Sunbeam Cafe Series Duo EMM7200BK

I bought this machine 20 years ago and it has lasted this time, making amazing coffee. I thought I would update to this newest machine, and it has failed within the first 2 years. I sent it to the repairer and they quoted more to repair it than the machine is worth. If this is progress Sunbeam, you are moving in the wrong direction Show details

I have had two Sunbeam café coffee machines over the past 12 years. I purchased my latest Cafe Series Duo Espresso Machine in Black (EMM7200BK) being loyal to Sunbeam. Big mistake. I was unable to get the pressure gauge to move even close to the optimal coffee pressure, even with the grind setting down to one, a strong tamp, fresh beans and a… Read more

dual floor basket. Extractions lasted for no longer than 16 seconds. On most occasions, the pressure gauge didn’t move or got to about 2 of the 14 increments it needed to be at for an optimal range of espresso. Amazon were fantastic, they were great to exchange what I thought to be a faulty machine. The new one came the next day and after unpacking, cleaning, and setting up, the exact same issue occurred. The pressure gauge hardly moved. It’s not acceptable for a machine of this price point to not have a working gauge that shows if your extractions are close to 9bar. I called the Sunbeam support number on their Australian website to be taken to some random extension, not Sunbeam. They suggested some places I could take it to be serviced. It was my second brand-new machine. Surely neither would need to be serviced. They asked for my email address for the next step to take place. I never received an email. I called the 1300 number on the Australian Sunbeam website, speaking to the same person. Despite many attempts, I was unable to receive any emails from them. Sunbeam Support 0/10. Once again, Amazon were fantastic and the Sunbeam, Café Duo Espresso Machine will be returned for the second time. Sunbeam you have gone to the bottom of my list. Breville???

This is Sunbeams reply to their reply???

Sunbeam 1w Hi Ryandalts, Thank you for sharing your experience while using your Sunbeam EMM7200BK. We are disappointed to learn about the issue you are experiencing. We are happy to help you with troubleshooting solutions. Please give us a call at 1300 881 861, from 10:00am to 6:00pm - Monday - Friday AEDT.

Thank you, Sunbeam Customer Care.

Ryandalts 22h I attempted to reach out to you on two occasions with the number you supplied before writing this review. (Please read the review). Your reply is a copy paste no intention to help the paying customer. The number does not provide customer service and doesn’t connect you with Sunbeam. Only someone to take notes or suggest somewhere for brand new machines to be fixed.

Sunbeam Sunbeam 8h Hi Ryandalts, Thank you for sharing your experience. We are disappointed to learn that you have been dissatisfied with the resolution of your matter. Our customer service team works to provide the best resolutions available in line with our Terms and Conditions. Your feedback has been shared with our team.

Thank you, Sunbeam Customer Care

Sunbeam Cafe Series Duo – After owning a cafe I have to say this is one of the best small coffee machines I’ve owned, we use it everyday x 6 easy to fill the water, easy to clean, love the fact that you can make the coffee and froth the milk at the same time. The coffee comes out with a beautiful crema every time and the temperature is perfect for us. Oh and the machine… Read more ·  1

has a temp gauge on it so you always know when the milk is ready no need for a thermometer. 100% satisfied with this compact coffee machine highly recommend.

Great quality and reliable espresso machine – I had Sunbeam Cafe Series EM6910 nearly 15 years. Just bought another Sunbeam Cafe Series and very happy with it. The new Sunbeam Cafe Series EMM7200BK produces high quality of coffee shot and very consistent. Steam milk also works great like a professional. The only thing is I can’t find a demonstration from Sunbeam on Youtube showing how to clean and descale this machine. Show details ·  3

Fast, powerful and accurate – Something not immediately obvious about espresso machines is that only a few have separate, dedicated heating elements - one the right temperature for making coffee and one much hotter to provide steam for the milk texture wand. Other machines (like those I have owned before) come with only a single heater - that has to change temperature to do… Read more

the two jobs and can only do one of those tasks at a time...with a time delay in between.

I selected this machine because it has the TWO dedicated heaters. I can be extracting the espresso shot WHILE texturing the milk...resulting in a faster, fresher coffee. There is a pressure gauge for feedback on my shot (which helps me adjust my excellent Sunbeam Cafe Series Precision Grinder EM0700 for an even better shot next time) and a milk temperature gauge to guide me to the optimum 65C.

The milk steam wand is more powerful than others I have owned - which speeds things up even further and delivers a more cafe-like result. There is a separate hot water tap which is useful for quickly warming cups and making tea.

The machine warm-up time is about the same as it takes to grind, tamp and pour milk in the jug - so its one continuous flow for me from switch-on through to combining the textured milk into the espresso shot.

The contrast between the matte black and reflective metal surfaces gives the machine an impressive look that works well with my kitchen.

Excellent barista quality coffee, head-turning appearance – I have been using the EMM7200BK at home for a month now, being already familiar with it as we have one in the office where I work. It is an awesome coffee machine: great build quality, professional looking and sleek. Price wise it is a fair bit above entry level, but it comes with premium features and aesthetics that are missing from the cheaper… Read more

units.

It takes few attempts to get the prefect pour based on your bean choice, grind coarseness and tamp pressure - but once you get it right once the shot can be replicated every time. The crema is perfect, and you can customise the shot volume if you prefer it different to the pre-programmed single and double shot. There is a handy pressure gauge which tells you when you’re on the money! Milk frothing is super easy and there is a gauge for that too - when in the green your milk (or non-cow alternative) has that beautiful silky texture.

I upgraded from a Sunbeam Barista Max machine which had a built-in grinder, but I was happy to sacrifice that to make way for the Dual Thermablock system which allows you to pour a shot and froth milk at the same time - handy when you are trying to make multiple cups or rush out the door. This to me is the machine’s best feature and one I would now not do without. You can use pre-ground beans in this machine but to me that is sacrilege, so I have since acquired a Sunbeam Café Series EM0480 Grinder, which is the perfect pairing.

I would 100% recommend this machine. It looks amazing on my kitchen bench, and it performs flawlessly once you work out your ideal setting and technique, which as I said earlier only takes a few attempts.

Dual thermoblock, extract and steam at the same time – I’m going to start by saying Sunbeam EMM7200BK is an excellent coffee machine with a dual thermoblock so you can steam milk and extract coffee at the same time, it has a solid construction, and a commercial sized group head and handle that you can actually produce an outstanding result with. The fit and finish and sense of initial quality is much… Read more ·  1

higher than I expected and I think the machine would look smart in nearly any kitchen. The machine includes single and dual wall single and double shot espresso baskets and the single and double shot buttons are programable to suit your needs, and the handy milk temperature and pressure gauges help you to achieve as the gauges themselves say: “optimum” results.

