CASABREWS - CM5418 (CM5418BC-UL)

https://a.co/d/02nxVEVx I got this espresso machine on Amazon prime days two years ago and it is fantastic. I use cafe bustelo espresso grounds with it and some of the best coffee. This is after being used to my parents’ Breville for years, comparatively pretty good for the money. I did some research on it and it has great reviews plus a few YouTubers I watched liked it.

wow OP is like a coffee machine aficionado huh? that list is so good but i would also like to add the casabrew to it too, [this one in particular](https://dk5cnflyn7mcb.cloudfront.net/?q=GMKAO3529). your list of considerations for a machine is very nice and i know you made this post for new baristas probably or at home coffee brewers but i want to emphasize the importance of the performance of the machine too. the main idea is the full extraction of flavour from the coffee you’ve put in, and most coffee machines just dont do that the way you'd expect you know? and i feel like we ignore that bit bcs its easier to blame a packaged brand of coffee than the machine bcs we just assume the problem is in the potency or strength of the coffee itself. and obv i do believe the coffee bean makes all the difference in the world and the whole process of sourcing and smelling and then roasting and drying and grinding and all of that is the real experience to me at least. i feel like theres a few non negotiables when it comes to coffee and the bean choice is srsly #1 followed very very very closely by the kind of machine youre using and then what sort of coffee youre making. the choice of milk is obv anther factor but i feel like thats a topic for another post lol.

Casabrews is best out of your group you provided, but now you need a good grinder. DF54 is a good starting point, or a hand grinder like a Kingrinder K6 or 1zpresso J-Ultra.

i’m on the 5418 too, one thing i’d add is grabbing a decent tamper and a simple WDT tool. the stock stuff works, but these two make the puck spreads more evenly without spending much.

I have a Bambino plus and a casabrews cm5418, they make comparable espresso, but the BBP is a bit nicer to use, has a few extra features, has better steam wand and better build quality, but if money is an issue, the CB will still make a decent espresso

Listen, I’m relatively new but I have the casabrews CM5418. I’m also a working college student so I couldn’t really justify anything super high priced. It’s about $130 on Amazon but I got it on sale for $100. I like it a lot, and I think it’s great for beginners! Definitely making good espresso, better than any cafe I’ve gone to! (I also use fresh coffee beans, another big thing!) You do have to get a grinder, but I went ahead and got one of the cheaper ones I found on [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/AMZCHEF-Grinding-Detachable-Anti-static-Settings/dp/B0DPYZSN47). I think it works great for me! Let me know if you have any questions, prime day is coming up so you COULD wait for that :)

It's important to know that you need a good grinder as well as an espresso machine. I have the most basic entry level combo there is and I use it successfully. Casabrews Tornado grinder and Casabrews CM 5418 espresso machine. That'll put you around $250. This allows you some breathing room to get him upgrades like a 51mm bottomless portafilter, 51mm wdt tool, 51mm tamper, 51mm puck screen, and a knock box. You can definitely have better gear but it's the only machines I've owned and I haven't had a reason to upgrade yet.

This is probably a downvotable comment in a sub full of experts but I dipped my toes in the espresso world with a Casabrew CM5418 ($140 USD). I read enough reviews that it does a good job for a beginner and honestly I couldn’t be happier with it. I’ve had plenty of espressos from shops and I can’t tell the difference. Mine come out great every time. It takes a bit to figure out the grind (need a burr grinder) but otherwise it’s easy to use. If I continue to like and use it I’m going to upgrade in a year to a much more expensive machine.

I wasn't ready to go all in on a $500 machine just yet. I have a decent burr grinder though so I decided to dip my toes in the water and bought a Casabrew for $140. I'm impressed at the shots it can pull. I added a bottomless portafilter, had to play around with the grind but they actually come out tasting very good. I know, out of your price range, but if you can save up a bit more, it might be worth it. Hold for Amazon days too, there will be huge deals next week.

temp stability + parts that don’t fall apart are the big ones. as a beginner you just want something that works the same every day.i got the casabrews 5418 for that reason,super straightforward to use when you’re new.

Casabrew is solid with a good grinder like the J ultra.

I consider myself a nerd but I can honestly say that I can pull great shots with a Casabrews CM 5418 and a J- ultra so I would not rule it out.