Meraki Espresso Machine - What's the REAL Deal?

[@SamSmithVev0]

What a robust video. Stoked. Can’t wait. I really hope they do well.

[@thomascee]

Man... Dual boiler, rotary pump, $1,200, what a DREAM honestly. I hope it works fantastic, as it looks INCREDIBLY promising.

[@DuBstep115]

thats kickstarter price, msrp 2k after tax eu

[@jswede1]

$1200 is giving them your money now and not knowing when, or even if, you’ll ever get a machine, much less a machine that works as well as we hope.

[@Shreybz]

Great video! You’re really good at what you do- very professional and thoughtful reviews.

[@humlakullen]

Awesome review, thanks! I love my Barista Express, but the Meraki looks like a perfect upgrade.

[@nnnnnn8695]

Fantastic review! I got a lot of my questions answered than with the other reviews so far.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Awesome! I’m so glad!

[@SunriseLAW]

Imagine the #Meraki only without the grinder and without all the electronics selling for, say, $799. The dual boiler and rotary pump would wipe out the rest of the low/midrange prosumer market and even eat into the high-end offerings. I envision basic analog pressure and temperature readouts. I envision after-market PID options, etc. just as we see with machines such as Gaggia Classic Pro or Rancilio Silvia. The machine would last forever and become a classic right away.

[@itskevindulac]

I agree, I backed the project but id probably rather have a Fellow Opus next to this, and be able to pre weigh the beans and single dose.

[@seanh2286]

Good review of a pre-production model and all the caveats that go with it. Had to laugh when you pulled out the jug of milk. (FYI, it's more of an Ontario thing than Canadian. Virtually unheard of in BC and I never saw it in NS.) Looking forward to the full review when they send you the final model.

[@theeoarsman921]

Espresso has made James Hoffmann younger looking!!!😃

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

🤣☕️

[@bbbo85]

Except for few shortcomings, I think this machine is too good to be true even for the OG price. I just have hard time making sense of the price considering all the costs that would've been associated with building it.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I hear you. No idea how they are doing it unless they are supply chain wizards or taking a huge loss on the KS

[@albertwang1391]

For all we know, manufacturing behind this project may also be the OEM for other brands thus have the necessary parts. They just need a new design from HK or somewhere and market with its own brand. Rest of it, it is just history in the making. We are still yet to see the design team behind machine.

[@MerakiTechGlobal]

​@@albertwang1391 Hi just to clarify, our manufacturing partner is exclusively dedicated to our espresso machine brand, not OEM for any other espresso machine brands. While design is a key component, our primary focus is on engineering and innovation

[@Itsameamario34]

@@MerakiTechGlobalthanks for jumping in here! I just subscribed to your channel. Can you do a video introducing the team? I liked that about Meticulous.

[@haydenpardy9328]

Love the video! Your other videos inspired me to get a flair!

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Amazing! And thank you!

[@mynameisAirport]

Fantastic overview, especially loved seeing the actual ouput pressure. I feel i am a perfect candidate for this machine, and have backed the kickstarter. I have been using a Breville Barista Express for close to 5 years now and was planning on an upgrade within the next year. However at the super early bird pricing, this machine offers everything on my wishlist plus saves a ton of money. I'm also curious if their use of Kickstarter is similar to another HK based company GPD with their pc handhelds. Where the product is going to release anyway and they use these platforms for discounts to early adopters.

[@scottintexas]

After your taste, I think you meant to say, Barzilian! 😅 Excellent review, with losts of great features at a “too good to be true price.” Time will tell. Decent is just now releasing their new Bengle model w/ a few similar features at $6000! PS If you purge the steam wand into a folded cloth (instead of direct to the tray), you can clean it while wet. Also, a thicker plastic for the exterior and key components, would give it a higher quality feel, and they need to go to a standard portafilter size (easy) and the ability to plumb (easy). Still, if they incorporate all the changes you suggest, it seems like a winner.

[@sweetandsmile2014]

Great review with a lot of points made that I've not seen elsewhere. Made me second thought the purchase. If the grinder is not operable on its own then once the screen stops working you won't be able to use it. That's also something to think about especially since we dont know yet how te warranty and repairs will operate.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Yup! Would love to see a manual trigger for the grinder. It sounds like the warrantee is 2 years and there are service centres in every country where they will be sold. Not sure exactly how that will work but apparently some of them are in partnership with timemore

[@AZyzk]

Thanks for the review ❤

[@robertebob]

i think i'd consider this if it didn't have a grinder. I don't need another one in my house. some flow profiling would be nice with saved programs. i did begin on a breville and currently use the Barista Pro. I haven't seen anything in the coffee universe that's affordable enough to make me get rid of it.