The machine isn’t perfect though, and I feel it has two small shortcomings in particular which would take this coffee machine to the next level, a digital shot timer with a screen on the front of the machine for reading out the shot time (even a basic one, like a backlit calculator screen), and the pressure gauge having actual bars of pressure written on the pressure gauge. A certain dual boiler product competing with this machine has both of these features. The gauge does tell you the “optimum” pressure for extraction, but without the actual bars of pressure written on the pressure gauge, it’s hard to know exactly how far off the mark you’ve hit. I feel that the actual bars of pressure is something handy to know as you make fine adjustments to your dose or grind size as you strive to achieve the perfect extraction. In my personal opinion, a pressure gauge worth it’s salt should probably have the bars of pressure written on it, and this one doesn’t.

This brings me to a similar bother I have with the other gauge, the temperature read out doesn’t list temperatures on the dial aside from the “optimum” temperature of 65 degrees. A cheap milk thermometer from a homeware store will tell you with numbers in degrees how hot your milk is, but the temperature gauge on this Sunbeam doesn’t exactly do that. I have worked out though that the temperature gauge displays 0-100 degrees in 5 degree increments, which once you know that is handy enough to read.

Maybe I’m asking too much but I’d like to know the duration of my shot, exactly how much pressure I’ve achieved, and exactly how hot my milk is, and this machine doesn’t exactly tell you these things in a quantifiable way, even though it has gauges to tell you when things are optimum. The positive thing I have to say about the gauges is that they have reduced visual clutter which makes them highly readable for hitting what Sunbeam considers to be the optimum range and for many people that’s probably all that matters.

For all this nit picking, Sunbeam have more or less hit the mark with the Cafe Series EMM7200BK, the Sunbeam Cafe Series EMM0500BK conical burr grinder (not included) which I’ve purchased to go with it is the perfect match and similarly high performing. Put this duo together and it really is an excellent way to get cafe quality results at home with a dual thermblock espresso machine that allows you to extract coffee and steam milk at the same time and get optimum results. I think that’s something great, and I have not had any serious dramas using it.

20 month sunbeam coffee machine failure no resolution – I've owned this coffee machine for 20 months. It performed well during this time, producing good coffee and the steam wand functioned effectively. However, I recently experienced a complete power failure. Despite having used it just two hours prior without any issues, it now won’t turn on. I contacted Sunbeam and provided the requested details and… Read more

a video of the malfunction. Their response was disappointing; they informed me that since the machine is out of its 12-month warranty, I would need to find and pay for a repair myself. Similarly, Bing Lee offered no assistance, citing the expired warranty. I pointed out that under Australian consumer law, products are expected to last for a reasonable amount of time. An $800 coffee machine failing after just 20 months is unacceptable. I could pursue contacting fair trading but at this point I’ve spent too much of my time this. As a result, I am now purchasing a different coffee machine with a longer warranty and from a company with a better reputation for customer service.

Great machine...but has a cleaning cycle fault – This is our 3rd sunbeam machine. They are great products, never had a problem. This new version seems to have a fault with the cleaning cycle. It's unable to start the cleaning cycle. We had a great sunbeam technician reset the machine, but the same problem again. Show details ·  1

So disappointed – We have had a cafe series coffee machine for many many years and several members of our family have had the same as well. The previous machine was excellent, made thousands of quality coffees. So when we went to replace our old machine of course we thought we’d buy the same. It has been so disappointing!!! A small design change in the handle (neck… Read more

is longer) means that the machine holds coffee in the neck and when you remove the handle after making your espresso, coffee pours out of the spouts, and not just a bit. It makes the coffee making process such a mess. Tried to work through the problem with sunbeam but their answer was to replace the handle with the exact same handle so the problem remains. Whilst the quality of the coffees are still excellent, I could not recommend this machine to anyone.

Expensive but disposable machine – Only two years old and not working anymore. Very disappointing. I contacted Sunbeam customer service, they asked me to submit a whole bunch of documents including photos and videos. I explained the machine was 2 years old and that I had already taken it to their authorised repair shop in Brighton, Victoria, charged almost $200 and still the… Read more

machine does not work. Today customer service send me an email telling me they won’t do anything and I need to pay (again) to have the machine working. The machine is trash and their customer service sucks.

Absolutely awful – Can't get the cleaning cycle to start despite Sunbeam creating a new manual specifically to address custimer feedback expressing frustration with the obvious lack of clarity on the instructions in the manual. That aside, the machine leaks from the group head and Sunbeam "support" are basically useless - can't even track the several support tickets… Read more

I've raised, which means I have to re-tell my story every time I call/follow-up. Nightmare. Wish I'd opted for a different brand.

Great to start with and then disappointing product execution and poor support – When purchasing this in June, it was a very close decision between the Sunbeam Duo and Breville BES920BKS the Dual Boiler Espresso Machine. Disappointed we didn't select the latter after noticing the temperature gauge was not accurate or consistent. When escalated to Sunbeam Customer Service, their 'Quality Manager' said that, "It gets there in… Read more

the end" when the video submitted clearly demonstrates that it hesitates and does not allow someone to finish texturing the milk when choosing to. When steaming milk the temperature gauge goes up, then stops (while the temperature clearly goes up), then eventually continues. I was also careful to make sure that the temperature thermocouple was contacting the milk at all times. I should explain that we also steam almond milk where the temperature to cease steaming the milk is lower that the optimum. Other points on the machine - good finish, although it appears Berville is slightly better. Better steam compared with the EM6910 which we have used for the last 11 years across several machines. It does perform well at the pour but again, I am not confident of the gauges and rely on pour-over scales plus timer for consistent coffee recipe. It consistently pours more than the 60ml explained in the manual leading to over-extraction and a coffee that will be more bitter than it should be. The manual is ok but the cleaning regime could be much better explained. It is just confusing. The manual also uses old pictures - example is page 27 showing the EM6910 steam wand tip instead of the model it is representing. Overall, it demonstrates poor investment in product development and execution. This is why I would be recommending the Breville equivalent (without the grinder contained in the machine), double boiler. This is a shame because we have enjoyed the Sunbeam Cafe Series machines since 2011. Our experience this time is very different from our original Sunbeam purchase in 2011/2. Great product and great support. I was looking forward to leaving a more positive response but the customer service has just let us down and we feel unfairly. Over two EM6910 machines and 11 years we have made in excess of 11,000 coffees!

Barista coffee at home – My coffee experience so far has been buying from cafes for the good kind, and instant coffee for the not-so-good kind, but with this machine I'm able to make barista coffee at home! The machine itself is relatively large for those with small kitchens, so it's not something that can be pulled out/packed away, but for me it gets daily use so worth… Read more

using the counter space, and the box comes with the machine, milk jug, group handle and tamper, but the grinder is separate so I recommend getting this with Sunbeam also! The technical side of the machine is a little tricky, yes it's as simple as a button for the espresso shot and steaming the milk, but there is a lot of user error when it comes to making the perfect coffee - i.e type of beans, how it's packed in the group handle, how you steam the milk etc, so it's a big jump from instant coffee but with practice it's worth it! Would recommend.

