Customer Ratings & Reviews

I had a very similar one from a competing brand and it looked nearly identical. They are probably manufactured by the same OEM just with cosmetic changes between them. All in all it works very well. The grinder did plug up after a few weeks but with regular cleaning it is fine. And for about 2/3 the cost of the competing brand I now have pretty much the same thing save maybe some grind amount knobs which is adjustable in the app and no pressure guage which is fine if you know what to listen and look for.

It is a nice espresso machine, the grind button stopped working after a year. GE replaced it for us and this one works much better. From reading the reviews it’s hit or miss. We got a ton of use out of it before it crapped out and they even replaced it! Happy camper :)

If you're looking for a new espresso machine that is high quality with everything built in, this one is for you. Summary: The machine is heavy and bulky, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. It is not a machine ideal for small spaces. The extra weight creates a machine built with a high quality build that is strong, durable, and easy to clean. Much of the machine appears to be a plastic of high quality. The tamper, steam wand, filter, milk pitcher, group-head, and filter cradle are all made of heavy steel. The only item that feels flimsy is the water tank, specifically the lid. It feels like it will break/fall off at any moment. The drip tray and water tank are easily removed for cleaning. I do enjoy the fact that this machine is in a dark high quality plastic as opposed to stainless steel, due to it being more easily cleaned. The machine is a semi-automatic machine that has a built in grinder, espresso, and frother. The 'automatic' part is referring to the fact that you can select if you are making a single or double shot of espresso. The machine will tell you when it has reached its ideal temperature, when to add water, grinding size specification, when to descale, and the wifi connection. I was able to download the app, and set up the account fairly easily. For anyone coming from drip, k-cups or other easy espresso machines, be prepared for some practice to make a proper shot of espresso or latte. For anyone who has had experience using espresso machines, the machine works well and creates a tasty and hot drink. My first drink with this was a made a vanilla latte and it was fairly simple to use once you master the frother. There is literally a few seconds to steam your milk between turning on the steam wand and getting your pitcher in place. If you take too long, the milk will not be steamed properly. Also, one thing to note is the wand is very stiff and hard to maneuver, so you almost have to angle your pitcher to get it in place. As a warning the milk pitcher does get extremely hot, so if you have little ones, keep them away from the machine as it gets extremely hot and the sheer weight and size of the machine should be considered. The device comes with the instruction manual, QR code instructions, quick start guide, product registration, tamper, milk pitcher, cleaning kit, portafilter, cleaning brush, water hardness strip, cleaning brush, cleaning solution, and both single and double shot filters.

~~Short version~~ This GE Profile Semi-Automatic Espresso machine is capable of making a great cup of espresso, a wonderful americano, or a tremendous latte. The machine is a handsome countertop appliance that shows thoughtfulness of design and attention to detail. For lack of a better word, it feels and looks as "premium" as you would expect from GE Profile. However, it takes some getting used to the settings to produce good results, and the app experience is fairly miserable. Still, it's worth a look if you'd like a fine appliance capable of making some truly delicious barista-quality coffee at home. ~~Pros~~ • All-in-one design replaces up to 3 stand-alone appliances (espresso, grinder, frother) • Clearance to fit a normal-sized coffee mug under the portafilter • Multiple baskets to customize the brewing experience to your desires • Excellent steam wand design that allows adjustment and use in multiple positions • Capable of producing a terrific cup of coffee • Bean hopper is airtight and protects from UV light ~~Cons~~ • Grinder typically drops grounds around the basket, even at the lowest grind time setting • It's hard to dial in the right brewing volume, and volume is sometimes less than stated • Brewing temperature is not adjustable, but produces good espresso • App experience feels unfinished and there is no integration with Google Home ~~Full review~~ I was very excited to get this espresso machine, because I currently use both a manual espresso machine and burr grinder, and my wife also sometimes uses an electric milk frother. To have all these small appliances combined in one medium-sized appliance sounded like a wonderful thing. Additionally, I was excited by the promise of wi-fi smart features, because I plugged my previous manual espresso machine into a wi-fi smart plug. I had it set to turn on at the same time as my morning alarm using a Google home routine, so the boiler would be hot by the time I stumbled into the kitchen. In practice, it took a good couple of weeks to get used to using this automatic espresso machine, and there are still a couple of quirks I'm not entirely happy with. First, it's hard to get the machine to push out as much espresso as it says it will. It helps to run an empty basket first and then run one with grounds. It also helps to tamp the grounds exactly the right pressure. This wasn't an issue with my former, manual espresso machine, because I could just let it brew to my desired volume. Second, the grinder dispenses the grounds into the basket, but because of their nature, they fluff up and exceed the capacity of even the double basket. This leads to a small amount of grounds spilling onto the surface of the drain grate. I've adjusted grind time down to the lowest setting for a double espresso, but there are still small amounts spilled during each grind. Third, I was concerned about the brewing temperature. My first attempts with the machine produced espresso at around 135 degrees Fahrenheit, which is too low. I think it was partly because of the machine being new and partly because I was using water right out of the tap. That's pretty cold in February. Now, after a couple weeks of use, I've got the grounds mostly dialed in. I brew the espresso straight into my mug (instead of espresso shot glasses), then add hot water from the steam wand. I can make a wonderful americano this way, at around 165 degrees Fahrenheit, which is perfect for drinking right away. With my previous machine, I'd brew the espresso and add water from an electric kettle at 185 degrees. I'm getting use to the lower temperature, and one benefit is that it extracts espresso with less of the bitter chemical compounds present in a higher temperature extraction. My wife, who prefers dark roast Illy espresso in the airtight canister, says this machine has produced the best home-brewed coffee she's ever tasted. After my many adjustments, I am finding it fairly delightful myself. Furthermore, I'm looking forward to trying out new combinations of grind size and timing and brewing time. Oh, and speaking of the steam wand: it is a marvelous little invention, with silicon on the articulation point that allows you to reposition it even while hot. It is a joy to use, as is the dial on the right side of the machine that switches the machine from brewing mode to hot water dispensing or steam. Finally, the wi-fi "smart" functions on the GE Profile machine are limited to linking with GE's SmartHQ app to change the grinding and brewing length, along with water level notifications that always come through after the machine reports low water during use. The app is also set to report when the machine needs a descaling treatment, which is a nice thing to have. There is no way (currently) to use the app to turn the machine on and off, nor to link it to Google Home for routines as I used my smart plug for. I hope GE's software engineers will take the feedback that it seems many people have about the smart functions of this machine and provide some firmware updates that allow it to go from barely smart to truly integrated into the modern smart home.

