I tested the tiny Russell Hobbs coffee maker that uses grounds or Nespresso pods but I discovered one infuriating drawback

Date:
Sat, 14 Mar 2026 22:00:00 +0000

Description:
Forget creamy cappuccinos, the Everyday Espresso Machine makes so many
bubbles you'll have a personal foam party in your kitchen.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine: one-minute review The Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine is an entry-level coffee maker with an unusual twist: in addition to a regular portafilter for ground coffee, it comes with a holder for Nespresso Original style coffee capsules. A handy option if youre making the switch from pods to fresh beans, or sharing a kitchen with someone who prefers a different brewing method.

Its very cheap too, with a list price of just 149.99 / AU$189.95 (about
$200). For comparison, my two top-rated budget coffee makers, the DeLonghi Dedica Duo, and Philips Baristina , are $299.95 / 279.99 (about AU$600) and $449.99 / 299.99 / AU$599. respectively. At that price its no surprise that the Everyday Espresso Machine is made almost entirely from plastic, but it still looks smart on your kitchen counter with its silver and matt black finish, and guests wont guess how little you spent.

The budget price is reflected in the accessories though, which are quite bare-bones. In addition to the two portafilters, you get just two filter baskets, a lightweight scoop/tamper combo, and a pin tool for clearing the steam wand. Theres no milk pitcher, water filter, or water hardness testing strip included in the box. The Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine
accepts both ground coffee and capsules (Image credit: Future) What really matters is performance, and I was pleased to find that the Everyday Espresso Machine could brew a decent shot with fresh coffee once Id identified the
best grind size, and extraction was consistent. However, I found I had to grind my coffee much coarser than I would usually to avoid under-extraction, and the puck of coffee grounds was always quite wet at the end, which
suggests that although the pressure was lower than optimal.

Brewing with coffee capsules was easy, but again, it was a soggier experience than Id like, and the used pod ended up sitting in a puddle in the
portafilter after brewing.

The steam wand is the real problem, though. It feels flimsy, wobbling as you move it into position, and its lower section is too short, making it hard to submerge in your milk pitcher. Worst of all, it has an air intake hole that creates so much foam, I had to stop steaming my milk while it was still cold to prevent the jug overflowing. The large bubbles arent fine or stable enough for a latte, which is a shame when youve just brewed a perfectly good shot of espresso. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

If you take your coffee black and want to shift between pods and grounds,
this might be a good option for you. Otherwise though, Id recommend saving up a little more cash and opting for the much more solidly-made DeLonghi Dedica Duo instead. Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine: price and availability Available in the UK and Australia for 149.99 / AU$189.95 Not currently sold
in the US One of the cheapest espresso machines I've tested The Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine is available in the UK direct from Russell Hobbs
for 149.99 (about $200). Its known as the Russell Hobbs Heaton Espresso Machine in Australia, where it retails for AU$189.95 . Its not sold in the US at the time of writing.

Its one of the most affordable coffee makers Ive tested here at TechRadar,
and even cheaper than my favorite budget espresso machine, the DeLonghi
Dedica Duo, which has a list price of $299.95 / 279.99 (about AU$600). Value score: 4/5 Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine: specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally

Name

Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine

Type

Manual espresso machine (ground coffee and pods)

Weight

6lbs / 2.74kg

Water reservoir capacity

1.58 quarts / 1.5 liters

Milk frother

Manual steam wand

User profiles

None Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine: design Accepts ground coffee
and Nespresso Original capsules Steam wand is disappointing Plastic
components have a strong odor The Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine is compact, and exceptionally lightweight. Upon weighing it, I found that the whole unit is just 6lbs / 2.74kg, including the plug and water tank, which could be a real advantage if you need a coffee maker you can tuck away in a cupboard between uses.

The Everyday Espresso Machines exterior is entirely plastic except for the drip tray and steam wand, but as you can see from the photos here, it doesnt look cheap, and the silver-colored panels on the front give a convincing look of brushed steel. The water tank has a robust handle for easy carrying,
though it can only be used when the hinged lid is open (Image credit: Future) It does, however, have a noticeable plastic odor when new. The instructions running the machine without any coffee to rinse it before making your first drink, but I'd actually suggest doing this a few times to wash away any taste (and flushing the steam wand thoroughly as well to avoid tainting your milk).

As with all coffee makers, you should wash the water tank, portafilters and baskets before use. These are safe to hand-wash with soapy water, and the
tank has a reassuringly solid-feeling handle for easy carrying, which is a welcome touch.

The Everyday Espresso Machine comes with two portafilters: one for ground coffee and one for Nespresso Original style coffee capsules. The one for capsules has a conical insert, which holds the coffee pod and pierces the bottom when pressure is applied so water can penetrate. The attachment for coffee capsules contains small spikes that pierce the pod when the machine applies pressure. (Image credit: Future) There are just two filter baskets
for ground coffee (single and double shot size). Both of these are pressurized, which makes sense for a beginner-level machine because they're more forgiving than single-walled baskets if your grind isn't perfect.

You get a double-ended tamper/coffee scoop, which is standard issue for a budget espresso machine. It doesn't feel very satisfying to hold, and it's
not as easy to use as a more solid tamper with a smooth metal finish, but it gets the job done.

