Sunbeam Barista Plus EMM5400BK

Did not even last 2 years – I was in love to begin with! But just 18 months of minimal use, 2/3 times per week, it seems to have a problem with water supply, also steam. After speaking to a service man was virtually told it’s a throwaway??? What the hell??? I paid over $800, soooo not happy. Sunbeams answer is” it’s out of warranty”!!! I will never buy another Sunbeam… Read more

product again, I don’t have money to throw around and this was a treat I paid off, so, so upset and disappointed!

Sunbeam Barista Plus - Excellent Coffee machine & I love my coffee – I owned a Sunbeam machine, which after 20 years, decided to die on me. Yes- I could've gotten it repaired BUT - it was old and I felt like a new machine to make my coffees (plural) so- I went looking I'd taken it to get a new seal about 3 years ago & I noticed there were no Sunbeam cappuccino machines there - mine LOOKED OLD (compared to the… Read more

others) I was quite surprised & a little embarrassed to have such an old machine (now - I think it's great) So, I decided on getting another Sunbeam & I looked around Found this on Bing Lees for $499 with another $100 I got an extra 4 years warranty + $20 delivery (local shop/s didn't have the machine in stock) Total = $618 I wish to point out, I tried using POINTS elsewhere & they had the exact machine for $740 - so, I was very pleased with this price The delivery was exceptional & I cannot speak highly enough. I was asked to pick a date ( I could've chosen then next day ) I picked the day that suited me & I got an email saying it was coming the between certain hours. I got a text message saying the driver was on his was & should be here at a certain time It had a link - to show where he was, how many deliveries before me and when it was down to 1 delivery - HE RANG ME & said he'd be here in 10 minutes. Sure enough- ten minutes later, he pulled up. EXCELLENT SERVICE I got the Barista plus on the 7th June (I purchased on the 5th) - I didn't want it on the 6th, as I wouldn't be home. I've been using it ever since - It's easy to operate & makes a beautiful cuppa PLUS- It has a cleaning system - (which I haven't used yet) a light comes on and tells you to set the self-cleaning- amazing. I highly recommend Sunbeam Barista Plus Highly Recommend Bing Lee Highly recommend the people who deliver their items

Even thought I loved my old Sunbeam & was sad to see it die (it was really loud ) - I'm happy with my beautiful new machine - which is so quiet & automatic - it's a pleasure to look at and use Highly recommended

Don't Waste Your Time On This Machine – Update: I originally Brought my machine on the 20/08/2022. It was replaced twice since that date. Today 10/02/2024 it failed for the 3rd time and it was replaced with a Different brand. The 3rd machine's fault is that the grinder stopped grinding and the water wouldn't pump. Hopefully the different brand doesn't let me down , but so far so good.… Read more

It does make a great coffee and is easy to use, But that's all the positive's I can say. The water isn't very hot. I did so much research on coffee machines before buying mine. I decided to buy this machine after reading all the fantastic reviews on this model. I thought when i had issue's With the 1st machine that I just got a faulty machine, but when the same problem happened with the 2nd machine it's definitely a problem with this model and batch number. My Review below: 10 days After purchasing my machine on the 20/08/2022 the clean light came on after 10 coffees. The Clean light should not come on until around 200 Coffees. The Machine had a software Problem and had to be returned to the store I brought it from. The Machine was replaced with another machine on the 11/09/2022. Just 8 days Later the same problem again with the clean light coming on after about 20 coffee's. The machine also started leaking water from under the driptray out on to my bench making a huge mess. Sunbeam have again advised to take this back to the retailer as there appears to be a fault with this batch P312DF as both machines had this same batch number. I will be choosing a different Brand when I return this machine.

Never leaving the house again – I am obsessed with this machine. I'm very new to making espresso myself, but I am very picky about good coffee when I am out at cafes. I'm so enjoying learning how to make the perfect espresso at home, and this machine makes it so easy to track with built in timers for grinding and extraction. It's easy to clean, it looks beautiful on the counter… Read more

(something I was worried about), and I love that there is a perfect place for everything like the tamper so you don't lose anything. On top of that, it makes a beautiful cafe quality cup of coffee. I always felt that no home machine could match up to this but the Barista Plus absolutely does.

