MORNING Smart Coffee Machine for Coffee Pods Nespresso Capsule Compatible - LCD Display, Professional Brewing - Barista Style - Small Compact Coffee Machine - Coffee Maker Espresso Machine (White)

This is a feature packed coffee machine without a single doubt... but it comes as a serious price tag-Firs things first, this machine is fantastic. It does everything you want and does it with precision. The machine itself is very sleek and modern looking. It is fairly thin so doesn't take up a huge amount of space. It runs off Nespresso pods. You can buy these out and about in store, or you can select some from the MORNING website. They source lots from all around the world and the selection is impressive. The LCD display is good and easy to read-To really step up the features, you need to link this to your phone. You can gain access to recipes from around the world, can create your own, and set you perfect brewing temperature. You can even schedule times for your coffee brewing so it could be ready to go as soon as you get out of bed in the morning-This is a fantastic machine, and it keeps up to it's expectations of elevating your coffee experience. But is it worth £440? I'm not so sure. That still seems very high to me. Other competitors have similar features but I can't find one that has all of them. So I'll leave that for you to decide

The media could not be loaded. Firstly, I will just say that I normally drink instant coffee. I’ve not used a pod espresso maker before but I wanted a machine that could make a nice shot of coffee for my morning cup without having to use proper ground coffee etc. (My husband has one of those and I have no idea how to use it!)This machine does everything I would like it to - and more. It looks amazing. The smart design in black looks great on the countertop and the machine itself is smooth to touch. Please see my video for the full review.I have found the coffee a bit insipid as I add hot water to it to make it an americano, and then a splash of milk, but I think that might be the light roast pods that I am currently using. I will try some of the other brewing ‘recipes’ though to find the one I prefer.I have connected the machine to the app and there is the possibility for me to design my own recipes but that is more than I need to do with it - I shall leave that to my husband.Overall, if you use coffee pods already and want a smart gadget for your kitchen, I definitely recommend this machine.

