SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine Review: Can It Compete?

Regular Coffeeness readers will know that I’ve had mixed results when testing SMEG coffee gear. Still, I just couldn’t resist embarking on a SMEG Semi Automatic Espresso Machine review. After all, I know how popular this brand is among coffee lovers, and I hoped that the Italian manufacturer had stepped up its game this time around.

With that in mind, I purchased this new SMEG espresso coffee machine with a built-in grinder to test out for you. I’ll give you an in-depth assessment of its features and performance. I’ll also let you know how it measures up to a similar machine from a certain Australian manufacturer. I bet you can already guess who I’m talking about!

So, without further ado, let’s get down to business!

Overview: SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine Review

The SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine has only recently come onto the North American market, but it’s already proving to be a popular machine.

With that said, you’ll have to shell out a hefty $899.95 for the privilege of owning the thing. That’s quite the investment, especially seeing as there are similar machines in my best home espresso machine guide that are a lot easier on the wallet.

What’s more, I’ve already tested another SMEG espresso machine, and was left feeling underwhelmed to say the least. However, I was determined to approach this SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine review with an open mind. After all, the Italians are obviously trying to make inroads into the crowded hybrid espresso machine segment, so I fully expected them to have upped the ante.

As it turns out, I was immediately impressed by this beautiful (and weighty) machine upon pulling it out of the box.

For starters, this SMEG machine is as stylish as you’d expect. The brand’s iconic retro stylings and glossy metal housing are as gorgeous as always, reminding me that there’s a reason folks lust after SMEG appliances. I was also very happy to find a 58mm portafilter, milk steaming pitcher and one of the best espresso tampers I’ve seen included with any espresso machine.

So far, so good. But is this stunner capable of producing the perfect espresso and silky microfoam? All will be revealed a little later.

SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine Features

Let’s continue this SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine review by taking a closer look at its standout features. I’ll include my opinions on what I did and didn’t like as we go, and a little later I’ll give you the skinny on my experiences making espresso with the machine.

Size and Design

As I mentioned above, the SMEG Semi Automatic Espresso Machine is a truly beautiful piece of kit. Whether or not you’re a fan of the manufacturer’s retro aesthetic, there’s no denying this baby would steal the show in any kitchen.

Featuring glossy metal housing and a mirrored backsplash, this SMEG espresso machine is premium through and through. The design team has also gone to town on little touches like non-slip feet and a dedicated space for the tamper.

Clocking in at around 30 pounds (13 kilograms), the SMEG feels very substantial, and although it isn’t exactly compact, it’s no behemoth either. Up top there’s a roomy cup warmer, which is perfect for heating up your espresso cups. And the machine’s removable drip tray includes a sturdy metal grille.

Finally, I should make special mention of the removable water tank, which has a generous 81.5-ounce (2.4-liter) capacity. Sure, you won’t want to leave water sitting in there for days, but you won’t be refilling the thing every five minutes.

Colors

As you can see from my photos, I bought the SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine in Red. That’s because I insisted on having an espresso machine that’d match my fleet of Ferrari Testarossa sports cars.

However, SMEG offers its Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine in a variety of colors, so you should be able to find one that’ll match your chosen supercar: 

At the time of writing, the machine costs the same whichever color you choose. Still, be aware that prices can fluctuate depending on availability and popularity. 

User Interface

Upon first inspection, the SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine’s control panel is suspiciously bare-bones. There are four buttons – two for dosing and two for espresso extraction. These correspond to a single or double shot of espresso.

Sure, the SMEG coffee machine uses time-based dosing and volumetric espresso extraction, but there’s no dial for adjusting the amount of coffee dispensed into the portafilter. However, a quick look at the user manual reveals instructions for adjusting your dose.

So, for a double shot, you simply hold down the button until you’re happy with the amount of ground coffee in the filter basket. Once that’s done, the machine will remember the dose for next time.

Of course, this isn’t at all accurate, so there’ll be some amount of trial and error involved. And you’ll most definitely need to use the best coffee scale possible as you’re dialing in. What’s more, you’ll have to repeat the process if you adjust the grinder or use different coffee beans.

Aside from the aforementioned buttons, there’s a prominent manometer in the middle of the user interface. I’m always happy to see a pressure gauge on an espresso machine, seeing as it provides valuable feedback on your extraction. Sure, the SMEG manometer doesn’t provide much detail, but it does let you know when you’re in the “espresso zone.”

Ultimately, if the needle hovers in this area, and you end up with a 2-ounce (59-milliliter) double espresso in around 25-30 seconds, you’ll know that you’ve achieved the right combination of dose and grind size.