[@kevinranders]

I recently bought the new Breville Oracle Jet and its screen is fantastic. Time will tell how durable it is. Interested to see some long-term (quasi at least) of the Meraki. Have been burned a few times with kickstarter so will never early invest/buy again but will give this another look in 6-12 months after release.

[@TudorAdrian]

I like the overall package & it looks like they're trying to do a lot of things right but, grinder, aside, you still can't beat the Bianca.

[@Kenny-m7z]

When will you get the production unit to test ?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Last I heard they would be ready to go mid-August. That was mid-July.

[@MrNerdTech]

Excellent review for a pre- production machine… do you have the new Ninja Luxe Cafe machine in your review pipeline, or did you already?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

It’s on bar right now! :) thank you so much!

[@badkeene]

Really enjoyed watching your revieuw on the Meraki, is there any difference when using Decaf beans instead ?

[@bolerkai]

Well done, very good assessment of this machine. I think they will make it with some delays, cause that's what happens with new products.

[@stephenwilliams4406]

Do you know when you might get Version 3 to test? Hopefully early October, then when will you get the Production Model to test? Hopefully, middle to late October? I'm a Kickerstarter Backer, so VERY excited to see your upcoming reviews. Thanks.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Unfortunately I don’t have a timeline for this. I do have DVT2 (first model with timemore logo on the grinder) and it has some of these changes integrated already. Looking forward to the final and updating this!

[@scottintexas]

@@DaddyGotCoffeeI hope you’ll do a brief video on what they have upgraded.

[@dannymars]

I’m in the market for and end-game machine (upgrading from breville). This looks awesome, but too much plastic for an endgame option. Also, I don’t need a grinder. Never been keen on the grinder integrated into the machine. Great price though. 🤔🤷‍♂️

[@DuBstep115]

If you want a capable machine that is proven to last +15 years buy Rancilio Silvia Pro X, all these other machines like lelit bianca came out like in 2018. Silvia has been around since 1997

[@ahalalovely8226]

Did you get the v3 meraki yet??? I would love to see if the temp changes with pulling back to back espresso shots on the version 3 model. I want to try using it for serving multiple people 😊

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I did not! I think their team has been full on on the last production/fulfillment leg

[@ahalalovely8226]

@@DaddyGotCoffee okay I hope you get yours soon!

[@ahalalovely8226]

@@DaddyGotCoffee thank you so much for the response! This is one of the best review videos on the machine I've been trying to decide between the breville dual boiler machine and the meraki

[@gabrielo8922]

Well done review. I would like to know more about the internal materials used in the wetted path of the water. Does it have BPA plastic pipes/fittings, silicone tubing, copper piping, stainless tubing, Teflon tape in threaded joints?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Connection tubes are silicone. The rest I can answer in more detail on the next video! :)

[@geocanuck77]

Can you review the new Ninja?

[@inuitviking]

I personally don't have an interest in the Meraki as I would like to tinker on standalone units, but I sure do hope they do not flop. They're pushing boundaries in all the right places imo, and that's what is needed.

[@VietNghi]

Can I ask how does the grinder fare for non-espresso use?

[@breake16]

@DaddyGotCoffee do you get a updated model before the kickstarter stops?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

My understanding is that there will be an additional mostly-final prototype that is coming off the line at the end of this week. The final, final production units will be finished before the end of the kickstarter but after shipping it wont be possible for me to have in hand before the kickstarter ends. I have let the Meraki team know the tests I’ll be running (they are great) and left it in their hands which units they send to me for feedback or testing. My preference is for the next full length video to be of the final version. Feel free to drop your thoughts or questions here! :)

[@ricardot3488]

​@@DaddyGotCoffee So you are satisfied with the test outcomes of this prototype?

[@joelcleare]

Ninja Lux espresso machine. Love to know what you think. Is it the beginner Mecca of espresso machines ?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I’ve got one in the test queue!

[@winexprt]

@@DaddyGotCoffee Looking forward to that one!

[@ende421]

Drop the grinder (and reduce width), replace plastic with something that feels more premium and use a standard e61 PF. Same price.

[@MaximeTessier]

Very interesting video! Are you going to review the lamarzocco behind you as well?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Absolutely! It’s in production now! I’ve given this one a good length of time of real-world use

[@cachang89]

Pre-infusion in the next version.. does that mean through a software update? Or their 2.0 machine?

