Café - Affetto Automatic Espresso Machine with 20 bars of pressure, Milk Frother, and Built-In Wi-Fi - Steel Silver

Great Espresso machine love and it and saving so much money making my own drinks at home! Amen it’s fast and delicious! People think I am the best barista in town now lol but yes love the machine!

I've been searching for a HIGH QUALITY espresso machine that was RELIABLE, problem free and would last. THIS IS IT! I've owned this Café Affetto for two whole days. It's a quick learning curve. I followed the tips from the reviews on the Best Buy website, and everything worked like a charm the first time. I'm fine tuning it just a bit to increase the volume and brew time to my taste. As a newbie to this machine, I found the following tips helpful: 1) If the SMARTHQ app does not work at first, try it again the following day. At first I set the MYCUP to a 3 espresso in a row setting. Instead I got 1 espresso, and it stopped. So I added an Americano, and an espresso and I was happy with the delicious crema, and volume, and strength of the espresso. Today, I was able to SET the MYCUP to a Longo, with the pink SET button. Ah, hadn't seen that before! No wonder it didn't 'take'. I'm hopeful it will work tonight after dinner. 2) I also learned that if you want to adjust the grinder size, you need to turn the wheel WHILE the grinder is GRINDING. Who knew? 3) The steam button functions wonderfully, and after preheating it with the first push, I push it again to begin steaming. 4) I added more beans to the hopper, added more water to the container, and cleaned out the ground pods from the drawer in front just to familiarize myself with the process. 5) I found that by turning the machine to the side, out from under the counter, I was able to access the water container easily, and with a minimum of effort. HOW EXCITING to have a machine that so effortlessly prepares an excellent espresso with the push of a button or two. No mess, no fuss. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!!! I don't mind the price for the convenience, beauty, and excellent results. If you're sitting on the fence, BUY IT! It matches all my other stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, and I can't wait to offer my guests an espresso after Thanksgiving dinner. Woo Hoo! This Café Affetto Espresso Machine is a definite winner. BIG SMILE!!!

The Cafe Affetto Espresso machine provides on-demand espresso without any of the hassle associated with traditional espresso machines. Setup was fairly easy - once out of the box, you fill the tank with water, and fill the hopper with your favorite whole espresso beans and you're ready to make espresso. When you power the machine on, it starts kind of a self-clean routine - water heats up and a small amount comes out of the espresso output as well as the milk frother - at this point, you know you're ready to brew espresso. After placing your cup under the espresso output nozzle, which is height adjustable to accommodate most cups/mugs you will dispense in to, you can press any one of the preset buttons on top for an espresso, Americano, steam, or simply hot water (Great for teas!). Shortly there after, the machine automatically grinds and brews your espresso, and then it dumps the used espresso grounds into a drawer on the front of the machine that only needs to be emptied periodically. It really is that easy. The espresso output tastes good, not too acrid, and has a nice crema on top. (See photo.) For a machine with this level of operational simplicity, there are a number of customizations you can adjust to get the machine dialed in to your liking. You can adjust the grind from coarse to fine, which totally changes the flavor and consistency of the final product. A finer grind I find gives a richer flavor and a better cream on top of the espresso. To get in to the rest of the customizations, you need to have the SmartHQ App. Once in there, it shows all SmartHQ compatible appliances you have, for me this is only this espresso machine. You can customize the grind time and output volume of the various program buttons on the top of the machine. You can adjust your single espresso and americano to grind anywhere from 4 seconds to 5.5 seconds, and adjust the output volume to be anywhere from .75 ounce all the way up to 1.5 ounces - so there's a lot of variability in the final product. The Americano will dispense up to 2.5 ounces of espresso followed by double the volume of hot water. There's also a "My Cup" button - that you can customize to brew a whole slew of different varieties of espresso (ristretto (short), lungo (long), doppio (double) or a triple espresso.) So if you like to have a morning double, you can set the "My Cup" button to dispense a doppio without having to wait for one single shot to dispense and then start the cycle all over again. The app also lets you know when the machine needs to be descaled which is a fantastic feature. As I said, for the simplicity this machine offers there's also a lot of customization you can do if you wish. As countertop kitchen appliances go, this thing looks good on my counters - it definitely does not look like a traditional espresso machine and does invite intrigue when people see it. The copper accents on the dark material provides a unique contrast not typically seen in other appliances. There's a couple of cons here, but none are show stoppers. When the machine first starts up, the rinse cycle runs, and when finished it always seems to get water on the top of the chrome drip tray, so I always keep a little towel near to wipe it down. I find that to fill the water reservoir requires me to move the machine out from under my cabinets, as it has to come up a little taller than being under the cabinets allow. Also, with convenience comes price - this machine is not cheap, but does an excellent job. It's definitely a luxury item, but if you enjoy espresso and you want to be able to get a brew in between Zoom calls and not have to worry about the hassles of grinding, measuring, and clean up - this thing excels.

We LOVE this espresso machine! We’ve had a few and this is the best and easiest to use for sure. It’s fast easy and intuitive to use. We also love the wireless integration! This is a great machine!

