions made have given me a clear path to improving my experience with the machine. I’m looking forward to my 3 years with this machine 🤞
@@CheesusTheRatJesus These machines are very common at both, and at Kaufland which is quite a bit less popular but a similar concept (also owned by the same conglomerate that owns Lidl). This design has barely been updated over the last few decades, with newer models really only having minor updates to the display technology they utilize. Functionally they're pretty much the same machines they've been manufacturing since the early 2000s though. That's why there are so many comments saying they bought similar machines (with seemingly everyone having a different manufacturer name depending on which year they bought it) years ago and they've held up fine.
Appreciate this review as perspective on more expensive machines. After years using a Rancillio Silvia/ Rocky combo I'm now using a Delinghi ecp 3630 ($112US on sale) and a df54. The grinder is the game changer. And i bought aa better tamper, portafilter etc. Downside is the lack of 51mm baskets. The upside is I'm staying out of the costly espresso rabbit hole as long as I can.
I've had a Gaggia Classic for 3 years, I purchased it as a refurbished model and I still love it. I added the Shades of Coffee PID. So I'm into the machine for $500 US. I still think it's great value.
I'd really like to see an update with this where so many facets of it weren't changed. Use a cheap grinder, use the pressurized filter it came with. It's cool that it can make decent shots with a different filter, but I don't think most people that buy this for $60 are going to go out of their way to look for a new filter. Calling the included pressurized filter bad without testing it just speaks of personal bias that you don't enjoy a pressurized filter, which isn't to say the average novice would/wouldn't enjoy the outcome. This genuinely just comes across as something that could only pull good shots if you already had experience, and if you already have experience I don't think that sort of coffee person would buy a $60 machine. There's just too much changed that this isn't a review, but more 'How can you make it better?'
i had a lidl one for about 5years. I could certainly pull an ok shot, but I upgraded slightly, bought a tamper, made a distribution tool and got a good hand grinder.
I used to pull shots with one of these, surprisingly the first few things to break were not fatal, the group head got leaky and the PCB rusted away (shot button stopped working). They were all easy fixes, because I didn't mind the janky rats nest I soldered and hot glued together as a fix. But no spare parts availability, even from the "manufacturer". I'd still recommend anyone getting into espresso on a budget to just buy a manual lever machine and a kettle.
Yeah, Something like a Flair Classic is well under three hundred dollars brand new with all the accessories, taxes, and shipping combined; less if you can find a used one. That'll give a lot more control while still being easy to use; and unlike one of these things, the Flair will have a decent resale value.
James, I just watched Lance Hedrick's video on the Stilosa and this is giving similar vibes, where like you both said ultimately the grinder is the big deal. Machines at this price make me feel much better about the idea of taking advantage of my new Opus being able to grind for espresso to actually get a feel for it before going to something much nicer. Like starting with a decent inexpensive hand grinder, or a Baratza Encore as a good electric starting point (mine, moving to the Opus was a huge upgrade for consistency!) I'm really curious to see how this market will evolve. You've got me very eager to see if my Aldi has this, provided I snag a reasonable tamper and basket first!
I got my first espresso machine just before Christmas on clearance at Sainsburys for little over £30, a Cookworks one. I'm under no illusion that it's on the budget end but I'm enjoying playing around with it.
My wife's convinced that "Ambiano" is a play on "Bambino," for what it's worth. This makes me even more satisfied with the used Bambino I picked up (bought from a friend) for under $100!
“I’m happy. I’m surprised. I have a lot of feelings.”
Perfectly captures why James Hoffman is a treasure
And I’m happy that James is Happy.
@@jamesspinks716 Machine is happy! Machine does not re- oh wrong channel.
100% understand the philosophy behind using a $1500 grinder to test a $60 espresso machine, but would also loved if you did try it with a $250 grinder just to see whether you still thought the espresso was decent enough
I do agree overall, but you could argue he's only testing the machine here. If you can get a good espresso out of a £60 machine using a $1500 grinder, you know the machine is at least capable of producing good shots. It's not the machine's fault if you can't grind fine enough to produce a good shot, and that would be true in any machine. Besides, a £250 grinder should be capable of getting pretty close to the $1500 anyway, so it shouldn't ever be that you *need* the expensive grinder.
Even better would have been to pull out that cheap kin hand grinder from a few months back that was actually quite impressive
Lol Bru
Or try it on a bag of Alcafé espresso ground coffee 🤣
Agreed. There’s an appetite here for a deep dive on this machine.
The water you used is probably more expensive than the espresso machine.
I love it.
I have bought the same looking machine on the Ali for 70 EUR and good handgrinder for 90 EUR and i am able to make better espresso than most of the coffee bars with the pro italian machines in my home town. Been using it for 10 months with no issues. Thank You James for the honest reviews and the education on the coffee magic from Croatia.
Isn't the shipping for such a big thing from AliExpress expensive as hell? I've never seen anything this large make sense to order from Ali
what handgrinder? And did you get it on Ali?
