This is perhaps one of SMEG’s most exciting coffee machine launches in recent years.
Connoisseurs of the upper echelons of the coffee universe caught a glimpse of the SMEG Espresso Coffee Machine with Grinder (EGF03) earlier this year in late April at the renowned London Coffee Festival. Later, it was promptly released in the US and Western markets in June 2023. Fast forward three months, SMEG Singapore announced its arrival in Singapore.
The SMEG Espresso Coffee Machine with Grinder (ECG03) bears the hallmark vintage and retro bulbous and curvaceous SMEG design. It sits on the higher end of SMEG’s coffee machine offerings, and is positioned to be a home coffee lover’s gateway to the “barrista dream”.
With that said, you can already tell that it’s an elevated home SMEG coffee machine with some upgraded barrista-level functions.
Summary
Price: $1,298
Best for: Coffee lovers with fundamental knowledge of espresso making (especially grind and pressure) and a deep wallet
SMEG Espresso Coffee Machine Price
That explains the price point – priced at a whopping $1,298 in Singapore, the new SMEG Espresso Coffee Machine with Grinder (ECG03) is a few times the price of a regular $150 Nescafe Dolce Gusto, a $300 Nespresso, and a considerably expensive $600 Morning coffee machine. Anyone will balk at the price and start wondering if cheapskate Singaporeans will take to it.
However, the SMEG espresso coffee machine was not designed for the everybody. It’s for the “ifykyk” coffee crowd. Comparing it to espresso machines of its league, this SMEG espresso machine is still cheaper than (or on par with) a trusty Breville coffee machine.
I have been with the new SMEG espresso coffee machine for 3 weeks, and here’s an honest review of my SMEG espresso experience. Here, my machine came in a retro green that’s distinctly SMEG.
![smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-grinder-egf03-1024x982-1 SMEG espresso coffee machine with integrated grinder in green](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-grinder-egf03-1024x982-1.jpg)
SMEG Espresso Coffee Machine with Integrated Grinder Review
1. Grinder (Built-In)
Let’s start from the coffee beans (bean to cup review happening here). One of the function I was most excited for was the SMEG espresso machine’s in-built grinder. Why? For monetary reasons – a good tabletop grinder would set anyone back by $300 to $500 minimally. That’s also one of the reasons why I’m still using a hand coffee grinder.
If you can get a powerful and precise grinder all in one espresso machine, let’s agree it’s a good steal.
Fine grind fit for espresso
The SMEG espresso machine’s integrated grinder served decent burr (meaning: the part of the grinder that crushes the coffee beans) settings. It performs sufficiently well to give you a fine grind fit for espresso.
As with all new espresso machines, I played around with the burr setting and eventually settled into a nice, fine ground palatable to my espresso preferences. I kept it that way for my weekday coffees. The grinder was consistent and reliable throughout.
Of course, on the slower weekends, you always have to option to turn down the burr setting (but do you really want to risk it? get to this later.) to use the built-in grinder to get yourself some coarser ground for filter coffee or infusion French Press coffee.
Inconsistent burr settings
Learn from my mistake. One lovely Saturday morning I decided to switch up the burr settings for filter coffee. Don’t get me wrong. It was a lovely filter coffee and morning. Same for Sunday.
Then the next Monday came, and I switched the burr setting back to my weekday preset. And all hell broke loose! The ground was completely different from last weekday’s.
Unfortunately, the SMEG espresso machine’s integrated grinder is not as consistent as you’d like it to be. The turn knob and burr setting doesn’t quite sync up – either one of them is telling you a lie. Anyhow, I had to redo the entire burr setting experiment and I left it as that forever since.
Which brings me to my verdict about this SMEG integrated grinder – it is a powerful and quiet grinder, but realistically you end up with only one preferred burr setting (it’s not as flexible with fine to coarse ground). Perhaps, this grinder will serve those of us who only like our coffee in a fixed style.
Consistently 16 grams of coffee
Despite all that, if you’re a precision coffee type of personality, know that I have wasted a lot of coffee beans and proven that this grinder consistently is able to serve you 16 grams of coffee (standard amount for a double shot espresso). The machine’s reliability and consistency was impressive.
Quiet coffee grinder
I was pleasantly surprised that the SMEG integrated grinder is not loud. You will not wake your entire family up every morning with the hideous noise coming from the kitchen. Instead, the noise was nicely contained within the four walls of my 4-room HDB kitchen.
Grinder almost impossible to clean
This grinder is almost impossible to clean. If you’re icky about leaving bits of coffee grind in the burr – especially in our current humid climate – then this might get on your nerves. The burr is truly not easy to clean – unless you unscrew the entire machine.
Minimally, you can brush and air blow leftover grind downwards or up and outwards.
However, cleaning will not be a problem if you’re going to be using this grinder on a daily basis since it’s just going through and through and the leftover grind won’t be rotting and getting stale in the trenches of the machine.
However, if you’re getting special coffee beans and are icky about the contamination of stale grind, maybe you’ll have to break out your hand grinder.
![smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-egf03-review-3-768x1024-1 58mm Tamper from the SMEG espresso machine EGF03 doesn't fit the 58mm standard basket snugly](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-egf03-review-3-768x1024-1.jpeg)
Portafilter & Basket
When you unbox this machine, you get a standard (unpressurised) 58mm basket for espresso making. SMEG also provides you with a pressurised basket.
