Summary
Pros
- 15 bar pump
- Two cups at the same time
- Compact size
- 1.5 litre water tank
- Pod option available
Cons
- Price
- Not self-cleaning
- Less features than other options
Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Machine Overview
The Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Machine is a medium sized coffee machine with a retro-classic look. Smeg is known for their retro style appliances, but when it comes to this machine, it’s look isn’t the only feature it’s known for.From a features viewpoint, this machine is stacked. It has lots of gadgets and things to improve your coffee experience. It may not be the best machine for a beginner, and it isn’t foolproof, but when you get the hold of it, you can make delicious, authentic, Italian coffee.As far as the build goes, the Smeg ECF01 has a Stainless steel wrap and plastic painted housing. It has a stainless steel cup holder, chrome zamak steam lever and chrome plated base.It includes a 1 cup button and 2 cup button and a steam option. The Smeg ECF01 has an adjustable cappuccino system, flow stop function to customize your coffee length, adjustable coffee temperature and water hardness, descaling light indicator, an On/Off button with automatic stand-by, and it can be used as a hot water dispenser.We’ll go into the details of this coffee machine so you can decide if it’s right for you.Main Features of the Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Machine
The Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee machine has multiple features for user convenience and coffee quality. We’ll highlight some of the main features that make the machine so great. This coffee machine has a user-friendly control panel that makes it easy to operate. This panel has 3 buttons to set your preferences, choose between single or double espresso, and/or activate the steam wand. This machine also has a de-calc system alarm, which will notify you when the machine needs to be descaled (decalcified). The Smeg ECF01 has a stainless steel filter holder with three filters; single, double, and paper pods.
The Smeg ECF01 has a sophisticated thermoblock heating system that makes for faster heat-up times and precise water temperature controls. Precise water temperatures create a better tasting espresso and is used in steaming and pouring hot water for teas, americanos, and more. It also uses a 15-bar pressure pump to produce delicious espresso. The Smeg ECF01 has a steam wand to help it froth milk to make creamy lattes or cappuccinos. It mixes steam, air, and milk to create dense, creamy foam.
Want to take your latte to go? The Smeg EFC01 has a removable cup tray so you can brew espresso in many different types of mugs. It has a 1 liter, removable water tank and additional water filters (the water filters are optional).
This machine also has a setting for users to choose how long the machine stays on for; you can set if for ten minutes, thirty minutes, or three hours – convenient if you tend to forget to turn off your appliances!
The Smeg EFC01 has quite a few features, but in order to really understand how best to use it, you’ll need to give the user manual a read. It’ll take some practice to get your coffee right, but once you master it, it’ll be worth it. This coffee machine makes delicious traditional Italian espresso, cappuccino and lattes.
With this machine, there’s a lot more than meets the eye. It has minimal buttons on the front, but it has been fine tuned for subtle capability. An example of this is that you can make the machine remember to pour to a certain level by holding down either of the buttons until you’ve filled your cup to the amount you’d like. Also, if you double tap the button, it will make a long coffee.
As far as the taste of coffee that this machine makes, it will take some time to get it right, but once you do, you’ll get beautiful velvety coffee and creamy foamed milk.
The Smeg ECF01 has subtle features that are even built into the drip tray. If the drip tray gets too full, a red plastic notch will pop up to warn you. This notch lets you know it’s time to clean the machine. Cleaning the drip tray is easy as you can remove it and do what you need to do.
This coffee machine has a convenient drink warmer on the top, which is great for keeping your coffee hot while you make more drinks.
The Smeg ECF01 heats up from cold in under a minute, and it will let you know when it’s ready. The machine is ready to go once the two coffee button lights are lit up and are no longer flashing.
Look and Feel of the Smeg ECF01
The Smeg EFC01 has a sleek, retro design that makes it stand out from the rest. Smeg relies on their classic 50s style FAB fridges to create the design aesthetic for its small kitchen appliances. Available in many different pastel colours as well as cream, red, and black, each machine displays Smeg branding in raised chrome lettering. This machine is a fashion statement, perfect for brightening up your kitchen.