[@abs2fast2furios]

I assume it means the final production version that will be shipped to customers

[@winexprt]

Excellent review as usual! The big risk one takes with machines like this that are entirely controlled via a software and a touch-screen is if the screen and/or the software fails it renders your very expensive machine unusable. Also good luck with software (or hardware) support for this machine if and when this new company fails.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I think SOME of the risk could be mitigated if there was a manual power switch for the grinder. But as it is, yes, if there would ever be a failure of the screen you lose a lot of functionality with yet-to-be-proven service and support

[@winexprt]

@@DaddyGotCoffee If there are no other controls beside what's presented on screen, I would assume you would then lose ALL functionality, no?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

@@winexprt you can turn on both the brew group manually and steam manually without the screen. You cannot use the grinder at all, and you lose all scale functionality and readouts along with PID controls and schedulers etc if the screen goes down. So technically you could still pull a shot and steam a latte if you had another grinder, but it’s huge functionality lost if that fails

[@winexprt]

@@DaddyGotCoffee Gotcha. Thanks for the clarification. BTW, what scale is that @7:26?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

@@winexprt that’s an Acaia Lunar!

[@Wfmike]

Barzil is both on the bean bag as well as the machine. Nice

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Right? Lol

[@fplluke]

There’s nothing on the market close to this with the features. Feels like a great toy for the money, but no faces to the team, based in Hong Kong, likely no/little customer service/aftersales. I’m really tempted but just too risky for me at the minute.

[@needmorebeans]

Maybe there hasn't been something because it's not solving any problems that people have. For the same price, most people would probably prefer a Breville/Gaggia + grinder of choice. A Bambino + Lagom Mini/Femobook A5 also takes up less counter space.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

The feature set is impressive. As to whether it solves problems people want solved, I think the success of the campaign so far speaks to that, at least at the kickstarter price. At the MSRP.. we’ll see! I hear you on the risk. Apparently the warrantee is 2 years with service centres in every country of purchase, some shared with timemore. I think we need to wait until real-world experience to see how that actually shakes out.

[@Votya13]

They need to add an adjustable pressure.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Agreed this would be a great add and included that point here :)

[@RickinHKG]

Great review. Thanks. For an equivalent amount, beit the 1100 kickstarter price, or the 1800 full retail, what set up would you recommend as an alternate? ... covering grinding, prep and shot? This is something I don't see with coffee KZbinrs. "My recommended set up for $1000, $2000 $3000 or $5000+.

[@earthalign2965]

Really great review with many good points. I don't know what to do... I have to decide to support this on kickstarter and wait or buy Nouva Simonelli Oscar 22 (version with opv + sirai ) + Eureka mignon Specialita for home espresso vs this machine with so many features that i'd loved to have/it's nice to have, for example 2 scales, temp adjust on group, dose adjust, really nice steamer. What do you think? Meraki its still capable to do great/ almost professional espresso in Home even with all this cons or its still just a toy to play with?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

@@earthalign2965 that combo will run you more than the Meraki even at full MSRP. I haven’t personally tested the Oscar but I think “Home Cafe By Charlie” owns one and would respond if you hit him up by IG

[@earthalign2965]

@@DaddyGotCoffee it will take only 100$ more, because 1270 US dolars for new Oscar 2 espresso machine (880 US dolars with both modes) and Eureka (390 US dolars) vs 1170 Meraki (1100 early bird + 70 for shipping). Yeah, he said that Meraki is much better as espresso machine than Oscar 2 but i'm still confused :/

[@QuatMV]

Good video. Where to buy press sensor that you mention in video around at 10:42? Thank you.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Right here! pressensor.com/collections/all

[@QuatMV]

@@DaddyGotCoffee Thank you very much

[@sweetandsmile2014]

This or the Sage/Bambino Barista Express Impress? What would you guys recommend? Or maybe even some other machine? I'll be upgrading from the simple DeLonghi Dedica ec685

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

The barista express is at a lower price point than the Meraki and the Meraki offers a lot of additional features over it. Price wise (MSRP) the Meraki is a little closer to the Breville Oracle Jet and that has a bit of a different philosophy when it comes to the user experience. I am a big fan of separate grinder and machine (ie bambino/df64) because it gives you a lot of flex on the upgrade path even if you get future features out of the gate.

[@bacca71]

A nice review. That "Barzil" made it this far with both machine display and the coffee bag is a flag. The portafilter issue and inability to control brew pressure on a rotary pump machine are only two other concerns.

