When someone pops round for coffee I don’t just ask if they want milk or sugar; with a collection of gadgets I can do espresso (manually), French press, instant, pod-style lattes and even serve you hot milk on the side. What I am still unable to do is create a decent cappuccino, so I was more than willing to put the Ariete Vintage Espresso Machine through its paces. At just over £100 it isn’t the cheapest machine out there, but it certainly sits in the lower range of the market. It features a vintage design – think classic American diner – and comes in a range of pastel colours with bright metallic finishes. This machine provides 900W of power, with 15 bars of pressure, the filter holder can utilise coffee pods or freshly ground beans. The cup tray is removable so you can use tall latte glasses or shorter espresso cups, it can also be used to pour into one or two cups at the same time.
Once you get your head round the instructions it is simple to use, but they don’t make it easy for you and the combination of light indicators and buttons might leave some feeling frustrated. The espresso it produced was lovely, with all the richness and strength I expected, however there was little to no crema with each shot, not necessarily the be all and end all when it comes to taste but it certainly reduces the aesthetic quality. With the espresso nailed, I was eager to try out the milk frother, however this was a letdown; it would manage to heat the milk and at a push you might class it as steamed milk but it certainly wasn’t the thick glossy foam you need to make a cappuccino. The other issues, like poor build quality around the dial and other areas, the loud noise it makes when you switch it on, how fiddly it is to remove the water compartment and the fact there was no milk jug included, could all be forgiven if it made a decent frothy coffee but sadly it does not. If you are after an attractive-looking espresso machine that makes a tasty espresso this will suffice but for a cappuccino, latte or macchiato the Ariete Espresso maker hasn’t quite got what it takes. RRP £99.25
3.5 out of 5
Pros
Looks great
Produces a tasty espresso
Easy to clean
Cons
Poor build quality in places
Unclear instructions
Doesn’t produce milk foam
Noisy
Espresso lacks crema
No milk jug included
Water tank awkward to pull out (and small capacity)
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