No need to buy coffees out anymore! – Seriously. I was unsure of upgrading to this machine from my existing, but it is worth every penny. The coffee tastes as good as my favourite local barista. I've never had a machine that grinds the beans which seems to make a huge difference... nice smooth strong hot coffee with the perfect crema on top. I am an interior designer so looks were… Read more

important too and this machine looks very chic on my countertop. I'm making coffee for friends all day long...might need to start charging people :)

Worthy upgrade a Barista Plus EM5400 – Upgrade from Sunbeam Barista Max EM5300 to a Barista Plus EM5400 Both of these Sunbeam Barista coffee machines are very worthy. I have had many years with my Barista Max EM5300 but after using my new Barista Plus EM5400 for 1 week I do appreciate the upgraded features. 1. The new black design is very attractive on the kitchen bench and everything… Read more

you need is in the box including a milk frothing thermometer making it very easy to get started. 2. The Sunbeam Barista Plus EM5400 has similar features to the Barista Max including a large 2.8L water storage container allows you to make many coffees without refilling. The café style 58mm group head & handle makes it super easy to grind, tamper & pour. The control buttons have a new look with the same easy to use appearance. I find the pump pressure available for both pouring and milk frothing is more than adequate. 3. The coffee bean hopper fits 250 grams (10 double shots) & now has an enhanced rubber seal to keep the bean as fresh as possible. It feels like the grinder is more responsive to any changes made to the grind settings to create an ideal extraction. 4. I was not sure on the practical function of the new featured grind & pour clock but they are both great additions. Once you have set up the correct grind setting and tamper pressure you can use the grind & pour clock to achieve consistent results. E.g. Grinding a quality bean for 26sec on setting 20 with a firm tamper results in a 26sec pour time creating a consistent caramel colour with a good crema. 5. Another small feature is the protection around ‘Tap & Go’ group handle lever, this reduces any spillage when grinding. Summary – Looks good, feels good & performs well. I think I will get many years of quality coffee made at home saving me time & money with that self-satisfaction feeling of performing like an actual café barista.

A capable coffee machine that's easy to use – After initially being a little disappointed while unboxing the Barista Plus, I’ve come to enjoy using this machine. Firstly, there’s a lot of polystyrene foam, and plastic packaging in the box that seems a little over the top. There are more environmentally sound ways of packaging appliances now. Also, there are no cleaning tablets included… Read more

with the machine. More on that later. The included Quickstart guide is useful and straight to the point, so you can get your machine up and running without having to delve into the more detailed manual. The manual is useful for more in depth instructions on how to adjust brew temperature, shot volume, and more.

Once the machine is turned on, it heats up really quick, and is able to brew within a minute. This isn’t enough time to preheat cups or the portafilter, so make sure you run at the very least a double shot of hot water into your cup before you grind your beans. Following the instructions regarding grind settings and timing was somewhat helpful in getting your head around the capacity of the filter baskets and the grind timer. I’d suggest a good set of digital scales that can do at least 0.5g increments for a more accurate idea of how long to time your grinding.

I figured I’d have to go through a fair bit of beans before I’d have a decent shot, so I grabbed myself a cheap 1kg bag of Lazzio Honduras single origin beans ($15 from ALDI). Honestly, they’re pretty good! Certainly a good choice for a starter bag, as it will take a few days of trial and error until you start to get used to the machine and are pulling decent shots. I’ve had a Sunbeam Cafe Series coffee machine in the past, so I have some experience with making fully manual espresso shots. On a side note, this machine is definitely a step down from the twin thermoblock Cafe Series I had a while back, but the integrated grinder and timer certainly help with compact operation, and consistent espresso.

Switching from brewing espresso to texturing milk is quite quick. After flicking the control over to steam, I grab the milk and half fill the jug. This is enough for one flat white coffee in a 250ml cup. By the time I’ve put the milk back in the fridge, the machine is producing steady steam. It takes about 90 seconds to bring a half jug of milk to temp, and provided you’ve had the tip just below the surface and on the outer edge of the jug, you’ll have smooth and silky milk. I’ve found however, the biggest variable is the milk itself. Getting barista quality milk provides far better and more consistent results than just regular milk. From there, it is fun to play around and try some latte art. The best I’ve ever gotten was a neat looking love heart. First coffee up in around 5 mins after switching on the machine is really quite good.

