Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine: One-Minute Review

The Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine is an entry-level coffee maker with a unique twist: in addition to a regular portafilter for ground coffee, it comes with a holder for Nespresso Original style coffee capsules. This handy option is perfect for those transitioning from pods to fresh beans, or for households with varying brewing preferences.

Priced at just £149.99 / AU$189.95 (about $200), it’s one of the most affordable espresso machines on the market. For comparison, top-rated budget coffee makers like the De’Longhi Dedica Duo and Philips Baristina retail for $299.95 / £279.99 (about AU$600) and $449.99 / £299.99 / AU$599 respectively.

Despite its low price, the Everyday Espresso Machine boasts a smart silver and matt black finish that looks impressive on any kitchen counter. However, the budget price is reflected in the accessories, which are quite basic. The machine comes with two portafilters, two filter baskets, a lightweight scoop/tamper combo, and a pin tool for clearing the steam wand. Notably absent are a milk pitcher, water filter, or water hardness testing strip.

Performance-wise, the Everyday Espresso Machine delivers a decent shot of espresso once you’ve dialed in the best grind size. However, you may need to grind your coffee much coarser than usual to avoid under-extraction, and the puck of coffee grounds is often quite wet at the end, suggesting lower-than-optimal pressure. Brewing with coffee capsules is easy, but again, the experience is messier than with dedicated pod machines.

The steam wand is the real weak point of this machine. It feels flimsy, wobbles during use, and its lower section is too short, making it difficult to submerge in your milk pitcher. Worst of all, it has an air intake hole that creates excessive foam, making it impossible to create smooth, pourable microfoam for lattes.

If you primarily drink black coffee and want the flexibility to switch between pods and grounds, this might be a good option for you. Otherwise, we recommend saving up for a more robust machine like the De’Longhi Dedica Duo.

Price and Availability

• Available in the UK and Australia for £149.99 / AU$189.95
• Not currently sold in the US
• One of the cheapest espresso machines we’ve tested

The Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine is available in the UK directly from Russell Hobbs for £149.99 (about $200). In Australia, it’s known as the Russell Hobbs Heaton Espresso Machine and retails for AU$189.95. Unfortunately, it’s not available in the US at the time of writing.

Specifications

Design

The Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine is compact and exceptionally lightweight, weighing in at just 6lbs / 2.74kg including the plug and water tank. This could be a significant advantage for those with limited counter space or who prefer to store their coffee maker when not in use.

The machine’s exterior is entirely plastic, except for the drip tray and steam wand. However, it doesn’t look cheap, and the silver-colored panels on the front give a convincing brushed steel appearance. New units have a noticeable plastic odor that may require multiple rinses before first use.

The water tank has a robust handle for easy carrying, though it can only be used when the hinged lid is open. The machine comes with two portafilters: one for ground coffee and one for Nespresso Original style coffee capsules. The capsule holder has a conical insert that pierces the bottom of the pod when pressure is applied.

You get a double-ended tamper/coffee scoop, which is standard for budget espresso machines. While not as satisfying to use as a more solid tamper, it gets the job done.

The steam wand pivots out from the left-hand side of the machine and is controlled using a large, tactile dial. Unfortunately, the bottom part of the wand is too short, making it difficult to submerge in a typical milk pitcher. Additionally, it has a pinhole that creates excessive foam, making it impossible to create smooth microfoam for lattes.

Performance

The Everyday Espresso Machine is simple to use, with just two brew buttons. Unlike most espresso machines, these don’t correlate to single or double shots. Instead, the first button brews a double shot, and the second a quad (intended to be divided between two cups). The drink volume is customizable.

The machine heats quickly, though the cup-warmer on top isn’t very practical due to the insulating plastic chassis. While some components feel flimsy, the Everyday Espresso Machine feels more robust than some competitors like the Casabrews 5418 Pro.

During testing, we found that we had to grind our coffee much more coarsely than usual to get good results. The puck of ground coffee was still quite wet once brewing was finished, suggesting lower pressure. However, once we found the best grind size, the results were consistent.

Brewing with a Nespresso capsule is straightforward but messier than using a standard Nespresso machine. The process is quick and easy, but the Everyday Espresso Machine leaves water in the portafilter that tends to spill when you release the handle.

If you’re only interested in brewing from capsules, we’d recommend picking a simple dedicated Nespresso machine instead. The Nespresso Vertuo Pop (for Nespresso Vertuo pods) or the Nespresso Pixie (for Nespresso Original capsules) are both affordable options.

The steam wand remains the weakest point of this machine. Whether using oat or dairy milk, the wand creates lots of very large bubbles that might look impressive to beginners but are impractical for making quality milk-based drinks.

Should You Buy the Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine?

Buy it if:

• You’re on a tight budget
• You want the flexibility to use both ground coffee and capsules
• You primarily drink black coffee
• You need a lightweight, portable machine

Don’t buy it if:

• You’re serious about milk-based drinks
• You want a machine with premium build quality
• You need a dedicated Nespresso machine
• You want a machine with advanced features or customization options

Also Consider

If you’re not sure whether the Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine is right for you, here are two other options to consider:

1. De’Longhi Dedica Duo – A more robust machine with better build quality and performance.
2. Philips Baristina – Offers a good balance of features and affordability.

For more recommendations, check out our complete guides to the best espresso machines and best Nespresso machines.

How We Tested

We used the Russell Hobbs Everyday Espresso Machine in our kitchen for a week, comparing it with our usual Gaggia Classic coffee maker. We used it with freshly roasted coffee beans, ground using a Sage Dose Control Pro coffee grinder, and adjusted the grind size until a double shot of espresso dispensed in around 30 seconds. We also tested the steam wand with fresh fat dairy and oat milk.

For more details on our testing process, see how we test, review, and rate products on TechRadar.

Tags: Russell Hobbs, Everyday Espresso Machine, coffee maker, Nespresso, budget espresso machine, manual espresso machine, steam wand, milk frother, coffee capsules, ground coffee, home barista, affordable coffee equipment, entry-level espresso machine

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