Wow! This fully automatic espresso machine is very high quality especially for the price. I’ve use every day and it makes a consistently good espresso! And it looks great!

This is my second espresso machine and the first fully automatic espresso machine that I have used. I was really excited to use a machine that is fully automatic because one of my biggest complaints about my other machine was the mess and hassle of using it. On my other machine, I would have to grind the coffee beans myself and then tamp them down into the portafilter. All of this took quite a bit of time and was often messy. It did produce great espresso, but it was a lot of trouble. This machine takes all the work and mess out of making espresso. All you do is fill it up with water and pour beans in the bean compartment and then with the press of a button, you have a shot of espresso. The convenience of a fully automatic machine is really nice. When I initially used this machine to make espresso, I left it on the grind setting it was set to by default (it was around the 3rd grind size right in the middle). The resulting espresso was weak and watery and I was not happy with it at all. After that, I tested some different grind sizes but still was getting weak espresso. I reached out to GE and they recommended increasing the grind time for my machine in the app from 4.5 seconds to 5.5 seconds (the maximum grind time available). After making this change and setting my machine to the smallest grind size, I finally started getting espresso that tasted great and was not weak. I do think my manual espresso machine produced espresso that was a little richer and more flavorful, but of course with a manual machine, you have more control over how much grounds you tamp into the portafilter and the size you grind your beans at. It is understandable that a fully automatic machine wouldn’t be quite as customizable and rich as I could get with my other machine. Even if the espresso isn’t quite as good as my manual machine, I am very happy with the results I am now getting with this machine. I have been able to make some really delicious espresso drinks with this machine. You really can’t beat the convenience and ease of use with this machine. Even if there is a slight reduction in strength and customization, it is well worth it for the ease and convenience you get over a manual machine. I was quite impressed with the steam wand on this device. It is very easy to use and clean and did a great job at heating my milk and making it foamy. I also like that this device rinses itself when you turn it on after being off for a while. It rinses itself and heats up very quickly when turning it on which is very nice. One feature that is a great idea is the My Cup button. Inside the app you can set that button to various different drink options including Ristretto, Doppio, Triple, Red Eye, and Lungo. The Doppio and Triple options are really nice because the machine can brew two or three shots of espresso back to back. This makes brewing two or three shots of espresso very convenient and easy. When it comes to design, this device is stylish. The copper piece on the front is a unique design that adds a great contrast to the black color of my unit. It also has a built in LED light that illuminates your cup when brewing a shot of espresso which is a nice addition. This unit is quite compact for all that it can do. It does not take up too much space on my countertop which is great. It is also very easy to get to the water and bean compartments and access the brew unit inside to remove and clean it. Overall, this device has been very easy to clean and maintain. I do wish there were a way to easily see how much water and coffee beans are left in the machine. These compartments are fully enclosed and surrounded by black plastic, so you have to remove the water tank and coffee bean cover to see their levels in the machine. Also, there is no easy way to remove beans from the machine. It is hard to get all the beans out so if you want to change beans, you have to get as many of the old out as you can and then put your new ones in and grind the remaining old beans in the grinder till they are all gone. I am not a fan of the touch sensitive buttons on this machine. It is very easy to accidentally touch buttons and activate a function that you did not intend to. You have to be very careful not to get your hand or fingers near the buttons and accidentally activate something you didn’t intend to. Additionally, the minimal number of buttons on this machine does not allow for many customization options on the device. There is not a button for changing the amount of hot water that is dispensed, changing the grind time, or other things you might expect to be able to customize on the device. These can be adjusted in the app, but if you want to dispense different amounts of hot water at different times, it can be a pain to have to go into the app to change the amount that is dispensed. I wish there were more buttons to quickly select different water amounts and customizations without having to use the app. There is currently no way to customize the brew temperature of the Espresso. The espresso I brew can easily get cold quickly, so it would be nice to be able to increase the temperature. It is recommended that you heat your cup with some hot water (and pour it out) before brewing the espresso so it doesn’t cool down so quickly. But, brewing at a warmer temperature would really be nice. The GE team told me they are currently working on an app update that will allow us to customize and increase the brew temperature. I was told that this feature should be released in an app update in the next month or two. I look forward to customizing the brew temperature once this feature is added. It is nice that GE will be able to improve this product over time with firmware and app updates. I was also really impressed with GE's customer service. They followed up as promised and provided me with detailed information to help address my issues. Overall, I am happy with this device. It is so convenient to make espressos in and also has some really nice features. There definitely are some areas that I think GE could improve on in a future model, but overall this is a great device that makes great espressos and is super convenient. Pros: Steam wand works great, creates lots of foam and heats milk well Rinses itself when you turn it on after being off for a while My cup button that can be programmed to a function of your choice Visually pleasing design Compact size Includes a stainless steel pitcher for frothing milk that has measurements on the side Heats up very quickly Very convenient - much less time and mess than a manual espresso machine Light illuminates your cup when brewing Easy to clean Cons: No way to customize temperature and grind time on the device itself Touch buttons on top are very sensitive, easy to accidentally activate them No quick and easy buttons for dispensing different amounts of hot water Bean compartment and water tank are not see through Cannot turn on or pre-heat the unit from the app, also no options to schedule when the device turns on Cannot use ground coffee, this machine only accepts whole beans No easy way to empty beans from machine if you want to change beans No way to customize brew temperature currently

