Beko CEG5311X Bean to Cup Espresso Coffee Machine with Milk Steamer

I bought this machine as I found my old espresso machine messy to use. At first I thought this was great, everything automatic, good coffee etc. I had two small issues in the beginning, the drip tray just isn't big enough as the coffee does a clean through every time you switch it on and off this completely fills the tray so you need to remember to empty it every time. Secondly the water tank is quite small and because the inflow is raised the tank only ever gets to a quarter full before saying its empty and needs filling. These problems I could live with but the mould is the real issue. Because everything's internal, coffee grounds get lodged everywhere inside and its warm the mould just grows. You feel like you have to deep clean the inside after every use which ... MoreI bought this machine as I found my old espresso machine messy to use. At first I thought this was great, everything automatic, good coffee etc. I had two small issues in the beginning, the drip tray just isn't big enough as the coffee does a clean through every time you switch it on and off this completely fills the tray so you need to remember to empty it every time. Secondly the water tank is quite small and because the inflow is raised the tank only ever gets to a quarter full before saying its empty and needs filling. These problems I could live with but the mould is the real issue. Because everything's internal, coffee grounds get lodged everywhere inside and its warm the mould just grows. You feel like you have to deep clean the inside after every use which defeats the point if you were aiming for ease. You're better off with an espresso machine that makes obvious mess.

Andy's review of CEG3190B Coffee Machine Black

Pros: Great looking machine that's quiet and easy to use. It doesn't take up too much space in the kitchen. After making the simple initial adjustments, the machine makes great tasty coffee everytine. Cleaning is straightforward. I would recommend this machine. Cons: None

As good as barista made coffee

A friend of mine was showing off his one of these, and I liked the idea of an automatic coffee machine that grinds the beans without having to worry about plastic capsules. I splurged and bought one and it’s brilliant! After a little experimentation with grind size and shot length of found a brew that I think is as good as any barista made coffee I’ve had. I don’t bother using the milk frothed, as I find my electric frother pot faster, but the coffee is great. Of course, it’s dependent on finding a roasted bean you like, but once you find something you like, and you get the grind size right, this machine is definitely worth the price because it makes an exceptionally good coffee. We make 5 to 10 cups a day and we’ve had this for about three weeks now, and it hasn’t ... MoreA friend of mine was showing off his one of these, and I liked the idea of an automatic coffee machine that grinds the beans without having to worry about plastic capsules. I splurged and bought one and it’s brilliant! After a little experimentation with grind size and shot length of found a brew that I think is as good as any barista made coffee I’ve had. I don’t bother using the milk frothed, as I find my electric frother pot faster, but the coffee is great. Of course, it’s dependent on finding a roasted bean you like, but once you find something you like, and you get the grind size right, this machine is definitely worth the price because it makes an exceptionally good coffee. We make 5 to 10 cups a day and we’ve had this for about three weeks now, and it hasn’t missed a beat. Grounds go in the compost so if you consider yourself a bit of a greenie or care about the environment, that’s a nice little bonus too.

Benji's review of CEG3190B Coffee Machine Black

Pros: Self cleaning, no mess, great tasting coffee. Easy to use. Cons: When we first had the machine. We found it was better to remove their white filter. It's important to get your grind setting correct or it can go horribly wrong. We go mid range. Overall excellent so far

Buyer beware of mould build up

Bought this machine in August 2020 thinking it would be a good alternative to buying a seperate machine and grinder from another brand. At first I thought it was amazing and told everyone who listen to buy one - I mean, it was frustrating having to clean it internally before/after each use (which the manual does not tell you to do, but common sense says otherwise) however if I wanted a clean machine it had to be done, as there’d always be excess coffee grinds/mould in the main internal area which which the eye could see (it was a bit off putting, but knowing I kept it clean I thought nothing of it), this worked fine until I recently I read some other reviews on Appliances Online where people had mention mould build up in obstructed/unseen areas - I immediately ... MoreBought this machine in August 2020 thinking it would be a good alternative to buying a seperate machine and grinder from another brand. At first I thought it was amazing and told everyone who listen to buy one - I mean, it was frustrating having to clean it internally before/after each use (which the manual does not tell you to do, but common sense says otherwise) however if I wanted a clean machine it had to be done, as there’d always be excess coffee grinds/mould in the main internal area which which the eye could see (it was a bit off putting, but knowing I kept it clean I thought nothing of it), this worked fine until I recently I read some other reviews on Appliances Online where people had mention mould build up in obstructed/unseen areas - I immediately started thinking about these sporadic intense soar throat I’d been having for the past few months and thought I would give the machine a proper inspection; upon this closer inspection around the obstructed brewer extractor/filter, I found massive amounts of dried mouldy coffee wedged into the crevices, and there was A LOT - I had to use wooden skewers to literally scrap these literal chunks of mould from around this mechanism. I am now SO put off by this machine I am trashing it and have replaced it with the Sunbeam Mini Barista and Grinder (which purchased from BigW and is $60 cheaper than this site); I would recommend this machine instead, for anyone considering buy the Beko. You will get sick from the mould if you buy this machine and also get sick of having to clean it every time you want a coffee. It’s great that it’s compact, but that is also what is causing this major issue, and for the $500 price tag it’s really not worth it.

