Customer Ratings & Reviews

Replaced an 18 yr old fantastic semiautomatic German machine that finally gave up the ghost with this one, fearing a disappointment, and what a surprise! This is a quality build, easy to use and cleanup's a snap. Perfect espresso every time, rich layer of crema and at ideal temperature. Beautiful on the counter, precise fittings and quiet compared with others. Great value too. Love this unit, exactly what I was hoping to find. IMPORTANT TIP: Follow setup and first use instructions to the letter and it will pay dividends.

I was so excited to finally got this. The box look so damaged when it arrived. I quickly set it up and can wait to make my first cup. I fill up the water reservoir and slid it into the machine. Almost instantly all the water has leak out to my counter. It had several crack and broken pieces on back of the machine!

I had my doubts but I’m glad I made the purchase it probably already payed for itself lots of coffee lovers at home. Great tasting coffee at home!

Love it, strong coffe, best option for me that love Cuban coffee. It’s super easy to clean

Heats up quick, moderate volume, and can quickly tell you if it is out of water or needs to build heat. No leaks or pump issues 6 months in, and steams quickly. It can overflow the bottom water collection tray if kept unemptied for awhile, but that should be seen by me by looking at the plastic indicator.

It's a very good machine, top notch build quality and bought it with a big discount by creating a bestbuy account. It's my first expresso machine but I already have experience using my father's expresso machine during time (He owns many of them). The only issue with it was some scratches on the top that seems that the manufacturer tried to fix applying a similar paint. That not make me any difference so I decided to keep it.

I'll admit that I've been intimidated by fancy espresso makers. Many are bulky with endless amount of settings and attachments. This Brim espresso maker has been a revelation. It's sleek, easy to assemble and use, and is clearly an industrial-quality machine made to last. PROS: - Sturdy yet elegant design. The machine is very substantial, yet the chrome finish and beautifully designed buttons and knobs will look great on any kitchen counter. It takes up less counter space then I thought it would -- it's roughly 12 inches long by 12 inches wide and about 15 inches tall. It easily fits under my cabinets. - Includes all of the accessories you'll need for espresso drinks: filters, frothing pitcher, tamper, measuring scoop, and cleaning tool. - Surprisingly simple to use. To brew espresso, just measure your grounds into the filter basket, flatten the grounds into the portafilter with the tamper, and press either the single- or double-shot buttons. To froth milk, fill up the pitcher, turn the dial to "Steam," and place the wand into the pitcher. - You can reprogram the single- and double-shot buttons to dispense just as much water as you want, which is great if you're very particular about your espresso strength. - Unlike other machines I have used, the steam produced by this machine is just the right temperature — hot enough to perfectly texture the milk and produce a great froth. - I love the included hot water dispenser on the left of the machine -- It has just the right amount of pressure and is perfect for making Americanos, tea, hot cocoa, etc. - The top of the machine acts as a warming plate to pre-heat cappucino shot cups. It's a fancy feature that I haven't used yet, but it's nice to know it's there. - Cleanup is a breeze. The espresso grounds turn into a solid pick after use and are easy to dispose. Simply wash the filters under warm water and use the cleaning tool to remove any leftover grounds from the filter. CONS: - The machine is easy to use once you get the hang of it, but the provided instruction book is not very clear. The instructions seem too wordy and don’t provide many visual illustrations. I wish Brim would have included a link to a YouTube video with a visual walkthrough. OVERALL: I have been using the machine multiple times a day for over two weeks with no issues to report. I was worried that I would somehow mess up the drinks I made with this machine, but the truth is I had nothing to worry about. After a couple of brews, I got the hang of it and now really enjoy using it. I’ve made cappuccinos, lattes, Americanos, and tea, and I’m excited to find new things to make. If you want to skip the line at your local coffee shop and have professional-quality drinks in your own home, give this machine a look. Highly recommended!

Received the first one and it started leaking from under the unit within a couple minutes of filling the reservoir with water. I couldn’t make it through the preparation steps without having a towel near the unit. Returned it a couple days later. I’m on my second unit for a little over a month now and it is working fine. I have noticed a temp difference when pulling shots whether I let the unit warm up a bit or run a empty shot. There really isn’t much consistency as far as temp goes, but it’s at least warm. I’ve only used Cafe Bustelo pre ground in the unit and it works ok once I adjusted the water output for the single and double shot. I’ve tried the pressurized and non pressurized cups and as suggested the pressurized cups do work a bit better with the coffee I’m using. I get a good crema on top most of the time and overall happy with the purchase compared to a Krups I had for about 8 years.

