Customer Ratings & Reviews

This machine makes a very nice espresso -- when it grinds properly. This is the reason it gets 2 stars. The burr grinder regularly clogs without warning. Like, after 5 or 6 cycles. Way more frequently than is reasonable. When this happens (and it happens a lot) it flings grounds all over the countertop and floor. Also, before you say anything, I have owned other burr grinders in the past. I worked as a barista in college. I understand how to clean and maintain them. This one is by far the messiest and fussiest of them all. The rest of the components seem very sturdy and durable. But at $500--$600 for a countertop appliance, I expect much better. 100% would not buy this again or recommend anyone else buy it, either.

I've had numerous coffee machines/makers and quite a few espresso machines. The espresso machines have ranged from the dinky ones to the pod ones. The pods offer some pretty good drinking coffee, but lose some romance and it's never quite the same as fresh espresso. Don't waste your time with the dinky ones, as they seem to be just making little cups of coffee, not espresso. This machine is definitely the most expensive I've owned, and it makes espresso just like you'd buy at a cafe. I can say it definitely has the romance of making a cup of espresso, but I think it'll be used mainly for after dinner coffee or when we host. While I'd love to be the type of person that spends 5 minutes making a single drink, I just don't have the time or patience to do that every day. That being said, if you're looking for a machine to make actual espresso, this might actually be the best value out there. While it doesn't have some of the features you would find in a commercial espresso maker (manual pressure control), it doesn't take nearly the space or expense and it has a built in grinder. I use this now in place of our standalone grinder, even if I'm brewing in my percolator. The milk steaming arm is also great for lattes and anything else with steamed milk and the hot water feature is very handy to make tea or other hot drinks. Finally, I'd encourage the manufacturer to play around with the grind settings. When anyone makes espresso the first time, they're going to want a fine grind because espresso is usually very finely ground. If you do this, your first cup will be about a quarter oz. It's too fine and clogs the micro holes in the filter. Then you have a mess, try again, it happens again. You go to the web and find out you gotta grind a little coarser. For a machine like this, it really shouldn't grind smaller than the machine can handle.

So I have to start by saving the app is my FAVORITE part of the Cafe Bellissimo Espresso Machine! It has warned me twice that I had something installed incorrectly and saved me a huge mess! It looks absolutely beautiful in my kitchen and makes amazing espresso drinks! Now I have to get another one for the office because everyone has loved the random drinks I have brought in for them, I feel like a pro!

There's some unnecessary technology in this coffee maker. The app, while simple and aesthetically pleasing, is the only way to adjust the duration and amount of coffee to grind. The filter holder is placed just under the grinder, leaving a space. When the beans are ground, it creates a powdery mess around the countertop. After that, you have to manually press (tamp) the ground into the portafilter, which creates more mess. The coffee machine doesn't feel heavy enough to be considered good quality, but it surprisingly is. It moves a little too easily for me, but that's just my preference. After frothing the milk, it depressurizes as it should, but it's louder than I would like it to be. All things considered, it does make good coffee. Super simple controls, I just wouldn't want to go through that clean-up to make it.

The grinder for the beans gets clogged up sometimes even after I just cleaned it but other than that it’s a great machine that gets the job done.

For just over a year the Cafe Bellissimo worked wonderfully. For a semi-automatic machine with a grinder it has a small learning curve and packed a powerful punch in reservoir capacity, heating time, and pressure. I was pleased with it, then things started to go wrong. Water started appearing under the machine and i only noticed when doing routine cleaning on the machiand which involved moving it a small bit to get better access. It had seeped into my granite and made a dark spot the size of the machine! Shortly after this i was pulling an espresso when water started dripping out of the grinder!! Obviously there is a break somewhere inside. I contacted GE customer service where my machine was registered and it has been a challenge to get any help. They required me to video the issues and send in proof of purchase which i have done. Less than two years old and origionally over $700 this seems to be the end of this machine. Warranty is for one year unfortunately. I would not recommend this machine. I wish i would have purchased a higher quality espresso machine that was built to last.

This espresso machine is the perfect combo of beauty and function. Absolutely delicious espresso- the only problem is having too many!! I want to make coffee all day!