PROS…• The materials used seem like good quality. It all feels entry-level premium — both to look at and to touch.• The machine is very compact. In my view, it’s footprint is pretty small (which obviously is great).• The industrial design of it is very cool. It’s a nice-looking appliance.• I personally like the fact that it dispenses espressos by weight — which for me, seems to give more consistent results (in terms of quantity) when compared to many other machines I have used that try to dispense based on the amount of time that the machine forces water through the ground coffee.• I like that the machine instantly ‘knows’ when you remove a cup from the drip tray‚ which sits on top of a pad, which is basically a built-in set of scales. This also means that if you start a ‘brew’ but suddenly want to change/remove your cup, the machine pauses any running processes when the cup is removed.• After using a variety of ‘espresso’ capsules (Illy, Kimbo and Segafredo so far) I can say that it makes a decent tasting, velvety espresso — which also worked well in combination with steamed/warmed milk. I’d say that — in terms of flavour and texture — the dispensed espressos sit somewhere between the standard you would get from a quality bean-to-cup machine and a decent ‘true’ portafilter machine.• The ability to pre and post-flush clean warm water through the machine is not only effective, but is an option that is very quick and easy to activate at the mere touch of a button.CONS…• For me, it’s very expensive/overpriced (£440) for what it is and for what it does. There are very decent (big brand) machines* out there with built-in grinders and decent steam wands (for similar and sometimes lower prices) — which unlike this machine can steam milk and use whole, fresh beans…which are FAR cheaper to buy than compatible Nespresso pods (which this machine exclusively uses).*I’m talking about both quality bean-to-cup machines and semi-decent portafilter machines (some with built-in grinders…and some without).So, for me, this machine worth absolutely no more than £250. Moreover, in my view, there are a LOT of gimmicky, head-spinning, unnecessary options with this machine, particularly when using the phone app — which is I suspect is a big part of the ‘justification’ for the high price.• Even at the highest possible temperature settings, for me, the espressos coming from this machine are nowhere near hot enough. In a pre-warmed cup, I’m barely reaching 62˚C — unlike my old (much cheaper) Illy Iperespresso capsule machine which (depending on the capsule variety) gives an in-cup temperature of 65˚C-68˚C …which, while still not exactly ‘piping-hot’, certainly feels noticeably warmer and much more drinkable (from a thick-walled, pre-heated espresso cup)……for me personally, this machine’s in-cup temperature of less than 63˚C leaves me with coffee which (at best) feels lukewarm, rather than ‘hot’. The army of coffee geeks/hipsters out there may ‘enjoy’ and indeed insist upon barely warm coffee, but I personally find it unpleasant …which means I am forced (in advance) to heat my cups for well over a minute in the microwave, or alternatively, to microwave the in-cup dispensed coffee for five seconds — both options are less than ideal for various obvious reasons, but do often result in something enjoyable none the less.• On my machine, the mechanical dial on the front of the machine can be a bit twitchy. Many times now I have tried to carefully select a particular setting and frustratingly it keeps flip-flopping between the settings either side of the one I want to choose …and then at other times it works just fine. As you turn the dial, it physically ‘clunks’ in tandem with every setting (which is a good idea) but randomly some options only appear on-screen in-between ‘clunks’ and therefore are not selectable at that time.• The wording in the included manual sometimes seems like it is supposed to go with a slightly different machine with slightly different settings (which have slightly different wordings). There are also some settings on the machine that are not explained in the manual.• There does not seem to be a selection which simply enables me to fully ‘switch-off’ the machine. My only two options are to leave it to eventually go into a low power ‘eco’ mode, or to switch it off at the wall. (FYI It looks to me like you can go into the settings and select the amount of time that passes before going into low power mode)• I have had a few instances where the app insists that the machine is in ‘eco mode’ (when it is not) and therefore gives me no option dispense a coffee. My only workable solution to this glitch was to switch off the machine (at the wall socket) and switch it on again (and then restarting the app too)• The machine — when switched on, or in low power mode — sometimes starts to rapidly drip water into the drip tray for at least a minute at a time …it’s completely random as far as I can tell. I think that this has also happened even when the machine is not plugged-in, as I have discovered a good deal of water in a previously washed and dried drip tray, long after a coffee has been made and the machine flushed.CONCLUSION…I really want to like this machine a lot, and while it does indeed have some great qualities, the combination of the high price, the lukewarm-at-best coffee, the lack of a steam wand, the twitchy dial and the other glitchy peculiarities stop me (sadly) from being able to award four stars or more. (while a steam wand would be a nice bonus, it would not be strictly necessary if only the machine's functional problems could just be improved).I would absolutely love to have a version of this machine that has the aforementioned ‘rough edges’ smoothed out, is simpler to use and does not require a gimmicky phone app to get the ‘best’ out of it.If this machine ever went on a post-Christmas sale at half-price, it would probably be an excellent buy for coffee-hipsters who don’t mind non-hot coffee and who want a secondary machine for very quickly-dispensed espressos when they are in a hurry.It’s a very brave, very worthy and admirable attempt by an ambitious independent entrepreneur to compete in a highly saturated market (which is dominated by large-scale manufacturers) …and I salute them for it.

The MORNING Small Coffee Machine is designed for coffee lovers who want a professional brewing experience right at home. Its precision brewing technology allows you to fine-tune every aspect of your coffee, from temperature to pressure profiles, ensuring each cup is tailored to your taste. This machine is a great option whether you're a seasoned coffee enthusiast or just getting started.One of the standout features is the barista-crafted recipes that come pre-programmed, offering ten unique brewing styles, including the popular "Bloom & Brew" method for optimal flavor extraction. It's compatible with Nespresso Original Line capsules, making it versatile and convenient for a wide range of coffee options.Additionally, the smart connectivity feature is impressive. With firmware updates and customization options via the Morning Mobile App, you can keep your coffee machine updated with the latest brewing innovations. The sleek design combined with the intuitive OLED screen and dial makes it easy to navigate and integrate seamlessly into any kitchen.However, the steep price tag is a significant drawback. While the premium features and award-winning design justify the cost to some extent, it's hard to overlook the fact that there are far more affordable Nespresso-compatible machines on the market that can still offer a decent experience.Score: 4/5 – A fantastic machine for serious coffee lovers, but the high price might deter casual users or those seeking a more budget-friendly option.