Very Happy with our brim purchase! Lots of on-line videos to help & get the skills needed to be our at own at home Barista’s. Felt better buying such an expensive purchase within Best Buy store & getting to actually see & feel verse being an online purchase. Not mention we were looking to avoid the k cup plastic throw aways, Thank goodness brim products have the quality we were looking for without using plastic.

It’s a great entry-mid level machine that have everything you need to make delicious Coffee Base beverages.

So far so good! We have been using this on the weekends and the coffee has been delicious!

Great little espresso machine. It is worth the money just make sure you take the time to learn how to use it properly. Makes sure you have a good bean grinder and grind your beans fine enough(change bore grind size inside your machine if needed) I love that the materials are good quality.

Easiest espresso machine ever! Best decision and highly recomendable for a little coffee shop.

For a residential unit, the design and build is very sturdy and strong. There is a lot of metal components throughout the machine which helps with the overall structure and sturdiness. The accessories are all very well built that fit very nicely and tight in each device e.g. filter cups into the portafilter, the portafilter into the grouphead, the tamper into the portafilter. In my video review, I weigh the tamper and it comes in at a whopping 1.44lbs! - for a residential unit. The steam want has a tremendous amount of articulation which is nice because it allows you to use the wand away from the base. The hot water tap has the same articulation. The water and steam come out HOT. Be careful. The one or two shot cup is so nice because I can choose the strength of my espresso. Use of equipment is extremely easy. Just push the power button and let the system warm up. When the blue lights around the dials are solid or stop blinking , you're ready to brew. If you want steam or hot water, just turn the dial to which option you want. Overall, this is a stout equipment that is built strongly. For a residential unit and a cup or two...or three a day, this device will hold up.

Quality product acquired on sale, a bargain appreciated

Brim - 19-Bar Espresso Maker - The highly chromed, heavy and beautifully designed Brim Espresso Maker with its precision dials and dispensers, sends a message of luxury and quality. You’ve got to operate this appliance to understand why these comments are likely to appear in every review you will read. But how does this lovely-to-look-at instrument actually work? SETUP and OPERATION: Brim offers a useful quick-start guide and instructions which I found easy to understand with the help of the illustrations. They’re both accurate and the instructions add some definitions and explanations about “why” you need to use various features or accessories. Very unusual and quite helpful for novices. I can understand that some new owners might feel intimidated by the controls which suggest only engineers are welcome. In fact, the opposite is true. Brim has made the Espresso making process logical and easy to repeat reliably. Whatever is occurring under the chrome face is making my results seem effortless. We worked our way through the initial priming and flushing without a hitch. The instructions are important to getting the sequence of actions and the timing right. We moved on to making a first cup of Espresso and we knew we had the right instrument. We tried both the low and high pressure filter options and both got us to an enjoyable result. Th dispensing control can be reprogrammed by simply following the instructions. You can fill a larger or smaller cup to the same level each time. The milk foamer worked flawlessly and the included pitcher is high quality as are all the added accessories. It’s not just a pretty face. Only complaint: The pump/compressor that that powers this Espresso Maker is louder that I expected. I don’t think you should plan on sneaking into the kitchen before others are awake to surprise them with Espresso. This may be typical but I have little experience in this regard. Everything was easy to disassemble for cleaning, and the drip tray as well as the large 71oz water tank were all thoughtful designs. RECOMMENDATION: The Brim espresso machine offers home baristas the right tools to acquire experience and skills to prepare the perfect cup of espresso.

This is my first home espresso machine. I always use to be a little skeptical about the quality of the espresso that a few hundred $ machine can make vs. the coffee shops that have thousand $ machines. After trying Brim for more than a month, my skepticism is gone. The espresso that this machine makes is as good as any other coffee shop espresso. Here are my observations after a month of use: - Sleek design, looks pretty good on my kitchen counter! - Contains all the accessories required for making a great espresso (i.e. Temper, Frother, filters, measuring spoon and cleaning tool (the only thing that is not included is Grinder) - The instructions manual is pretty detailed. It takes a while to get (around 5-10 times) used to the process but its not that difficult. - You can adjust the amount of coffee is brewed when you press 1-cup or 2-cup options - Again using the steam to froth the milk (if you are making cappuccino or latte) takes 3-5 tries but you get the hang of that too.. - Easy to clean - Makes great espresso So overall, it's a great machine for the price. Now, I can have good espresso in the comfort of my home (specially in the current cold weather you don't feel like going out :)).