Love this machine – Makes cafe quality coffee consistently Has a large water tank Milk wand froths beautifully Has a built in temperature gauge in wand which makes getting to temperature easy to understand This is my second one of these machines, that’s how happy inwas with it… gave the first one to my daughter Show details

Very good value for money – To start, I should note that this machine was provided to me free by Sunbeam as part of the ProductReview Ambassador Program, however I am not monetarily compensated for my review. Although I am a qualified barista, I very rarely have time to make my own coffees. We have had a small machine sitting in our kitchen for years and it hasn't been… Read more

used, however this Sunbeam has brought some fun back into the process for me.

I quite like these units as they're what I think of as a 'proper' coffee machine if you will- not one of those easy pod systems where you just press a button and it does the rest for you. Although I understand their purpose, I dislike that system as I prefer to do things the old fashioned way. This Sunbeam gives me the ability to get a nice coffee like you'd find at a cafe without all the bulkiness and complexity of big machines.

I'll start with the unboxing- the unit itself is already assembled which is nice, however as another reviewer noted there does seem to be a lot of wasteful packaging in the box. Lots of polystyrene and plastic which is good to protect the machine from damage but I do think similar results could be achieved with cardboard of a similar material, and the concept of using the one casing with various spaces in it for extras like the filters and power cables like what Apple has done with its iPhone boxes could be implemented too I think. Either way everything was easily identifiable and simple to set up with the aid of the 'Getting Started' guidebook and the owner's manual, both of which have plenty of detail and clearly explain how to do various things which is a welcome change compared to some of the manuals I've read recently.

When it comes to the coffee machine itself, I really like how it has all the key features you'd see on a commercial unit (separate water/steam knobs and wands, proper group head, good size water tank etc.) but packed into a smaller footprint so it's easier to store in a cupboard or on a bench without taking up too much space. It comes with multiple filters for freshly ground and pre-ground beans that can be easily changed to vary what strength of coffee you want and whether you want to make one or two cups, and also gives you a place to store them in the back of the machine. Now for those who just use the one filter all the time it likely wouldn't matter much but for those who do a bit of swapping it would be nice to see some slots on the side of the machine, perhaps just behind the steam/water knobs, where you can secure the extra filters so they're ready to go if you need them without having to reach over cups or anything else you have resting on the top of the machine to get to the storage area at the back.

One fancy feature I noticed is the dual thermoblock which allows you to froth your milk whilst the coffee is being prepared. Not necessarily a massive time saver for a single cup, but if you're trying to make a few or are in a hurry it could be quite handy. This is definitely a feature that the Sunbeam shines with over my other machine as that one often got on my nerves having to wait for the coffee to finish extracting before letting me start on the milk, as by the time the milk was frothed your coffee would be half cold! Something that would be nice is temperature scales rather than just green bars on the gauges, as for a proper barista we are usually trained to watch for various temperatures during the process rather than just watching a colour scale on the thermostat. You may also want your milk at different temps depending on what you're using it for, however this is a minor improvement.

This machine is noticeably quieter than my old one which is nice, and also runs a lot smoother so it doesn't sound like you have some mental orchestra of machines and a steam train running in your kitchen as you try to prepare coffees for guests. The design of the unit is quite modern and blends in pretty well in our kitchen, I think the engineers have done well making this machine look so good whilst being so compact. I don't think you could really fit all these features into a smaller package.

Overall having done some googling to find prices for this machine I think it sits very well in the market and is definitely worth a look for those who want a more authentic commercial coffee experience at home, especially if you're a barista and get driven mad by the usual smaller home units that don't even come close to what you get in a cafe.

Although I haven't had as much of a chance to play around with this machine as I'd like yet due to being unwell recently, I will certainly be revising this review as I use it more and try out different things.

Fairly decent machine...with the right grinder – This review unit was supplied as part of the Product Review Ambassador program which afforded me the opportunity to compare it against my current Delonghi La Specialista machine, which I have had for three years, has similar features and sells in a similar market. UNPACKING AND SETUP Out of the box, I was surprised to see the machine had been… Read more

sandwiched between two large moulded slabs of polystyrene foam. I haven’t seen this form of packaging for a while as most other manufacturers have switched to environmentally friendly cardboards and similar. The machine and all accessories were individually packaged in plastic bags. Besides becoming a two person job to remove it from the carton, it left bits of polystyrene debris across the kitchen floor requiring the use of a vacuum cleaner before progressing further. Subsequent to unpacking, it was a matter of washing the filters, milk jug, measuring spoon, group head, and tamper. Setup was relatively quick, merely requiring it be plugged into a 240v outlet and the inbuilt water tank filled. This was followed by a “priming” of the system, which was well explained in the supplied “Let’s Get You Started” four page fold out guide. Further information was provided by a thirty seven page Instruction Manual populated with combined diagrams/text (refreshingly better than the more common “diagrams only” approach more common today), which clearly detailed each function or process. The manual also featured a four page “Troubleshooting Guide” to help get you sorted. Leaving out time to wash and dry accessories, the actual setup time wasn’t much more than about fifteen minutes. With the machine now set up on the counter and ready to go, here are some of the things I noticed: * cord storage at the back for the power lead (around 1 metre in length) to be hidden away or excess lead store if your power outlet is close by; * water tank holds around four litres of water but only three litres is usable. This can be filled by sliding the tank out from the back and taking it to fill under the tap or alternatively, the “tool storage” compartment at the top rear of the appliance can be opened and you can use a jug to fill the container through an opening in the middle. There is a water level (1 litre graduations) visible on the front right side of the machine to ensure you fill the tank to the correct level; * the group head is 58mm diameter making it larger than most other domestic machines (Sunbeam claims it to be the same size as commercial machines giving greater surface area for your extraction). I can’t verify this but can verify the 58mm head did not fit my current Delonghi grinder requiring me to grind into a ground coffee container and then use the supplied measuring spoon for the coffee to be put into the filter basket; * after pressing the “Standby” button, the machine then takes just under a minute to be ready for use. After around one hour of non-use, the machine will automatically go into “Eco mode” (a low power state saving about 25% of power) and after a further four hours of inactivity, the machine will completely power down. These are the default settings but you can program other presets being 30min, 8 hours, 26hours or Do Not Turn Off; * a large drip tray (certainly a lot larger than my Delonghi machine) has a “Drip Tray Full” indicator but its size should allow for some time between emptying.