@dæmnKris for this product it wasn't. Depends on the seller also. I think for this machine they have EU warehouse. Covid measures have been loosen' for some time now and EU warehouses are becoming a thing again. Just check in detail shipping options for each ad...
@@TamarLitvot MHV bomber from Ali also... It goes from 90-125 EUR.
@@georgeweah9717 Thanks -- I got a stainless steel espresso tray of the same brand as your grinder and it's smooth, simple, solid, and well made. I was surprised by the decent quality of the things I got from Ali -- very different from temu.
ALDI should market this machine now with a badge from James:
"Surprisingly good."😄
7/10
Id imagine it could only help.
Only after swapping the basket
@@Zeratoxx_ and getting a proper grinder
well, only if they add a "real" basket to it, which will not happen, so ...
What I’m understanding from these series of ultra low budget espresso machines is that for folks that are new to this can spend most of their budget on a grinder and less on the machine. As one becomes knowledgeable in espresso making one can save up for a “great” entry level machine or your endgame machine. Great video.
exactly, whenever you are entering a new hobby, I always suggest to start slow and cheap just to see if you even like it to begin with. and then as you start to notice the limitations of your setup and they start to bother you, then you upgrade.
That's actually a pretty good take on it. And since coffee nerds tend to clump together this type of machine will probably do a series of hand-me-downs until it eventually dies.
the scooptamp is indeed terrrrrible. i switched to a tampscoop and it's made all the difference!
The fact that it was partially a scoop made me think James was going to chuck it in the bin 😂
Definitely don't try the Poopstamp. Way too messy and the wife and the dog gave me funny looks.
Scooptamp is like plastic utensils take-out give you, it's useless unless you have no choice. It's almost single-use if you know what real tamper is like.
I feel like you guys should have brought a cheap but excellent grinder in for one final test - just to see how cheap you can get to making a "it's okay" espresso :D
That sounds like a job for a hand grinder!
i second this! good video idea
Not brought
Agreed, I would have liked to see this tested as well.
Where would they bring it?
I know this machine. It is a shell that many companies use (change buttons, layout). I had the brand called MAttinata. It worked great, but the pump burnt out after 4 months. Lowes has this same format $70 machine listed for $250 on the website. Same one as on Temu for $70.
MAttinata did refund the full price since it was under a 6 month warranty. I was happily surprised.
If the pump is the point of failure I'd love to see if there's a good way to mod or repair it with another pump
ahhh, I was looking for the catch :/
@@matilyn_rfand I mean as long as it’s open maybe a PID…
Yeah i think delonghi sells this machine too
How much a replacement pump would cost? If it’s under 30 it’s still a good bargain, I think.
I used a simlar machine for many years, it was from Lidl, brand Silvercrest and I learned to do a decent espresso with not so decent grinder. These machines are really forgiving for their price and work really well
After watching it all, I will clarify "many years" - almost 10 years at this point and it's still going strong to a point I am selling it, because I finally bought something better
Yeah. Im used similar ''espresso'' machines over 10 years.
And I had 4 of them. The first one worked for 7 years, then 2 years, and two for one year. 🤣
The machine my grandma bought in the 90s, and is now my mum's; is still going strong.
I have a Krups that was £60 in 2007. I don’t use it much, but I think I know how to get something decent out of it
Never heard of the simlar brand...
Can’t wait to buy this combo only $1560 🤩. All seriousness this looks pretty decent especially for that price!
4:32 is hilarious. coffee gremlin peers under the mysterious coffee machine.
"My precious!"
Slight aside, but I'm increasingly of the opinion that James' wonderful knitted sweaters are all handmade, and as a new knitter I love them
Hey James, I've bought a combo from Lidl 4 years ago and it still work, the Grinder + Espresso machine combo was only 75 Euros, since then, I only bought a good tamper, a needle tool, bottomless portafilter and 2 baskets for it and a scale. Except the regular, descaling and cleaning of the shower head, no issues (also has detachable water tank). The espresso comes out pretty good (had worse on renounced espresso places), even though I now know how early I must stop the pump to get to the right weight :) This combo was bought when I was on a tight budget and I do not regret it. I plan to go for something more expensive, once this one gives up on me :)
I think this kind of machine is a great idea for people just getting in the door. When there are so many additional accessories to make pulling espresso easier or better, this frees up that budget to see if they even enjoy doing it themselves, and get more quality tools. After a year it may wind up in a landfill, but then at least the person knows if they want to continue with it and invest in a longer standing machine, as opposed to the many people who go all in on a pricey machine, use it twice, and it collects dust until it gets tossed while still functional.
15:15 If that's a 9/10 grinder.... what in the heaven's earth is a 10/10 grinder?? xD
Probably the 500000 dollar one from cometeer coffee
Weber EG1 with ULF or a Ditting 807, Kafatek Max, EK43 with Titus upgrades and SSPs. 9/10 for the Z1 is pretty high, looking forward to his review.
