Fellow Espresso Machine Review: A First Look

I’m not sure I can express quite how excited I am to be writing this initial Fellow espresso machine review. I mean, regular Coffeeness readers know how much I love this manufacturer’s products, but until now Fellow has shied away from the espresso machine game.

In my opinion, it was only a matter of time until the Oakland-based manufacturer released its own home espresso machine. And with this week’s pre-release of the Espresso Series 1, Fellow has finally unveiled what looks to be its masterpiece.

Seeing as the Fellow Espresso Series 1 isn’t shipping just yet, I haven’t been able to test it out. However, I’ll make sure to get hold of one as soon as possible. In the meantime, I decided to conduct a “first look” Fellow espresso machine review.

Brand new machine

Fellow Espresso Series 1

There’s a lot to get excited about!

Overview: Fellow Espresso Machine Review

Fellow’s aim when dreaming up the Espresso Series 1 was to design the best home espresso machine possible – one that could deliver a high-end user experience without the premium price tag.

Now, that sounds great in theory, but boutique espresso machines offering the kind of features included with the Fellow espresso machine usually cost three times as much. Still, if any company could deliver the goods, it’d be Fellow. After all, this manufacturer is known for its iconic, affordable and performance-based coffee gear.

So, is the Fellow Espresso Series 1 all that? Well, if early reports are to be believed, then the answer is a resounding yes. Then again, I can’t comment on its performance until I’ve tested it out. However, from what I’ve seen so far, there’s a lot to get excited about here. What’s more, I’d say that brands like Breville and DeLonghi might be feeling a little worried right now.

For starters, check out how gorgeous the Fellow espresso machine is. I know looks aren’t everything, but this baby really dials up the style factor. What’s more, Fellow has designed its own heating system for this machine, and has included premium features like pressure profiling and precision temperature control.

I’ll talk more about these and other features later in this Fellow espresso machine review. But first, let’s look at how much you’ll need to spend to own one of these beauties.

Fellow Espresso Series 1 Price & Release Date

As I mentioned earlier, the Espresso Series 1 has just become available for pre-release ordering on the Fellow website. Right now, you can reserve the machine in Black for $1,199.95, with the Cherry Red and Malted Chocolate versions costing a hundred bucks more. Apparently, that’s $300 less than the projected retail price.

While this espresso machine ain’t cheap, it offers incredibly good value for the money. Especially given its high-end components. Just for reference, the Breville Barista Touch Impress will set you back $1,482.00.

Incidentally, the Fellow espresso machine will come onto the market later this year. However, I haven’t been able to find an official release date as of yet.

Fellow Espresso Machine Features

Let’s continue this first look Fellow espresso machine review by checking out the many features to get excited about.

Size and Design

Without a doubt, the Fellow design team went all out on the Espresso Series 1. And while we’re confronted by a very classic espresso machine aesthetic, the Espresso Series 1 is drenched in Fellow’s classy modern touches.

Sure, the machine is available in colors other than black, which is rather unusual for the manufacturer. However, the Espresso Series 1 maintains Fellow’s iconic minimalist design language. The Fellow espresso machine looks good from every angle, thanks to a single piece of molded plastic wrapping the chassis. Plus, there’s a lovely exposed group head and a generous drip tray.

While the machine is wider than most, it’s still quite compact, rising to just 11 inches (30 centimeters) in height. Still, Fellow has made room for a 67.6-ounce (2-liter) water tank. What’s more, there’s a good-sized display and rotary dial located on the front of the machine.

All in all, the Fellow espresso machine is incredibly stylish, and it’s going to look great sitting on your kitchen counter.

User Interface & App

As you’d expect, the machine’s user interface is very well conceived. There are three piano-style keys up top for quick operation, as well as a circular screen and a chunky dial. As it happens, this is very similar to the controls on the Fellow Aiden. And having recently tested that machine, I can tell you that navigating the menus and settings will be a piece of cake.

There are a stunning amount of adjustable parameters here, including pressure, water temperature, flow rate and pre-infusion. Heck, there’s also a guide mode to help you achieve the perfect espresso.