APPEARANCE Unit has a modern stylish appearance, being a combination of shiny stainless steel and a matt/semi-gloss black plastic. The group head sits in front centre with the steam wand (360° swivel) on the left and the hot water dispenser on the right. Controls for steam and hot water are located to the left and right of their respective outlets. Above these are two gauges...the first for frothing milk temperature and the second for displaying optimal extraction pressure. I would have preferred graduations displaying various degrees of temperature and pressure (rather than green zones) but with the gauges only being around 27mm diameter there really isn’t any room. To the right of the gauges are (in order) buttons for “Standby”, “Manual”, “One Cup”, “Two Cup” and “Program”. As previously mentioned, there is a covered storage compartment (flip up lid) at the top rear holding the four supplied filters, a cleaning disc and cleaning pin. Filters supplied are one and two cup single wall along with one and two cup dual wall (or “dual floor” as is embossed on the filters themselves).

FEATURES Some other features provided on this machine include: * a dual thermoblock meaning you can steam your milk while simultaneously extracting your coffee; not a great timesaver but a nice touch; * the large surface top of the machine heats quickly to create a warming tray for your cups prior to use; * expresso extraction temperature is said to be set at 92° but can be adjusted to between 88° – 96°; steam temperature can be set in 5° increments from +10° down to -10°; * steam pump rate can be adjusted for a wetter or dryer steam (default rate set is for 0.3 seconds on and 0.5 seconds off); * Sunbeam outlines a cleaning and maintenance schedule but the main things to note are a recommendation for using Sunbeam cleaning tablets regularly to remove oil buildup and prolong the life of your machine (this is not descaling), cleaning the steam wand and filter baskets every 2 – 3 months, replacing the “anti-calc filter in the water tank every 3 months and descaling every 4 – 6 months; * there is a twelve month manufacturers warranty on the machine but this is repair or replacement at Sunbeam’s discretion; also recommended is registering the unit on their website to facilitate any warranty claims.

OPERATION Filling the water tank through either removing the tank directly and placing it under the tap or filling through the top of the machine was without issue. Sunbeam recommends the use of cold filtered water. If you do fill through the top there is a steel mesh filter located there. My wife and I are pretty much confirmed single shot cappuccino drinkers so my experiences with this machine will centre around this. Sunbeam recommends use of the single wall filters for freshly roasted/ground beans while reserving the dual wall for pre-ground. This is where I experienced my first problem. Despite setting my grinder to its maximum “fine grind” setting and varying the volume of grindings and tamping pressures, I was only ever able to barely get the pressure gauge to move off its base setting and crema was fairly non-existent. This was using freshly roasted and ground beans from two “quality” bean suppliers. Switching to the to the dual wall filter, I was just able to reach the beginning of the green “Optimal” zone. I enlisted my wife and my sister (who has been into making coffee at home for more years than I) to ensure I wasn’t doing something wrong but despite our combined best efforts, the best we could manage was also just nudging the bottom of the optimal range. However, switching to my sister’s more expensive coffee grinder, we were able to make the middle of the optimal zone, which was a clear indication that the machine required the use of finely ground coffee from a quality grinder to achieve best results. To confirm this, I updated my grinder to a more expensive conical burr grinder. The results were immediately better with a finer grind resulting in the machine showing an "optimal" extraction whilst using the single wall filter. Lesson learned.

Next up was milk frothing. Sunbeam recommends pre-pressurising the steam wand by turning it on for a few seconds. After this, the jug is inserted underneath while the position of the wand can be altered to best suit keeping the head just below the surface while you swirl the milk. A green optimal heat zone of 65° marked on the gauge worked well although the level of micro-froth was (in my opinion) a little lacking. This is a personal preference and you may prefer it that way; I prefer it a little frothier than the Sunbeam machine was producing and have been somewhat spoilt by my other machine producing plenty of froth just by placing it on the machine tray and letting it do its own thing...without the need for swirling or any other input. Here, to achieve best results you need to hold the jug on an angle and keep the wand just below the surface.

The hot water dispenser is always a handy feature for tea drinkers, long blacks or just helping warm your cups. Nothing to complain about here, although, the knobs for steam and hot water did feel a little cheap, being made from what seems to be some “chrome plated plastic”. I couldn’t confirm it; it just felt like that. Temperature of water output was measured at around 77° and while this was perfect for green tea, I would have preferred something a little hotter for black (or even a long black coffee). It is, however, perfectly functional for pre-heating cups.

SOMETHING TO WATCH FOR One point to note was what happens when you run out of water. You do need to keep a watch on this as the machine stopped unexpectedly midway through milk frothing to warn me to refill it. Yes, I should have been keeping a watch on this but I’m spoilt by my other machine warning me if it detects it will not have enough water to fulfil the next operation. While I haven’t had the opportunity to test it, I suspect it could also shut down mid extraction if the water becomes low, which would be particularly annoying. Speaking of low water I was a little surprised that the machine declared itself “out of water” when it still appeared to have a litre of water in the tank. Closer inspection of the water gauge does show a “Min” marking on the one litre increment of the gauge (see photo below). While I do understand the anti-calc cartridge in the bottom of the tank must remain covered, why not just blank off the bottom level of the gauge if it’s unusable? Trap for the unwary.

OVERALL

What I liked... * Produces a great crema. * 58mm group head (commercial size) setting it apart from most other machines on the market. * Internal cord storage. * Temperature gauge with correct milk frothing temperature. * Large water tank and drip tray. * Internal storage for filters and cleaning accessories. * Dual thermoblock for simultaneous coffee extraction and milk steaming. * Small plastic pad on underside of group head to facilitate tamping on the edge of your kitchen bench.

and what I disliked... * Doesn't produce milk as frothy as I would like. You do need to work at it. * To get the best from this machine, you must have a decent grinder to achieve the correct fineness * Shows one litre of water still in the tank despite this being "unusable". * Knobs for steam and hot water control feels a little cheap. * Seems better suited for experienced users rather than novices. * No storage area for the tamping tool.

Overall, I was slightly disappointed in the machine. For the price, it seemed to have less automation than I would expect, requiring input for effective milk steaming and lacking any pre-programmed settings for differing types of coffee. Additionally, lacking any form of inbuilt grinder you may need to factor in the added cost of a quality grinder. Overall, I would say this machine is targeting those who are not purchasing their first machine as it is clear that despite the extensive documentation supplied, achieving optimal results will require some perseverance and possibly prior experience with expresso machines.

Fast and flexible for those who need speed – Pros: * Dual boiler design heats up quickly, operates concurrently and quietly. * Big, chunky 'cafe-spec' group size. No weak shots here! * Steamer wand is supremely powerful and fast. * Pressure and milk temp gauges make it very easy to produce consistent brews. * Impressive ability to fine tune brew and steamer actions, well beyond the usual… Read more

"shot size". * Large water and drip dray capacities means you can bang out several coffees in one session without stopping to refill or empty. *Attractive but not overly flashy black-and-stainless steel design mixes well in both modern and less-than-modern kitchens. 