We have had the same espresso machine in our house for the past two years and decided it might be time for a refresh and upgrade since we use ours so often. We decided on the new GE Profile Semi-automatic Espresso machine because of the known brand name and Wi-Fi capabilities. Unpacking and setting up the espresso machine was very simple with minimal reliance on the instruction manual, perhaps because we have had several espresso machines in the past. The GE Profile espresso machine has a modern, high-tech look with a gloss black finish on most of the machine and, when you turn the machine on, the flush touch panel buttons light up showing you when the machine is primed and ready for use. All you need to do now is add espresso beans in the top hopper, adjust the hopper to the type of grind you prefer (course or fine to change flavor between bitter and sour taste), pour water in the back container and you are ready to make espresso. Having Wi-Fi functions built into the espresso machine allows you to connect to your home/office Wi-Fi system through the smart device application so you can monitor the machine’s status, report any issues regarding your device, etc. I did receive a few false alerts via app notifications after setup so perhaps there are some bugs to work out in the software or the device itself once it gets settled after use. After using the Wi-Fi functions and the GE application, I never really found any use for Wi-Fi in an espresso machine, or any coffee maker for that matter, and that’s coming from someone who’s entire house is connected and loaded with tech. After a few test runs, I thought I was settled in with our new machine… and then the problems started shortly thereafter. I had made a few espresso drinks over the first couple of days, adjusting the grinds for a different taste, using the single and double shot options, and for hot and cold drinks. Keep in mind, I am very conscious about cleaning my machine after EVERY use, making sure the grind is dry before starting a new espresso and everything else it says to do in the manual. Within three days of use the machine showed signs that it did not have enough pressure to push hot water through a fine grind. I determined in order to avoid this from continuing to happen, I had to adjust the grind of the espresso on the turn dial at the base of the espresso bean hopper to a more course grind. After brewing a few fine grind espressos, the grinder backed up to where it stopped working altogether and the machine notified me there was an error. Therefore, I had to perform the troubleshooting steps in the instruction manual by taking the hopper and grinder apart to clear everything out using the provided cleaning tool/brush. However, using just the included tool was not enough to clear the grinder out so I had to use a screwdriver to clear out the rest of the compacted espresso from both the top and bottom of the grinder. After about an hour of figuring out what went haywire and manually cleaning the three-day old machine out, it was finally back in operating condition. Besides the struggles I had with the problems that occurred during the first few days, the taste of the espresso itself really did fluctuate substantially when you adjusted the grind and I could just never get it quite right to my pleasing. After all was said and done, we ended up returning to our old faithful two-year-old espresso machine that never gave us any of these issues with the built-in grinder, not having enough pressure to push water through or never quite knowing whether I was going to end up with a sour or bitter pour of espresso. Unfortunately, because of the problems we had with the simple task of making espresso and the time and effort it took to troubleshoot the issues on a new product, we weren’t exactly pleased with the GE Profile Espresso Machine.

