Tom's Guide Verdict
The Casabrews 5418Pro is ideal for casual users on a budget. It’s not for purists — I’d recommend the Breville Bambino Plus for those — but its excellent steam wand and compact 5.5-inch width make it a great choice for small kitchens and those less particular about absolute espresso perfection.
Pros
- +
Affordable, all things considered
- +
Espresso tastes good for the price
- +
Easy to use, perfect for beginners
- +
Powerful steam wand
Cons
- -
Only comes with dual-walled portafilters
- -
No milk jug
- -
Flimsy tamper
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.
The Casabrews 5418 Pro is Casabrews’ newest espresso machine as of August 2025. You’ve likely heard of the 5418 — it did the rounds on TikTok recently. The 5418 Pro is $299, so considerably pricier than the 5418, but it’s got some major upgrades.
Could this be enough to make it one of the best espresso machines? Well, it depends who you ask. The Casabrews 5418 Pro is not for espresso purists. It is for beginners, those who may be starting out in the world of home barista-ing, or those who aren’t fussed about things like ‘golden window of extraction’ and spending $$$ on a grinder.
I’ll discuss everything in full — from espresso extraction, steam wand, and more — in this comprehensive Casabrews 5418 Pro review.
Casabrews 5418 Pro review: Cheat sheet
- Who is it for? Beginners — this machine won’t impress espresso purists
- What does it do well? It’s very easy to use
- What are its weaknesses? The accessories either don’t exist or are flimsy
- Anything else to know? Comes with dual-walled portafilters as intended to be used with preground coffee (but I would never recommend using preground coffee)
Casabrews 5418 Pro review: Specs
Price | |
Weight | 12.7 pounds |
Grinder | No |
Dimensions | 5.5 x 12.3 x 12 inches |
Heating system | Thermojet |
Pressure | 20 bar |
Water tank capacity | 34 ounces |
Accessories | Tamper |
Casabrews 5418 Pro review: Price & availability
The Casabrews 5418 Pro espresso machine is relatively cheap for an espresso machine, at $299 from Amazon U.S.. It will be released on 26th August 2025, and Casabrews is offering a $120 discount on launch, so the price will temporarily drop to $179.
A PID controller is temperature controller that ensures espresso is extracted at the correct temperature.
At this price point, there’s very little competition. Recently I tested the De’Longhi Stilosa, which is $149/£104. The Stilosa performs like a much pricier machine and can brew delicious espresso with user finesse, and it comes with single-walled portafilters (in the U.K.), whereas the 5418 Pro only comes with dual-walled.
However, the 5418 Pro looks a lot prettier than the Stilosa, and has a PID controller. I would recommend getting some third-party single-walled portafilters to make the most of these premium-leaning features.
Casabrews 5418 Pro review: Design
The Casabrews 5418 Pro has definitely taken inspiration from the iconic Breville (Sage) Bambino Plus. Whether that’s a shot in the foot or a mark of confidence, well… I’m not entirely sure.
On the one hand, the machine looks sleek and premium on my kitchen countertop. On the other hand, I can’t help but make comparisons with the pricier machine, which doesn’t really bode well for the 5418 Pro.
For starters, the stainless steel exterior is easily tarnished — but that was one of my major drawbacks of the Bambino Plus, too. On top of that, the 5418 Pro’s small buttons are a little flimsy and look cheaper than the Bambino Plus’. However, the steam wand’s joint is a little more flexible than the Bambino Plus’, and I was able to steam milk at a wider variety of angles.
Unlike the Bambino Plus, I have a few coffee-related design qualms with the 5418 Pro. Its portafilters are dual-walled only, don’t sit flush in the group handle, and the group handle is prone to leaking. Obviously you can get alternative portafilters, so this isn’t damning by any means, but right out of the box, you won’t be able to get technically perfect espresso.