This machine is at its best when producing single milk-recipe coffees, two smaller coffees, or black coffee. Switching between brew and steam can get tedious when doing more than 2 coffees, and if you try steaming a larger jug, it takes a very long time. I will typically drink flat whites, long macchiato, and long black coffee. I find that the temperature of the black coffees isn’t that warm so as to require cold water/milk to cool it down. So if you’re used to a long black with a dash of cold milk, you’ll need to heat the milk otherwise it’ll be too cold.

Cleaning up after making a coffee is quite simple and only takes a couple minutes. Wiping down the drip tray is easy, and there’s a little coffee grinds bin under the plate that catches dry grinds. After this is where I’ve encountered a number of issues with the Barista Plus. The water level indicator in the drip tray is unreliable. Sometimes it’ll pop up and remind me to empty, other times it stays down. I’ve cleaned it out thoroughly in warm soapy water, and it still isn’t reliable, so I’ll contact Sunbeam and see what the deal is soon. I’ve just gotten into the habit of emptying the drip tray after every use. After a couple weeks use, the machine reminded me to perform the cleaning of the group head. This is a simple process that is mostly automated. Sunbeam fails to provide you with ANY cleaning tablets to get you started, and instead charges an outrageous $39.95 for 8 tablets. I went to my local coffee shop and picked up a pack of 8 tabs for $10, and these are also available online in bulk quantities of 100 for just $30. Considering this is something that needs to be done every few weeks, using Sunbeam branded tablets would cost a small fortune over time.

Just a few small issues with this machine. The black EMM5400BK model has a very dark water reservoir, so seeing the water level is really difficult if your machine is located in a corner. A “low water” indicator in the display panel would be super helpful to prevent running the tank dry, especially mid brew. Thankfully it has a 2.8L capacity so doesn’t need refilling too often, and it's also really easy to fill. Adjusting the brew temperature and shot volume would be much easier if it could display the numbers using the display that is already there, rather than having to interpret the combinations of lights and buttons using the manual. If you enjoy a long black coffee, you must preheat your cup thoroughly, as the hot water produced by the steam wand isn't that hot. Alternatively, use boiling water from a kettle.

For the most part this is a well thought out machine that performs its functions adequately, and after a little time spent getting to know the machine it can produce good quality, cafe style coffee at home.

Fairly decent for an under 1k machine – In parts of this review, I compare to what I’ve become used to for the past 3 and a bit years with a separate machine and grinder combo package, so I will point out what I do and don't like about this Sunbeam so you can decide whether or not it is in your interest to spend much more on a fully equipped machine or not. I’ll start the review by the… Read more

unboxing. It is well packaged and has an attractive box. Pulling the machine out, I think its light and solid and quite compact. The matt black colour is much better than my older shiny black competitor machine. This machine is all plastic on the outside body. There are all the accessories you would need to complement your home barista experience. There is no pressure gauge display, which I like to keep an eye on as this does give a better indication where the shot is going wrong. There is no water level indicator window.

I followed the starting guide. I washed the parts that required washing. Rinsed and air dried. I set the machine up the following morning including putting the top burr of the grinder in and bean hopper on top. Filled the rear mounted, smokey dark grey coloured plastic tank with filtered tap water and turned it on. Keeping an eye on the water level in the tank is a bit hard as you can see in my video. I’ve been used to using an easy to see clear water level indicator window at the front of my machine, but not so with this Sunbeam.

Heat up time is quick, around a minute or so. I have never brewed in under 3 minutes of turning machine on so this very quick heat up time doesn’t really make a difference to me but if you’re in a rush, it is perfect for you. Unlike my previous machine, this Sunbeam does not pre-heat the group head. As the booklet suggests, you need to run some water through with a one cup button press to warm the group head. There is a warmer spot on top of the machine to pre-warm your cup. But for better heating of the cup, I have always filled the cup with clean hot water, let it sit for a minute or two, and pour it out just before extracting the espresso.

