Espresso Yourself: My First Coffee Machine & a Brew-tiful New Ritual

As this is my first espresso machine, the Casabrews has been a fantastic way to begin my home coffee journey — and I have to say, I’m already completely espresso-ing my love for it. I’ll admit, I was a little unsure at first, but it couldn’t have been easier to assemble and set up — I was brewing a lovely cup in no time at all.

One feature I particularly love is the removable water tank, which holds 43.9 oz. It’s a really good size and so practical, meaning I only need to refill it once or twice a week depending on how many cuppas I’m making — which suits me just fine, as I like my mornings nice and brew-tifully simple.

The machine boasts a professional 20-bar pressure system and an advanced milk frothing system, allowing you to create café-style drinks right at home. The stainless steel steam wand does a brilliant job of producing rich, velvety microfoam — perfect for a proper latte or cappuccino. It really does help you steam up something special.

I also really like the sleek design. It comes in three elegant colours, but I chose the black version which fits in beautifully with my kitchen — smart, simple, and not at all out of place. In fact, it’s quickly become the centrepiece of my newly set up coffee bar, tucked in amongst my favourite mugs, syrups, and a few little touches that make it feel like my own cosy café corner (the Highland cow sign definitely makes me smile every time I pop the kettle on!).

The functionality is straightforward and easy to get the hang of, offering a single shot pre-set (30 ml) or double shot pre-set (60 ml) depending on what you fancy that day — whether you need a gentle pick-me-up or something a bit more full-bodied to get you going.

I’ve really enjoyed having a play with different beans and milk-based drinks — from a simple espresso in my yellow cup, to a double shot oat milk latte in my green mug, and even an iced oat milk latte topped with vanilla cold foam for a bit of a treat. It consistently produces a smooth, rich coffee with a lovely crema on top — honestly, it’s been a bit of a grind finding a good machine, but this one has been spot on.

Overall, this is a stylish, easy-to-use machine that makes excellent coffee without any fuss. For anyone wanting to enjoy barista-style drinks at home without anything too complicated, I’d definitely recommend it — it’s been a cracking little addition to my kitchen, and well worth waking up and smelling the coffee for.