Cons: * Lack of an integral grinder means that if you don't have one already, you'll probably need to budget another $300+ for an appropriate-quality grinder - and the bench space to go with it. That's quite a bit of coin over a $700-$900 integrated machine that will likely produce similar coffee - albeit more slowly. * If you lust for a sexy all-chrome Italian-style machine, you'll find the Sunbeam decidedly un-flashy, with no all-stainless steel option available (at time of publishing anyway).

Bottom line: The Cafe Series Duo EMM7200BK is a well made, well designed, surprisingly customisable and impressively powerful domestic espresso machine that can knock out multiple, consistent brews as quickly as you can without breaking a sweat. Busy households, workplaces and aspiring coffee snobs who like to dial in their coffee just so will find the Cafe Series Duo more than up to task for a very reasonable price. If you don't need the speed, however, the asking price might be a little hard to justify over the wrath of  $700-$800 integrated machines currently available. Particularly if you don't already have a decent quality grinder at hand.

Disclosure: The Sunbeam EMM7200BK was provide to me free of charge through the productreview.com.au Ambassadors Program. The machine was tested daily for a period of three weeks.

Tester profile: I'm a proper coffee fiend and have been for a very long time. Blame multiple careers involving long hours in front of computers and talking endlessly on the phone with clients. I need at least a couple of cups in the morning to get me back to "normal" and can have coffee immediately before going to sleep. Yeah, I'm one of those weirdos. In other words, I like my coffee and take it seriously enough - though not to the point of being a complete snob. Usually a strong (multi-shot) latte makes me happy but I'll often venture into espresso/long black or pour-over territory as the day requires.

Over the decades I've owned and used many, many coffee-making systems, from basic moka pots,  french presses and manual, portable press-espresso units, to cheap manual espresso machines, Nespresso machines (don't judge... OK, judge. Yes they're terrible) and very expensive automated systems. I currently use a popular, semi-automated machine with integral grinder from another brand with a current street price of around $700.

Despite being five years old, this machine still works perfectly well and produces consistently excellent coffee without much effort or fuss. Which is important, given us caffeine-driven humans tend not to be at our brightest or cognisant at 6am, pre-coffee. As such, my aim with this review was see how the more expensive EMM7200BK ($1199 MSRP, but can be found under $1000 at time of writing) compares to these cheaper machines - and what is gained in speed and quality by handing over the extra cash.

The Sunbeam Cafe Duo main headline features over its sub-$700 competitors are best summarised as:

* Its TwinBlock boiler systems  - operating at a standard 15-bar for the group head and 4-bar for the dedicated steamer. This means the machine can extract brews and steam milk at the same time, just like a commercial unit, though for most users it simply means the machine requires no warm up time when switching over from extraction to steam mode. 

* Its larger the average 58mm "commercial size" group head. The increased shot of grounds over a wider area results in more even extraction and in theory, a better quality brew.

* Its dedicated extraction pressure and steamer temperature gauges. Consistency is key to a high quality coffee; an over or under-tamped shot of grounds or burnt milk will ruin things very quickly. Gauges help you as the operator be more consistent. Extraction pressure gauges are pretty common now, however this is the first time I've seen a temperature gauge on the steamer wand.

* Its ability to customise not only the volumes for single- and dual-shots, but also the pre-infusion profile, extraction temperature, steam temperature and steam pump rate (dryness). In simple terms, you should be able to tweak the Cafe Series Duo to your exact tastes. 

The Sunbeam Cafe Series Duo arrived in a large box, with everything securely packed and no damage to the machine itself nor any of the accessories included. I was however very disappointed to see acres of styrofoam and soft plastics used throughout the packaging, rather than more sustainable and recyclable materials like formed cardboard and paper. This is 2022 - all manufacturers need to be doing better when it comes to packaging.

The Cafe Series Duo is a sizeable unit, relatively heavy at over 12kg (empty) and a bit taller than my existing machine. Its overall footprint however was roughly the same and is easily accommodated on all but the smallest benchtops.

Stylistically it blends accents of shiny stainless steel with a mostly matt black finish for a modern, understated look which I personally think looks very smart. It coordinated well with my similarly matt black fridge whilst not looking completely stupid against the backdrop of my painfully 1980s kitchen. That said, I can see some people preferring an all-chrome/stainless unit. The group handle felt reassuringly solid and slots into the group head firmly. Overall the build quality seems more than acceptable with a satisfying heft and solidness about, though the steam/water knobs and control buttons felt plastic-y and light in comparison.

The machine comes with everything you need barring actual coffee beans of course, and maybe a knock bin.  The usual milk jug, measuring spoon, tamper and cleaning accessories are all of perfectly usable quality (the tamper could be heavier) and four filter baskets in both one/two cup sizes and single/dual wall designs are also included, neatly stowed at the top of the unit. Bravo to Sunbeam for covering all bases, though I'm not sure how many people willing to spend over $1000 on an espresso machine will be satisfied with pre-ground coffee (which require the dual wall baskets to generate enough pressure for decent extraction). Suffice to say, if you care about your coffee, you'll be grinding your own just before brewing and using the single-wall baskets for the best extraction.

Speaking of which, as the Cafe Series Duo lacks an integral grinder, you'll need to provide your own separate unit. This is hardly uncommon amongst machines at any price point, but given the plethora of units that do include an adjustable, timed 'tap and go' grinder system for under $1000, it is something that does rather affect the 'value for money' equation if you don't have a suitable grinder already. I've found the integral grinder in my current unit probably its best feature; once dialled to the correct grind fineness and dose, I can literally slam in the group handle and load a consistent shot while the machine warms up without having to monitor it. The convenience here cannot be overstated. Replicating this functionality with the Cafe Series Duo would require an extra investment of $250-$300 or more for a grinder like Sunbeam's own Cafe Series Precision Grinder (EM0700).

The main advantage, however, would be it would likely be much better performing grinder, compared to those included in an all-in-one machine (which do tend to offer only middling performance). If you're really serious about your coffee, then the extra cost and bench space required may well be worth it.

While I set up the machine for the first time, I noticed two other subtle 'pros' worth noting. The first is the 3L water hopper, which is 50% bigger than pretty much every other machine I've used and in practice means you're not stopping to refill as often. The second is the excellent user manual and quick start guides included. Granted, most people will probably figure out the basics without the manual, but they are well worth a thorough read, with plenty of useful tips and tricks for perfecting your brew and of course keeping the machine clean and maintained (crucial to longevity).