Whats there left to strife for if something is perceived as perfection *sips subpar frenchpress coffee
His EG-1 has to be a 9.5 at least…
is it possible for a 10/10 grinder to ever exist? (i.e. is there a world where a weird coffee person would ever call a grinder perfect? haha)
I have a delonghi dedica which my friend just gave me. so it's seen some use, but I've repaired and upgraded it and the fella is chugging along happily. It gives me great joy to fix broken things, and even more joy to fix things that aren't broken and make them better. The dedica now has a competition shower, a competition basket, a proper three hole milk frother, and I'm thinking about fiddling with its pressure regulator valve spring and bringing it back down to the 9 bars it should be.
James, with the majority of this machine: 🌞😃🥳✨🥰
James with the scoop tamp: 🤬👿😠👎🏻
It is a bit strange he was willing to use a great grinder….though committed to be the bad tamper
@@dw-yl3ln Since he had a hard time even finding a basket for it, maybe he doesn't have a right sized tamper?
@@dw-yl3lnI think the difference Is that the machine doesn’t come with a grinder. So since he had to provide a grinder anyway he figured he might as well use a good one.
I heard of the *Cheap Audio Man* who started out pushing cheap speakers/audio equip. now he's pushing $3000 speakers, but James giving a 7 to the shot from a $60 machine is good news for espresso newbies, after all young kids/adults need a cheaper starting point in todays bad economy, good find James. A good entry level machine is had to find, I went with a Gaggia now I need an uptick, but overall like you stated, it was a fine machine which will last, thanks for that info buddy.
tbf 3k is cheap for speakers
Audio engineer here. 3k will get you state of the art speakers, pretth much. The main cost is room acoustics. @@RathOX
@@RathOX $50 is cheap for speakers...
$3000 is more than all the speakers I have ever purchased in my life combined.
@ im not talking about you lol. Im talking in the realms of speakers 3k is cheap. When speakers can cost upwards of 6 figures.
I think that's why a lot of us went for the Ninja after James's review. Decent coffee, very accessible. What's not to like?
You should do a teardown of this machine so we can figure out what they've got going on in there!
I have something similar that I bought at Walmart after their black Friday sale for $35. Bought a bottomless porta filter and unpressurized basket, a good tamper, a decent grinder (the cheap kingrinder that James reviewed), and most importantly locally roasted beans. Yeah, for the price you can't beat it. I think it's already paid for itself at this point it was all so cheap. The limiting aspects of it (no control over pressure, temp, etc) are actually nice when you're starting out, the only factor is the grind and puck.
When it kicks the bucket eventually, I'll upgrade to something decent. I've always been economical, and I understand where James is coming from regarding waste, but I'm not going to drop $$$$ just because I can. I have enough hobbies as it is.
This! This is the target audience. The people who will do best to buy a machine of this nature are those who are just figuring out if they want to buy an espresso machine and make it at home. It's a beginner's setup, nothing else.
Bought one of these for my parents for Christmas. Which porta filter did you buy for it? I was worried that I would have a hard tuning finding one that fits!
@@guillaumedep1 This is me!
For beginners, who are not sure how much they want to / willing to spend on this hobby, it's an excellent machine. Because if it breaks down they can make a choice to buy another one, leave this hobby or step up to the next level!
As James said, I think you'd need to be pretty experienced making espresso to make this thing work. It'll be frustrating for beginners and experts alike, but the experts will have the needed experience to finesse the best espresso possible out of this machine. Beginners might be completely turned off by the challenge. My first thought was, "This might be a good machine for a barista who makes barista wages, knows how to pull shots, and wants an espresso machine at home."
@@AdamRapWi'm not a barista, i have a very cheap machine, and it works pretty well for me. I'm anything _but_ turned off by it.
Problem is beginners would need at least a $200 grinder to get any value out of this, and I'm not sure they would have that
As someone who owns a Mr Coffee Brand espresso machine that they thrifted for $10 from a 2nd hand shop (which looks exactly like the one in this video)... I am perfectly happy with the quality of espresso it makes; especially seeing as I treat it more like a kuregg type machine and primarily use it to make iced/hot americanos. My only goal when getting it was to be better than dunkin, for it to last long enough to recoup it's costs, and for it not to take up to much space in my small kitchen. 10 years later it has done all three perfectly.
Same. It makes a great Americano, day after day, with no faffing around.
@@Count_Smackula best part is that Mr. Coffee stocks replacement parts for it. I had to replace my Portafilter a few years back, and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was (outside of them sending me the wrong thing as first lol).
It’s great that it’s kept going for so long, that’s made up for the $10 within 3 days of owning it! I am curious when it does go what you would get to replace it with? Would you go for something in the same price range, or upgrade?
@PT_Lacky hard to say. I would still check out my favorite thrift store to see what they had in stock, but I wouldn't be against buying a nicer new model. The real issue is I still live in a place with a small kitchen so that would probably play a bigger factor into things than it should.