I really enjoy using this machine. Im a former barista and appreciate the price and the overall quality of the cafe. It doesn't tell you as much information as I'd like. But it does have an app that you can adjust the amount of water that comes out. Well designed and overall a good espresso machine

I bought this for my mom for her birthday she likes it a lot it was a little complicated for her to figure out and the grinder gets jammed occasionally

My husband loves to make his own lattes and espressos at home. He really enjoys experimenting and trying new combinations of flavors, perfecting his frothing, and fine tuning the process of getting the brew “just right.” Besides that, it’s particularly nice to be able to offer guests a ‘specialty beverage’ you’ve made yourself. Having the coffee grinder right there alongside the brewer as part of the whole system, is really nice. Everything is all neat and tidy and relatively compact, and fits in well with what I’ve come to term my “coffee station,” next to my Keurig and fancy electric teapot. *It is always a good idea to review your new device’s User Manual. Familiarize yourself with the appliance’s components and read over the ‘Important Safeguards’, ‘Getting Started’, ‘Controls’, ‘Functions’, ‘Using Your Espresso Machine’, ‘Care and Cleaning’, ‘Tips’, and ‘WiFi Connect’ sections prior to setup. Yes, there is an “app for that.” This Bellissimo Cafe Espresso Maker is WiFi compatible with the SmartHQ (GE) app. With it, you can control and monitor your machine remotely. ‘Companion apps’ are becoming more commonplace, and I found this app particularly helpful because of all the extra features it has to offer. As for “on-board” controls, the ‘add water’ and ‘clean alert’ indicators will let you know when those things are needed. You are also able to get hot water dispensed from the steam wand using that function, which is a feature I plan to make use of a lot. There’s even an included milk frothing pitcher which is a useful bonus, as is the ‘cleaning kit’, cleaning solution, and water hardness strip (which you’ll want to use prior to brewing your first coffee as part of getting your new espresso machine ready to go). The weight of the portafilter and tamper, as well as the espresso machine itself, really speaks of the higher level of quality this Bellissimo Cafe boasts. And the water tank is huge, at least compared to my previous espresso maker, so there’ll be less need to fill it as often. While operating, the machine is not overly loud. In fact, the rhythmic ‘chug-chug’ and soft hiss sounds are almost comforting as you eagerly await the delicious brew to come. And the brews they are delectable! Of course, there’s some ‘trial and error’ and a bit of a ‘learning curve’ involved with this kind of machine, but keep at it, experiment, have fun, cause it’ll be worth it! The richness, that’s the first word which comes to mind, of the coffee’s flavor, is really something wonderful. However, given this Bellissimo Cafe Espresso Machine + Frother’s high price point, spending that much on this type of home coffee brewing appliance is really an investment, and may only be desirable by the most dedicated coffee aficionados. Still, the quality is excellent and the brews which it produces are delectably wonderful.

I’ve enjoyed learning how to use this espresso maker - love it.

I'm so bummed.. this machine was such an investment and hasn't worked properly from the start. It leeks water both out of the bottom and sometimes through the grinder, doesn't seem to ever pull a proper shot and sometimes fails to start pulling the shot when I click the button. I've sent multiple inquiries to see if I could exchange it for a new one hoping it was just a faulty singular machine and was told I couldn't and just to unplug it and plug it back in to "reset the machine". As you can imagine, this was not the magic fix..

The espresso machine looks nice very nice but the grinder is the problem it doesn’t grind most of the time so that’s the problem

Love love love! I am very satisfied with my café..

Don’t buy it if you don’t want to have constant issues with it. It leaks water all the time the grinder is horrible, coffee gets all over even after cleaning it and calibrating it. I regret buying this very much so. I should’ve just paid more and get a better quality one.

Super bummed out. I was so excited for this and nearly cried when I took it out of the box. It is beautiful. Unfortunately, the grinder stopped working after a few uses. I exchanged it for a new one and the second machine I got also had grinder issues immediately! I read through the manuals prior to turning on the machine and followed instructions, I also tried to clean the grinder but still no luck. I’ll have to return it…again!

Make a Great Christmas gift. Make a great gift yes

We had the espresso maker 8 months until it staterted leaking from the top of the machine. It shorted out the circuits, so we got a warranty replacement. 6 months later, the machine did the exact same thing. Called GE to replace it, and they said it was out of warranty. They would only give me loyalty credit towards a new purchase. I’m never giving GE another penny. Do not buy this espresso machine!!

Works really awesome, bought it as a christmas gift for my wife, per her request and now I’m using it more than her!

very hard to use and very messy. However, it is very pretty