Conical Burr Grinder

I was pleasantly surprised during my SMEG Coffee Grinder review, seeing as the manufacturer’s standalone model performed way better than I’d expected. Sure, it’s not the best burr coffee grinder in the world, but SMEG knows what it’s doing.

So, I was fairly confident that the built-in grinder on the SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine would deliver the goods. And I was right! In terms of grind consistency, the grinder performed admirably, and although there are only 15 grind settings to choose from, the grinder has been carefully calibrated for espresso.

Adjusting the grind is a piece of cake – you simply twist the bean hopper. PLus, there are clearly marked settings to help you dial in. With that said, do remember to only adjust the grinder when it’s running. Otherwise, you could damage the mechanism.

Finally, I can report that the SMEG grinder isn’t too noisy, especially when compared to similar espresso machines with grinders. Most importantly, the quality of the sound produced wasn’t grating, which is always a huge relief.

Bean Hopper

I’ve yet to meet an espresso maker with a bean hopper that isn’t made of plastic. So I guess I can’t complain. Besides, the 8.8-ounce (250-gram) capacity SMEG bean hopper feels very premium and clicks satisfyingly onto the machine. It’s also slightly tinted to protect your best espresso beans from the negative effects of UV radiation.

Still, I wouldn’t recommend leaving coffee beans in there for extended periods. Rather, consider investing in the best coffee storage container you can find.

Dosing

The dosing cradle is located on the left side of the machine, directly below the bean hopper and grinder. Although the portafilter fits snugly and securely into the cradle, there’s no push button to start grinding. Rather, you have to press one of the dosing buttons I mentioned earlier.

I will congratulate SMEG on how efficient the dosing system is. Seriously, I experienced absolutely no static retention during my testing, and the ground coffee arrived in the filter basket as a neat mound. That made it super easy to distribute the bed of ground coffee and I didn’t have to constantly clean up loose coffee grounds from my work surface.

Portafilter

As I mentioned earlier in this SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine review, I was happy to find a professional-style 58mm portafilter in the box. What’s more, there are both single and double filter baskets, both of which are non-pressurized.

While coffee nerds still debate whether a 58mm portafilter is truly superior, I’d point out that there’s a reason this size is standard for the best commercial espresso machines. Thanks to the larger diameter and shallower filter basket, you can better distribute your coffee grounds and achieve a more even espresso shot extraction.

Unlike portafilters from manufacturers like Breville and DeLonghi, the SMEG portafilter doesn’t have a mysterious plastic insert. Seriously, I’ve never understood the purpose of these, and always end up prying them out. So, thanks to the SMEG design team for not jumping on that particular bandwagon!

Tamper and Milk Pitcher

All too often I excitedly open espresso machine boxes only to find pathetic plastic tamper/coffee scoop combination tools. And as I’m sure you know, trying to pull good shots without the best espresso accessories is an uphill struggle.

Fortunately, the good folks at SMEG haven’t skimped in this regard. In fact, the solid metal espresso tamper that comes with this machine is absolutely fabulous. The same can be said for the gloriously shiny milk jug, which has good weight distribution and feels very comfortable to hold. Oh, and both of these coffee accessories feature the SMEG logo in a classy, understated way. Then again, we are talking about Italian design!

Milk Frother

If you enjoy drinking lattes, you’ll need to learn how to steam milk when you buy the SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso machine.

Fortunately, there’s a perfectly serviceable stainless steel steam wand that works well enough. Sure, it’s not the best I’ve used, but it’s mounted on a ball joint, so you can move it around until you find a comfortable position for steaming.

Activated via a lever on the side of the machine, the steam wand offers two intensity settings. There’s also a hot water setting, although I would have preferred a dedicated hot water spout.

I’d recommend only using the highest setting, seeing as this thing ain’t very powerful. To be honest, I was a little disappointed by the lack of steam pressure, but I was (eventually) able to create silky microfoam. Oh, and the steam wand isn’t double-walled, so make sure to wipe it off with a damp cloth immediately after use. Otherwise you’ll end up with milk residue that’ll be really hard to remove.

Dual Thermoblock Heating System

It’s pretty impressive to find an espresso machine at this price point with dual thermoblocks. This means the thing will heat up very quickly and there’ll be no down time between making espresso and steaming milk. With that said, you won’t be able to do both at the same time. The SMEG is also equipped with adjustable PID control, which not only keeps temperatures stable but allows you to change your preferred brewing temperature. There are four settings to choose from, although I found the factory set temperature to be ideal. Then again, if you’re using single origin coffee, you may want to increase the brewing temperature. Either way, it’s good to have options!