@@mickleman52Makes sense! I got my Sage Barrista Express for £230 on a Black Friday sale and it’s been going on for 6 years with no faults, along with a Sage Grinder Pro for £80 on Black Friday, also going strong, it sounds like a lot, but I always think of how much I’d have spent on coffee daily at Costa/Starbucks. If your second hand shop doesn’t have much like mine, Black Friday is key! Best of luck, hope your coffee machine keeps going strong!
I don't have one, but from your description I definitely got the vibe that it's something an experienced maker of espresso could make work but be annoyed by, but a novice would be endlessly frustrated by it.
I'm an experienced maker and I'm not annoyed with mine. However, having used this and similar cheap machines, I think that I would be annoyed if I shelled out the necessary grand or more to get the "right" machine and it was no better than what I'm now more than happy with!
As a novice with a very cheap machine, i'm anything but frustrated. Actually quite happy with it
@@Giuliana-w1fIs it a similar one to this one?
@@robertellis6853 only in price. It's a local brand ("Ultracomb CE-6108"), but probably made by an OEM. It has no electronics, only 3 switches and electromechanical controls (something i consider an advantage, since it gives me more control, and it's easier for me to fix or mod). It's a bit ugly, very plastic-y, but it works well for my use.
@@robertellis6853 only in price. It's a local brand ("Ultracomb CE-6108"), but the machine is likely made by an OEM
@James, to see you genuinely pleased and surprised, is priceless. This video tickled me!
The fact that you can pull great espresso from manual espresso machines, the fact that you can pull good espresso from the goddamn picopresso speaks to the fact that the machine is not as important as the grinder. Have been pulling great shots from a ecp3420 with upgraded portafilter/basket/tamper/distribution tool.
I remember hunting a Aldi espresso machine with a friend of mine one summer. Every store it was sold out. We drove by car from store to store, but couldn't get it. Afterall I might think it's for the best, but it was a really good time nonetheless!
i.e. you spent $100 on fuel and other car wear and tear to buy a cheap espresso machine ;) at some point it's never worth it.
That must have been before phones were invented 😂
For cost/price-point I'd envisage this will be popular for people who are setting up short tenure living (e.g. locating somewhere for a fixed duration contract) or perhaps a holiday home, etc. It would suit the comparatively occasional manual machine user, perhaps someone using it on weekends (given the time required) and they endure pods or outsourcing their coffee the rest of the time.
I'm extremely glad to see this tier of machine reviewed and a considered opinion offered, I do like the accessibility aspect of it.
You see this so often in craft supplies : The cheap "for children" or "for beginners" version cuts so many corners that only experts can get good results from it.
My wife was into the crafting thing, and that was something she noted early on as well.
And yeah, that's the real problem. People are saying "Well, they can just use this until they decide if they want to keep doing home espresso, then upgrade." The problem (aside from the fact it's going to end up in a landfill in a couple years), is that disposable consumer-grade machines like this are going to be such a pain to use that they'll drive people away from the hobby. Whereas a decent quality entry-level machine -- which, yes, will cost five to ten times as much -- will be so much easier to get good results from that they'll encourage more people to stick with it, and can last a lifetime if properly cared for.
Just like a Fiat 500 has a terrible gearbox for beginners in comparison to VW Golf.
Im so glad i still have my 2014 espresso machine. A decade later, a few spare parts later, and it still functions magnificiently
I use a delonghi and I am pleased with it. Replaced some parts. What these cheap machines lack is they start to drop after a short while. So speaking of landfill product might be nice to bring up some repair coffee sessions with fellow coffee tekks. Time is right coffee prices skyrocketing world in turmoil. Keep on rocking James and the rest of the pack!
I have had a Gaggia Classic for 15 years and it was second hand when I got it. It has been in the repairshop and I take care of it and I love that I can repair it.
Very nice video, James! Quite the vibe shift from your last Aldi espresso machine review.
This thing will be sold out everywhere in no time
It is sold out. I bought one when they arrived in store mid-December. It worked just as James showed for 3 weeks. It then failed, the machine wouldn't work and the supplier said they have no stock left, no spare parts, and no knowledge of what the fault was. I took it apart and nothing obvious so I raced round our local stores for a day to try find one but none left anywhere. Got my money back. Lidl have one in this week, might give that a go.
Yes my local Aldi never have any of the things you tubers review
@ Man that is frustrating. That thing never reached Germany by the way. Maybe it was UK only
I found your channel years ago when you reviewed the Aldi Bean to Cup machine, so this feels like full circle! Thank you.
Hearing you talk about the density/ratio of the pucks and the effect that has on the coffee was hilarious because you described it exactly the same way (terminology and all) as we do at my work where we design asphalt for roads.
Lab testing of asphalt designs is done in pucks that are then analyzed for all the properties you described!
7:48 replaying his high pitched surprised "lookin pretty good" is priceless
Thanks for your balanced judgement when it comes to weighing the pros and cons of this. I’m equally impressed by its brewing abilities but was also wary about the durability & longevity of it and I really appreciate you taking that into consideration when reviewing it.