Great coffee, excellent value

I've had this coffee machine for over a month now and have been using it at least 3 times a day whilst working from home. I have measured the coffee dose and it's 10 grams per shot. I like a strong coffee so I always make a double shot, this is dead easy as from pressing the button to the completion of the shot is maybe 20 seconds. You can easily adjust the amount of water used for each shot, and after a fair bit of experimenting, I found that about 30ml per shot delivers coffee that I like, with plenty of crema. The milk steamer is timed at around 90 seconds, which is enough to get 150ml of fridge temperature milk up to about 70 degrees (in the red zone of my milk thermometer). For me, two shots with 150ml milk is just right - for a strong flat white. If you need ... MoreI've had this coffee machine for over a month now and have been using it at least 3 times a day whilst working from home. I have measured the coffee dose and it's 10 grams per shot. I like a strong coffee so I always make a double shot, this is dead easy as from pressing the button to the completion of the shot is maybe 20 seconds. You can easily adjust the amount of water used for each shot, and after a fair bit of experimenting, I found that about 30ml per shot delivers coffee that I like, with plenty of crema. The milk steamer is timed at around 90 seconds, which is enough to get 150ml of fridge temperature milk up to about 70 degrees (in the red zone of my milk thermometer). For me, two shots with 150ml milk is just right - for a strong flat white. If you need more milk, either warm it a bit in the microwave to bring it to room temperature, or simply press the steam button a second time. The grounds bin does fill up fairly quick, especially when pulling double shots, but it's quick to empty. All in all, I am super impressed with this little machine - and using Aldi coffee beans, it works out at 14 cents per shot.

Small footprint. Good alternative to pods.

Decided to stop using a pod machine which was an Aldi and still working well, but tired of the waste. Found this Beko which meant we didn't have to give up any bench space. The machine is a fully automated beans to cup coffee maker so the coffee is very fresh. If you are a coffee expert, then maybe the fully automatic approach is not for you as you can only change the grind coarseness and whether espresso or long black. The machine has two buttons to dispense two settable cup sizes. However, if, as we have, you've been using pods for years at home for convenience, then the Beko will be an improvement. I measured about 7 grams of coffee in an Aldi pod, whereas, going by the cup estimates for a bean refill, you get about 12 grams per cup. One finger operation. Press ... MoreDecided to stop using a pod machine which was an Aldi and still working well, but tired of the waste. Found this Beko which meant we didn't have to give up any bench space. The machine is a fully automated beans to cup coffee maker so the coffee is very fresh. If you are a coffee expert, then maybe the fully automatic approach is not for you as you can only change the grind coarseness and whether espresso or long black. The machine has two buttons to dispense two settable cup sizes. However, if, as we have, you've been using pods for years at home for convenience, then the Beko will be an improvement. I measured about 7 grams of coffee in an Aldi pod, whereas, going by the cup estimates for a bean refill, you get about 12 grams per cup. One finger operation. Press ON button. Machine sets up. Press cup size. Drink when light goes out. The only things that may be considered a negative are: can't change quantity of beans per serve; drip tray is small so needs to be emptied regularly - which is very easy to do and probably a good idea; and the biggy - you only get one choice of beans until you refill the container with a different bean type. The main benefit of pods is that each cup can be different coffee. But for home use, we don't have a problem with that - as long as we agree the type of beans (LOL). Don't intend using the steamer as, being in Brisbane with hard water, making steam will only cause calcification sooner. We use a separate milk warmer instead.

Suresh's review of CEG3190B Coffee Machine Black

Pros: Sleek, stylish. Makes good coffee. Very easy to clean and to fill water. Reasonable customisability. Coffee volume and bean grind can be adjusted. No adjustment of quantity of beans, though. Cons: Coffee is not as hot as it could be, I need to heat it in the microwave for 5-6 seconds, despite pre-heating the cup and heating the milk. Beans container could be a bit bigger (but the machine is sleek and narrow, so this is not really a criticism). Noise level is moderate.