Of course, you can go really deep, designing your own pressure profiles and tweaking every aspect of your extraction. And the Fellow app is probably the easiest way to take care of this. Plus, you can save and even share your espresso profiles using the app.

Finally, the display shows your espresso shot’s progress, showing the time, brewing stage and even the pressure at the group head. Seriously, how cool is that!

Group Head

The Fellow Espresso Series 1 features a commercial-style exposed group head that’s shiny and beautiful. At first glance, this group head appears to be Fellow’s take on the iconic E61. It’s stainless steel on the outside, with a brass core inside, as well as a dispersion block for improved flow and consistent extractions. Heck, there’s even a dedicated heating element in there for maintaining thermal stability. What can I say? Fellow has thought of everything!

Portafilter

I can’t tell you how happy I am to see that the Fellow espresso machine comes with a bottomless portafilter. Seriously, this is something you usually only see with the best prosumer espresso machines.

Sure, you can always buy a bottomless portafilter if your machine comes with the spouted version. However, this is one more example of Fellow deciding to cover all the bases with its first espresso machine. After all, every barista worth their salt knows that a bottomless portafilter helps maintain thermal stability seeing as there’s less surface area involved.

The included 58mm portafilter even has a classy wooden handle, which only adds to the beauty of this machine. Oh, and you’ll get both single wall and pressurized filter baskets too. 

Boosted Boiler

Fellow’s proprietary Boosted Boiler is the heart and soul of the Espresso Series 1. And given the machine’s reasonable asking price, this patented three-point heating system must be way more cost-effective than installing dual boilers.

To be honest, the Boosted Boiler shows just how much care and attention went into the design of the Espresso Series 1. It’s a remarkable achievement and it’s also a completely new way of approaching espresso machine design.

Here’s the skinny: The first step is a flow-through heater, which rapidly preheats water before it enters the boiler. Apparently, this creates complete thermal stability, as well as a super-quick heat up time of under two minutes. Finally, there’s the aforementioned group head heater, which further aids in maintaining a consistent temperature throughout the machine.

I have to say this is very exciting, and I really hope it works as well as advertised. After all, I’ve been consistently disappointed by Breville’s ThermoJet system, which is quick to work, but doesn’t address the problem of a cold brew group.

PID Temperature Control

As you might expect, the Fellow espresso machine is equipped with a digital PID controller. Not only does this keep the temperature stable, it allows you to accurately adjust your brewing temperature in one degree increments.

Steam Wand

The manual steam wand is ball-joint mounted on top of the machine. Its shape and position reminds me of commercial machines like the La Marzocco Strada, so I wonder if Fellow did this as a kind of homage to the classics.

Either way, I can’t yet tell you whether or not the steaming power is up to snuff. Then again, I’m willing to bet this thing packs a punch.

What’s super cool is the Assisted Steaming function, which is supposed to help you achieve microfoam perfection. There’s a temperature sensor on the steam wand tip, and the machine gives you feedback on what to do. Finally, there’s an auto-purge function, which is a nice touch.

Essentially, this milk system seems like a mix of completely manual frothing and the auto-frothing wands you’ll find on machines like the Breville Oracle Jet. I can’t wait to give it a go!

Fellow Accessories

I’ve already mentioned some of the included accessories in this Fellow espresso machine review. Still, it’s worth pointing out that the manufacturer has really gone to town when it comes to setting you up.

The Espresso Series 1 comes with a bunch of premium gear – no plastic tamper or missing milk jug here! Of course, you will need to get hold of the best burr coffee grinder you can afford. Then again, the manufacturer is counting on you buying the very affordable Fellow Opus!

Here’s what’s included with the Fellow Espresso Series 1:

Fellow Espresso Machine Specifications

Verdict: Fellow Espresso Machine Review

Brand new machine

Fellow Espresso Series 1

There’s a lot to get excited about!

That’s it for my initial Fellow espresso machine review. From what I’ve seen so far, this beauty could really change the home espresso landscape. I mean, Fellow obviously decided to rock the boat a little by releasing such a sophisticated machine at this price point. And it’ll definitely be interesting to see how the big brands respond.

Of course, I won’t be able to recommend the Fellow Espresso Series 1 until I’ve tested the thing. Still, I have high hopes, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it!

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