The method I put beans into the hopper is that I weigh out my required dose. For example, the supplied basket will take around 20-22 grams of ground coffee. So for my first grind, I weighed 22 grams of beans, pour it into the hopper, and grind every single bean into the filter basket until the grinder has finished grinding all it can. I never store fresh beans in the hopper. That’s just my personal preference to maintain bean freshness. My first grind was set to number 15 on the grinder dial. The starting guide recommends to start at 20. The coffee grounds mostly went into the basket but a good amount started spitting out all over the place, including on the bench and on the floor. At grind level 15 and 22 grams of beans, it took about 30 seconds to empty the hopper. I found the group handle to be quite clumsy and awkward inserting into the grinding cradle until I found a technique that worked. A constant downward pressure on the handle must be maintained for the grinder to keep doing its thing. I've been accustomed to just inserting the handle, pressing one button, and letting it grind until it finishes grinding on its own as set by my own predetermined set time. Not so with this machine; it'll keep going until I take the pressure off the handle.

Tamping with the light weighted all plastic tamper went easy enough. If this were your only tamper, I’d strongly recommend upgrading for a better feel. After tamping, I put the group handle into the group head. This is a much better feeling insert than the machine I’m used to. There is a stop guide which would prevent a premature wearing and replacement of the group head seal. With my current machine, I could over-tighten the group handle which has worn a seal before (one seal replacement in 3 years is acceptable though). But over-tightening is not possible with the Sunbeam. As far as seal longevity goes with this Sunbeam, I don’t know how long it will last.

I kept the machine on factory settings to start with. It is set to 92 degrees and 60mL for the double shot (this is too much volume for my preference. More on this later). The time it takes to extract this amount will depend on your bean grind dose. My first grind at 15 was too fine. The extraction took far too long at 62 seconds. My only beverage of choice and my first few espressos were making an iced latte using a 450mL double walled glass, ¾ full of ice, and lite half fat milk. Once I perfected the espresso shot after a full week of trial and error with this machine, I moved onto heating the milk and making hot lattes in 300mL double wall glasses. The hot lattes are for the missus who won’t have an iced latte.

For years, I have always weighed the extracted coffee shot, rather than go by mL volume. I go by a ratio of about 1:2 (e.g. 21g coffee grounded beans : 42g extracted coffee) in as close to 27 seconds as possible (25-30s is fine). I did change the factory settings of the 2 shot button to extract 50mL, which is less than the factory set 60mL, but I still use manual mode for consistency. I settled on a grind level of 17 which took 25 seconds to grind and 26 seconds to extract my 42g shot. But as beans age and temperature fluctuates, the length of the extraction changes. I only measure my extracted shots with a scale to get that final 1:2 ratio.

When it came to warming milk, this is quite different to what I’m used to. As the Sunbeam is not equipped with a dual boiler system, you can only perform one function at a time; extract the coffee OR warm the milk OR let out hot water. With what I have done for years on my other machine, I would start extracting the coffee during the same time the milk is being steamed, so that both the milk and the coffee extraction are finished around the same time, both at ideal temperatures without one or the other cooling down. That’s the benefit of dual boilers. Warming the milk in the supplied jug went just OK. It did its job, albeit much slower than I’ve learnt to like because the steamer pump on the Sunbeam is only 4 bar. Switching to the steam function, it took quite a while for the machine to prepare itself ready to steam. To warm texture 240mL cold milk to 65 degrees using the Sunbeam supplied needle thermometer, it took 100 seconds (30 seconds slower than my other machine). And this machine is super duper noisy on the steam function. I mean, very noisy, compared to my other machine which is almost dead silent. It’s not only the steaming that is the noisy part, it’s the pump and whatever is going on inside the machine that is also loud. For my video example of the steamer, I just used a jug of water only to eliminate the need of cleaning and purging the steam wand.

Pros: Looks great in the matt black Quick to heat and get started All in one coffee maker, grinder, and milk steamer Adjustability with the grind size and extraction volume Small and compact and reasonably light Group handle insertion and fitment into the group head Priced well

Cons: Single boiler Clumsy grinder cradle until you master it, but still produces a messy grind Lower pressure milk steamer pump that takes too long Very noisy steamer pump function Adjusting water temperature in 2 degrees increments rather than a more precise 1 degree increment Hard to view water level indication through the dark tank No pump pressure gauge Light weight plastic tamper

In conclusion, the Sunbeam EMM5400 is a fairly good machine for this price point. What I have compared to in this review is my only experience with a machine and separate grinder package that costs about $800-$1600 more than this Sunbeam EMM5400BK in store, depending on which store. Once you spend a good week or so perfecting your grinding dose, water temperature, and extraction volume, you will like this machine. You won’t have the features of a more expensive machine so if you do want those extra features, you will have to pay much more for them. If you are familiar with using a much more expensive machine, you will be disappointed with the Sunbeam. But if this is your first machine and you have limited or no barista experience, this machine will fulfill your needs.