I really appreciate, and I think it showcases your character that you reserve an endorsement for the moral standpoint of how these products are both made in distributed. Within all industries and especially within this current time we are always looking for the cheapest product to satisfy our needs and when you have a product which while not the same but able to be in the conversation with something that costs 3 to 4 times it is very enticing and people can easily forget about not just the human cost but longevity of this product
Ive got to say that I am more surprised at your enthusiasm about the result than the result itself. You were genuinely happy about what you found there😂
Fast electronics, the cousin of fast fashion... Even brands that were considered reliable just a decade ago are going in that direction - more plastic, less options to repair. Products that look and feel cheap while maintaining the price tag of the quality of the past. The "toy" comparison was spot on.
Pretty certain that you could never get a quality of the past espresso machine for 70$ though, same as fast fashion. A quality shirt never cost the equivalent of two 2025 dollars. Both crappy and unnecessary and will get binned after a short time.
Eu right to repair will mean you could get the thing fixed for years. The problem is who is going to pay 100 to fix something like this?
Interesting! I got this same machine (with different branding) as a gift from work. It's a bit frustrating to use, but after a few days of use, you get used to it and as James says, it's...surprisingly adequate.
19:37 I had the Lidl 50€ machine for two years and never thought to take off the attachment. That is a great tip for cheap machines. Steaming milk with the attachment was so hard and I ran a coffee shop for 3 years.
In my opinion, this is a good first machine for somebody who is willing to experiment a bit and doesn't know if he wants to keep up with the hassle of making Espresso by hand in the long run.
Ultimately everybody has to decide for themselves what they seek in a good coffee, or enjoyable coffee to their taste.
And on a camping trip, that might be the Mörkröst Gevalia instant coffee, dissolved in hot water on a gas stove, it might be a nice cup in the lunch break at your favourite barista bar, or it might be a cup from this at home in your student appartment.
Different circumstances, different tastes, different brewing methods. I could see someone getting the taste of the whole shebang with this and then moving up to, say, a refurbished more professional machine as some sort of hand-me-down from someone who has risen even further on the coffee ladder.
Me? For my everyday office fill I am happy with the combo of Graef Cm503 and the old Moccamaster, that one still performs well for "standard coffee" if you take good care of it.
But if I have some time, and want something nicer... I'm still looking for something there, so I don't have to visit friends so often :D
I have used a similar grade Delonghi ($125) to much success. Adding a puck screen reduces that headspace and corrects the imperfect showerscreen. By adding a dimmer switch I can control the flow rate and thus extract at lower, kinder bars to achieve more consistent shots. For the DIYer looking to advance their espresso game, these kind of machines can really hold their own with milk drinks at 1/10th of a price. Great vid as always!
Before I was able to afford my Gaggia I used a Mr Coffee ECMP50 for about 8 years. Very similar to this machine. When paired with a decent grinder and a non-pressurized basket I really couldn’t believe what I was able to produce👍🏻
I like to know the quality of espresso produced from the machine straight out of the box and using the original pressure basket.
I always think about the Victoria Arduino Black Eagle whenever I watch reviews of the cheapest espresso machines on the planet, because the Black Eagle is one of the most user-friendly machines out there for new baristas, but hardly any new professional baristas would have the pleasure of learning about espresso on that machine. For home baristas, effectively no one can learn on a machine as user-friendly as that. And if machines that are truly beginner-friendly are out of nearly everyone's budget, the next best thing seems like it would be a manual espresso machine like a Flair or Cafelat Robot which are easily serviceable (and borderline indestructible) and have no electronics or boilers that are difficult to repair/replace. There's no need to worry about wonky temperature/pressure controls, bad drip trays, or any of the other flaws of cheap espresso machines, and it's so much easier to learn about the relationships between grind size, pressure, flow, time, dose etc. when you can feel how much you have to push on the lever of a manual machine.
I got this machine for Christmas 2 or 3 years ago and ive been using it almost daily it been working great, the company went under a diffrent name but the machines are the same, it's been working well and has helped with learning how to take care of a machine without the fear of messing up a multi hundred dollar espresso machine, it's definitely great for younger beginners or just anyone without a big budget like me
As always, our intrepid host ventures where others would never dare. I'm actually really impressed - it's not even that ugly! Yeah, it looks like you need to figure out how to get the best out of it, but James is already providing great starting points.
"It performs extremely adequately!" we should all be so lucky
Great video James. Thank you.
Every espresso made by James is 'espresso cool'.
I sold my Decent machine about a year ago since I've just gravitated towards drip and pour over, but I get the itch for a nice latte once in awhile. I JUST got a HiBrew H10B, which is the 51mm version of the H10A, but for $100 less. I think I paid ~$150. Heats up in seconds, has controllable temp and shot volume, comes with a non-pressurized basket and a normal (if tiny) steam wand. I can make a great latte with it. You are right - it is incredible how cheap some things are right now. It's disruptive.
