9.0/ 10
- Intuitive operation
- Quality of espresso and foam
- Weighted portafilter
- Narrow size fits in small spaces
- Price
- Variety of colors
The $140 Casabrews is slimmer than most blenders.
Casabrews CM5418 at a glance
- Style: Semiautomatic espresso machine with 1-cup, 2-cup and steam wand capabilities
- Dimensions: 5.47 by 12.28 by 11.97 inches (width, depth, height)
- Watts: 1,350
- Weight: 10.4 pounds
- Price: $140
About Casabrews
Casabrews launched in 2020 in response to the pandemic, with the company noting that more people were making coffee at home and wanted the small, daily luxury that quality espresso afforded, without the daily trip out of the house. Founded by a team of young coffee enthusiasts, and with the tagline “my casa, my coffee,” Casabrews was intended to offer the American market espresso machines that are not only affordable but also well designed and high quality.
The CM5418 is a midline model among the machines Casabrews offers, but its primary source of interest to me was its relatively small space requirement. At only about 5.5 inches wide, it works in the smallest of small kitchens — that’s about all the counter space I have left, after the necessary toaster oven. (By comparison, the Breville Oracle Jet I tested took up all my available counter space, even after the toaster oven was ejected to make way.) Also of note: Unlike most other espresso machine manufacturers, Casabrews is only in the espresso machine business.
Casabrews CM5418 operation
This Casabrews model went from unboxing to brewing in minimal time. There aren’t any tricks to getting the machine up and running. The detachable water tank is unfussy to load and unload in order to refill, and the one-shot and two-shot cups are simple to interchange in the portafilter. The buttons are intuitive: Blinking blue lights indicate the machine is readying itself, and when the lights are steady, it’s good to go. The heavy duty portafilter also locks in place snugly and effortlessly.
The machine created a thick and creamy topping.
What I liked about the Casabrews CM5418
There’s a lot to like about the Casabrews CM5418, beginning with its size and price but by no means ending there. Its intuitiveness and its quality output are more than enough to justify its price tag, but a few other features may be of interest if you’re considering buying one.
My favorite feature of this machine — other than the fact that it made great coffee — was the portafilter. This might be otherwise overlooked, but it matters in terms of your willingness to use the machine on a daily basis. The portafilter included here is not only heavyweight but it also has a particular design and balance, allowing it to sit level on the countertop for easy filling and tamping. This is the detail that sold me on a machine that was thoughtfully made by coffee people for potentially non–coffee people (or burgeoning coffee people).
Casabrew pulls creamy espresso shots.
Final verdict on the Casabrews CM5418
Though a small kitchen doesn’t necessarily mean a small budget, for folks who crave the luxury of espresso but think they don’t have the means or the space, the Casabrews CM5418 can really challenge those assumptions. Slimmer than an average toaster, cheaper than a month of Starbucks and capable of allowing nonbaristas to make barista-quality drinks, the Casabrews CM5418 might be the ideal model for folks on the fence.