I have used other home espresso machines, and by far the Brim 19 Bar Espresso Maker is a world-class home machine. The machine and all of the accessories are well built with quality materials and design. When you lift, its heavy, and when touching the device, you can feel the quality. The appearance is stunning and looks professional. It perfectly complements my other chrome appliances, and it is excellent as a countertop appliance because of its compact size. The quick start guide is simple to follow with illustrations and clear instructions. Before fire use, the machine needs to be thoroughly clean. After completing the cleaning step, the water tank must be filled correctly to use the machine. The three main features that can be used on this machine are the thermal coil for espresso, the texturized microfoam, and the hot water dispenser. (1) Making the expresso is uncomplicated. There are four filter baskets total-two pressurized and two that are non-pressurized. If the coffee is fresh and finely grind, the non-pressurized filter is more appropriate. The pressurized filters are for when the coffee is not fine grind or fresh. Before and after each use, it is a good idea to purge the filters- run it on the brew head without coffee. (2) For the texturized microfoam, the more I used it, the better I got in making the perfect texturize foam milk. The secret to making the most foam is to fill the metal pitcher no more than 1/3 of the way, insert the tip of the wand on or just below the surface of the milk, tilt/angle the pitcher to create a vortex with the steam. After creating enough foam, mix with a freshly made espresso. (3) The hot water dispenser is excellent to obtain hot water for Americanos or hot teas. The instant hot water wand is the easiest of the three features. Place a cup under wand and turn the function control dial to the hot water setting. The other features and accessories add value to this espresso machine. The heated die-cast top plate keeps the cups warm. All you need to make great coffee with this machine are freshly fine grind coffee, sugar, milk, and a few glass or ceramic cups. It is an excellent machine, and a must have if you love coffee. All my friends and family are amazed I can make them coffee like a professional barista. I enjoy making coffee using this machine, which is great since my family likes a homemade fresh hot cappuccino. I love this machine, and now I am making coffee every day.

Admittedly, I was not a huge fan of espresso before I decided to pick up this machine from Brim. I liked espresso before but for someone like myself, unless you’re going to go get it at a coffee shop regularly, it’s an occasional treat rather than a daily perk. Also, If I’m 100% honest, I really sort of viewed anything other than just straight black coffee as somewhat silly. I am here to pay my penance and renounce those beliefs. I had no idea how much I was missing out on. As far as the function of the machine, it’s been flawless for the 3+ weeks I’ve had it. It has a huge water reservoir hidden discretely in the back of the machine which I’ve only had to fill it a few times. Better yet, I can leave it tucked under the cabinets on my counter without having to pull it away from the wall to fill the reservoir. Espresso comes out nice and frothy with the complex layers that it should. With some help from YouTube, I was able to start making delicious espresso almost immediately. For me, this is a huge win because I didn’t want to spend hours upon hours trying to become an espresso master. The machine helps me look like someone who’s been doing espresso for a much longer time. The hot water function is a fantastic touch as well. My kids like having the ability to make some hot chocolate quickly and my wife uses it for her occasional tea. The milk steamer seems very high quality but I must admit I’m not great at steaming milk. It seems to require a touch that I just don’t really have yet. The machine takes very little time to warm up to usable temps. Maybe 20-30 seconds at most. Quality, fit, finish, and the finer details seem to be right up there with anything else I’ve seen from friends or family with similar machines. The top plate is well finished and helps to warm up mugs and cups which is a nice touch. It comes with everything you’d expect a $400 machine to come with and the accessories are all high quality as well. Just be careful because they’re pretty well tucked away in the packaging. Be sure you don’t throw anything away after unboxing. Overall, this machine has had the effect of making me fall in love with coffee all over again. I enjoy the challenge of making a good espresso, steaming milk and finding recipes that add to the natural flavor of coffee. It’s been a fantastic addition to our kitchen that our whole family enjoys.

I like the looks of it but the cons is that the steamer wand doesn't make a froth as what i expected. It take some time to preheat the steam. Just a disappointment.