Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Why don’t all espresso machines have a built-in timer?

When I tested the original Casabrews Ultra last year, I was perplexed. It has a PID controller and a built-in timer for under $349? And it doesn’t look overly plasticky or feel flimsy? How? Some major boiler issues, that’s how. Thankfully, these issues have been sorted out on its successor, the Casabrews Ultra Pro, released in July 2026.

So is this enough to make it one of the best espresso machines? Hmm — not if you’re serious about your coffee. While it’s a good entry-level model with premium features like a customizable PID controller and has a built-in timer, its weak steam wand and habit of burning espresso holds me back from recommending it fully.

But might it be worth the $349 price tag? To get the full story, keep reading this Casabrews Ultra Pro review.

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Specs

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Price & availability

The Casabrews Ultra Pro is $349 from Amazon U.S. At time of writing, it’s not available in the U.K.

For a Casabrews machine, this is a pretty premium price. I mean, you can probably tell from the name, right? They don’t call it the “Ultra Pro” for no reason. I tested the original Ultra last year and liked it, but it had some flaws, like a weak steam wand and boiler issues. More on that later, but I didn’t experience the same boiler problems.

The $349 asking price is a little too steep for this machine. When you can get the $299 Breville Bambino, PID controller and customizable pre-infusion included, or the $499 Breville Bambino Plus, there’s not a lot of wiggle room.

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Design

The new Casabrews Ultra Pro looks pretty identical to the original Ultra. I liked the original version, so I like the new version. I didn’t notice any tarnishing issues this time around, so I’m glad to see Casabrews has improved on that; however, there’s still no water tank alert on the screen.

Speaking of the screen, I love it, and it’s by far the best feature on this machine. You don’t have to scrabble with a coffee scale timer anymore. Of course, you still need a coffee scale to ensure you’re getting the proper 36g espresso out, but forget that timer function. It’s redundant to you now. The Ultra Pro times your shot for you — and it’s reliable, every single time.

The screen has a few more capabilities: it shows you the double or single shot, hot water, and steam wand functions. That’s it, but I’m not mad about it. All I need is that sweet, sweet timer function, and I’m happy.

Like the previous model, the Ultra Pro utilizes a steam button rather than a dial, which is good if you need a low-effort machine.

Also like the previous machine, there’s a nice little groove on the top so you can store your tamper. I liked this feature as much as I like the 58mm portafilter basket. This is the coffee-snob standard, so is ideal for getting higher-quality aftermarket accessories… which you will need to purchase, as the Ultra Pro doesn’t come with a milk jug. Many Casabrews machines omit the milk jug, which I’m not a fan of. It’s so stingy. It’s literally a milk jug. All Breville machines come with a milk jug, but the $149 De’Longhi Stilosa doesn’t.

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Espresso

I didn’t experience any boiler issues while using the Ultra Pro. On the previous version, it took ages for the machine to switch between milk and espresso. The Ultra Pro makes strange clicking noises after brewing espresso, but I was always able to get the steam wand up and running in a few seconds.

Despite these successes, I have a few espresso-related qualms with the Casabrews Ultra Pro. Casabrews claim “this espresso machine ensures consistent 9-bar extraction”, which isn’t true. I know it isn’t true because the Ultra Pro has an LCD screen that literally displays the bar pressure during extraction.

Not once did the bar pressure number stay the same. It fluctuated from 3 to 7 to 9 to 15 at one point, and down and up again throughout extraction. I know pressure is supposed to increase from low to 9-bar during infusion, but it’s not supposed to go back down when only 5g has extracted.

This is not a consistent 9-bar extraction. Casabrews kind of shot itself in the foot here. Why include a digital “manometer” (quotation marks necessary there) only for it to tell on itself?

Despite what Casabrews says on its website, there also doesn’t seem to be a solenoid valve, as all my pucks came out wet. Now I’ve grown accustomed to my Bambino Plus’s solenoid valve, I’m not sure I can ever go back. Cleanup is so much easier with dry pucks.

