- The Smeg ECF03 is a new espresso machine that brews hot and cold
- A single cold-extracted shot of espresso takes two minutes to prepare
- The retro-style machine is on sale now for £499.95 (about $670 / AU$1,020)
Smeg has launched a new espresso machine that can brew hot and cold, producing a single cold-extracted shot in just two minutes.
The Smeg ECF03 is the latest addition to the company's range of espresso makers, sitting alongside the Smeg Mini Pro and BCC13, but with a curvy 60s-inspired shape and a choice of six colors.
Take your pick from classic red, white and black, or opt for pastel cream, pale blue, or cream – soft, gelato-inspired colors that are one of the biggest kitchen trends right now.
Kitchenaid kicked off the vogue for candy-colored appliances when it revealed creamy Buttermilk as its official shade of 2025, and the trend shows no sign of slowing, with brands including Nespresso, Breville, and De'Longhi all joining in.
The ECF03 is designed to be approachable for new users, while also giving more experienced home baristas the ability to tinker with brew settings to suit their tastes and chosen beans.
The machine comes with pressurized filters that are forgiving if your coffee isn't perfectly ground, and will still let beginners achieve a nicely extracted shot with plenty of crema, plus single-walled filters for users with more experience and a good quality coffee grinder at their disposal.
There are also three temperature settings, including a slightly cooler option for light roasts, and a higher one for extracting the full flavor of dark, rich roasts.
Pressing the ECF03's cold-brew button will bypass its Thermoblock heating system and extract your espresso using ambient-temperature water straight from the tank. This takes a little longer (two minutes for a single shot of espresso, or four minutes for a double), but is still much faster than preparing cold-brew the traditional way by steeping ground coffee in cold water overnight.
Smeg promises that the flavor profile will be similar to old-school cold brew, with a more mellow taste and less acidity than espresso extracted with hot water.
The Smeg ECF03 is available to buy now direct from Smeg and from third-party retailers for £499.95 (about $670 / AU$1,020). That's towards the upper end of the scale for a machine of this type, but based on past experience I can say that you're not only paying a premium for the machine's stylish looks, but also rock-solid build quality.
I'll ne testing the ECF03 to see how it compares with the best coffee makers available right now, and will bring you a full review soon.
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