Semi-Automatic espresso machines are a double sided sword. They require some level of commitment to learn how to make espresso. I think the biggest thing that makes an espresso machine a great machine is one that does its job when you do yours. I’ve used a ton of espresso machines over the years, and I can’t tell you how frustrating it is when you do everything perfectly, then the espresso machine pulls a bad shot because it’s a poor quality machine. This inconsistency is a death blow to making espressos at home, you will quickly become frustrated. The GE Profile is a bit of a mixed bag on consistency. I have been pulling espresso shots out of this thing like a mad man. My machine is well aged in a good way just because of how much I’ve used it. I’ve used both Lavazza and Mayorga beans, about four, two pound bags of each. The tamper that comes with this machine is probably the best stock tamper I’ve ever used. Its incredibly heavy which helps being consistent. Once I found my groove with the grind setting and tamping force, I realized this machine is on the weak side as far as pressure. Sometimes the pour is just too slow and results in a drinkable, but not excellent espresso. The good news is that once you are dialed in, the espresso is always drinkable. I have yet to get an acid bomb espresso after getting dialed in. That’s great news for the ones that are dipping their toes into learning how to make espresso. However, for the more veteran espresso makers who love the process as much as the espresso itself, it can be annoying. I love to try to pull the perfect shot. I can’t get a perfect shot reliably enough with this machine. I am not trying to deter casual users from buying this machine. As a matter of fact, this machine is one of the best options for the casual or new aspiring baristas. The tamper is excellent, the build quality is where it should be for the price, the grinder has held it’s own even with me absolutely asking to much of it. This is not a perfect espresso machine for everyone, but it might be the perfect machine for YOU.

This GE Profile Semi Automatic is the first espresso machine that I’ve owned and I’m impressed. Right out of the box, you can tell it’s well made given how heavy it is. Its black exterior and metal accents should fit in with most kitchen designs/ decor. Most high touch items/ points on the machine are made of metal, including the tamper, portafilter, milk pitcher, and steam wand. Love that for durability sake. It’s also easy to set up. Just take off the packing tape, attach the bean hopper, fill the water tank, plug in, and you’re off. Brewing a shot of espresso is equally as easy and also a lot of fun. Just hit the grind button, tamp your coffee grounds, then brew. There’s something incredibly satisfying about tamping coffee grounds until they are perfectly level. I will personally always seek out semi-automatic espresso machines in the future for that satisfaction alone. In terms of flavor profile and consistency, I think this machine does well. Every brew that I’ve enjoyed thus far with the grinder set to ~7 has tasted great, but I’m also not a coffee connoisseur. This is definitely one of those more subjective things. For those who are amateurs like myself, I think you’ll be impressed. One thing I am definitely not consistent with is frothing. While the frother is easy to operate with the wand and dial, I cannot seem to froth milk consistently. I’m sure that will come with time and additional practice. And don’t even get me started on latte art. That may never happen. When it comes to the GE Profile’s usability overall, it works very well as a stand-alone machine. Button layout is intuitive and the touch panel is perfectly responsive. Heating water isn’t instantaneous, but I personally don’t need it to be. It is compatible with the SmartHQ app, but is it really? The app adds little to nothing to the overall usability of the machine and doesn’t allow you to set brew times, which I feel would be a major reason for using an app in the first place. Not to mention you must create an account to use the app. I’m not about creating additional accounts that I’ll inevitably lose my password to in about 2 weeks. I’d much rather just use the physical machine to brew an espresso when I want one. With this particular setup, you should plan to as well. Ultimately, the things that I find to be standouts with the GE Profile Semi Automatic Espresso Machine are the build quality and color, ease of setup and use for beginners, and the fact that it comes with almost everything you need to use it, including a cleaning kit and cleaning solution. The only thing this kit does not include is espresso cups, but those are easy to find and they are fairly inexpensive. Given the cost of espresso at major coffee chains, buying a machine that allows you to make the same thing at home is a no brainer. Yes, the up-front cost is more, but over years of use, you’ll be saving hundreds if not thousands of your hard-earned dollars. The GE Profile Semi Automatic Espresso Machine is a great choice.