What a machine for an office/person-on-a-budget. Well done Aldi. This will help people get into better coffee.
What a time to have a coffee in my hand!
Beautiful. I'm not entirely sure if it was THE first, but the 366 Pounds Aldi Espresso Machine was for sure one of the first Videos I've seen on this channel and it really stuck with me for some reason. I'm happy to see this unexpected little continuation. Surely this review will change nothing for me on a decision making level, but it will no doubt be quite entertaining, so many thanks for that ^^
Edit: This went quite differently to what I expected. Either way, big props to James for telling us to consider longevity more than the cheap price.
The mechanism in this machine is SUPER common. I had it in a Cookworks brand machine from Argos, it's what is in the Swan Retro, the Blaupunkt machines in B&M, every random letter *thing* from Amazon and so, so much more; I think Breville even had a related machine in this form factor (the Bijou, which my parents have). When I had my Cookworks machine I had a false burr grinder. I swapped said grinder for a Sette 270 I got on discount, a proper tamp and an £8 basket from Amazon that fit the weird portafilter.
It honestly worked for milk drinks. Espresso wasn't special but it did the job, but no joke if my Rancilio died tomorrow and I needed a machine NOW, I wouldn't sniff at one of these for sixty quid.
Also, American prices don't include tax, so in yankie money it's more like $66 before tax.
As for longevity, I bought my sister another cookworks machine with the same mechanism but in a delonghi dedica style narrow shell. It was a present when her first baby was born. It's still going. Said baby will be eight this year. Either she's very lucky or quality parts are so commodotised that even cheap stuff can last a decade as long as you maintain it.
It's because parts and assembly quality on these things are really variable. Some will last for years and years, others will break as soon as the warranty runs out. Most will be in the lower end of the range, but a handful will last a lot longer. My wife used to really like the Senseo pod machines (she did the folded filter trick to use her own coffee), which were in the same price range as this thing. We've been through five of them over the years; four of them broke within two to three years, but one of them has lasted over a decade so far and is still going. It's just luck of the draw.
I have a DeLonghi from Costco which I purchased years ago for around the same price, and it still makes a decent espresso provided the following (in order of importance): 1. Excellent, fresh beans 2. Decent grinder (or at least, a good grind in a serviceable grinder) 3. Good water (filtered at minimum) 4. One of those needle things to distribute the grinds evenly in the portafilter (before brewing)
Channels in the puck?
@AlohandMahalo pre-puck? Before you run the machine. Apologies for my lack of proper terminology 😅
@@seldonplanB-24 The needle things break up clumps and make the coffee more uniform to get rid of channels and prevent channeling. You don't want to create channels. Channels are the enemy.
@AdamRapW Thanks for clearing that up! I've been using the needle thingy for years correctly, but for the wrong reasons. I'll change the wording in my original post so hopefully no one else like me gets confused. I do appreciate the clarification!
Now I'm just picturing someone using WDT after brewing, digging through the spent puck like a kid in wet sand
Watching James reviewing and enjoying cheap es machine is the greatest thing in the coffee world
Ex pat in Costa Rica. I bought the Walmart equivalent of this over a year ago, for about the same equivalent price. It looks pretty much like the same machine! I replaced the basket and put in a spring after the flippy flappy thing unsurprisingly broke! I also removed the sleeve on the wand. If it was possible to buy a "proper" machine, I would have done, but this seemed like it was worth a try. I'm a qualified barista and I find that it STILL produces a perfectly acceptable espresso. I'm using a Forte Baratza grinder and a proper tamper lol. I actually went back and bought a second one, expecting that it wouldn't last....it's still sitting in the box!
Excellent value for money, but I agree that you need to understand what you're doing, especially with the steamer and i guess that I'm the perfect person to get the best out of this, because my only option is to have a proper machine shipped to me and I'm not going to do that, for price and warranty issues etcétera.
What a terrifically detailed review! I even looked up Aldi finds to see if it was upcoming in store and unfortunately don't see it on upcoming Aldi finds. Enjoyed your review and would buy the item
I really appreciate the summary. One aspect that I think was only tangentially mentioned is the human cost to produce something like this at this cost. I don’t think anybody could reasonably argue that there was no exploitation in this product‘s supply chain. We have (flawed) certifications and more awareness to the real impact of what buying cheap cloths can mean for people and the environment. But this is unfortunately lacking a lot when it comes to products like these.
I’m always quite pleasantly surprised by Aldi kitchen things. I have a lot of small kitchen appliances, pot and pans from Aldi and they are always surprisingly capable. What an interesting video.
That one comment in the review is why I've steadfastly avoided the "beginner" espresso gear, and waited years until I could afford a decent quality machine. I am just not comfortable supporting a disposable industry. And this machine is clearly intended to be disposable. I have too much experience with these things to want to waste money on yet another one.
