Casabrews CM5418: Technical Specifications
Dimensions: 12.3 x 12 x 5.9 inches
Materials: Stainless steel, plastic
Capacity: 31 fluid ounces
Settings: 1 and 2 cups and steam
Removable water tank: Yes
Pressure: Pump 20 bar
Milk frother: Yes
Grinder: NO
Accessories: Sabotage and cleanup tools
One of the problems in my kitchen is that I don’t have a ton of counter space, so many of the best coffee makers would just take up way too much space. The Breville Bambino Plus, currently at the top of our list, takes up significantly less space, but at $400, it’s not low-cost.
So I was curious to see how well the Casabrews CM5418 coffee maker would perform, despite its caffeine-free name.
Price and availability
Casabrews Coffee Maker: Design and Accessories
For a budget coffee maker, the Casabrews has a very nice, classic design. You don’t get an all-metal build—the side panels are plastic—but it’s attractive for the price. There are four buttons on the front (power, one cup, two cups, and steam), as well as a pressure gauge. On the right side is a knob for steam and sizzling water. The tray at the bottom of the machine is removable, so you can empty and spotless it if it fills up with water and coffee grounds. There’s a removable reservoir at the back that holds 34 ounces of water. That’s about half the size of the Bambino’s reservoir, so you’ll need to refill it more often.
Picture 1 With 5
I also like that the machine is available in a variety of colors (baby blue, cream, black, pink, and murky blue) if you want something bolder than the standard stainless steel/silver.
The Casabrews machine measures 12.3 x 12 x 5.9 inches, about the size of two rolls of paper towels standing upright. It easily slid under my cabinets, leaving room to spare.
There are a few compromises to get that low price. For starters, the Casabrews portafilter, while sturdy, doesn’t feel as solid as the ones I’ve tested from Breville and De’Longhi. And the filter cups themselves (you get a single- and two-cup filter) are a bit loose.
Additionally, the tamper/scoop that comes with the machine is a skinny piece of plastic rather than a solid piece of metal. It does the job, but I couldn’t tamp the coffee as challenging as I would have liked. Unlike the Bambino, it doesn’t come with a metal jug for frothing milk. Fortunately, you can find them online for a pretty reasonable price.
Casabrews Coffee Maker: Performance
Overall, I found the Casabrews to be a pretty good espresso for the price. You won’t get the same quality you’d get from a Breville, but you can’t expect miracles from a budget machine. However, it consistently made espresso that was sizzling and flavorful enough.
For example, although Casabrews advertises its machine as delivering 20 bars of pressure, it didn’t deliver the same chunky, consistent crema I’ve seen in more high-priced models. I also found that I couldn’t employ the finest setting on my coffee grinder (a $195 Fellow Opus) because the grounds were too compact for Casabrews to pump out the coffee properly.
The ground coffee pieces are also a bit wetter than in more high-priced machines, so you can’t just tap the filter holder against the side of the compost bin to empty it of the grounds.
Frothing milk is also more of a process than with more high-priced coffee machines. Instead of simply pressing the button, you must first press the steam button, wait until the button stops flashing, and then turn the knob on the side to the steam setting. When finished, press the steam button to stop, then wait for the steam to subside.
Casabrews Coffee Maker Review: The Verdict
For the price of about 35 venti lattes at Starbucks, the Casabrews Espresso Machine CM5418 will make you a pretty good copy for your home — or even better, depending on how you feel about Starbucks.
While there are some trade-offs compared to the best coffee machines, you don’t sacrifice that much in the name of saving money. The Breville Bambino Plus is still our top pick because it offers excellent performance and ease of employ. However, if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, Casabrews is definitely worth a look.