The quickstart guide succinctly lead me through the setup process to flush and prime the machine. After a few initial loud pumping noises the Cafe Series Duo settled down into a quiet purr, and was ready to go within a minute. In operation the machine is noticeably quieter than most I've experienced, which isn't a bad thing.

Using the Cafe Series Duo's pressure gauge, it took a few test shots to calibrate my tamping "hand" with the bigger 58mm group head, but once I'd figured out the required grinds and tamping pressure, the machine consistently came up to pressure and produced excellent looking shots with a rich crema time and time again without fail. No issues here. I only used the hot water outlet for rinsing and preheating, but it works exactly as you'd expect.

What really impressed is the steamer wand. Unlike single boiler machines, that typically take 10-30 seconds to "switch over" to steam mode and clear their throats of hot water before actually producing usable steam, the Cafe Series Duo is blasting out dry steam within a second or two with tonnes of pressure. Heating and texturing milk proved both easy and quick, with the temperature gauge rising into the "Optimum" band surprising fast. This inbuilt temperature gauge is a novel feature, and while is easily replicated any machine with a $10 milk jug thermometer, its convenience for getting consistent results can't be argued.

The other novel feature of the Cafe Series Duo is the ability to customise the individual brew processes. While almost all semi-automatic machines these days allow their one and two cup volumes to be adjusted, the EMM7200BK goes several steps further, with control over extraction pre-infusion (gentle, constant or progressive), extraction temperature (88-96 degrees C in 2 degree increments), steam temperature (20 degree C range in 5 degree increments) and steam pump rate, which adjusts the moisture content or "dryness" of the steam (plus or minus 0.1-0.2 sec). 

As the Cafe Series Duo lacks the expansive LCD displays of much more expensive machines, these adjustments are made through rather cryptic combinations of pressing the unit's five buttons. You'll definitely need the User Manual to refer to! All this ability to fine tune is quite impressive, though ironically, I found it rather hard to improve upon the machine's factory default settings, which were already producing results I was really happy with. Those with more specific tastes should be covered, nonetheless.

In terms of overall nuts-and-bolts operation, there's not much to complain about at all. Operation is fast, you're rarely waiting for the machine, and the inbuilt gauges make being consistent easier with the "human" parts of the brewing equation. If I had to nitpick, it would prefer the buttons and steam/water control knobs to have a more solid feel. They're unlikely to ever break, but their light "chromed" plastic just feels unsatisfying, and is at odds with the rest of the unit's otherwise solid, durable feel. Also, the chromed drip tray plate proved easy to scratch with the milk jug and group handle. At least drip tray itself however is capacious and doesn't need to be emptied constantly.

For a second perspective, I loaned the Cafe Series Duo to a mate for a few days. He's a discerning coffee drinker and - importantly - worked as barista for several years, so can actually judge any claims of "cafe quality" realistically. He too was very impressed with the power and immediacy of the steamer function, and once dialled in to his tastes, with the overall quality and consistency of the brews the machine produces, particularly for the price.

Taken on its own merits, the Sunbeam Cafe Series Duo EMM7200BK is a really impressive machine. The fundamentals have been executed extremely well, with fast and consistent operation, and neat features like the steamer temperature gauge are genuinely useful rather - than just pointless gimmicks. The build quality seems solid and based on my experience with other Sunbeam machines over the years, should give years of reliable service. The price is very reasonable for the performance it offers. For real coffee perfectionists, the ability to experiment with brew settings and pair the machine with as high a quality grinder as you're willing to spend will no doubt be attractive.

My only real reservation is that its price point seems to sit just beyond the point of diminishing returns. If my current espresso machine were to die tomorrow, I'd be hard pressed to spend well north of a grand on the Cafe Series Duo and a decent grinder to match, versus same unit for under $700 and honestly make just as good a coffee. No, it won't make it quite as quickly, but that's not going to bother me making one latte at 6:30am in the morning before work. For busy households, dinner parties, office kitchenettes, however, then the speed is likely worth the extra money.

A great edition for the family home or office for a quick and easy basic solution – This review is broken up into a number of different sections that will give the user (you) to use your preferred browser's "Find on page" function to skip to the area of interest. [The Summary] [The Product] [The Package] [The Pros(+) vs Cons(-)] [The Final Thoughts] [The Summary] First off, let me be clear that if you’re the sort of person that… Read more

likes your coffee in a particular way; then nothing at home or in the office won’t beat a professional barista with trained and qualified skills, in addition to a commercial-grade coffee-making set-up.

Although, in saying this, it is not impossible, you can get quite close if you get the right machine for your coffee indulgence.

In Australia, for the majority of the population, we are quite a nit-picky bunch when it comes to either coffee or tea. Ranging from the aroma, the intensity, the refinement and quality, the taste, the after taste…nevertheless we are connoisseurs.

In this instance, coffee, my partner and I drink on average about two to three cups per day depending on a number of interconnected factors (e.g. social, internal/external influences, work, study, et cetera). Previously my significant other had a De’Longhi branded coffee machine and grinder that were at the very bottom end of the entry-level scale. I made an investment decision to purchase a Rocket Expresso Mozzafiato Type V (unplumbed) coffee machine and then a Rocket Expresso Faustino grinder. So is this review biased? I don’t think so.

This review will be based upon two presumptions: [1] you’re looking to make coffees at home or in the office instead of buying them from a coffee shop / barista. In this instance, the presumption is that you may have basic to no experience of brewing a coffee? Other than perhaps buying grounded coffee from the shops and then boiling water, adding sugar (white, raw, stevia), then adding them into a cup with or without milk (lactose free, full cream, almond milk, goat milk, soy, et cetera).

For [2] you’re in the process of deciding to upgrade your existing coffee and/or grinder combo with something better. This presumption assumes that you are a person that have a basic to intermediate understanding of brewing a coffee. Then the presumption in this case will be completely different from the first user.

So where does this review fit in… to convince you where you should be spending your hard-earned money?

[The Product] Sunbeam Café Series Duo Model #: EMM7200BK (Black)

This offering from Sunbeam will make your desired cup of coffee for you and your age-appropriate family or in the office for years to come.

Using the machine is simple, although some of the features I wish could be better. In this review, those features and design elements will be mentioned.

So how does this product stand up? Is it fit-for-purpose?

This product caters offers two features for users as previously mentioned in the [Summary]. In this instance; for (1) that the user has grounded coffee and looking to use the provided plastic spoon to scoop the coffee into the portafilter that is dual purpose. Dual purpose? I will get to that shortly. The user picks up the Tampa and uses it to flatten the coffee grounds in the portafilter. The user places the portafilter underneath the central metallic mechanism and turns it until it is secured. The user presses one of two pre-programmed pre-sets. The user places a cup in the correct position and proceeds to press 1-cup or 2-cup. In this case, this user is in a rush and wants something quick and easy, in which case, this machine performs very efficient and well.