They're clearly not intended to last, or to be repaired. They're also not intended to be "daily driver" machines, they're for someone who is likely going to be going to the office every day and getting their coffee out of a big all-in-one machine in the breakroom; with the home machine only getting a look-in on the weekends. Under those conditions, it will probably last three to four years, five if you're lucky. As a daily driver, you've got a couple years max, and a lot of users will see them start failing in about six to eight months when the warranty runs out.
And good luck trying to fix them when they break. Parts will be effectively impossible to find; and if you can they'll be stupidly expensive. By the time you replace two or three parts, you might as well have bought a whole new machine. Again, if you can even get parts, which is unlikely. (Some will say, "Well, you can just pick up someone else's broken machine and scavenge for parts." Which, yeah, that's a good philosophy; but I can practically guarantee that when this thing breaks, it will be the same part that breaks first nearly every time. The one that they cut the biggest corners on.)
Sure, for some stuff you can probably bodge together a repair with hardware store bits, if you're handy; but those repairs aren't going to last, or something else will fail shortly afterwards. And if it's part of the pressure system, you may be looking at safety issues. Of course, that's all assuming you can even get inside the thing to begin with. A whole lot of stuff inside will be glued in place instead of properly screwed or bolted; and will be difficult-to-impossible to get at or get out without breaking something else in the process. I've spent too much time trying to do exactly that, and it's rarely ever worth the time, effort, or bloodshed (you can be sure to scrape a few knuckles or stab yourself on a sharp bit).
And that's before even looking into how these things are built in the first place. In my opinion, they're just not worth the cost. Not worth the cost in exploitative sweatshop labour. Not worth the cost in environmentally destructive materials, "recycling" practices, and landfill impacts. Not worth the cost in having to spend money over and over and over on something utterly unnecessary because it wears out far faster than it should, thus costing more in the long run (look up Terry Pratchett's "Boots Theory"). Not worth the cost in further contributing to disposable culture which is destroying our world.
For five hundred pounds/dollars or less you can find a used or refurbished basic pump espresso machine, or new manual lever machine and kettle, which will last for decades if properly maintained; and which will come with a whole community of enthusiasts who can help with advice on maintenance, repair techniques, parts, and especially mods to improve them. And if you decide that home espresso isn't for you (or you want to upgrade to something better), then there's a fair-sized resale market for these things that will help you recoup a lot of the money you put into it. Aside from that, a good ceramic V60 brewer will cost twenty pounds/twenty-five dollars, and last a lifetime. An Aeropress will cost forty pounds/fifty dollars and last for decades. Buying an espresso at a local specialty coffee shop will cost only marginally more than making it yourself at home.
When using machines like this, I have a second cup ready and watch the scale; once it's at 2:1, I pull the main cup and push in the secondary one. It's the only way to control the ratio, but works well.
I came here looking for this comment!
Great review. Shows how much a good grinder, knowledge and technique can overcome.
Lol, I just watched the first Aldi video for the first time and now i see you just dropped this (quite the timing). I can say that my expectations are pretty high for this one (sourness-wise)
Holy f it is actually good
Some parts of this look suspiciously like the de longhi parts. Especially that steam wand, the "tamper", and the brewgroup. I wonder if this is a whitelable situation or if it's just readily available parts
Edit: it seems like these parts are very similar but not identical. Maybe aldi got some "inspiration"
Maybe they made them for Aldi
there are similar machnies from different stores, the lidl one looked nearly identical, I think it is just one producer for all those cheap machines
It even sounds the same as a DeLonghi.
Always positive vibe, similar to kid gets to play new stuff. Passionate
You know he’s crazy when he makes his own water
Ahh the origin story returns. The first aldi machine review is what got me into coffee. Let’s see if this is a worthy successor.
Thanks for sharing!!! I love it when you're positively surprised by a cheap machine... like a twist in your head;)
This is probably one of the most remarkable surprises on this channel ever.
I really appreciate the effort that went into this review but could only smile at all this fuss.
I have used its predecessor about 15 years ago. It has served me well over 7 years with good coffee before I upgraded to a full automatic.
My wife quite likes the fact that its far less messy
Blimey. A whole new world of stuff. I never knew there was so much to making a very small, one-and-done coffee. I had no idea that you could buy a grinder that costs more than the car we bought for our son to learn to drive, or that the way the beans are ground could make such a difference. Frankly, my taste buds and nose are not up to the task of distinguishing good espresso from bad. Though, admittedly, I haven't tried and I wouldn't know what I was looking for. Since I'm in the process of learning Italian I'd perhaps better address that. Interesting and well-presented vid that I enjoyed - thanks! I gave it a like 👍
I actually bought one and wondered if you had/would review it! I’m definitely an espresso novice, but I have always enjoyed good coffee. Ihave a few things I want to share:
1. It actually comes with a three year warranty, I didn’t realise until the assistant in Aldi told me and too keep the receipt,
2. I just have a cheap Bodum grinder and despite an inconsistent coarseness to the coffee, it makes perfectly serviceable coffee. Maybe I will look into a better grinder to improve my experience!