Take it for a spin, you'll never look back – If you are reading this review, I assume you have already decided to purchase an espresso coffee machine and the Sunbeam Barista Plus is on your list to consider. I'll keep the review succinct, as it's only my recent experiences to recount, but there are also videos available that are quite informative. **** Up the ante and invest in a quality… Read more

espresso machine! ****

Suffice to say, that not being an excessive coffee drinker (one or two per day), I prefer quality over quantity, so ten years ago, it was easy to make the transition from instant coffee to a pod machine. Now I've been given the opportunity to up the ante and progress from an Italian “Bambino” pod machine to a “Maserati” macchina da caffè espresso, in the Sunbeam Barista Plus EMM5400. It's a well-priced kitchen appliance, but as usual you need to shop around a bit, as the price can vary by hundreds of dollars, from retailer to retailer.

**** Take the time to review the instruction manual and videos ****

If you want to review how the espresso machine operates before committing to purchasing it, I recommend you take a look at the user guide, available as a PDF on Sunbeam's website as it is very easy to follow. Also, viewing the hints and tips on the Sunbeam Coffee Hub web-page (www.sunbeam.com.au/hints-and-tips/coffeehub) and videos on YouTube will help to boost your confidence in the purchase. As with a quality car, the preparatory steps to ready the Sunbeam Barista Plus for it's best performance, are very important and cannot be bypassed.

**** Practice makes perfect! ****

Needless to say, if you are new to espresso machines, there are several new techniques to be mastered, before you can expect to produce your favorite cup of coffee. The machine will produce consistent results as soon as the barista can operate it consistently too and with a modicum of flair and skill, which takes practice and patience. I willingly admit, that the first few attempts resulted in cups of lukewarm slurry! Now my Con Panna is the talk of the neighborhood!

**** Newsflash: Grinding and Tamping is not a new TikTok dance craze! ****

If you are new to espresso machines, don't be over-whelmed by the terminology and techniques, like any new skill, you will become accustomed to it eventually. If by chance, you have already owned an espresso machine, or indeed you are a barista, then this machine will be a 'pezzo di torta' Enjoy your efforts, as it's like driving a sleek sports car and after leaving the pod machine in the dust, you'll never look back!

**** Lookout! the Gen Z wunderkind ****

Of course, don't be surprised if some flash youngster in your family shows flair and enjoys driving the Sunbeam Barista Plus fast and furious, demonstrating techniques you can only dream of. It's easy enough for them to operate. Never mind, just ensure you get your coffee order in early and they do the cleaning up afterwards!

Cafe experience in the comfort of your home! – Investing in this machine gives you a genuine cafe experience. The box contains a single head coffee machine with a group head that contains single and double shot baskets. The machine is fitted with an espresso bean grinder, tamp, milk jug and temperature monitor. Pros: grinder can be tailored pretty accurately to the appropriate ground… Read more

consistency. Grinder also holds quite a few beans to make a decent number of coffees. You can track the seconds of your grind and pour to experiment with the coarse/fine texture of grind and time to pour impacting bitterness. There is quite a decent amount of pressure to be able to extract enough crema from the grinds. Cons: The steam wand takes a couple of seconds to come to life, which can be impatient if you are eager for a coffee. The machine frame is quite light weight so getting the group head on and off the machine can often cause the whole machine to move. Would've been good if the base had some suction pads on to grip onto benchtops.

Good but not what it used to be – My one coffee a day is a heart starter; it has to be good. The Sunbeam EM5400 fits the bill. It's easy to use, simply adjustable without requiring a degree in engineering to decode how it works and complex enough to be able to finely adjust the important details. You can tweak your coffee to how you like it. The factory default settings are… Read more

pretty good and make a competent cup of java. It takes a few 'goes' to get it right and this is where the simple controls come into their own. You can adjust the grind almost infinitely but although the scale goes from 0 to 40, the recommended “first try” is 20 but 4 is good for what I wanted. Horses for courses.