The dual purpose as previously mentioned. This product comes with two filter baskets which will support users who either have a coffee grinder or not. Though while you’re making your brew and extracting the coffee from the grounded coffee beans, you can also heat up your desired milk simultaneously. Where the wand has a sensor built in that reflects the temperature via the gauge on the product while you’re heating up the milk.

As for (2) the second user is as just mentioned, this is a person who already has a coffee and grinder set-up that are looking to upgrade and using the appropriate filter basket into the portafilter, will allow them to grind their coffee with their own grinder. After of which using the same process of the Tampa and securing into the machine, will allow the user to either press one of the pre-programmed pre-sets or allow them to go through their own designed manual process.

In this case, the user will have ample time to brew their coffee and with time to spare to refine their own brewing process before going about their day.

[The Package] This product came in a large box. After seeing the words on the side that said that it was “Made in China”, was not something I was keen in the brand segment. There is a saying, you get what you pay for. Opening the box to reveal the sealed components and also of the machine was relatively easy, although the way that it was packaged together, I found that it was buried into the foam at different angles. Once all of the components were found and placed onto our kitchen bench, I went about in picking up the quick guide and connected the necessary components to the product.

What I liked immediately was that it came with a three (3) litre water tank with a descaling feature embedded into the water tray. On my Rocket Expresso coffee machine, it had a smaller capacity and descaling was not an embedded feature. Something of which we had to purchase separately. What I didn’t like about the product are several, although I am nit-picking because I am comparing with my own machine.

The product has a hot plate at the top so that you can heat up your cups, although a steam implementation would be ideal as it would hasten the process.

The dials on either side of the machine can be confusing at times particularly if they are not forward facing towards you when you’re standing in front, trying to figure out why the machine is not showing a solid white light to indicate that the machine is ready in stand-by mode. In this instance, I have had to ensure that the dials are correctly facing in the proper direction (when turned on).

When this product is connected to the mains, as a suggestion at first glance, is to ensure that you don’t overload the power grid in your residence as opposed to your office. This product draws a lot of power and for example, if you have poor wiring like I do… then using something like a dish washer and washing machine / dryer, there is a high chance, that you will cause the power grid to fail. So make sure you connect this product to a power point that is not likely to be overloaded.

Which brings me to another issue which I found with this product; it does not have a on/off switch. Instead, you plug it into the power socket, and it immediately turns on and goes into its powering up process through the light indicator at the front of the product upon the stand-by mode that flickers with a white light. The flicking goes away and becomes solid that tells you that it is ready.

In this instance, it is quick. As opposed to our machine that takes a little longer though will show a readout to inform you that it is ready. To turn the Sunbeam off, you just press the standby button which is counterintuitive. As a design element, it should have additional writing, to inform the user, for example, ON / OFF, instead of second guessing.

As the way coffees were made with this product, I was using in conjunction with my Rocket Expresso Faustino grinder. I had to fine-tune the grinding process by increasing the length (seconds) of the grind as well as making the output of the grounded coffee to be coarser. And to test the performance of the Sunbeam, I tested a batch of two-week coffee beans and freshly made (less than six (6) hours old) coffee beans. Following a set process to make a series of coffees, specifically Soy Flat White and a Lactose-Free Flat White in both the pre-programmed pre-set functions and manual mode.

My partner and I found the performance of the Sunbeam to be great in pre-programmed pre-set modes. A feature that is lacking on our own coffee machine. However when it came to manual mode, the Sunbeam unfortunately does not give you a great deal of customisation and refinement as opposed to our current coffee set up.

What we both experienced, were different to each other. At times I thought the coffee was ok for the pre-set. My significant other found that to be weak. When it came to the manual mode, I found it to be weak, whereas my partner found it be the opposite.

[The Pros(+) vs Cons(-)]

Pros + Quick user guide illustrated on the packaging + Easy to read manual + 1-cup or 2-cup pre-programmed with built-in optimum timer + Three (3) Litre water tank + Front water gauge indicator + Descale built into water tank + Milk Temperature Gauge + Good for basic to intermediate experience usage

Cons - Feels cheap to the touch (a personal preference for a stainless-steel approach throughout). I found upon opening the packaging and accessories from the box, there were some minor scratches. And putting it through its paces, you can easily cause scratches to form yourself. - In continuation from the previous point, the buttons and switches have a toy-like feel to it. - Accessories - not weighty enough (e.g. Metallic Jug, Tampa, portafilter) - Cup warming tray could do with a redesign to include a steam function to heat up your cups faster - Not good for those who are use to making coffee following a manual process as the product lacks customisation - draws a lot of power (2400 watts), though not necessarily a con, just make sure you plug this product some where that won’t overload other operating appliances (e.g. dryer, dishwasher, washing machine – basically other devices that draw high amounts of power also) particularly in a household environment as opposed to an office building.

[The Final Thoughts] I think if this product were paired with a Sunbeam grinder as part of the product test, the result may have gone better and less reliant on our Rocket Expresso Faustino grinder. Even though we did try using the plastic scoop which we found to be messy at times.

The accessories as previously mentioned as a con, is a personal preference where they should be heavier, as they felt light and especially with the Tampa, it often produced uneven results.

From a price point, I think it is very well priced and if we’re comparing to the likes of De’Longhi, it is indistinguishable other than features that are better offered.

If I were to compare the Sunbeam with my Rocket Expresso, I wouldn’t and it would be unfair. The two products are priced differently, perform differently and especially made differently. There are features in the Sunbeam I wish the Rocket Expresso had and vice-versa. I have intended this review to follow as much of a generalised approach.

What's more, often not given enough thought about reviewing a coffee machine such as this or any other, is the acoustics, in other words, the sound. The Sunbeam for our experience is quiet at times, particularly when powering it up and pressing the stand-by mode. There are no audible sounds in this product with the only exception that it switches from flicking white light to solid white light to inform you that the product is ready for use.

Lastly, as you may be aware that smart appliances with voice recognition are becoming more and more prevalent particularly when using voice commands connected using Google or Alexa and so on. So if you’re planning to connect the Sunbeam coffee machine to your existing smart network management system, for example, a Philips Hue or other similar branded offerings. Might I suggest that you leave the device in stand-by mode and avoid switching it off physically.

Thank you.

A very competent (and classy-looking!) espresso coffee machine – Well, I’ve been using the new Sunbeam Café Series Duo Espresso Coffee Machine (EMM7200BK) for the last week and a half now. As at the date of this review, this machine can be found from some retailers starting around $AU819.00. As a side note, I have owned the previous model (EM6910) for over 10 years and, with a few minor repairs, it has… Read more

performed reasonably strongly and reliably.