The GE Profile Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine attempts to set the bar (no pun intended on those 15 bars of pressure) high for a home appliance. The plastic body has a matte finish and a glossy black touchscreen. The latter meaning every.single.fingerprint shows. Manual controls are chrome, matte silver (the pleasantly heave tamper - nice touch) or matte black. There is a very large water reservoir that is removable and has a flip top so you can refill without trying to move the nearly unwieldy container. Nice complements include a brushed metal froth pitcher, cleaning kit and 4 shot filters. Atop the machine is and integrated cup warmer and a smoked clear plastic bean container for the integrated burr grinder. The grinder has progressive settings from 0-15. It works very well. I was frustrated with the mini-mess created with the way the rubber holder for the portafilter is loose and allows grounds to fall out. As I mentioned, controls are on a backlit LED touchscreen. There you control the power, grind amount setting (single or double), Espresso setting (single or double) and Program (Grind, Single or Double). There's also a color-coded Notification LED Bar. This will likely grow on me, because I'm a tech person...others may find it somewhere between annoying and incomprehensible. There are no labels for the meaning of the color-changing, moving bar. You actually have to read the manual (what?!). There it explains such important things as Wifi connection (more on that later), Heating, Overpressure, Grinding Status, Expresso making status, Steam and Hot water /Descale. Did I mention this machine is Wifi connected if you desire? I did. It took me 4 tries to get it set-up. Haven't had a problem since. The SmartHQ app allows you to customize drink settings. It's all about "Smart Appliance Integration" allowing use of 3rd party voice control apps, IFTTT and similar automation schemes. For this machine, I haven't determined if I can use Alexa or Google Assistant. You CAN update the firmware of the Espresso machine, see if it's on, monitor when to Descale, and customize brew ratio of your drinks. Cool. So, that's a lot. High bar. I think it gets over it, albeit with some effort at first.

I had the opportunity to choose either the GE automatic or the semi-automatic espresso. I thought that this unit would have more flexible options, but it really didn’t live up to my reality. The unit is quite attractive, even though it’s a completely plastic construction. It has a touch interface (I wouldn’t call it a screen). The front is quite sleek and reflective. The footprint for the machine, though, is quite large. It’s about the same size as similar units – it might be even larger. It’s hard to move so that I can access the reservoir; I’m glad that it does hold quite a bit of water, so I don’t have to do that often. I included a photo to show that it does clear an upper cabinet. It has a bean hopper with conical burr grinder. The rest of the top is designed to rest the accessories on, with a circle designed to hold the tamper. If that is supposed to be a cup warmer, it didn’t seem that warm to me. The unit has wi-fi capability and works with the SmartHQ app. You will need to set up an account on that app to complete the espresso maker set up. I don’t know why it has an app, though. Probably to say it has an app…? It was a disappointment for me. Your options to “customize your drinks” are to control the grind time, volume, and volume of hot water. It will tell you when it’s time to descale the unit. The “recipes” are all for their other SmartHQ appliances, not the espresso maker. It advertises being able to be used with Alexa or Google Voice. I set it up with my Alexa, and there are NO voice commands listed for the SmartHQ skill that is for this machine. The closest are commands for a standard coffee maker. On their site specific to SmartHQ appliances, this unit isn’t even listed. Where is the option to have an espresso brew at a set time, like when you wake up? Why can’t I adjust the temp of the hot water? It’s advertised as having this additional feature of (near) instant hot water. I used this feature to make a cup of tea (husband not a coffee drinker). It wasn’t hot enough. Seems like a simple add to me. Measuring is accurate. I poured my espresso into a measuring cup to double check the volume. My single shot was 1 oz, double was 2 oz, as the app was set for. I used French Roast beans from a local coffee chain to make an Americano. You can set the hopper to grind to a certain number – I choose 7 (range is from 5 to 15). The flavor was good. Not the best I’d ever had, but it was fair. The frother/hot water dispenser is movable away from the machine. You have to use this clunky knob, though, to use this feature. Off is in the middle, Hot Water is up and Frother is down. This couldn’t be a touch interface like the rest of the machine? I have the dispenser set via app to 8 oz. fill. It was nice to set a cup down and have the hot water fill while I walked away. I had no issues with overfill. It comes with a cleaning kit that is stored under the drip pan. If you are looking to channel your inner James Hoffman, this machine is not it. That isn’t to say that it’s a bad unit by any means, but don’t expect much more out of it that you would get out of any other espresso machine.

