Smeg ECF01

I have now purchased the 1950's style blender, mixmaster, 4 slice toaster, kettle and of course the coffee machine. We purchase merlo coffee online but for some reason it no longer pumps the coffee through. I have even tried soaking the filters in straight descaling solution and also tried vinegar. I've have only had it about 12 months and it's driving me insane as we no longer drink instant coffee.. I'd like to think they last longer than a year!!

I love the look of the machine but after a few uses I wanted to throw it at a wall. The milk frother as is is impossible to get a good milk consistency. It bubbles up and overflows in seconds. After a few days I realised you could take the metal piece off and just have the silicone steam wand. That made ALL THE DIFFERENCE. I could get a decent swirl going and much silkier milk.

My advice; throw out that piece of steel crap if you value decently textured milk. After that I loved the machine.

I love my SMEG machine but unfortunately it’s stopped working. When the coffee button is pressed it powers on then seems to trail off and nothing comes out. Quite disappointed!

It appears that we may have to return our machine. Every time we try to froth milk, steam comes out but then hot water spurts our intermittently, this means we end up with horrible watery coffee every time. No pattern to this it just has a mind of its own.

The crema! So quick! So beautiful!
I have even stopped buying cafe coffee. The quality is consistent and the perfect temperature. I am surprised at the quality of the milk frother for such a small machine.

Great colours and ease of use and looks good. I had another brand which use to leave the coffee weak but this machine brews a beautiful ground coffee. Easy to clean with just a wipe down. Wouldn't trade it for another machine. Not cheap but well worth it.

I’m a big fan of the machine, I think it makes excellent coffee time and time again. I have a decent non-SMEG grinder though so that probably helps. I agree with some of the comments about the milk steamer but I don’t think that’s a huge issue.

I am totally unimpressed with the SMEG promotions system though. I purchased my machine with the promise of a free milk jug and knock box. It’s now been 2 months and it hasn’t been delivered. In this day and age I don’t think that’s acceptable.

This machine produces great coffee with a strong crema. The water tank size holds atleast a litre so you’re not having to fill it up all the time. The machine looks great sitting on the bench and receives many positive comments.

The negatives:
- The steam wand is very short. Make sure you only buy a small milk jug (I think mine is a 400ml capacity) or the wand won’t reach the milk.

- A normal size cup won’t fit under the group unless you remove the base. Even with the base removed, my 16oz keep cup won’t fit unless I put it on an angle which means I have to stand there and hold it.
- Sometimes, it can be a struggle to get the group back in. I have to run a cycle of hot water before it’ll slot back in.

I got mine half price which is good because I don’t think it’s worth the full RRP. Good machine, but better ones out there for that price point.

I trusted the reviews on this machine but I wouldn't have bought this machine had I been able to see it in a shop and play with it a bit. The first big issue is it uses a pressure basket. I didn't see this before I bought it and must have missed it in the marketing material.

The machine can make average coffee without a doubt but it's just a bit painful compared to other machines. You pay more for a different machine but you pay more for a reason.

It's the little things like not being able to buy a proper tamper due to the basket size being small. I looked around and asked the company but one is not available unless the company are nice enough to send one. Why is this important? Because you can't polish and tamp the coffee properly and if you can't do this then getting a predictable brew is rather difficult.

The baskets only fit a 14 gram dose of coffee at best. This isn't adequate for a proper double shot which is 18grams +.

The steam wand is just a silly size, it means having to use odd amounts of milk just to try to get a good milk swirl going. This is a pain.

The machine being such a light weight machine means putting in the group head and getting it out means things (the machine) are moving all over the place and you have to hold it down.

I do like that it really does heat up quickly. It is a good looking machine and it's easy enough to use.

It takes pods which is pretty interesting.

For me, I just really regret buying this machine.

Anyone want a cheap, pretty new Smeg machine?

This is a great looking, easy to use and easy to clean machine. The coffee tastes great, consistent time after time. I have had my machine for several months now and I look forward to every coffee. I prefer the coffees I make at home to most coffee shop coffees now.

After researching coffe machines, I decided on a Smeg. I have never previously had a coffee machine, and needed one that was uncomplicated/easy clean. Being a novice it took a little while to familiarise myself with the process of making coffee. I am not disappointed with the coffee. It is wonderful! The temp, quality etc. I love it! The only thing I found a bit difficult was the instruction manual (being a novice) it took me a while to figure it out. I also need to purchase descaler and so far have been unsuccessful. ? LOVE this machine!

For nearly a year our SMEG espresso machine has provided consistently excellent morning (and afternoon) coffee
-Fast boil
-Easy use
-Easy clean
-Small and elegant
-Robust
-can handle cups to mugs

We'd highly recommend for time poor parents with full time jobs. The SMEG will help you start your day with a smile.

Bought my beautiful Smeg Retro style coffee machine about one month ago and simply love using it every day - 3 times a day.
I enjoy good coffee at a fraction of the cost of my previous well known brand coffee machine.
So easy, quick to use and clean I wouldn't go back to the other machine I have.
The black is beautiful and suits my kitchen but love the look of the red as well.
Not a lot of info on how to use but all I can say is don't over think it.

Very satisfied with the quality of coffee which is consistent, also temperature is exactly how it should be & milk frothing easy with great silky texture. Also love the retro design, very neat, doesn't take up too much bench space & very easy to clean. Overall a great little machine that is compact & reliable to produce delicious coffee.

This is by far the best coffee machine. It is easy to set - up, easy to use, easy to clean and in general perfect. Its an excellent addition to any family . Love the range of colours it comes in. Would love if it had a larger water tank. Heast coffee to a good temp and also the milk.

Love this. Purchased the smeg after my sunbeam got a bit long in the tooth. I love the fact it can be programmed. It’s a bit difficult at first to program but once you get the hang of it it’s great.

My only gripe with this machine is the milk frothed is a bit short. Other than that it’s great. Oh and the freebie pack by redemption was a nice surprise

Well this item in our kitchen is a focal point. Many colours to choose from. From the work go you have many choices of different coffee selections programs to choose from. Again not a cheap product, but you will not be disappointed. The milk steam and froffer is so powerful and the machine is so easy to clean. Looks smike in your kitchen.

Love this machine. It is stylish, very well made and easy to clean. Makes beautiful rich, full-bodied, italian style coffee - even from pre-ground coffee and ESE pods (illy). Will probably tamp coffee on weekends and just use the ESE pods on weekdays, it’s great to have that option. No more burnt bitter tasting coffee from popular pods just because it’s convenient. This machine ticks all the boxes. Many thanks!

Absolutely love this machine. We’ve had it for a fortnight and have used it daily. It’s exactly the same every day, very easy to use and clean and I’ve never had a machine extract so thoroughly the grounds are practically dry afterwards. I haven’t tried using the pods that can be used with it but I’m sure they’re fabulous too

Love love love love this coffee machine!
Wasn’t sure at first how it would work as it was much cheaper than any coffee machine I’d had before but it keeps up!
We use it everyday and it gives us perfect coffee every single time
We defiantly couldn’t live without it!