Here’s a photo of an espresso I made on the Casabrews Ultra Pro.

I wasn’t a huge fan of this espresso. It tasted burnt and overextracted, despite extracting in 25 seconds. This is the “ideal” extraction time. It didn’t pour too quickly or too slowly, meaning it wasn’t over- or under-extracted.

However, perhaps I’m simply too picky. I gave my colleagues many coffees made on the Casabrews Ultra Pro, and the feedback ranged from “really nice actually” to “a nice fruitiness”.

There’s also the (customizable) PID controller (temperature controller to prevent burnt or weak brews) to mention. This is better than Breville’s entry-level models, which have a non-programmable PID. You can easily adjust the brew temperature in intervals from 194°F to 204°F. This is great to see on a cheaper machine.

Finally, there’s a cold brew mode. Here’s a photo of said cold brew.

The cold brew was bright and juicy, but quite astringent. It took 101 seconds to brew 160ml. I wouldn’t use this again, but it’s good if you like juicy, sharp flavors and you’re on a time crunch.

If you’re what you’d consider a “coffee snob”, this machine might not be the one for you. In that case, I’d recommend the aforementioned Breville Bambino or Breville Bambino Plus. You may even want to go for the $499 Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro, which has no PID controller but is a coffee nerd goldmine.

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Milk

My biggest issue with the Casabrews Ultra was the weak steam wand. Seeing as Casabrews fixed the boiler issues, I hoped the steam wand weakness would have been fixed, too.

Unfortunately, I was wrong. It still takes a whole minute to steam half a jug of milk, and said milk is unevenly aerated. I found my milk separated into layers immediately after finishing steaming. I also struggled to obtain the ideal “vortex” while steaming, which is the marker of a low-quality steam wand.

As you can see, the latte art is squashed. This is because the foam wasn’t integrated into the milk, so when I poured, it separated into layers. This is not what I’d want to see.

The De’Longhi Stilosa, Breville Bambino, and Breville Bambino Plus don’t suffer from this issue, so I’d recommend grabbing one of those instead if you value latte art. Even the Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus ($499)’s auto steam wand is better, if you can afford the extra $150 (but you get a grinder).

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Storage & maintenance

The Ultra Pro is just 13 inches deep and 12 inches tall, which makes it a mid-sized espresso machine. While considerably larger than the 7-inch-wide Breville Bambino and the 5-inch wide Casabrews 3700 Essential, it’s nowhere near as massive as the frankly Titanic Breville Oracle Dual Boiler ($3,000, 18 inches tall).

Obviously, still check it will fit in your kitchen, but it’s not a large model, as far as espresso machines go.

In terms of cleaning, well, Casabrews doesn’t provide you with any accessories, unlike Breville and De’Longhi. You’ll need to buy backflush tablets and descaler yourself, which is around $20 for a huge bottle on Amazon.

In terms of warranty, it’s also pretty slim pickings here. Casabrews offers just one year, while Breville, De’Longhi, and Ninja offer two as standard.

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Verdict

I gave the Casabrews Ultra Pro 3 stars. Yeah, I know. “You gave the Ultra 3.5 stars, so how does that work?” The most egregious issue — the steam wand — has not been fixed. Even though Casabrews has had time to fix this, it didn’t, hence the lower rating this time around. Do I think the Ultra Pro is worth $349? No. No I do not.

When you can get the Casabrews CM5148 Pro for $199 — PID controller included — I really cannot see why the Ultra Pro is so much more expensive. The on-screen timer is a nice addition, but is it worth an extra $150? I think not.

So while I’m sure you won’t be majorly disappointed by the Ultra Pro, I simply can’t recommend it when there are similar machines for cheaper, or much better machines for a little extra. Treat yourself to the $499 Breville Bambino Plus or Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro, or save a little and get the Breville Bambino or Casabrews CM5418 Pro. It’s a no-brainer.