I am a newbie to the world of espresso machines, although I have enjoyed espresso and its variants for many years. And as far as simple espresso is concerned, all I really knew about it was that it was something you asked the barista to add to your regular coffee. I knew there were machines designed specifically for making espresso, but in my world, those machines were way too complicated for the average person. Several months ago I had the opportunity to visit a friend of mine who had invested in an espresso machine. I was fascinated by the process, and yet relieved at how seemingly simple it appeared to be. So I decided to get the GE Profile semi-automatic espresso machine, and enter into this fascinating world on my own. When the machine arrived at my house, I was impressed by how safely the machine was packaged for shipping. As most of us know, package carriers are not what they used to be, and it is a crap shoot as to whether or not a package will arrive undamaged. GE certainly took this to be a challenge to overcome, and overcome they did. It was packaged so well that it would have taken nothing short of being ran over by one of the delivery trucks to actually inflict any damage. As you open the product box itself, you will notice several items inserted into the styrofoam shipping material. At first it was a bit "intimidating" as I removed each item from inside of the box. There were several stainless filters, a very heavy tapping tool, a milk pitcher for frothing with a capacity of 300 ml, a filter holder, and the coffee bean hopper, the cleaning products and water testing kit, and ultimately the espresso machine itself. Everything is made of stainless steel, and of superior quality. It was at that point I realized my simplistic thinking of espresso-making was quite misguided, and that I was ill-prepared for what I though was going to be a simple "plug-and-play" experience. After removing all the items from the box, it was time to assemble the espresso machine. The first thing I had to do was to remove all the shipping safeguards, such as tape, and other protective items. After reading the quick-start guide, it was time to give everything a quick cleaning for its first use. Putting everything together was easy enough as I followed the quick-start guide. HOWEVER, I should point out that it is very important to not simply glance over the instructions, but to actually read them and follow all the steps. The reason I say this is that there is a plug in the reservoir receptacle that must be removed prior to use. I did not remove it, and once I filled the reservoir itself with water, it began to leak. This led me to believe the machine had been damaged during shipping, but as I took the reservoir off and began to examine it for damage, that is when I noticed the very brightly colored orange plug. Feeling a bit foolish, I removed it, and that immediately solved the leaking issue. Now, as I mentioned, I felt a bit intimidated by the sheer number of items included with the machine, not really knowing what each of the pieces was for as I inspected them. But that was somewhat dwarfed by the uncertainty of "Well, what am I supposed to do now?!" So, like most others in this situation, I took to YouTube. And to my joyous surprise, GE has actually posted several videos outlining the setup and usage of the espresso machine. After watching them several times, I felt somewhat qualified to actually attempt to make an espresso. In anticipation of the arrival of the GE Profile S.A. espresso machine, I purchased a bag of coffee beans from the supermarket. It was a bag that was specifically labeled for espresso use. So, I opened the bag, and poured the whole beans into the hopper until it was full. The next thing to do was to decide on whether I wanted a single or double espresso. Always being one for excess, I chose the double, single-wall filter, and placed it into the portafilter. Placing the portafilter into the appropriate spot presented me with a bit of confusion as I thought it was supposed to fit tightly and snugly, but I wasn't able to figure out how to do this. Turns out, the portafilter fits loosely in a slot underneath the grinder itself, and is not designed to fit snugly. The instructions dictate that in order to grind enough beans for a double espresso, you must hit the "Single/Double" switch twice in rapid succession. For a single, it only takes the one tap of the button. After hitting it for what I hoped was in the correct manner, the machine began to grind. After it finished, and I pulled out the portafilter, I noticed the filter was not very full. Another lesson learned...after pouring the beans in you need to stir them around a bit to make sure they get down into the grinder itself. Otherwise not enough beans will be ground. So I repeated the process after stirring the beans, and the filter came out filled quite heapingly. At this point you have to tap the portafilter on a hard surface to force the ground coffee to settle into the filter. You then use the tamper to flatten the grounds until all the air pockets have been eliminated. If you don't do this, the pressurized hot water will simply travel through those little "tunnels" and will leave much of the grounds untouched by the water. The foibles of physics! After brushing off all the excess grounds from off the portafilter, the grounds are then placed into the brew side, and twisted into place to securely seal the grounds for brewing. There is an option for "Single" or "Double." Making sure you have a cup underneath the dispenser, you press the appropriate brew and wait. It a few seconds the pressurized water begins to force its way through the filter, and in no time at all, you have a wonderful espresso waiting to be enjoyed. Now, this is where the learning really begins. If this is all there is to making an espresso, why is there a steam wand for frothing milk?" Because most people don't like a pure, plain espresso, it is often mixed with milk...steamed milk, to be exact. To feel the slightest bit comfortable attempting this, I once again took to YouTube to learn the basics of frothing. I learned that first and foremost, frothing takes a bit of practice. Okay, a LOT of practice, to get it down correctly. Not a lot of places here within the "fast-coffee" businesses actually make any effort to add a signature design to their espressos, but simply pour in the steamed milk. Of course, once milk is added, the espresso becomes an altogether different drink. I counted at least 25 variations of drinks made with espresso. But anyway, I digress... To begin the steaming process, fill the milk cup to the desired level. I have settled on 200ml of milk to suit my own tastes, but this is something each person can decide on his/her own. After placing the milk in the cup, turn the steam on for several seconds, and then turn it off, and quickly place the milk cup under the wand, and make sure the wand is under the surface of the milk. Turn the knob downward to begin the steaming process again. The experts say to wrap your hands around the cup and froth until it becomes hot. I can't stress enough how important it is to watch a few videos to get the basics down so that you don't ruin your milk by scalding it, or by creating too much air. Call it beginners luck, but my very first frothing experience produced an almost perfect product. It poured wonderfully, and I was actually able to create a nice looking design on top of the drink. However, I have been unable to do it again, and most of my steamed milk is anything but stellar. However, I am quite enjoying the learning curve, and am looking forward to finally call myself somewhat of an expert a frothing. Of course, after brewing, it is absolutely imperative that the machine and its implements be cleaned, especially the steam wand. Immediately after frothing, you must clean the outside of the wand with a hot, wet cloth. Then turn the steam on again to make sure all milk is dispelled from the wand. You don't want to end up with spoiled milk in your next espresso drink. Cleaning the rest of the machine is quite straightforward, and again, make sure you follow the cleaning instructions in the quick-start guide. OKAY, so now the important part. As a beginner in the world of espresso and its many variants, I found that after a few uses I was very comfortable with the GE Profile Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine, and I actually have come to enjoy each new experience as my knowledge of espresso brewing is increasing. The machine is extremely easy to use, and the controls are just as easy to learn and understand. There are no complicated processes, and in a very short experience curve, anyone can begin brewing espresso drinks that will make friends and family quite envious of you for your perceived expertise. And as well, each brew allows you to make a drink that is suited exactly to your own unique taste. I gave this machine a 5-Star rating because, well, because it deserves it! It is the perfect machine to allow even the most inexperienced person to enter the world of espresso, and gain a working knowledge of espresso-brewing in a very short time. Maintenance is so easy and uncomplicated. Because there are 15 different grind settings, you can create your own standard and brand of espresso. And that is what I love about this machine the most, you don't have to fall in step with anyone...you can create as you wish, and you don't have to be an espresso clone. As a newbie, I can, from a newbie's point of view, HIGHLY recommend the GE Profile Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine to anyone wishing to take their enjoyment of coffee to the next higher levels, and break into the world of espresso.