Eco Mode

I’m well aware that you guys are interested in coffee makers that are as eco-friendly as possible. And for good reason. So, I’m happy to report that the SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine automatically reverts to Eco Mode after sitting idle for 10 minutes. Oh, and you can change this time to either 30, 40 or 60 minutes.

The SMEG Espresso Coffee Machine In Use

I have to say that setting up the SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine couldn’t have been easier. However, I’d recommend thoroughly rinsing the water tank and portafilter before making coffee. Once that’s done, press the power button and lights will start flashing as the machine comes up to temperature.

Thanks to the efficient thermoblock heating, you won’t have to wait more than a minute before pulling your first shot.

As I already mentioned, you’re able to adjust temperature, shot volumes, pre-infusion time and the dose of ground coffee that ends up in your portafilter. To be honest, it’s that last setting that’ll give you the biggest headache. The factory set dose for a double shot is around 12 grams, which simply isn’t enough for a 58mm portafilter. So, during my testing I ended up spending a lot of time setting the dose to around 18-20 grams.

This ended up being quite difficult seeing as there’s no way to weigh the coffee as it’s being ground. Still, I eventually set the machine to grind the correct amount, making a few changes to the grind size as I went.

Fortunately, all the hard work paid off – the SMEG delivers really good espresso with a beautiful layer of crema. I was more than satisfied with how the machine brought out the chocolate and hazelnut notes in my Coffeeness Espresso Blend. Plus, the espresso was full-bodied, syrupy and well-balanced.

In my opinion, espresso nerds will love having the option to play around with different settings, especially when it comes to tweaking pre-infusion time and temperature. Ultimately, I was left feeling like SMEG has really upped the ante with this new machine.

SMEG Espresso Machine Cleaning

I hate to break it to you, but cleaning and maintaining a semi-automatic espresso machine on the regular is vital. That is, if you want it to last and keep producing good coffee. Listen, I won’t take up too much of your time by giving you the ins and outs of how to clean the SMEG Semi-Automatic. However, I can give you a brief rundown of what to expect.

After each day’s use, make sure to clean the portafilter, filter baskets and drip tray. That’ll just involve a quick rinse and scrub under running water.

Once a week, give the water tank a thorough clean and remove the dispersion screens for scrubbing. It’s also a good idea to wipe out the bean hopper to remove any coffee oils. Heck, while you’re at it, why not remove the upper burr from the grinder and give it a good brushing!

No matter how hard, soft or well- filtered your water may be, descaling is a task you’ll need to take care of every so often. No one likes to do this, but it really isn;t hard – it just takes time and effort. The machine will let you know when it’s time to descale, and I’ll leave it to the user manual to walk you through the required steps.

Related: Coffee Maker Cleaning and Descaling

SMEG Semi Automatic Espresso Machine Specifications

SMEG Semi Automatic vs Breville Barista Express

There can be no doubt that the Breville Barista Express is the undisputed king of the mid-range hybrid machines. In fact, I’m pretty sure the Barista Express is one of the biggest-selling espresso machines of all time.

Of course, there are plenty of good reasons for this machine’s popularity, including its ease of use, pretty face and reasonable $690.13 asking price.

As you guys probably know, I’m a fan of the Breville Barista Express, but feel like it could be limiting for aspiring home baristas. And that’s why I think the SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine could steal a few potential Barista Express customers. Thanks to its more professional portafilter and advanced customization options, the SMEG outperforms the Breville in my opinion. Still, it does take a little more work to get the best out of the SMEG espresso machine.

While these two machines essentially do the same thing, the SMEG offers a higher quality experience both in terms of materials and functions. Then again, you will have to spend substantially more money on the machine.

See Also: Breville Barista Express Review

SMEG vs Breville Barista Express Comparison Chart

Verdict: SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine Review

Having already tested the SMEG Fully Automatic Espresso Machine as well as the brand’s smaller espresso machine, drip coffee maker and grinder, I was expecting to be disappointed by this new Semi-Automatic.

However, if you’ve made it this far you’ll know I was very impressed by what the Italian manufacturer has done here.

Sure, this is an expensive espresso machine with a look that won’t appeal to everyone. Still, it’s really well-built and produces very tasty espresso. I’m not a huge fan of the steam wand, and I do wish it were easier to adjust the automatic dosing function. But at the end of the day, I’d be more than happy to have this espresso machine as my daily driver.

SMEG Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine FAQ