3. When I have tried to use the steamer it has a TCP kind of taste. I have just been using my (also from Aldi) milk frother and hoping the taste will go away, but I think I may need to purge the water first.
4. The tamper is indeed rubbish and I will look to replace this and the basket.
Overall I’m satisfied with what I paid for and the suggestions made have given me a clear path to improving my experience with the machine. I’m looking forward to my 3 years with this machine 🤞
I do appreciate James pointing out "Vime's Boot Law" with regards to the "surprise cost" you may be paying.
i love the fact that i know how james is gonna say some words. like i knew how he was gonna say "espresso cool" as soon as i read it.
10:14 It’s a Lidl sharp at the end, just a Lidl.
Isn't it from Aldi 😂
You've got 97 likes from that comment atm after 54 mins. Woke is still alive!
@@limmoblack Good.
@@CheesusTheRatJesus These machines are very common at both, and at Kaufland which is quite a bit less popular but a similar concept (also owned by the same conglomerate that owns Lidl). This design has barely been updated over the last few decades, with newer models really only having minor updates to the display technology they utilize. Functionally they're pretty much the same machines they've been manufacturing since the early 2000s though. That's why there are so many comments saying they bought similar machines (with seemingly everyone having a different manufacturer name depending on which year they bought it) years ago and they've held up fine.
I think it would be fascinating if this channel started disassembling the espresso machines and analyzing the internal components and construction.
Thank you for pointing out monetary costs are far from the only costs we pay ;) Great video keep having a lot of feelings!
Appreciate this review as perspective on more expensive machines.
After years using a Rancillio Silvia/ Rocky combo I'm now using a Delinghi ecp 3630 ($112US on sale) and a df54. The grinder is the game changer. And i bought aa better tamper, portafilter etc.
Downside is the lack of 51mm baskets. The upside is I'm staying out of the costly espresso rabbit hole as long as I can.
“A little sharp at the end, just a LIDL”
I heard that and I respect that 👏
“Espresso Cool” was James’ nickname in high school.
I've had a Gaggia Classic for 3 years, I purchased it as a refurbished model and I still love it. I added the Shades of Coffee PID. So I'm into the machine for $500 US. I still think it's great value.
Thanks for the video James
I'd really like to see an update with this where so many facets of it weren't changed. Use a cheap grinder, use the pressurized filter it came with. It's cool that it can make decent shots with a different filter, but I don't think most people that buy this for $60 are going to go out of their way to look for a new filter.
Calling the included pressurized filter bad without testing it just speaks of personal bias that you don't enjoy a pressurized filter, which isn't to say the average novice would/wouldn't enjoy the outcome.
This genuinely just comes across as something that could only pull good shots if you already had experience, and if you already have experience I don't think that sort of coffee person would buy a $60 machine. There's just too much changed that this isn't a review, but more 'How can you make it better?'
The first Aldi espresso machine video was the reason I subscribed to this channel. And here we are again 😅
i had a lidl one for about 5years. I could certainly pull an ok shot, but I upgraded slightly, bought a tamper, made a distribution tool and got a good hand grinder.
I used to pull shots with one of these, surprisingly the first few things to break were not fatal, the group head got leaky and the PCB rusted away (shot button stopped working).
They were all easy fixes, because I didn't mind the janky rats nest I soldered and hot glued together as a fix. But no spare parts availability, even from the "manufacturer".
I'd still recommend anyone getting into espresso on a budget to just buy a manual lever machine and a kettle.
Yeah, Something like a Flair Classic is well under three hundred dollars brand new with all the accessories, taxes, and shipping combined; less if you can find a used one. That'll give a lot more control while still being easy to use; and unlike one of these things, the Flair will have a decent resale value.
Rip David Lynch, James's hairstyle role model
From James, "pretty good" is like a seal of approval.
James, I just watched Lance Hedrick's video on the Stilosa and this is giving similar vibes, where like you both said ultimately the grinder is the big deal. Machines at this price make me feel much better about the idea of taking advantage of my new Opus being able to grind for espresso to actually get a feel for it before going to something much nicer. Like starting with a decent inexpensive hand grinder, or a Baratza Encore as a good electric starting point (mine, moving to the Opus was a huge upgrade for consistency!)
I'm really curious to see how this market will evolve. You've got me very eager to see if my Aldi has this, provided I snag a reasonable tamper and basket first!
Great video, more cheaper alternative machine reviews would be great!
waiting for the Aldi vs Lidl competition
All you need is a $1500 grinder and a bespoke portafiller
$1500? less than $2000 and you may as well go back to nespresso!
Weber workshop should sell it in a bundle.
@5:10 and now we have the grinder which looks like a piece of equipment a sniper might use...
I got my first espresso machine just before Christmas on clearance at Sainsburys for little over £30, a Cookworks one. I'm under no illusion that it's on the budget end but I'm enjoying playing around with it.
My wife's convinced that "Ambiano" is a play on "Bambino," for what it's worth. This makes me even more satisfied with the used Bambino I picked up (bought from a friend) for under $100!