On the right side of the machine is the steam wand dial, so ensure this side of the machine is accessible at all times. I’m not a massive fan of these dials, on a thermoblock at least; I’d rather just press the steam button and have the steam wand work. You must press the button to heat steam and then turn the dial to the last ‘steam’ notch in order to steam milk.
All that being said, though, the 5418 Pro looks miles better than the $149 De’Longhi Stilosa. While the Stilosa has a plasticky construction, the 5418Pro is luxurious with its mostly-metal appearance. If you care about looks alone, you’d be better off with the 5418 Pro, but if you prefer technically perfect espresso, the single-walled portafilters of the Stilosa will suit you.
Casabrews 5418 Pro review: Espresso
As I discussed above, the Casabrews 5418 Pro doesn’t make ‘technically’ perfect espresso. This can easily be rectified with a new third-party portafiler. The Casabrews 5418 Pro uses a 54mm portafilter. Casabrews sells its own bottomless portafilters for $38 on Amazon, which I would highly recommend buying alongside the machine.
Unlike other budget-friendly machines, the 5418 Pro has a PID controller. A PID controller basically manages temperature to ensure the espresso doesn’t extract too hot or too cold. Optimal temperature ranges from around 197-204°F.
You can adjust shot volume easily: just follow the instructions in the manual. It involves a little bit of button mashing, but I was able to program the double shot to extract 30g of water using my Fellow Tally Pro scale.
You can’t actually fit 18g of finely-ground coffee in the provided portafilter basket. I ended up dosing 14g per shot with an espresso out at 28g.
Here’s a photo of the espresso.
As you can see, the espresso is very aerated and almost foamy. This shows that it was extracted with a pressurized (dual-walled) portafilter, which pushes the espresso through a small hole (rather than a single-walled portafilter, which is more like a miniature showerhead) to improve the crema.
The espresso tasted weaker than I’d like, especially if I was to combine this with milk for a latte, and a little bitter. I suppose if you drink a lot of flavored lattes — you add caramel or hazelnut syrup for example — then this would be a good style of espresso, as you’d be able to taste it over the sweetness.
These types of portafilters are generally understood to be inferior as they manipulate the espresso’s flavor. It’s kind of like the difference between fresh versus flat sparkling water: still the same product, but the taste and texture is different.
I also tested with the Casabrews bottomless portafilter ($38 on Amazon, $39 on Casabrews), which provided me with a much, much better espresso than the default pressurized portafilter. Here’s a photo of espresso pulled on the bottomless portafilter.
As you can see, this shot of espresso is brighter, with a more controlled layer of crema on top. It also tasted juicier and more balanced.
Yes, it’s a shame that you have to spend another $38 to get “perfect” espresso on the 5418 Pro, but even with the portafilter + machine (at full price), it’s only $338. This is still $161 cheaper than the Breville Bambino Plus.
It’s a shame Casabrews decided to ship the machine with dual-walled filters, as espresso purists will immediately discredit the machine. However, in the machine’s instruction manual, Casabrews outlines that the dual-walled filters are intended to be used with preground coffee. I would never, ever recommend using preground coffee in a home espresso machine. Freshly ground whole beans will always taste superior to preground, grocery store coffee.
Despite this, though, that kind of gives me a clue on this machine’s intended audience: despite the “Pro” moniker, the 5418 Pro isn’t for the super-technical home barista. It’s for those who want fresh coffee and don’t really care too much about specifics and the ‘right’ way to brew coffee.
So, if you’re an espresso evangelist and you want the perfect compact espresso machine for you, may I advise you stop reading this review now and head on over to my Breville Bambino Plus review? However, if you want good homemade coffee as cheap as possible, then I’ve got some great steam wand-related news for you.
Casabrews 5418 Pro review: Milk
Like the De’Longhi Stilosa, the 5418 Pro has a fantastic steam wand. I was really impressed — and relieved — to see such a high-quality steam wand after the espresso disappointment.
