The Café Retro espresso machine sparkles with the looks and sound construction of the good ol’ days, but features some of the latest innovations desired. So even if the semi automatic conjures a nostalgic feeling, convenience and efficiency allow this espresso maker to keep up with today’s fast-paced life. Perhaps best of all, the machine is easy to use and affordable.
Espressione is a well-respected Italian company with three decades in the industry, and the experience shows in its attention to detail. The smart design includes an adjustable steam wand and hot water dispenser that leaves plenty of room to fit different sized cups beneath it. A durable lever operating the wand works like the arm of a slot machine and gives you great control when steaming drinks. When used for steaming milk, the attached “Maxi Cappuccino” frothing device makes creating a light and fluffy froth easier for those new to the craft. The Café Retro also includes two different types of portafilters, one a pressurized version that lets you pick and grind your own beans before brewing, and the other a portafilter designed for the Easy Serving Espresso system. This system helps reduce cleanup because the portafilter uses pre-packaged pods of espresso served in single shots. Other clever features include a slender drip tray with a handle for easy removal, a cup warmer with rails to prevent cups from falling, a removable stainless steel drip grate, and a housing compartment for the cord.
Inside the machine, the 24 oz aluminum boiler is durable and heats up rapidly. A vintage-style temperature gauge on the front panel reassures you the boiler is hot enough for making quality drinks. The sturdy inner workings of this espresso machine will help make the Café Retro part of your espresso experience for a long time to come.
The Retro is available in four catchy colors—red, orange, silver, and black. Other accessories include single and double-shot filter baskets for the ground coffee portafilter, a 7g coffee scoop, and tamper.
Features & Benefits: Coffee
2 Portafilters
The Café Retro includes two chrome plated brass portafilter handles. One works with the ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) system for quick and easy use with less mess. The portafilter uses pods that are single serve prepackaged shots. The other portafilter is a pressurized 58mm portafilter that comes with single and double-shot filter baskets.
Boiler
The 24 oz boiler is made entirely of aluminum, which means it is highly resistant to corrosion. Aluminum also is a metal that heats up quickly, ensuring water in the boiler is the proper temperature when ready to make high quality drinks.
Toggle Switches with Indicator Lights
There are two sturdy toggle switches, including one on/off switch and another switch letting you alternate between the brewing component and the steam wand. When the switch is in the brewing position, you may also use the hot water dispenser to make tea, hot chocolate or hot cider. Each switch has a corresponding indicator light. One light shows when the machine is on and the other light indicates when the steam wand or brewing function is ready. The light will remain on until the boiler is up to brew or steam temperature. When the light goes off you are ready to brew or steam.
Cup Warmer
Preheating your cups is essential for quality espresso. The Café Retro holds up to six espresso cups on its cup warmer, and features two rails to prevent the cups from falling. It is a passive cup warmer heated by the residual heat of the boiler.
Top of Page
Features & Benefits: Frothing and Hot Water
Hot Water Dispenser
An adjustable hot water dispenser makes it easy to fill any size cup for Americanos, hot chocolate or tea. There is no delay between dispensing hot water for drinks or after brewing.
Steam Wand
The Café Retro has a stainless steel steam wand that comes with an attached Maxi Cappuccino frothing tip. The tip sucks in air and injects it into the milk for quick and easy frothing. It takes just a little under a minute for this function to be ready after brewing espresso and only about 30 seconds to re-heat when steaming multiple drinks.
Top of Page
Features & Benefits: Care, Maintenance and Other
Water Reservoir
The removable clear plastic reservoir has a line to mark the maximum capacity. It holds 23.5 oz and is removed from the back of the machine. This amount works well for a user who has four to five cups a day. Refilling the reservoir regularly is always a good idea for making the freshest tasting coffee.
Temperature Gauge
The Café Retro has a dual temperature gauge on the front control display. This gauge allows you to view the temperature in the boiler both for brewing and steaming.
Housing Construction
The machine is constructed with a steel body with thermo proof painted metal finish. The removable drip grate is stainless steel and the drip pan is plastic.
Top of Page
Have questions? Need assistance? We can help! Call or Email us...