TLDR Review: Fellow Espresso Series 1
Verdict
This Fellow Espresso Series 1 offers impressive speed, precision, and a sleek design, making it attractive for home baristas looking to elevate their coffee experience. However, recent reviews highlight some reliability issues, inconsistent shot quality, and technical frustrations like spraying and app glitches. If you're seeking a machine with premium features and are willing to troubleshoot occasional quirks, it could be a good choice. Otherwise, exploring other models with established reliability—like the La Marzocco Linea Mini or the Breville Dual Boiler—might be worth considering.
- Top pro:
- Heats in under 2 minutes, speeding up your morning routine
- Top con:
- Inconsistent espresso quality despite experimentation; difficult to get perfect shots every time
Pros
- •Heats in under 2 minutes, speeding up your morning routine
- •Precise temperature control for consistent shot quality
- •Pressure profiling allows for customization of espresso extraction
- •Built-in guidance makes it user-friendly for beginners
- •Assisted milk steaming produces professional-quality foam and latte art
- •Sleek, matte black design looks fantastic on any countertop
- •Produces excellent steaming performance for rich, textured milk
- •Fast warm-up time enhances efficiency
- •Easier to operate than some high-end alternatives, with customizable options
- •Reliable once past initial setup and calibration
Cons
- •Inconsistent espresso quality despite experimentation; difficult to get perfect shots every time
- •Significant spraying issues with the porta filter causing spills
- •Produces wetter-than-expected steam, which might be frustrating for some users
- •The app is glitchy, requiring multiple attempts to connect
- •Initial units arrived faulty, and customer service has been slow or unhelpful for some
- •Cannot preset steam or hot water temperature; adjustments are manual during use
- •Emits a noticeable buzzing or humming noise when powered on, which can be disruptive
- •Burnt plastic smell when starting up, though it diminishes over time
- •Water volume measurement isn't reliable due to bean absorption, making dosing tricky
- •Price may be justified for some, but reliability over the long term is still uncertain
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How we researched this
About this review: it summarizes the professional reviews and customer ratings ShopSavvy collected for this product, alongside prices from ShopSavvy's price data.
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