[@jebegonzalez]

Can't wait to try some Barzil Beans

[@TheMartinChnnl]

Can you tell me how do shots compare to, let's say, a Bianca? I seriously believe they have a group temperature problem because it's a non-saturated group without thermosiphon from the boiler and that makes the shots look pale due to not enough temperature at both the group head and the portafilter at the moment of starting the shot. I do know that they have an electrical heating element inside the group head but that one only warms up to about 50 degrees celcius, not nearly enough.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

The flow control manual preinfusion paddle on the Bianca offers something that is just not possible on this machine, however it’s also in a totally other tier price wise. As far as stability, I will report back in my full production review but my findings on the prototype are included here. It was actually quite stable on a single shot after a recovery or warm up period. Back to back or after an americano I did have some falloff.

[@Artur19760512]

​​​@@DaddyGotCoffeegrouphead heating to only 50°C is what worries me, I wrote them on FB to make it user adjustable as it's a PID but their answer was that they're basically sacrificing temperature stability for energy efficiency and user safety, with is very odd. As a e61 user I know how important it is to wait for grouphead and portafilter to get up to proper temperature for a good espresso shot, and in this machine it won't happen no matter how long You wait.

[@LightZone9]

Breville killer?

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Time will tell on this one!

[@LightZone9]

@@DaddyGotCoffee Looks promising. Watch, Breville will acquire them within a year if the launch is halfway successful.

[@DuBstep115]

@@LightZone9 lol no, sure now at 1200€ kickstarter price its same as BDB and touch impress but the msrp of 2k after tax its only fighting the Oracle and Oracle touch. Most of brevilles best selling lineup Bambino, bambino plus, barista express and barista pro are 250€-800€. AND they are sold by major retailers so they get HUGE discounts on prices. Bambino plus drops from 520€ to 299€ every black friday.

[@TEDXX123]

Actually, even on the coffee bag, the origin is Barzil 😅

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

New single origin? 🤣☕️

[@inoirberry]

Cool coffee from BARZIL

[@critical_eye1]

They need to do a version without the grinder.

[@rafflesmaos]

I wonder who the OEM is. Most mass market machines use an OEM in China, including large brands like Breville. Almost nobody does things inhouse as that's cost prohibitive.

[@amourb7133]

Are you planning to review the beauty at the back ? 😍

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

@@amourb7133 you better believe it!

[@ethiopianbuffman]

I have been seeing this machine all over the place. The price point is ridiculous considering that it has screen, grinder, and rotary pump. Their timeline is also overly ambitious, especially with all the changes that they want to make. It is possible that they are cutting costs on the accuracy, which would allow them to use cheaper components. I honestly think this doesn’t come out till late 2025, if at all. It sounds too good to be true.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Honestly I have no idea how they are doing it, it is certainly extremely ambious. It’s also possible they are taking a loss on the initial KS launch in an effort to establish themselves

[@yxinz]

Did it spell ‘Barzil’?

[@primeno.6487]

Why do I need to connect my espresso machine to wifi and touchscreens, heat and steam are not good friends

[@many_worlds]

UI seems very laggy

[@godsdeepmusic]

Great video, thank you! After I finished watching the video, I came to the conclusion that a classic E61 espresso machine like Rocket, Lelit or ECM are much better and higher in quality

[@europa.]

A firmware-controlled monolithic IoT espresso machine with several different points of failure from the screen all the way to the steam tip, made of chinesium and plastic, non-standard and lock-in accessories, with no repair or replacement parts according to the manufacturer. Basically: e-waste. Appreciate the review as usual, your content is on point and straightforward. However, I feel this is not a good purchase.

[@oOJampisOo]

Do some research before you write stuff man… you are completely wrong regarding service and spare parts. They clearly state on Kickstarter and other places that they will have local service/repair centers in the markets they are releasing, and in addition to that they will also offer spare parts and DIY repair guides for a fee after the 2 year warranty expires.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Thanks for the compliment, however, the other comment here is correct there is at least a plan for service and parts. Whether or not that plan is sufficient for you is up to you!

[@NeverTakeNoCut-offs]

​@@DaddyGotCoffeelots of life experience suggests th OP is dead on.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

@@NeverTakeNoCut-offs I hear you. I take any plan with a grain of salt until we start getting real world experiences and feedback. KS backers take the risk and either pay the price or reap the reward. Time will tell which happens but I agree, the risk is there and real.