One thing I’ve learned on my journey to better home-brewed coffee beverages is that the machines that do a good to great job are not inexpensive. With the cost of these beverages when created in storefront shops easily topping the $5 mark, home machines make more sense than ever. As I have learned through trying several of them, for coffee/espresso/cappuccino lovers, the quality of the end product from better machines can be outstanding. On the other hand, if outstanding home-brewed coffee beverages is not as appealing as is the convenience factor alone, then all of this will be lost on the reader. That is to say, pod-based machines might be good enough. There is nothing wrong with that! This GE Profile machine is in the middle of the pack. There is a model that is fully automatic, while this one is semi-automatic. The difference is that the user is in charge of frothing in this machine while the automatic model delivers a finished beverage to the user with one touch. I like the flexibility of this machine, which is why I chose it. So, what’s with this machine? Let’s take a look! **WHAT’S IN THE BOX** • Coffee machine • Tamper • Frothing cup • Filter set • Cleaning kit • Owner’s manual with warranty **THE SETUP** Unbox, READ THE MANUAL, WATCH THE ONLINE VIDEOS, assemble, test the water using the supplied strip, adjust the grind as specified, set up the App with Wi-Fi. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice some more. Since this machine offers a variety of options, try them all. Clean the frother as specified. Find the grind setting(s) that work best with EACH set of beans and for each beverage. Become accustomed to the 15 grind levels and make note of favorite settings. A conical burr grinder grinds the beans. Very nice! Grinding and tamping takes some practice to get it just right. Just enough and not to tightly packed. Espresso? Cappuccino? Latte? Flat white? And so on and so on. What have I gotten myself into? For newbies, the learning curve can be a bit daunting. For those upping their game with this, perhaps, their first machine with all these capabilities, please be patient and do not judge the procedure or result harshly without a few weeks’ practice and experience. It gets easier, I promise. The guts of the machine are an Italian-made 15 bar pump that slowly increases its pressure to draw out the flavors from the grounds. Ideally, you, the at-home barista, will become expert at this process, learning from the manual and videos the importance of the grinding and tamping process to avoid overfilling and over tamping. Such an art! Download and install the SmartHQ App. This is where users can view and change many of the settings. Grinding for a single or double dose is automatic. Place the selected 58mm portafilter with 19-21 grams capacity in position. Choose the dosage, which can be adjusted through the Wi-Fi app, and smile your best barista smile. The bean hopper holds .6 pounds of beans, which is enough for several finished beverages. It is sealed and UV resistant to preserve bean freshness. There is a generous 95-ounce water reservoir along with a cup warmer at the top of the machine. I suggest warming the cup before brewing to jump start the process and make that cuppa joe start out hot. Some of the water is used for automatic cleaning and will also be used for frothing OR for delivery of hot water alone that can be used for brewing tea. The steam frother can create microfoam textures and thicknesses for all the cool drinks, including lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites, and so many others. Now that I’ve practiced and have developed a bit of confidence, it’s time to . . . **PUT IT TO THE TEST** • Not every cup will be perfect, owing to the need for more practice to avoid screwing up! It’s going to happen, so accept it, get over it and move on. AND don’t blame the machine. The machine is fine. Really it is. • A fan of cappuccino, this is my go-to beverage. I ground the beans for a double, as I like it strong. I touched the display with my choice. My cup was pre-warmed from its time on the warming tray. • The grounds were delivered to the selected double-layer, double-shot portafilter. I removed it, trimmed the grinds and removed the overage, tamped, then moved the portafilter into position for brewing my Lungo. Look it up! • The brew delivered, it was time to froth, so I placed the cup back on the warming tray. • We like to froth oat milk, but use whatever you may wish. Out swings the arm and into the included stainless steel cup. The frothing control knob is turned to steam and that process begins to the desired frothiness per volume. • Down came the cup. In goes the froth and it’s time to test. I am getting good at this! • Once again, practice does make perfect, or, at least more than acceptable for now. Perfect will come in due time. • Cleaning is also important, so do as I and follow the procedures as given. **CONCLUSION** Given the cost, this is a highly competitive machine with nothing about which to complain. With others similarly priced, I am not aware of significant benefits of others that are not present here, with the possible exception of faster heating to the ready state. To me, this capability is not worth the added cost of others with this feature. The high quality Italian mechanism still delivers the goods, fine cups of our favorite coffee beverages. One exception to the above is the option for automatic instead of semi-automatic capabilities. There is an argument for one-button automatic operation that removes the need for the tamping, etc. However, semi-automatic operation at this price point provides greater fine-tuning of the final product. **WARRANTY** One year manufacturer’s warranty.

