Beautiful and functional machine
This is my first espresso machine, so take this review for what it’s worth. I decided to buy an espresso machine after making lattes with my brother’s fully automatic Breville machine, so after doing some minimal research (reading the New York Times Wirecutter review site), I chose the Profitec Go. It’s a handsome, minimalist machine that fits reasonably comfortably under my cabinets (which are 19 inches off the counter), though the water reservoir has to be refilled using a bottle rather than a pitcher. Fine, no problems there. I got the walnut accents to match my Fellow kettle. Not sure if they’re worth the extra dollars but they certainly look attractive. With only three buttons the machine is easy to use—WLL’s review and instructional videos were very helpful, too. The machine heats up to a high temp rapidly, and a quick flush brings it down to brewing temp. Brewing is easy, just a push of a button. The timer starts when you push the brew button, so it’s not super useful as a shot timer; that’s not a problem for me as I’m using a scale with a shot timer. The included tamper is heavy and good quality. Steaming milk is easy, just flush the wand a couple times, wait 20 seconds, and you’re ready to go. I’ve been having a little bit of trouble getting my milk to the texture I want. I’m not sure whether that’s due to my terrible newbie technique or the two-whole steam tip that some people have complained about. Since this machine is a single boiler you have to flush it to cool it back to brew temperature. This is not an issue for me as I’m generally making lattes only for me. Also, as an uneducated newbie I didn’t include a grinder in my budget, assuming naively that my Fellow Opus was up to the task. When I realized it wasn’t I invested in a 1Zpresso J-Ultra, so that’s my rate-limiting step in making drinks, not cooling the machine. Backflushing is straightforward, as is using the backflushing disc to make Americanos. I have not used the disc to adjust the machine’s pressure, as I’ve not found it necessary at this point in my espresso journey. Overall I love this machine and I’m having a great time learning how to dial in shots. It looks great in my space and it’s more than adequate for my espresso needs. Downsides: It comes only with the backflushing disc, shot baskets, and tamper. A steaming pitcher would be a nice addition!