The steam wand only has one hole, but it’s very powerful. I was able to steam both oat and dairy milk with ease. Of course, I was able to create that all-important vortex to texturize the milk. The Casabrews Ultra suffers from a weak steam wand, so I was really happy to see this high-quality steam wand on the similarly-priced 5418Pro.
Here’s a photo of my milk texture so you can see what I mean.
As you can see, the surface of the milk is glossy, like melted ice cream, and the latte art is decent. Obviously I’m not going to enter any latte art competitions, but it’s much better than the sorry excuse for latte art I was able to achieve on the Casabrews Ultra, with its weak steam wand.
If you’re more fussed with getting pretty milk texture than espresso flavor, I’d recommend the 5418Pro over the Ultra. Comparatively, if you want better espresso and meh milk, then check out the Ultra.
If you have a little more to spend and you want the best compact machine on the market, again, check out the Breville Bambino Plus.
Casabrews 5418 Pro review: Storage & maintenance
As the Casabrews 5418 Pro is just 5.5 inches wide, it’s the perfect espresso machine for small spaces. The Bambino Plus is 7 inches, so the 5418Pro pips it to the post there.
Given that it’s quite small, the water tank needs to be refilled about once every 10 drinks. I had to empty the drip tray about once every 6 drinks, but I was making multiple drinks for my coworkers in the office. If you’re planning on using this machine for one drink a day at home, I’d recommend emptying the drip tray more regularly than once every 6 days.
Casabrews sells things like a tamping mat and knock box for relatively low prices, so I’d recommend checking these accessories (+a new portafilter) if you’re planning on buying a Casabrews machine.
Casabrews advises against washing any parts in the dishwasher.
Casabrews 5418 Pro review: How does it compare?
At this price point, there’s very little competition. Hardly any other decent espresso machines are available for around $250.
I’ve tested three now: the De’Longhi Stilosa ($149), Casabrews Ultra ($259), and now the Casabrews 5418 Pro.
In terms of overall performance, I would get the De’Longhi Stilosa. The U.K. version comes with single-walled portafilters and the steam wand is very powerful. In the U.S., unfortunately the Stilosa only comes with dual-walled portafilters, so you’d likely need to purchase some third party single-walled ones.
If you spend an extra $38 on Casabrews’ bottomless portafilter, this machine easily goes from 3.5 stars to 4.5 stars. I 100% recommend getting this bottomless portafilter to make delicious espresso on the 5418 Pro. Even so, if you’re not overly fussed about ‘perfect’ espresso — you might even just buy preground coffee — and you want to make pretty latte art, then the 5418 Pro is great straight out of the box.
Also, this is an ideal machine if you have a small kitchen. It’s literally 5 inches wide, which is smaller than even the Bambino Plus.
The extra spend and 2-inch size difference might be a worthy sacrifice if you want espresso that’s a little more ‘perfect’. I’d always recommend the Breville Bambino Plus as the ideal entry-level (it’s still $500) espresso machine for espresso purists.
Casabrews 5418 Pro review: Verdict
Despite the name, the Casabrews 5418 Pro isn’t intended for pros, and that’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with that. If you’re an espresso purist, what are you still doing here? I remember advising you to check out the Breville Bambino Plus about 1,000 words ago. The Bambino Plus will suit ‘serious’ home baristas much better.
However, if you’re the kind of coffee drinker who wants to spend as little money as possible, you don’t want to buy a separate grinder, and you aren’t as particular about espresso perfection, then there’s no reason why the Casabrews 5418 Pro won’t impress you. The steam wand is excellent, and with the extra cost of the bottomless portafilter, hey, you might even be making espresso good enough to surprise yourself.
Also, at just 5.5 inches wide, this is the smallest espresso machine I’ve ever tested. The 5418 Pro is perfect for small spaces, casual baristas, and those on small budgets. If those three things sound like a bit of you, then this machine will treat you well.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