[@mamadouaziza2536]

I swear there are some A-Hole trolls on here giving opinions.. This machine is not for those that buy machines like the Lelit Bianca which is nearly 3x the price.. This machine is targeted towards those that are into the Sage Barista Touch Impress or Oracle Jet.. A lot of these machines are made of plastics including those super automatic machines that are so popular.. Many machines have multiple points of failure especially those machines that have an iPad glued onto them and integrated grinder. For $1100 bucks, this machine offers a lot and it's close to what a super automatic machine does, yet you can control this machine manually.. If the build quality is equal to the Dr. Coffee super automatic that has the circular touch screen, then I will say the quality is superior! The Sage Barista Touch Impress doesn't have a stainless steel boiler or group head and it doesn't have a rotary pump either (it has plastic inside around the brew head)..

[@workhardforit]

Yup definitely daddy

[@user-od4op6ng9y]

Kick starter price at $1200 possibly. Current price after tax almost $2k=Hard Pass

[@earthalign2965]

It is possible than You can test grinder in next release vs other Independent quality grinder for espresso or just vs one of them? Because im interested how good this grinder is if we compare it to something Independent - and if it is just must have to buy other equipment or grinder in Meraki is good enough for really great espresso.

[@FirstMM]

I would say, for my needs, have an option to ditch the grinder. The water fill appears to be at the back, so if it's against a wall then to will have to spin the whole thing around to top it up. I would be concerned about the screen on top, this is probably going to get broken off long before the life of the machine is done, e.g. by a cupboard door, etc. Lastly, Meraki is a trademark of Cisco Corp, so that probably needs changing at some point.

[@bcwrangler]

That machine is a space hog and has some deficiencies to work out . I haven't seen bagged milk in BC in 40+ years, I sure don't miss the bag sliding in the cereal bowl.

[@IMNOTABARISTA]

Wish it was not that plasticky

[@dancoways]

I won't be buying. Perhaps a v2 model if the company lasts. Personally I think the NFC coffee is just a gimmick and has been done a few times before unsuccessfully

[@JimboJones99]

God bless you kind sir 🙏☕️ God bless President Trump 🙏🥹

[@nimexwolf]

I'm thinking you might just be... A BOT!

[@JimboJones99]

@@nimexwolf oh yea? How can I do this then … 💃🕺👯‍♂️👯‍♀️ God bless you kind sir 🙏🥹 God bless President Trump 🙏✊

[@turner02]

it too expensive

[@MarkHoltze]

Oof. Can’t say I have any confidence whatsoever.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Definitely a lot of unknowns still! Hope the video was helpful though

[@MacawAviculture]

Too much plastic. I prefer my simple and awesome Profitec Pro 800 lever machine.

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

I’ve seen this sentiment quite a bit, and it’s a fair consideration.

[@FonzNRG]

I don’t mind the plastic parts. Googled the machine you mentioned; aside it’s far from a simplistic design it’s also almost twice as expensive. The comparison is therefore a bit off tbh.

[@HappyAccidentVideos]

I don’t get the hate for plastic. It looks fine from a distance, and it cuts costs down. I’d rather have a machine that makes great espresso that I can actually afford, instead of bragging to my friends that it’s metal lol

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

@@HappyAccidentVideos I’m in this camp too. But, have read enough forums to know that plastic casing and feel weighs on people’s perceptions!

[@HappyAccidentVideos]

@@DaddyGotCoffee I feel like that’s mostly people craving a false sense of luxury. Where I would concede is if it’s a $2-3000 machine. I’d expect it to have a level of craftsmanship above molded plastic. Although, if I could get the same performance out of a machine with plastic components for $1k less, I’d personally go that route

[@SomeRandomBarista]

Sorry, but "a lot less acurate" for comparing volumetrics to brew by weigth, this is absolutely not true. Brew by wait is simpler if you change coffee or ratio a lot. But on a given coffee, given dose volumetrics is realy precise. And even when changing coffee, as long as the dose is the same, volumetrics is foten as precise as brew by weigth, if done well

[@DaddyGotCoffee]

Good disclaimer on if you change coffees frequently, which I do. I’ll make sure to mention this if I am addressing this in the same way again. I will also mention that brew by weight makes the dial in process more intuitive and faster in most cases.

[@bosonhiggs1724]

Give me one good reason why i should spend 1k on a no name brand machine? I had a bad experience buying startup smartphone that went bankrupt 6 months later leaving me with a broken phone and no warranty. Not doing it again.

[@TheMartinChnnl]

They should applied MVP + Agile methodologies for this project...

[@REMY.C.]

I stopped at 1800, plastic...