Three buttons – manual, single shot and double shot. The 'manual' one is great; I like a long black in a single pour and the 'manual' pour stops at 200ml. Perfect. The single and double shot pours can be adjusted easily. The commercial width group head gives plenty of surface area for the infusion.

The water reservoir is large, 2.8l capacity, good for doing multiple coffees of all sorts for a few people. That capacity comes into its own when you're warming cups and frothing milk.

The hot water/steam wand works as it should – what can you say? I'm not a fan of “texturing” milk but guests reacted positively to the flat whites and cappuccinos. Haven't yet tried it on non-dairy 'milk'; the dairy experiment produced smiling milk moustaches. It makes great coffee and that's the design brief.

Sunbeam touts the EM5400 as a $949 recommended retail price, a popular appliance store has it for $699.

The machine is flimsy with a few minor design flaws. You have to press down the group head in the grinder assembly for between 28 and 35 seconds to grind enough coffee for a a double shot. It would be good to have a timed grind where you just set it to your beans and shot size.

The group head itself doesn't have the 'heft' of commercial machines. It's made from the thinnest material possible. Sunbeam used to be an iconic Australian brand quite famous for the quality of its products. Alas the build of this machine lets it down.

If you're a fan of excellent coffee, this will do very well. But beware, the mostly-plastic construction, in my view, won't last and of course this depends on how you use it.

Disclosure The Sunbeam EMM5400 was provided by Product Review and Sunbeam for review purposes.

Sunbeam Barista Plus Espresso Machine Makes Amazing Espresso! – What’s in the Box: Sunbeam have loaded everything you need to make great tasting Espresso at home into this neat little package. A compact and very user friendly grinder, milk jug, a wide 58mm cafe style group head, multiple coffee baskets for single or double shots, a plastic tamp and to my surprise Sunbeam have even thrown in a temperature gauge… Read more

that clips onto the milk jug to dial in those milk temperature in texturing. Everything you need to make quality Espresso at home…. Well everything minus the freshly roasted beans and milk!



Look and Feel:
 The Sunbeam Barista Plus has a sleek modern look in the Black version and would look great on any kitchen bench top where there are those little hints of matt black. The black outside of this machine has a flat matt black look and feel mixed with some stainless steel.



Coffee Grinding with Tap&Go™:
 The Sunbeam Barista Plus has a very user friendly grinder which is quite compact but still giving a decent amount of room for your beans with a nice sealed lid to lock in the freshness. The grinder simply clicks in and then turned to adjust your grind settings. The settings are clearly displayed right at the very front which is very useful when grinding coffee and getting your grind settings to the right setting.



The Sunbeam Barista Plus has a Trade Marked feature called Tap&Go™. I was really excited about this feature and then I was a little confused by this, had to consult the manual a few times and also reached out to Sunbeam on their YouTube channel for clarification but haven’t heard back from that so hoping someone from Sunbeam can chime in to clear this up. To me and in my opinion Tap&Go is to tap something walk away and return to a completed task. This is not the case here. This is Insert & Hold Down until the task is complete which means you have to stand at the machine holding down the handle until grinding is complete which is roughly 26 seconds for a full double shot. The machine will not grind on its own.



This could be one major improvement that could be extremely useful when combined with the digital timer. If this was a system where you set the digital timer to your exact grind setting, inserted the group handle into the grinder, tap to start and the machine grinds to your set time allowing you to prepare milk etc this could be a great upgrade to this machine.



The Sunbeam Barista Plus has a digital timer for your convenience, simply write down or memorise what was your best setting was for your grind time and each new coffee, grind to that time to get consistent dosing of your coffee.



Does the grinder do the job? Yes absolutely it does and grinds really well.
 Is it Tap&Go? No, not even close to Tap and Go.



Coffee Making:
 The Sunbeam Barista Plus pleasantly surprised me here with quality coffee and pour consistency. But first… let’s talk Coffee.