The EMM7200BK itself comes with everything you need to get started (except for the coffee beans!). Apart from the main unit, supplied items include: 4 filter baskets (1- and 2-cup baskets, each with single and dual wall versions), a milk frothing jug, a tamper, a measuring spoon, a cleaning pin and a cleaning disc. In addition to the comprehensive instruction manual, a simple 4-page ‘quick start’ guide is provided. If you, like me, own or have owned the previous model, then using this machine is a snack as all functions and features are pretty much the same.

Where the previous model had a matte stainless steel exterior finish, the EMM7200BK has a rather elegant and more upmarket mirror-like polished stainless steel finish, giving it a smart, classy appearance. The new machine, in addition to the espresso pressure gauge, also has a new steam temperature gauge which I found to be extremely useful for producing consistency of the milk temperature between cups of coffee. Previously, my hand was used to sense the temperature of the jug as I steamed the milk. I also like the storage compartment for the filter baskets, which is hidden in the lidded compartment at the top rear of the unit – it certainly enabled a more tidy appearance.

One concern that I had about the new polished exterior was the scratch-resistance of the surfaces. My fears were borne out within days of my first use, when a family member carelessly placed the frothing jug on the stainless steel drip tray, causing a number of unsightly but superficial scratches to its surface. A gentle reminder to the said offender about the dangers of metal surfaces rubbing against one other has resulted in no further blemishes to the machine. Ceramic/porcelain cups and suchlike do not seem to have had any adverse effects on the polished finish of the unit however.

The drip tray sides now run flush with the edges of the main unit (instead of having recessed sides to contain any spills) and I had initial apprehensions about spills from the group handle running over and spilling down the front of the drip try to whatever surface that the machine was sitting on. However, I am pleased to report that the clever design of the drip tray’s grill is such that any drips are safely directed into the grill slots and into the tray underneath the grill, and I have not had any spills.

The dual thermoblock steam system appears to consistently and reliably deliver more than sufficient espresso pressure for coffees. The pressure system also delivers strong and consistent steam via the steam wand for quick and easy heating and texturing of milk and milk-like products. The steam wand pressure appears, subjectively to me anyway, to be slightly stronger than the previous model’s. The water reservoir has also been increased in volume to 3.5L from the previous model’s 3L, which makes for refilling less often (always a good thing!).

As with the previous model, shot volumes (for both 1-cup and 2-cup profiles) are customisable though the new machine also adds customisability to the extraction pre-infusion, extraction and steam temperature, and steam pump rate settings. I have not experimented with the adjustments of these settings yet, though these features may be welcome to those more particular with their coffee-making and taste preferences.

The main unit is reassuringly weighty and has a decent heft, which gives the impression of it being a sturdy machine whilst also being beneficial to dampen excessive vibration, noise and movement during usage. The steam and hot water levers also have a more positive action and they feel sturdier than the previous model’s almost flimsy-feeling plastic rotary dials.

In use, the features of the EMM7200BK make for easy and intuitive coffee-making, producing café-quality coffees at home. The unit is attractively designed and would be an impressive-looking piece of kit on any kitchen benchtop, whilst its beautiful mirror-like finish is easy to clean (though, please do take care to avoid scratches to that beautiful exterior!). As a mid-level home espresso machine, I can highly recommend the EMM7200BK and expect it to last many years, much like its durable predecessor. A highly recommended buy for coffee lovers!

An Impressive Machine – This is an impressive machine for the price. It comes well packed in two concentric strong cube cardboard cartons, The unpacking instructions are clearly displayed on the lid of the inner carton, a good idea. Unfortunately there is internal Styrofoam packaging which is not normally recyclable. Unpacking and setting the machine up, washing the… Read more

parts that needed to be was very easy. The “Let's get you started” guide is easily understood, enabling you to start brewing before reading the main instruction manual.

The whole machine is well made, a good heavy group handle helps give the feel of a quality machine. At the bottom of the group handle is a rubber pad to allow you to tap it on the bench to settle the ground coffee without scratching the benchtop. The water tank is a nice size at over three litres with two methods of filling, either by removing the tank from the back, filling it and replacing it, or filling it from the top which is what I do from a water filter jug. It has a water level indicator that can easily be seen on the front of the machine. A low water level light and audio alarm is a good feature that more machines should have. The warm up time from cold is not long at about a minute. The drip tray has a float to indicate when it needs to be emptied.

Using an external quality coffee grinder it took me just three attempts to get the grind size and quantity right for the inbuilt pressure meter to indicate that it was in the ideal extraction range. The third coffee that I made was correctly ground, tamped and extracted, it was very good indeed. With an extraction pressure meter built into the machine it is far easier than having to use a stopwatch to make sure you have the coffee ground and tamped correctly to get optimum extraction. The “Let's get started guide” has very good illustrations on what correctly extracted coffee should look like when coming out of the group head.

I drink espressos with just a little added water and no sugar so I am probably more critical of the quality of coffee compared to people who have coffee with milk and or sugar. The steam wand works well and texturing milk is an easy task. My family and friends love the lattes, cappuccinos and flat whites I have made with this machine, so the steam wand gets a good workout. With the dual thermoblocks it is certainly much faster at making multiple coffees with milk than machines with a single thermoblock that I am used to with previous machines. The built in steam wand thermometer with the meter next to the extraction pressure meter is a great idea. Of course high quality coffee beans are a must for a good coffee. I use “Tiger Snake Blend” beans from Fish River Roasters.

If you are going to buy this machine, a quality burr coffee grinder is essential to get the best tasting coffee. If you buy pre-ground coffee you can't expect this or any other machine to give the results that it is capable of.

The machine can be programmed to suit individual requirements on pre-infusion, shot volume, extraction temperature and steam temperature. Currently I am very happy with the default settings for brewing my coffee. I have programmed the eco mode to go into standby earlier in case I forget to turn the machine off.

As far as regular maintenance is concerned I have not had this machine long enough to carry any out, except washing the required parts. Looking at the instructions it is pretty easy using the supplied disk to hold a cleaning tablet in the group handle and starting the cleaning process by holding a couple of buttons in and starting the machine to go into the cleaning cycle. Descaling only has to be done after several months, it involves filing the water tank with diluted descaling solution or a tablet and starting the descaling program. The user guide is very good to help you through cleaning.

Summing up, the Sunbeam Café Series Duo EM72000BK is a great domestic espresso coffee machine that with practice you can produce coffee at least as good as you can buy from your favourite barista.

Super simple and easy to use... excellent cofee – I got this coffee machine for our new office to up our coffee game... it does an excellent job. It looks very professional and is super easy to figure out.. I got it unpacked, read the simple instructions and had a coffee in my hand in 10 minutes. The coffee has a beautiful crema layer on top and the milk frother works very well... taking me back to my barista days! I'm going to work on my latte art. Show details