Verdict: I didn’t expect much from this machine… and then I was blown away! It is stylish, compact, and convenient, and it makes very good espresso! Experience level. I have extensive experience brewing espressos. I have owned full manual machines, semi-automatic machines, and fully-automatic machines, as well as really nice coffee grinders. Currently, I manually brew 4 to 5 espresso per day, every day, with a full manual machine. If you try this machine or any other espresso machine, remember that the MOST IMPORTANT variable is buying quality fresh beans (the package should have a “roasted on” date; not a “use before” date). You can’t get nice espresso with stale beans. And go for medium roast, they are not oily and have distinct flavors you can notice. Light roast beans may be too hard for the internal grinder. Don’t chance it. Initial impressions. This machine is very nice looking. I love the black on copper color scheme. The machine also comes in silver/copper, or white/copper. It is very small and easily fits under kitchen cabinets, without taking too much counter space. All the compartments are well hidden, so the machine looks really sleek. Setup. To just start brewing, setup is minimal: add water, add beans, press power, let the machine self-clean, and then press the espresso button. The machine also comes with an app, which provides added functionality. App. The app allows notification when the machine requires attention. This is very helpful because there is no way to tell if the water or beans are running low from outside the machine. The app will also notify the user when the machine needs to be descaled. The app also allows customization of drinks. For example, for “my brew,” you can designate grind time and brew volume. You can also choose triple, which brews three espressos in a row (you can choose the grind time and brew volume for each also). These features are fairly useful but two features I hope are added in later updates are (1) water temperature customization and (2) the ability to turn on the machine remotely so that it’s ready for me when I get to the kitchen. Espresso quality. For brewing, I used really nice medium roast beans, roasted just one week before use. My first brew flowed too fast and produced little crema, so I changed the grind setting from 3 to 1. This helped to slow the flow and produced nice crema. I was very surprised how good the espresso was. I estimate that the doses average about 13g, and the espresso yield about 34g. This ratio isn’t ideal for a medium roast; so the shot tasted good but weak. I increased the grind time a little and decreased the brew time to get closer to a 1 to 2 ratio. The espresso shot was very nice. Automatics are never perfect, but the coffee coming out of this machine is definitely good enough to justify cost, and taste is very good for the HUGE convenience that the machine provides. My wife loves it and it is now her go-to coffee machine because she doesn’t enjoy the full manual process of brewing espresso on our big setup. As for me, I am an espresso expert and I do not compromise on my manual machine and external grinder… but I am actually considering buying one of these for my work, so I can get a nice espresso in just seconds, maybe in mid-morning and in early afternoon. I am really impressed with this machine. Ease of use. This machine makes almost everything easy. The water tank is small but easy to refill. The bean hopper actually has a sealed top to keep beans fresher for longer. The spent coffee compartment is big so you don’t have to empty it often. Brewing espresso is just as easy as the press of a button. It looks like the brew head is also really easy to remove for quick cleaning. The wand is a bit tricky to use however; I am getting more bubbles than I like. I am sure that once I get used to it, I will be able to get great micro foam in my milk. Things I like: - It looks beautiful - It doesn’t take much counter space - It easily fits under 18” cabinets - It has a light near the spout so that you can see what you are brewing - It makes brewing espresso really easy - It actually makes good espresso if you use good beans and make sure you a have nice smooth flow - It comes with a quality stainless steel frothing pitcher, and a cleaning cloth Things I don’t like: - Once the beans are in the hopper, you can’t really remove them, so you have to use them all up before switching to decaf, or to a different roast - The grinding steps are minimal… I feel that five coarse/fine settings aren’t much at all to really dial-in to get the espresso taste you want, but I love the simplicity, and so far the espressos are good - The buttons are really sensitive. I triggered the buttons several times while trying to setup WiFi - The froth wand isn’t perfectly aligned with the hole in the tray, so it splashes a tiny bit of water on the counter. No big deal. Overall, this is a wonderful machine that can brew very nice espressos. This machine’s greatest strength is that it’s easy to make a good cup, which means you will actually use it… a lot!! I most highly recommend this machine.

I love my coffee maker, quality every morning!!! Thanks team cafe!!

Looks great and smells great when you walk by. Fresh ground coffee grinds quickly and taste great. The steamer froth my oat milk perfectly! I am used to a faster keurig, so I am having to be a bit more patient with the process. My lil complaints would be, small water tank, the machine asking to stir or add beans when it’s pretty full already and it asking you to clean the tray out after only a couple of brews. All on all, I am enjoying it so far. Dang it, Now I want another cup.