Under the naked eye, the standard 58mm basket’s holes are uniform. However, you can’t expect the performance of precision VST or IMS baskets from this. Of course, if you hold a 58mm precision basket in your current inventory, you can always switch things up and have even more fun.
If you are not at all a coffee expert, this pressurised basket is for you. The pressurised makes up technically for a coarser-than-ideal grind when it comes to espresso making. In a nutshell, if you don’t know how to grind coffee beans perfectly fine for espressos, a pressurised basket will take care of all shortcomings for you.
Conversely, a ‘normal’ unpressurised basket demands skill and precision from a coffee lover’s mathematic prowess. What’s with all of this pressure talk? Pressure is essential so you can extract the wonders of a coffee bean’s natural flavours.
There’s not much to say but locking in portafilter was simple and easy. The usual.
![smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-egf03-review-5-768x1024-1 SMEG espresso coffee machine with grinder EGF03 comes with 2 buttons - one for single shot, another for double shot](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-egf03-review-5-768x1024-1.jpeg)
![smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-egf03-review-6-768x1024-1 SMEG espresso coffee machine EGF03 comes with a pressure indicator gauge](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-egf03-review-6-768x1024-1.jpeg)
Espresso Machine
The actual SMEG espresso machine comes with a refreshingly simple user interface. I can see what the problem SMEG is trying to solve here – a simplified good morning coffee routine for busy bodies – and it’s clear why many of us will take to this design.
You only get four things on the machine: buttons for grinder on the left, buttons for single or double shot on the right, a pressure indicator, and milk steamer.
Simple pressure gauge
On the face of the espresso machine, you also get a simple pressure gauge (actual bar not indicated) that gives you a visual indication of the pressurisation taking place as your espresso is being delivered.
It tells you where you are at – whether your coffee puck or basket is over pressurised (or not enough).
However, you do need quite a good deal of coffee making experience and a sense of the coffee puck’s pressure to actually read this bar-less pressure gauge. This is one function that may be easily lost on coffee making novices.
For example, during pre-infusion, you may ideally want to hit 9 bars of pressure. This gauge doesn’t explicitly indicate any numbers. Instead, there’s a bolded black ‘best pressure range’. Depending on where the clock arm landed, you can keep adjusting your coffee grind’s fineness to hit that bullseye pressure range.
![smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-egf03-review-1-768x1024-1 Crema in a cup of double shot espresso made from the new 2023 SMEG espresso coffee machine with integrated grinder EGF03](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-egf03-review-1-768x1024-1.jpeg)
A thin serving of honey-coloured crema in a cup of double shot espresso from the SMEG espresso machine
Espresso took 32 seconds
To deliver a double shot espresso, the SMEG espresso machine took 32 to 34 seconds from the first to last drip. It falls slightly short of the global 30 second threshold for barista espresso machine. Perhaps we can also attribute it to my grind and accessory techniques.
The crema was thin but decent – kind of the regular amount you’d expect from home espresso machines.
Simple coffee experience
Honestly from day to day, this one button push experience was simple and lovely. It serves you a fantastic cup of coffee in one click. And these simple, 1-step type of mornings set you in a nice lighthearted, clear headspace to get through the rest of the day.
Milk steamer
This espresso machine also comes with a regular built-in milk steamer. If you’re familiar with other milk steamers, you’ll intuitively catch on to this one. It’s reliable, it’s hot, it gives you a good and beautiful froth.
Milk steamer valve on the right side of the SMEG espresso coffee machine with integrated grinder EGF03
![smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-egf03-review-7-768x1024-1 Milk steamer valve on the right side of the SMEG espresso coffee machine with integrated grinder EGF03](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-egf03-review-7-768x1024-1.jpeg)
If you’re new to espresso making and milk frothing, practice caution as usual since this involves scalding hot water. Again, I stress that this espresso machine is not for absolute coffee making beginners who are used to the regular Nespresso pod!
![smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-egf03-review-2-768x1024-1 SMEG espresso coffee machine EGF03's stainless steel drip tray is well designed and performs well](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/smeg-espresso-coffee-machine-egf03-review-2-768x1024-1.jpeg)
Drip Tray
As expected from SMEG, the accessory drip tray comes well designed. It catches everything stray from coffee, water, to grind. It’s easy to pull out, and the stainless steel lid is easy to remove. You know it’s well designed for the user when there’s nothing to say – simple to use, fuss free, and I like it a lot.
Under the drip tray is a ‘secret’ bottom storage for extra accessories such as the pressurised basket. What a clever use of extra space! The machine’s design is user-friendly, intuitive, and fantastic. You don’t need a manual to navigate your way around the drip tray section – a testament to how well thought-out the design process must have been.
Verdict
Now, if you’ve come this far reading this SMEG espresso machine review, you would have gotten the gist of this slightly pro yet home-friendly espresso machine.
The verdict is this: the SMEG espresso coffee machine is a tad contradictory device. It’s a mildly pro coffee machine diluted down to a simple user interface targeted at busy city-dwellers. It’s a sweet formula, albeit technically limited by the inconsistent coffee grinder.
The SMEG espresso coffee machine with integrated grinder EGF03 is best recommended for pretty mid-level serious coffee lovers with solid, basic knowledge of coffee making and grind settings. If you’ve been using Nespresso pods all these while but would love to make an upgrade, take an espresso making course before you purchase this.
SMEG Espresso Coffee Machine with Integrated Grinder EGF03 is priced at $1,298 in Singapore directly from Smeg, and from the official Smeg storefronts on Lazada and Shopee.
This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.