Cappuccino, latte, espresso, mochaccino anyone? Sign me up!
I was recently contacted by Casabrews offering to send a sample for a review of their product. As I am always interested in whatever is the latest innovation in kitchen items, I agreed.
Casabrews is a newish American company to the espresso machine game, established in 2020, but the features they offer are similar to what is available in many of the classic well known home barista brands.
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In full disclosure, I am NOT a coffee addict in the way that most people who have to mainline coffee first thing in order to wake up are. I rely on a robust Irish breakfast tea (with milk, as the good Lord intended) to start my day.
BUT, I do enjoy coffee as flavor quite a lot. I love coffee milkshakes and coffee desserts and pretty much anything mocha is a win. And I enjoy specialty coffee drinks as a treat after dinner or with dessert. And, unsurprisingly, I have opinions.
I have never seen the charm of bitter chicory-laced coffee. My favorite coffee is both rich and smooth. No to anemic brown coffee flavored water, and no to strong but bitter brews.
The opportunity to make my own specialty coffee treats at home is delightful. My daughter the diva starts every day with an espresso in her little European apartment. I wish she was here to enjoy this! She swears by Cafe Bustello and an aeropress, but she would be delighted with this option.
The Casabrews Ultra Espresso machine arrived on my doorstep last week.
It came with 4 filters - single and double shot for pressurized and non-pressurized. It also came with a measuring scoop, a heavy weight tamper to pack down the coffee, and a pin tool to clean any potential clogs. It had a setup manual that I followed closely to flush the system in preparation for my first cup.
This machine has a few thoughtful features; The portafilter has a nice little bumper you can rest on the edge of the counter so you can tamp the coffee without scratching up the counter. The water reservoir holds a lot so you don’t have to refill it constantly. And the machine is easily programmable for temperature and volume using the LCD display allowing you to get the exact personalized coffee experience you want.
I am not a barista and am a total novice when it comes to these machines, so I left it on all the defaults for now.
You can choose single cup or shot or two cups or a double shot on this machine. The water heats really quickly and by the time you’ve prepared the coffee, it is ready to brew. It has a 20 bar Italian pump with a 1350W motor, which I’m sure means something to someone who knows about these things.
Since I am an evening coffee drinker, I used the Pellini decaf ground espresso we had on hand (I credit the diva with this acquisition).
My first cup was a single shot espresso and it was smooth and delicious.
Next, I wanted to try for cappuccino, which is my favorite coffeeshop indulgence.
The steam wand was trickier since I had no idea what I was doing and didn’t see the second, idiot proof, how-to manual that came with the machine until the next day. I ended up with more of a latte because while I successfully heated the milk with the steam wand, it didn’t really froth. The latte was still yummy, so I’ll call it a triumph in spite of myself.
Having discovered the actual how-to manual, I set about to try again for a cappuccino the next day. I admit, I hate reading directions and didn’t read these terribly thoroughly. My mistake.
I got the part about letting the water heat and the steam start before frothing, but I missed the part about turning it off and inserting it into the milk pitcher before turning it on again…thus I had a spattering of milk droplets in a 12” radius….lesson learned. I still managed an impressive volume of frothy milk and successfully made a delicious cappuccino, but I had a bit of cleanup to attend to!
I still need to work on the cappuccino art thing, though…Jackson Pollack on the surrounding countertop and walls doesn’t quite count…
Aside from the spattered milk mishap, cleanup is easy.
I also think using the steam wand to make a frothy cocoa might be fun - you can find my homemade cocoa mix recipe HERE.
Adding a tablespoon or two of cocoa mix to the cup as the hot espresso drips in and topping it with the steamed and frothed milk would make a perfect mochaccino…definitely on deck for this evening!
As a non-barista, I’m having a lot of fun with this machine and can see it being a worthy addition to the countertop appliances I allow in my kitchen. I think a more serious specialty coffee drinker would enjoy some of the more flexible programming aspects of it too.
With coffee bars being a popular addition in kitchen remodels, I think the Casabrews Ultra would be a versatile and well priced option to include.
But they also make more compact versions with the same great technology, just smaller and not programmable. The CM5418 model, for example, is a smaller profile version that comes in a variety of fun colors and has a slightly more retro vibe. From a design standpoint, I love the look of this one and it is perfect for kitchen that are limited in space but big on style!
Having a coffeeshop drink at home is a lovely little indulgence - livable luxury in action!
