SMEG portafilter espresso machine 50's style (ESE & coffee powder)
With 1350 watts and 15 bar pressure, this 15 cm narrow coffee machine has more than enough power to make an excellent espresso. We were particularly impressed by it because the portafilter and the entire thermoblock heating system are made of stainless steel, not die-cast aluminum like most portafilters in this size and price range. Stainless steel is superior to aluminum in terms of consistent heating performance, durability, and food safety.
Much of the housing is also made of high-gloss painted stainless steel, making it rust-resistant.
The coffee maker has a removable water tank with a capacity of 1 liter. It comes with three strainer inserts: ESE pods, espresso and double espresso and a damper/spoon.
The coffee temperatures and water hardness level can be set in 3 different levels. The water quantities are freely selectable.
But we remind you that it is not the amount of water that is relevant, but the extraction time. The perfect coffee should be brewed between 23 and 26 seconds. You adjust the length of the coffee mainly with the grind (coarse = long coffee, fine = short coffee). A bowl is then filled with hot water, which is done perfectly with the hot water nozzle of this SMEG coffee machine.
The limescale warning and the automatic shut-off are other cool features of this expresso machine.