Semi-automatic and prosumer machines

How Much of the Espresso Does Each Smeg Machine Leave to You?

Published · By the Espresso Shortlist editors · Prices and specs as of that date, from the pages under Sources

Summary

Three of Smeg's current US machines split the work three ways. The ECF03 is a manual machine with a 58 mm portafilter and no grinder, so you grind, dose, tamp and steam. The EGF03 adds a built-in conical burr grinder but leaves tamping and steaming to you. The BCC12 grinds and brews at the press of a button, and even there the milk is still yours to steam with a wand.

The three machines on one page

ECF03EGF03BCC12
TypeManual espresso machineManual machine with grinderAutomatic coffee machine
GrinderNoneStainless steel conical burrs, two presets for single and doubleBuilt in, adjustable
HeatingThermoblockTwo thermoblocks, one for coffee and one for milkThermoblock
Brewing controlsThree coffee temperatures, pressure gaugeFour extraction temperatures, four pre-infusion profiles, pressure gaugeSix coffee drinks and hot water on four buttons
MilkSteam wandSteam wand with two steam levels, milk jug includedSteam wand
Water tank47.34 fl oz81.15 fl oz47.34 fl oz
Width x depth x height8 1/16 x 11 5/8 x 14 5/16 in13 1/8 x 13 3/8 x 17 7/16 in7 1/16 x 17 1/16 x 13 1/4 in
Net weight17 lbs28 lbs19 lbs

ECF03 and EGF03, the two portafilter machines

Both use what Smeg calls a "professional 58 mm filter holder" and a pressure gauge, and on both you fill and tamp the basket yourself. The ECF03 comes with single and double filters in pressurized and non-pressurized versions and a stainless steel tamper. It also has a Cold Brew function, with a 100 ml single dose and a 160 ml double, that Smeg says takes "less than 5 minutes."

The EGF03 puts the grinder on the machine and gives you more control over the shot, with extraction temperatures from low to high and pre-infusion profiles named Short, Standard, Long and progressive. Its separate thermoblock for the milk circuit and two steam settings, one to warm milk and one to foam it, are the other changes. It also stands about three inches taller and weighs 11 lbs more than the ECF03, which matters under a wall cabinet.

What automatic means on the BCC12

The BCC12's six coffee drinks are ristretto, espresso and coffee, lighter versions of the ristretto and espresso, and a long coffee, with hot water and steam on the same buttons. Its milk tool is the steam wand, so a cappuccino still involves a pitcher and your own frothing. The machine is narrow at a little over 7 inches wide but runs more than 17 inches deep, the reverse of the ECF03's proportions.

On Smeg's US site, the black BCC12 is marked "Available soon," and the white BCC12WHMUS appears in the lineup without a buy-online link.

Shopping for one? Shop semi-automatic machines →

Sources

  1. Smeg USA — ECF03 Espresso Manual Coffee Machine
  2. Smeg — ECF03WHUS product sheet
  3. Smeg USA — EGF03 Manual Coffee Machine with grinder
  4. Smeg — EGF03BLUS product sheet
  5. Smeg USA — BCC12 Automatic Coffee Machine
  6. Smeg USA — Coffee machines

We have not tested these products. Specs, prices, stock and terms are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.

More semi-automatic and prosumer machines guides

Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesHow Much Should Your Breville Espresso Machine Do for You?Breville's US lineup reads best as a ladder of help. The Bambino models need a separate grinder, the Barista Express and Barista Pro grind for you but…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesWhat Do You Get for the Extra $200 on a Bambino Plus?Mostly a steam wand that textures milk on its own. The Bambino ($299.95) and Bambino Plus ($499.95) brew the same way, with a 54 mm portafilter, an 18…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesWhat Does a Prosumer Espresso Machine Add, and What Does It Cost You?Makers don't use "professional" as a class of machine. The word turns up on parts, as in Breville's "Professional 58mm stainless steel portafilter."…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesWhat Separates One $100 to $150 Espresso Machine From Another?On a listing they look alike. A new CASABREWS CM5418 is $139.99, Gevi's compact ECMG0 is $139.99 marked down from $199.99, and Chefman's CraftBrew is…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesHow Different Are the Gaggia Classic E24, Rancilio Silvia, and Profitec GO?All three brew and steam from a single boiler, so the real split is in the controls. The Gaggia Classic E24 and the Rancilio Silvia run on switches…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesWhat Are You Getting With a GE Profile or Café Bellissimo Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine?Both are semi-automatic machines that grind their own beans, run a 15-bar pump, froth milk with steam, and connect to Wi-Fi through the SmartHQ app…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesShould Your Next Espresso Machine Be a Heat Exchanger or a Dual Boiler?A heat exchanger machine has one boiler, kept hot for steam, with the brewing water passing through a separate path inside it. A dual boiler machine…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesWhat Makes an Espresso Machine Commercial, and Would One Work at Home?The difference shows up first in the electrical supply. La Marzocco's two-group Linea Classic S, a café machine, lists 208 to 240 volts and a 30-amp…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesHow Does Meraki's All-in-One Machine Compare With a Fellow Series 1 and Opus 2?Fellow sells its Espresso Series 1 with an Opus 2 grinder as a kit for $1,559.90. The Meraki lists at $1,999, or $1,799 on sale, with the grinder…Read the guide →Semi-automatic and prosumer machinesWhich Specs Matter When You Compare Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines?Three lines on the spec sheet change the morning routine most: how the machine heats, whether you can set the brew temperature, and what the pressure…Read the guide →

All semi-automatic and prosumer machines guides · All guides and search