Sunbeam Cafe Ristretto EM2300

Decent cup of coffee – I asked for a coffee machine a couple of christmases ago and my husband bought this cheapie. I was a bit disappointed but it has been perfectly fine. I find that my breville coffee grinder doesn't grind the coffee fine enough for this machine but that would be the fault of the grinder! It's Inexpensive.

Great machine for beginners wanting to learn – I've had this machine for over 2 years and have used it daily to produce 2 to 4 flat whites, it's easy to clean, warms up quickly, and with practice, can produce consistent coffee, I grind my own beans for better control. This is a small machine and can take a while to heat/testure milk so I do this first then pull the espresso shots as opposed… Read more

to the opposite.

I like a fine grind (Number 5 on my Sunbeam EM0480 grinder) and a 25 to 27 second extraction, I prepare the portafilter (some suggest warming the head up, I don't) only using the double shot basket, I place 2 scoops of freshly ground beans into the filter and tamp with a 51mm stainless steel tamp, I apply around 10 to 15 kg of pressure, clean around the edge of the rim and lock in place.

Having read some of the earlier posts regarding steam pressure/heating milk, I suspect some of you are not using the machine correctly or expecting a tad too much from a cheap machine.

To texture/microfoam milk with this machine, you have to firstly get rid of the black rubber "Foam Enhancer", it's quite useless. To get the best results, you must have a dry steam coming from the wand, I open the steam knob (rotate to full open) and let the steam pressure build up, aim the wand into a cup and water will come out initially with a little steam and as pressure builds, the steam starts to become dry, I then turn off and grab my milk.

The milk must be cold and also the jug (I keep my clean jugs in the freezer), fill the stainless steel jug to just below where the spout starts and I also use a milk thermometer, I heat to 65-68 degrees celcius.

I place the wand in the centre of the milk and just below the surface (2-3mm) of the milk and slowly turn on the steam pressure until it's fully open, you should hear the "phstt" sound, keep the wand in the centre of the jug, trying to not allow too many bubbles to develop. Heat to 20 degrees and the move the wand to the side of the jug and angle the jug to you get a swirling motion. If done correctly, the milk volume should increase by about 25% to 30%. Just have a look on YouTube about Texturing/Microfoaming milk to get a better idea of what to do.

I turn off the steam wand, clean it immediately, wash the milk thermometer and tap the milk jug on the bench to get rid of any small bubbles and then swirl the milk around the jug whilst extracting the espresso. I then pour the milk into the glasses leaving about a 5mm head of foam, tastes good and looks good.

This unit produces what some have called a bit of a fake crema due to the use of a pressurised basket/filter, apparently this was designed to enhance the crema produced from supermarket bought preground beans, I think it does a pretty good job with the fresh ground beans I use so can't really comment if the crema is real or fake, it certainly looks the part and I think my coffee's taste quite good.

After 2+ years, I thought the unit it was on the way out as the espresso extraction had become weak, with the espresso dribbling out, I thought I was in the market for a new machine but with some reading, found out my machine needed descaling to remove buildup of calcium carbonate within the boiler. I used a homemade citric acid solution to descale, some suggest vinegar (I wasn't keen). What a difference, It's like brand new machine again and extraction pressure seems to be back to normal. I reckon I'll be descaling every 3 to 4 months from now.

I'm now doing research for a new machine having cut my teeth on this. Inexpensive machine to get you away from Nescafe 43 Bean or worse, Imperial Roast. None, what do you expect for around a hundred bucks?

We love it – We decided to buy the cheapest machine we could find just because we weren't sure we'd use it (had a bad experience with a pod coffee maker). I wasn't expecting much, but it makes great coffee and awesome froth (like someone else mentioned, it depends on the milk as much as anything). Every now and then we've bought coffee that was ground too… Read more

finely and it sputters and doesn't work well, but generally that hasn't been a problem.

The only bad thing about it is having to clean it! But it's no more of a pain than any other coffee machine (cleaning it just seems to be my job). Cheap but makes great coffee.

Cheap and nasty – This machine is made of cheap materials. The water container is made from very strong smelling soft plastic which frets through to the coffee. No amount of washing removes this chemical smell. I have always used Sunbeam coffee makers and generally they offer great value for money...this is the exception. Invest a bit more money for a far superior machine. Small and compact Pungent plastic smell/taste

I just love my coffee machine! – I didn't expect too much from this machine as it was reasonably cheap for a coffee machine. Well! after 2 years of every day use, it is still going strong and I have at least one coffee every day. It does a really great cappuccino and the froth is very good. It can vary a bit depending on the milk but this little machine has never let me down. I… Read more

clean it well after each use which is essential if you want something to last! I love the convenience of making 'real' coffee with a minimum of fuss. Easy to use and clean.