The Everyday Espresso Machine's steam wand pivots out from the left-hand side of the machine, and is controlled using a large, tactile dial. Unfortunately, during testing I found that the bottom part of the wand was too short,
meaning it couldnt reach far enough down into my milk pitcher. There's a
small collection of accessories, including a plastic tamper/scoop, and two pressurized filter baskets (Image credit: Future) The wand also has a pinhole in the side, which is intended to create extra foam when you steam your milk. Unfortunately,during my tests I found it created lots of very large bubbles, and made it impossible to create smooth, pourable microfoam. In fact, it created so much foam, I had to stop steaming before my milk was hot to avoid it overflowing. Design score: 3/5 Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine: performance Consistent results when grinder is dialled in Water pressure
seems to be lower than usual Doesn't heat or foam milk properly The Everyday Espresso Machine is simple to use, with just two brew buttons, but unlike
most espresso machines, these dont correlate to a single or double shot. Instead, the first button brews a double shot, and the second a quad
(intended to be divided between two cups). The drink volume is customizable, but it's something to be aware of.

The machine heats quickly, though the cup-warmer on top isn't very practical. Like the rest of the machine's chassis, it's made from insulating plastic, so it'll barely be warm even half an hour after the machine has come to temperatures.

I was pleased to find that, although some components feel flimsy, the
Everyday Espresso Machine does feel more robust than the Casabrews 5418 Pro. The filter baskets fit into the portafilter handle properly without feeling loose, and the handle locks nicely into place.

My first few shots of espresso pulled very slowly, and I found that I had to grind my coffee much more coarsely than usual to get good results. The puck
of ground coffee was still quite wet once I'd finished brewing, which
suggests that the pressure was low, but once I'd found the best size, the results were consistent. Image 1 of 2 Once you've dialled in your grinder,
you should be able to achieve consistently well extracted shots (Image
credit: Future) You can tinker with the drink volume if the standard settings are too large (Image credit: Future) Brewing with a Nespresso capsule is straightforward; just place it in the conical holder provided, put the holder in the portafilter handle, and carry on as though you were using coffee grounds. The process is quick and easy, but messier than using a standard Nespresso machine. Usually brewing with pods is a neat process, but the Everyday Espresso Machine leaves water in the portafilter that tends to spill when you release the handle.

If youre only really interested in brewing from capsules, Id recommend
picking a simple dedicated Nespresso machine instead. The Nespresso Vertuo
Pop (for Nespresso Vertuo pods) or the Nespresso Pixie (for Nespresso
Original capsules) are both affordable options. Brewing with a coffee capsule is surprisingly messy, and I found the portafilter always ended up full of water after brewing. (Image credit: Future) For me, though, the steam wand is the weakest point. As mentioned previously, this is an espresso machine with
a dairy intolerance; it incorporates too much air into the milk, so you have to stop steaming before its sufficiently heated, and its too short to use comfortably. The heat-resistant silicone handle is a nice addition, but the whole wand wobbles when you move it. Image 1 of 2 The steam wand is barely long enough to use with a typical milk pitcher (Image credit: Future) The
wand has an air intake hole, which results in an excessive volume of large bubbles (Image credit: Future) Whether I chose oat or dairy, the wand simply made lots of very large bubbles, which might look impressive if you've not used a coffee maker before, but are no practical use. This might be an entry-level machine, but new users need proper tools too, and this steam wand misses the mark. Performance score: 3 / 5 Should you buy the Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine? Swipe to scroll horizontally Russell Hobbs
Everyday Espresso Machine: score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

One of the cheapest espresso machines I've tested, and looks like it should cost a lot more, but some components are flimsy in use.

4 / 5

Design

The plastic chassis is light and easy to move, but has a strong aroma that takes a while to wear off. Steam wand isn't well designed.

3 / 5

Performance

Can brew a decent espresso, importantly, but generates less pressure than optimal, so an extra coarse grind is necessary. Milk foaming is poor.

3 / 5 Buy it if You're on a tight fixed budget

This is a very cheap coffee maker, and if you absolutely can't spend any
more, it's one of the better options, Russell Hobbs is a reputable brand with good after-sales service. You want to brew both pods and grounds

There aren't many coffee makers that can do both, so if this is a key requirement, the Everyday Espresso Machine may be the one for you. Don't buy it if You enjoy milky drinks

The Everyday Espresso Machine can make a lot of big bubbles, but the results arent useful for coffee. You cant make fine foam, or even heat the milk properly with its strange, stubby steam wand. You have an extra $50 in your pocket

If you can afford to be a little flexible on price, you can get something
much better for your kitchen. Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine: also consider If you're not sure whether the Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine is the right coffee maker for you, here are two other options for
your shortlist. For more recommendations, take a look at my complete guides
to the best espresso machines and best Nespresso machines . De'Longhi Dedica Duo

I've mentioned this little espresso machine several times in this review, and it remains the standard by which all other budget coffee makers are judged. Its performance and build quality belie its bargain price, and you'll often find it available for a discount now that it's a few months old. Highly recommended if you only want to brew from ground coffee, not pods.

Read our full De'Longhi Dedica Duo review View Deal Nespresso Pixie

Prefer pods to beans? The Nespresso Pixie is an excellent, no-frills machine that accepts Original style capsules, and doesn't make a wet mess when
brewing them. If you want to make lattes, this machine is available bundled with the Nespresso Aeroccino milk frother for a discounted price.

Read our full Nespresso Pixie review View Deal How I tested the Russell
Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine I used the Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine in my kitchen for a week, comparing it with my usual Gaggia Classic coffee maker.

I used it with freshly roasted coffee beans, ground using a Sage Dose Control Pro coffee grinder, and I adjusted the grind size until a double shot of espresso dispensed in around 30 seconds. I used the steam wand with fresh fat dairy and oat milk.

For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products on TechRadar . Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine: Price Comparison No price
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