Smeg BCC02 bean-to-cup coffee machine review

For lovers of black coffee, Smeg's BCC01 automatic coffee machine is the perfect choice. But if milky coffee-house classics are your thing, the BCC02 model offers a steam wand that’s adjustable outwards to accommodate your favourite coffee mug.

Discover our full list of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines, and the best coffee machines also featuring espresso and coffee pod machines. Our reviews experts test hundreds of products a year to bring you impartial buyer’s advice on what’s really worth your money. Read more about how we test products. For more, visit our reviews section and find over 400 practical buyer's guides and product reviews.

Unboxing the Smeg bean-to-cup coffee machine

This was the smallest bean-to-cup machine we've ever tested and thanks to its diminutive size, the machine is a lightweight doddle to lift onto the countertop. We attached the power wire before rinsing and filling its water tank.

The bean compartment has a lid that lifts up and off from the top, so is easily accessible to fill under low cupboards. We found a jug more practical for refilling the water tank than removing it each time. The grind coarseness is adjustable by dial from inside the compartment, which offers you personalisation depending on your favourite coffee.

The brushed metal outer repels greasy finger marks which is very practical note considering its aesthetic elegance. Set up was a series of rinses. It's worth keeping hold of the instruction manual.

Machine features and use

Through its four-button interface, eight functions are selectable across two menus; ristretto, espresso, coffee, hot water, light ristretto, light espresso, long coffee and the steam function. Above that are five alert icons. An alarm lets you know when the water tank is empty in addition to the LED flashing icon.

Another tells you when the bean compartment is empty, when the coffee grounds container needs emptying or the drip tray is full, although that's easy to see with an indicator. It's also equipped with a descaling alert for which a cycle should be used.

The machine should be set to the the water hardness of your local area as this can affect the flavour of the coffee it produces. Whereas most coffee machines offer an adjustable drip tray, the espresso outlet itself is height adjustable to accommodate mugs and espresso cups alike by lowering and rising. This means your precious crema is protected from splashing out.

Removing the brew-group of bean-to-cup machines is an occasional but essential cleaning step for helping prolong its life, and can be a daunting task. Smeg's contained this into one removable section that's accessed by a door on the side of the machine and rinsible under the tap. It's possible over long periods of time that the inside may need a thorough soak, but the process was simple during testing.

How did it perform?

This machine is easy to switch on, quick to warm up and importantly, quiet during the grinding and brewing. A small light beneath the outlet illuminates the coffee cup which is a great touch, as it highlights the swirl of silky caramel-coloured crema as espresso is being pulled. The coffee itself, ground on a fine setting, had a good balance of acidity to bold, rich flavour and a good aroma.

With the steam function selected, we frothed whole milk quickly and efficiently. The wand is best used tilted outwards so the milk can be warmed evenly, at an angle and you can control the depth depending on the quantity of froth you want. Its then easy to read just back back over the drip tray. Like with any coffee machine, the milk residue needed to be immediately wiped away. In this sense, it does require a small amount of hands-on contribution. But only a tad.

Summary

The Smeg BCC02 bean-to-cup coffee machine ticks all the boxes. It makes great coffee, doesn’t dominate countertop space, offers a good variety of coffees and perhaps surprisingly, is excellent value-for-money for the price. It’s a bean-to-cup coffee machine we want for our own kitchen.

Smeg BCC02 specifications

Wattage: 1470W
Product weight: 5kg
Adjustable water hardness: Yes
Pump pressure: 19-bar
Automatic rinse: Yes
Automatic switch-off: Yes
Water capacity: 1.4L
Dimensions: 43.3 x 18 x 33.6cm
Material: Plastic, aluminium (brushed with polished edges), steel steam nozzle

Coffee recipes and tips

How to make cold brew coffee
How to make iced coffee
Coffee types explained

More gadget reviews

Best espresso machines
Best coffee machines
Best coffee pod machines
Best bean-to-cup coffee machines
Best cafetières
Best coffee grinders
Best coffee gadgets
Best toasters
Best bullet blenders
Best bread makers
Best food processors
Visit our reviews section

If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.