The Smeg EFC01 is tall and skinny; it measures 33 cm high. With stainless steel wrap, plastic painted housing, a stainless steel cup holder, a chrome zamak steam lever and chrome plated base, there’s no denying it’s beauty.
Advantages of the Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Machine
There are good and bad aspects of every appliance. We’ll go through the advantages and disadvantages of the Smeg ECF01 to help you decide if it’s right for you. Starting with the advantages, just from a style perspective, this machine is stunning and no one can deny its elegance. Coming in various retro colours, you can choose your preferred look to match your kitchen. It’s an uncomplicated machine with an easy setup and basic settings. It uses a 15 bar pump, so it has water pump pressure that’s comparable to professional level machines. Paired with the 15 bar pump is 1350 watts of power. With it’s thermoblock system, it’s ready at your beck-and-call – it heats up in only forty seconds, going from cold to optimal temperature. It’s manual steam wand creates creamy, rich milk foam for lattes, cappuccinos, and more. The Smeg ECF01 also has the ability to make two cups simultaneously – ideal for entertaining, but also for Mondays. This coffee machine gives you options. It can brew with ground coffee, or if you’d like, disposable coffee pods. It’s 1.5 litre water tank ensures you won’t be going back and forth to the sink to refill the machine’s water supply. It also comes with a two year guarantee so the company has your back if the machine should falter.
What are the disadvantages of the Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Machine?
No coffee machine is perfect; everything has its limits. We’ll go over the disadvantages of the Smeg ECF01 to make sure that no stone goes unturned. First of all, it is at a high price point. There are equivalent machines that cost less. The Smeg ECF01 costs around $600, which is a lot to pay for an espresso machine, especially if you’re on a budget. Compared to coffee makers with the same price, this machine is a bit limited when it comes to functionality and features. It will force you to focus on the basics. If you’re a coffee aficionado, you might want a machine that allows you to play with it and fine tune the features. Another issue others have found with this machine is that the personalized settings can be a bit finicky and hard to master. Overall, the Smeg ECF01 is a great machine but it’s not without its flaws.
FAQ’s
Question: How many grams of coffee does each puck hold?
Answer: The single basket holds approx. 7 grams of coffee and the double basket holds approx. 14 grams. This depends on the fineness of the grind and how the coffee is tamped.
Question: What do I need to know before steaming milk with the ECF01?
Answer: When frothing milk here are a few tips:
• Make sure that you have pressed the steam button and wait for the light to stop flashing before bringing down the lever.
• If you don’t press the steam button and bring down the lever, the unit will just dispense hot water.
• After finishing steaming, if you want to make more coffees, you will need to cool down the boiler.
Question: Can I go straight from steaming milk to making more espresso?
Answer: If you want to make more coffees after steaming milk, you have to cool down the boiler. To do this take an empty jug and place it under the steam wand, bring the lever down and wait for the machine to expel excess steam. Once it stops, bring the lever back up and you can make more coffees.
Question: What do I use to descale my Smeg ECF01?
Answer: Any descaler meant for coffee machines can be used with this coffee machine.
Question: How do I reprogram the water amount?
Answer: To reprogram the water amount, place a cup under the group and press and hold the 2 cup button down. When you have the correct amount of water in the cup, release the button. The water amount is now saved.
Conclusion
The Smeg ECF01 is a beautiful coffee machine with a classic retro style unlike any other. Plated with stainless steel and chrome and available in a wide array of vintage colours, it dominates the other coffee machines in the style category. This is a great machine for a small kitchen. It’ll fit in any space and add a classic touch.This coffee machine has multiple features for your convenience and it makes great-tasting coffee. With its 15-bar pressure, Thermoblock heating technology, and 1-litre water reservoir, the engineers at Smeg have packed huge capability into this small machine.The Smeg ECF01 is not the best for beginners. In fact, it will take time, practice, and multiple consultations of the user manual to master the machine. Once you do master the machine, however, it will bring you great coffee.In conclusion, this machine is great for those with patience to make a great coffee and for people who have an eye for design.
Last update on 2024-01-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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