With smart appliances continuing to improve over time, it’s good to see the start of the day (or a midday shot of caffeine) can be had on demand. Ge has oped to pair those who love espresso with a smart app and wifi connectivity to allow for greater customization of how you enjoy your caffeine fix. In the box you’ll find the GE Espresso Maker, an accessory cleaning kit, a bean hopper, metal tamper, a milk pitcher, a portafilter with various sized filters, and some water hardness strips. You’ll need to install a free app called SmartHQ in the app store, which will offer greater flexibility in how your drink is made; even allowing you to adjust the grind time for single and double shot grinds. Setting up the maker is fairly straightforward, simply unpack, install the bean hopper, and remove the water reservoir for cleaning and filling. The app walks you through setting up and pairing the maker on for use in the app. I will warn you, the firmware updates take quite a long time to install. The first update took over 10 minutes, and a follow up update took almost half an hour to fully install. During the installation process, you can still use the device; although it will restart once the update is complete. I will stress that the app is really necessary to have the best experience. I found the default settings for grind time were a bit too long, leading to messy grinds during my first time of use. You can adjust the overall time in seconds for single and double shot grinds, after which using the single press buttons will yield the desired result, with minimal mess. I was also surprised at the overall build quality of the device. The hopper easily installs into place, and twisting it allows you to select the desired grind of your favorite coffee beans. The Portafilter Cradle does a great job of holding the Portafilter as it grinds, and once you’ve figured out how to place it, you’ll find it takes only a few seconds to go from grind to using the tamper, and placing the unit into the head for brewing. The attached steam wand can be positioned slightly to allow you to place into the milk pitcher, and the turn dial on the right hand side engages the steam. The touch controls were responsive, and I appreciated the simple to read indicators on the front panel. You’ll notice a light up bar on the front panel notifying you of the various steps along the way. I did get a couple of “overpressure” errors during my first use, which simply required that I adjust the grind time, as I’d used too much coffee. You’ll also notice it’s incredibly difficult to place the portafilter if you’ve overfilled it with coffee. Overall, if you’re an espresso lover, this is a solid buy. It’s a bit pricey for a single purpose espresso machine, but if you’re wanting a similar experience to a cafe style espresso, you won’t go wrong with this machine. The update process is a bit long, but once it’s done you’re ready to start making espresso. Cleaning the machine is easy, given the cleaning kit is located inside the drip tray. I can’t stress just how great this machine is.

