The stylish Smeg coffee machine I’ve had my eye on for six months is almost £100 less for a limited time only
If you’re into kitchen gadgets, you’ll know Smeg is a brand at the higher end of the market. Mostly known for its retro-inspired kettles and toasters, the luxe brand’s kitchen aids are considerably more expensive, but they’re oh-so-worth it.
I myself have a chrome kettle and (four-slice) toaster set that cost me a cool £380. Yes, I know that’s overpriced for a kettle and toaster duo, but I use both pretty much every day, so I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth.
Another item on my Smeg wishlist is the Espresso Coffee Machine, which surprisingly is currently on sale at Debenhams. Normally £399.95, it’s on sale from £309.95 (a saving of £90).
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You rarely see sales on Smeg items, but when you do, they sell fast. The trendy device is offered in black and white colourways, although stock is limited in the white option—the latter has a more expensive sale price of £356.95.
You can prepare authentic espresso, cappuccino and lattes from the comfort of your own home. It’s designed with a Thermoblock heating system, which allows for faster switch-on times and precise water temperature control for brewing, steam and hot water.
The machine also has a milk wand/ frother for cappuccinos – mixing steam, air, and milk creates dense, creamy foam. Debenhams does not have any customer reviews, but you’ll find plenty on AO, where it’s sold for its RRP (AO members get £20 off).
One pleased customer left a detailed five-star review reading: “AO delivered the item two days before it said it was actually due to be delivered, and it was delivered one day after purchase, so you cannot knock them for that. One issue I had was the day after purchase, they reduced the item, but I completed the price match promise, and they honoured the new price.
“The item itself was exactly what I expected. You need to read the instructions to set up the coffee maker according to your preferred choice.
“There is a white light setting, which is the less intense setting compared to the amber/orange light, which is a more intense, stronger setting. And on top of that, there is a single shot and a double shot of coffee.”
They continued: “As part of the settings you can choose soft, medium or hard water, however, the maker is set to hard water as standard. Also, you can select a timer to turn off the maker after use with three-time settings.
“The tray at the front can be removed to fit a mug cup rather than one or two espresso cups. Once you switch on the maker three lights/three settings on the very top and front of the maker go through a sequence of flashing lights until the water and machine has reached its optimum temperature, and then you can select which shot of coffee you want.
“I find that making an actual cup of coffee in a mug takes six shots (three double shots basically), and you have to replace the grounded coffee after the second double shot as by the fifth and sixth shot (or third double shot), the coffee itself is too weak. The maker is made of a mixture of plastic and metal components with the main body made of plastic.
“You have to lift up the top rear section of the maker to reveal the water storage compartment, which is removable and has a carry handle. I would say the water storage compartment holds enough water to make three to four mugs of coffee. It is well worth the money.”
A second pleased customer simply said: “Very nice espresso machine, well put together and easy to use. Makes excellent espresso.”
Not all were pleased, with one buyer having issues with Smeg’s customer service, saying: “Really flimsy product. Thin plastic. Also the water tank leaks so we can’t use.
“Smeg are impossible to get hold of and the link to submit customer support questions doesn’t work. Haven’t heard back from an email requesting a replacement water tank to be sent out.”
For a cheaper alternative look to Argos, where you can buy a De’Longhi Espresso Coffee Machine for £125. With the flexible milk frother, you can manually mix steam and milk to create the perfect density of froth for your favourite milk beverages.
On Amazon, you can snap up a Tassimo by Bosch Suny ‘Special Edition’ Coffee Machine for £34.99, usually £39.99. You can use it to make more than 70 different kinds of drinks, and it’s compatible with a variety of different pods across various brands.
Or, you can buy Smeg’s Espresso Coffee Machine at Debenhams.