A huge lesson I learnt many years ago with Home Barista Machines is Freshly Roasted Coffee. The Fresher the Coffee the better overall experience you will have on Home Barista Machines. Store bought beans from big stores in most cases offer no Roasting date and are generally left on shelves for long periods of time which leads beans to deteriorate and not perform well in your Home Barista Machine. Old coffee beans generally produce very watery fast pours offering a very low quality coffee experience. My suggestion if you are new to making good coffee at home is to find a local coffee roaster or find a good one online like BUCS Coffee who roast fresh to order. Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans have a ‘delicious’ window for 5-20 days from the roasting date. Yes, you can go beyond these timeframes but from experience this window of time is where coffee beans perform their best. Once you understand how freshly roasted beans perform and taste, then you can venture into large stores and test some ‘cheaper’ versions and you’ll definitely be able to find ones to suit. I do this as a test and I’ve found some great beans that act and perform well in Home Barista Machines.



With that said…. Lets get onto the Coffee Making of the Sunbeam Barista Plus! Most of the beans I used during this test were what I would call…. ‘Not the best’ definitely not Freshly Roasted and beans that were purchased from a large supermarket and the Barista Plus delivered every single shot! The pour was slow, consistent and dripping like honey which in my opinion will give you the best overall flavour experience from those beans. When you can pull a consistent slow pour over a fast watery pour, slow wins every single time and the Barista Plus was absolutely amazing at this. In fact I would say this was the most impressive feature of the Sunbeam Barista Plus, this machine can pour great tasting Espresso.



The machine also has a shot or pour timer showing you how long the pour has gone on for allowing you to manually stop the shot at your desired length or adjusting the single or double settings to suits these times. I always prefer the Manual method as you have so much more control especially when you are looking for the perfect Ristretto. I was able to pour perfect Ristretto Coffee shots with the Sunbeam Barista Plus with ease and I was very impressed by this.



Steaming Milk Texturing:
 The Sunbeam Barista Plus comes with a Steam Wand which also doubles as the Hot Water for adding to shots to make long blacks and other styles of coffee. 


The Hot Water feature was a little clumsy, when you add the water from the wand it pluses which cause coffee to splash out of the cup and over the bench top.



We prefer Plant Based milk in our house, the Steam Wand on the Barista Plus I found to be a little weak to produce a quality textured and stretched milk for our Espresso. I brought my A game, T game and every game in between trying different method to texture the Plot Based milk and wasn’t able to produce decent enough textured milk for latte art or even a nice Latte.



However…. I did run tests on Full Cream Dairy milk and I had no trouble what so ever texturing this milk type and was able to produce nice latte art and a decent level of foam to make great tasting Latte’s.



The Sunbeam Barista Plus is showing it has 15 bar pressure which should produce plenty enough steam to texture any milk type, although after many many tests Plant Based milks (coconut milk) I wasn’t able to produce consistent or decent results as I can on other machines of the same specs.

Machine Manual:
 Sunbeam have included a well thought out manual for the Barista Plus with good clear instructions that also offer great tips on coffee making. Some companies miss the mark here and Sunbeam have delivered what I believe to be a great addition to this package.




Wrapping Up and Conclusion:
 Coffee producing quality was the big highlight for the Sunbeam Barista Plus


Steaming wand in my opinion lacked a bit of punch needed to texture plant based milks, steaming wand worked great on full cream dairy milk.


Tap&Go™ would be great feature if it was tap and go and runs directly from the set digital timer


Machine looks great with the matt black features but felt a little ‘cheap’ being a mainly plastic machine.

Perfect for decent cafe coffee – I bought this Sunbeam coffee machine after some research and after watching some YouTube videos. The coffee machine was sleek, stylish and fits nicely with my other appliance. As a beginner, I was hesitant and I know there's going to be a steep learning curve, but the YouTube videos on Sunbeam helped. The things I like about the machine is it has… Read more

a grinder, I didn't realise with some coffee machines you need to buy a separate grinder. But Barista Plus has one. Also it comes with a thermometer which will help in steaming milk.

I set up the machine following the Quick Start Guide that comes in the box and watch the YouTube video again. I find the grinder setting affects the coffee consistency, but the video suggested to set the grinder at 20, and I have no issue. Steaming milk took a few attempt, but I finally got it right after watching the video. The group head with the grind is easy to use as it fits nicely.

I did have to practice a few times to get the coffee right. The machine's digital timer means I can take the guesswork out making my next coffee, as I took note the time for grinding for the next coffee.

The machine is easy to clean as well, and it's a good idea to have a wet towel to clean the steam wand and surface after use.

Overall I am super excited I can now make decent coffee at home. I have yet to learn how to make lovely latte art, but I'm practicing to get better at it.