The GE Profile Espresso machine combines form and function in a sleek and beautiful design. The app connection provides notifications when the water tank is low and allows things like water hardness to be updated. The GE Profile includes a water testing strip to test your water’s hardness, which was a nice, unexpected surprise. The included tamper is heavier than others I’ve used, in a way that bolsters the quality feel and makes it easier to provide a more even tamp. The attached grinder allows you to choose between a more coarse or fine grind. I’ve had the best grind around setting “10” on the grinder with the beans I’ve used so far. The top of the machine provides the right amount of space to store extra filters, though it would be nice to have more storage underneath to store unused filters. The water catch tray has a red bar that will pop up if there is too much water in the tray. Additionally, there is a small storage area behind the tray with a small brush used to clean the machine. Another nice touch that left me wanting more hidden storage. The attached steam wand allows milk to easily be steamed, and it heats up the water quite quickly. The directions caution that using the steamer steams at a higher temperature than the brewing temperature, and recommends pulling all shots before steaming to avoid the brewing temp being too hot. Overall, I’ve been very happy with the GE Profile, and I definitely prefer the built in grinder over the separate espresso machine and grinder I was using previously.

GE has come to bring us an excellent espresso at home. I've put this machine through it's paces since I received it. Right from the start I truly appreciate having 1 machine to do it all instead of 2 (Grinder and espresso machine). It does take up just a tad bit more counter space than the 2 but it looks very premium. Setup was easy to run it for the first time. It has a large water tank which is a plus. It also has a very good coffee bean grinder. It's on par with other premium grinders I've previously used. The frothy creme that comes from the default setting for a double is amazing. The milk steamer is plenty strong to froth up your milk. The Smart HQ app also allows for settings to be updated to your taste. The ability to change your single or double servings separately is a good setting to have. Also I upped the ounces for hot water so I could have a full cup to make teas separately. You can connect to Alexa or Google Home but it couldn't find my machine linked when I tried. This is for the premium espresso drinker who wants that cafe experience at home. It has everything but the beans to get you going very easily.

I’ve had this for about a month now. Making daily espresso. grinder works fine. People need to research more on the mechanisms and how they work. Only adjust grind settings while grinder is on. Especially when going finer. This helps avoid beans getting stuck in the process, which leads to jamming the grinder. I am giving 4 stars due to lack of consistency and app compatibility. I got this because I wanted a more modern machine and it seemed like a great addition to my smart home. It would be amazing if you could actually turn on the machine from the app to allow machine to get to temp. It has auto-off anyway. In addition, I there seems to be a delay when adjusting settings via app to apply to machine , doesn’t seem immediate, I always reset the machine when adjusting to be sure changes are applied. As for the consistency concern, I use adequate tools and scales to narrow down my variables for inconsistencies, yet it seems like the pressure of the machine varies, but still does the job. I’ve narrowed it down to internal heat temp. Typically, if the machine is on for 30 + mins , I can get perfect shots , back to back. Yet, if I only wait for the factory set preheating time, it doesn’t seem to get to pressure nor extraction temps. Overall it is a beautiful machine and I would recommend for anyone starting an espresso hobby. I purchased on sale during Christmas, so It was definitely worth it.

If you like espresso this is the machine for you. Setup is straightforward. The only thing that held me up was the hopper. Once I got it placed on correctly it was up and running. The touch panel On the front the display is easy to read. This Espresso machine is controlled through the SmartHQ app. Which is available for IOS and android. Setting up the app was a breeze. One thing of note. When setting the machine up you may have to fine tune your grind to eliminate the bitterness in your espresso shot. With the espresso maker being app controlled you can download different drink profiles to customize your grind time and also the amount of water the comes out when making an Americano.

This is an easy to set-up and easy to use espresso machine that just works as advertised. Set up, from box to counter took all of 15 minutes and I was ready to make a cup. Simple instructions and simple to use, this espresso machine has it all, including a frother! You get the ability to adjust the fineness of the grind and will take a few tries to get the right taste you’re looking for. The unit comes with a variety of filters for both single shot and double shot. By far one of the best espresso machines I’ve owned.

Love it. Great quality . It has been my daily thing where I wake up and first make me expresso with hot milk . Its very easy to use and setup was very easy.

Really easy to use and makes really good coffee! I love the way it looks!

Coffee maker broke when I first bought it but Best Buy gave me a new one right away and haven’t had a single issue. Makes the perfect cup.