Okay for the money – I only made expressos, so can't comment on the steamer, but it made a good coffee for the money ($100). It died (stopped heating water) after about 2 years, but that's okay, a buck a week works out to less than 5 cents a cup. A $1000 machine would need to last 20 years to be as cheap. I'd have bought another one, but Joyce Mayne had the EM3600 on special for $98, so am giving it a go. Makes good coffee at a reasonable price No major issues

Terrible – We bought this machine to replace our Saeco machine, which was going to cost $200 to fix. Bad decision. Although it makes the espresso coffee part fine, the steamer doesn't last long enough to heat milk for 2 and didn't produce froth. It is a hassle to clean, and obviously you get what you pay for: the parts are cheap and plastic instead of good… Read more

quality metal. We gave it away and got our Saeco fixed. It was cheap to buy. Too many bits to clean & didn't heat the milk enough.

Leakage after 4 months of use – Was a great machine until it started leaking water all over my kitchen bench top after only 4 months of use! Sunbeam customer service were not very helpful and tried to talk Harris Scarfe out of letting me get a refund- fortunately the lady at Harris Scarfe was on my side and allowed me the full refund. Never buying a Sunbeam product again!… Read more

Inexpensive, easy to use, nice compact design so it didn't take up much room on my benchtop. Started leaking about a cups worth of water after each use after only 4 months! Sunbeam almost didn't allow me to get a refund. Also some of the parts were not stainless steel so couldn't wash in the dishwasher.

Bad – It seemed to be a inexpensive coffee machine with feature of more expensive ones.At first it was a great little machine, enjoyed my coffee, although the frothing was never great. After a couple of months it started to leak. Had it replaced but it happened again. In total I had it replaced four times, all of this within eight to nine months. In the… Read more

end I decided not to have it replaced any more and got a refund from Kmart. Just wondering if perhaps Kmart got a bad batch and all of them leaked. Compact, inexpensive, 12 month replacement warranty leakage

Excellent – I do not use steamed or frothed milk. I have limited bench space. I generally only make one coffee. Therefore, the Ristretto is the perfect coffee machine for me. This litle machine, fed with Lavazza Maglio D'Oro, makes the best coffee I have ever tasted (to my taste) and that includes home machines, Melboune's famous cafes and holidays in… Read more

Italy and France! Whenever I go out for coffee I am disappointed as it cannot match my morning brew from the Ristretto. So this small, tidy unit makes a great coffee, and that's where the brilliance starts...and ends! If you like cappuccino or latte you will find the steaming function quite pathetic (I have tried it for guests a few times), it just doesn't have enough steam capacity -- you will need a larger machine, or better still get a dedicated milk unit, like the Nespresso one. Another attribute of a small unit is making several coffees in succession becomes an exercise, especially when everyone wants a second cup because it is so good. Despite what the manual says, this machine makes one cup at a time: use the large ("2-cup")basket FULL for a single "shot" of espresso; if you tried to make 2 cups they would be weak and over-drawn (bitter). Also on the plus side the unit is easy to clean with handy poking wires in the water jug lid, and it all comes apart. It looks OK too -- not a thing of beauty but not some huge monstrosity either. The steam wand tucks out of sight when not in use, which is always. Magnificent coffee, small, bargain Milk steamer

Amazing little thing!!! – I want to thank everyone that took the time to review this lovely coffee machine. My husband and I decided to buy this model from Sunbeam after doing some research on different models and the good reviews helped us to decide we should give it a try as we did not want to spend hundreds on a coffee machine. Well worth the hundred bucks we paid for… Read more ·  1

it. It has proved to be good value for money for over a year now.

I do not understand why some of the negative reviews. This little machine has worked brilliantly every time. I descale it using vinegar or comercial descaler every two months and that helps to keep the machine performing at its best.

I have not had any issues with the frother at all. You just need to turn the button to pre-heat and when the light goes off, you know the milk frother is ready to go but as some other users have reviewed, you need to put a tall cup and let the first burst of steam go as there will be some water coming out of the steamer at first. Then when the water stops and the steam starts to come out dry, I turn the steam down by turning the button close to the off position, then I bring the milk in the jug and turn the button on again and let the steam go. As the user whowe said, I've found that the frother does work better without the black rubber aerator, because it adds too much air to the milk. To get a closer microfoam like consistency to the milk you better take the aerator off, even then you wont get a the milk to be very foamy with this machine but it does make a great cup of coffee every time. I have no complains at at and I have been pretty happy with the Cafe Ristreto by Subeam.

Another great thing I love about this machine is its black colour. Because it has been constructed of black plastic instead of stainless steel, it is a breeze to keep clean. I must confess that after buying a stainless steel stove by Euromaid (which I have reviewed here), I have been running away from any appliances made of stainless steel. They look amazingly shiny which I quite like but they are a pain to keep looking "stain less" and shiny. In the future I do think of upgrading for another model because I do love a foamy capuccino which I get close to with the Cafe Ristreto model, but not quite how I really like. Overall it performs well, heats up reasonably quickly and makes a nice and hot cup of coffee for around a hundred dollars. If you are not a coffee connoisseur than there's a great chance you will be delighted with the performance of this compact coffee machine. Inexpensive, compact and reliable! Nothing! I just love this little machine!!!

Excellent – A great little machine BUT be prepared to take a long time making multiple cups, if like me, the neighbours keep calling back. I've noticed Big W still stock this machine so if I can't get a replacement switch I'll be back for my second one!! Cheap and easy to use. Have had mine for over 3 years and have made 100's of coffees. Neighbours keep… Read more

coming back for another cup. None really. After over 3 years of daily use the rocker switch that starts the expresso has broken. Can't get a replacement switch . Local appliance repair shop is still tying for me. The machine owes me nothing. A great little Machine that makes great crema and YES it does stretch the milk exceptionally well BUT only enough for 1 mug at a time.

Excellent – Best value coffee machine on the market! Quickly makes 2 to 4 cups and with great results with flavoured grinds Eg Irish Cream!! Frother is ample once you've learnt how to use it. (Practise makes perfect). Father inlaw has $1000 machine and can't believe how good this model is. Buy one anytime! Great value, makes a great cup of coffee, easy to… Read more

use, and clean out. Do have some dripping from the frother tube, but after 4 years of hard work, I just put a sponge underneath.

Excellent – This is fantastic value for money. I have had it for over a year, and have produced hundreds of latte's with it. The taste is better than what you get at most sandwich bars and delis, and even a lot of "cafes". I'm sure it wouldn't impress those who own a Rancilio Silvia, but such serious coffee drinkers will be the first to tell you that you… Read more

must grind your own beans, and that that there is no point in owning an expensive coffee maker without a good burr grinder - you're looking at $1000 all up to be in their league, with a lot of fiddling to get the right brew. Like most people, I personally can't be bothered grinding beans or fiddling with temperamental machines. I buy pre-ground, and find the result better than what I pay $3 per cup for. Maybe I don't have the palate to tell the difference, but I don't think most people do, and I don't see any point in developing one if it means a lot of time and expense, and I am happy enough with what I've got now.

I used to use a stove top Bialetti, which produced great coffee, but with a separate milk unit it was a hassle. Using the Ristretto is quicker, easier - no fiddling or messing about. It heats up quickly and the espresso goes into the glasses, then you turn the knob for the steamer - this takes a few minutes. It takes about three minutes of steaming the milk to get it hot enough to compensate for the low temperature of the espresso - this is the major drawback of the unit, but it may be because I don't have straight espressos, and if I did I would figure out how to fix the problem.

I was interested to read the criticism of the frothing - the frothing is actually one of the things I like about it. Now it's pointed out, it is true that it can froth up over the edge if you are not careful, but quite frankly it had never bothered me before I read this here!

For $85, how can you go wrong? If you don't like it, you'll make you money back fairly quickly and then you can upgrade. Value for money (Cost $80 - saw yesterday selling at $85 dollars)

As good as you need unless you are a coffee geek Drip Tray

Straight espresso not very hot - I use the milk steamer to make the coffee hot.

Some seal or valve has recently given way, and the coffee runs over the drip tray when steaming - easily solved by placing a cup under the coffee outlet

Bad – Not bad for a cheaper unit Simple to use Steam doesn't last long enough. Difficult to clean around the stopper for the special froth attachment. Not enough height between coffee nozzles and drip tray for mugs.

Bad – I'm waiting to see if Sunbeam will fix the machine free of charge, without me driving miles away, as I've done everything the instructions say to do and it just shouldn't be doing this in a relatively new machine that is still on the market! Makes the coffee OK Bad leak started after warranty ran out. I bought a new seal, didn't work, and Sunbeam posted another free of charge, but did not fix the leak.

Terrible – Good for long or short blacks but avoid if you like milk based drinks. A much better option would be to spend twice the price on a thermoblock machine that will produce a smooth consistent flow of steam. That would save many hours of frustration and wasted milk. Coffee extraction seems OK, pump doesn't struggle to push the water through. Boiler… Read more

design heats up quickly.

Cheap, at half the price of most other entry level machines. Steaming is atrocious. Avoid this machine, as it is nigh on impossible to make microfoamed milk. Steam comes out violent, wet and and in irregular bursts. Also tends to run out rather quickly. The steam flow is so hard that milk just turns into a bubble bath (light froth on top of liquid) rather than a nice homogeneous silky texture.

Excellent – I've had mine for two years now and will replace it with the same. Since I only drink shots I have never used the steamer so if it's not good that's not an issue for me. Accompanied by my really good quality burr grinder (which cost more than the machine) the shots are just perfect (I'm generally disappointed when I go *out* for coffee now!). Excellent crema. Fantastic value for money. Very little maintenance and easy to use.