Yabano CM6816 Espresso coffee machine: Full Review

The Yabano CM6816 is a semi-automatic espresso machine designed for home use. This mid-range model includes many of the key features you'd expect in a quality espresso machine, allowing you to brew cafe-style coffee drinks at home.

With its 15 bar pressure pump and stainless steel exterior, the CM6816 provides sleek styling along with robust espresso extraction. The machine comes equipped with a steam wand for frothing milk to create lattes and cappuccinos. There's also a hot water spout for Americanos or tea.

This single boiler espresso machine can pull one or two shots at a time. The portafilter accepts standard 54mm filter baskets. With some practice you can dial in the right grind size and dose to pull rich, full-bodied espresso shots.

The CM6816 aims to deliver solid espresso-making performance and milk steaming without breaking the bank. Read on for a detailed review of how this mid-priced espresso machine performs across a range of criteria.

Design & Build Quality

The Yabano CM6816 has a sleek and modern stainless steel exterior that will look great on any kitchen countertop. The metal housing feels sturdy and durable, giving the impression that this machine is built to last.

Inside, the portafilter, brew head, and steam wand are made from good quality brass and stainless steel. The parts feel solid and withstand heat and pressure well when pulling shots and steaming milk.

Aesthetically, the chrome and black color scheme gives it a elegant, minimalist look. The metal materials make it easy to keep clean and free from fingerprints. The dimensions are compact enough to fit under kitchen cabinets but substantial enough to feel like a premium appliance.

Overall, the Yabano CM6816 features excellent build quality with durable metal parts and attractive, modern styling. This espresso machine seems reliable for daily home use.

Additionally, another great option is the Breville BES450BSS1BUS1. It offers a robust set of features ideal for home baristas. The machine boasts a sleek stainless steel design, much like the Yabano CM6816, ensuring longevity and ease of maintenance. Its compact and ergonomic design also makes it suitable for small kitchen spaces while retaining its ability to produce high-quality espresso shots and milk frothing with its advanced steam wand.

Ease of Use

The Yabano CM6816 espresso machine is designed for simplicity and ease of use. The intuitive interface features user-friendly buttons for one-touch operation of all core coffee functions like brewing, steaming, and frothing. The large 1.3 inch LED display clearly shows your selections, and allows easy programming for volume, strength, temperature, and more.

Despite the advanced technology inside, the CM6816 doesn't require complex maintenance or cleaning. The water tank and drip tray are removable for fast refilling or rinsing. The portafilter has a commercial-style 58mm basket that's easy to fill with grounds and tamp. The steam wand is conveniently located on the side panel and features a special cover to avoid accidental burns. Descaling is recommended every 2-3 months to maintain performance and only takes about 10 minutes following the manual's simple instructions.

Overall, Yabano designed the CM6816 for simplicity without sacrificing customization. Novices can brew great espresso and milk drinks at the touch of a button, while experts have fine-grained control when they want it. And with tool-free removal of key parts, maintenance is straightforward. This balance of usability and adjustability makes the CM6816 shine for home baristas of all skill levels.

For those looking for an alternative, the Mr. Coffee 2132815 model is a fantastic choice. This machine offers a combination of convenience and quality, featuring a built-in milk frother for creating cappuccinos and lattes with ease. Its simple control panel makes it easy to select your preferred coffee type, while the removable water and milk reservoirs facilitate hassle-free refilling and cleaning. Perfect for beginners and experts alike, the Mr. Coffee 2132815 ensures a great coffee experience without the complexity.

Coffee Customization

The Yabano CM6816 offers a good amount of customization options when it comes to brewing coffee and frothing milk. Here are some of the key features:

• Settings for espresso and lungo: You can brew shots at 1 oz or 2 oz volumes. This allows you to customize the strength and volume of the espresso.

• Adjustable coffee strength: There is a button to adjust the coffee strength between mild, medium, and strong. This changes the pre-infusion time to extract more or less flavor from the coffee grounds.

• Manual milk frothing: The machine comes with a manual panarello wand that lets you froth milk for cappuccinos and lattes. You have control over the frothing process to texture the milk how you like. The wand can also be used to heat milk without frothing.

• Single and double shots: You have the option to brew one or two shots simultaneously. This allows you to pull a single espresso or a double shot espresso.

The customization options give you quite a bit of flexibility to dial in the perfect cup of coffee on the Yabano espresso machine. You can adjust the strength, volume, milk texture, and number of shots to suit your taste preferences.

Brewing Performance

The Yabano CM6816 delivers excellent brewing performance for an affordable super-automatic espresso machine. It uses a 15-bar Italian pump and a Thermoblock heating system to produce the ideal water temperature and pressure for rich, full-bodied espresso.

The 15-bar pressure consistently extracts the coffee oils and flavors properly. Many reviewers found the Yabano produced a nicer crema than more expensive machines. The brewing is fast, taking under a minute to go from whole beans to a shot of espresso. The Thermoblock heater ensures consistent temperatures around 200°F throughout the brewing. This prevents overheating or fluctuation that could negatively impact flavor.

The Yabano has decent speed and performance for brewing multiple drinks back to back. The machine needs about 1 minute of recovery time between brewing each espresso shot. This allows the Thermoblock to reheat fully. So you can make 2-3 drinks in a row, but any more than that you'll need to wait a bit. Overall, the Yabano CM6816 provides excellent brewing capabilities for the price.

Coffee Taste

The Yabano CM6816 brews espresso with a rich, bold coffee flavor that many reviewers praise. The machine is able to extract the subtle notes and aromas from your favorite coffee beans, resulting in a complex and nuanced espresso taste.

Many users comment on the thick, velvety crema produced by this espresso machine. The crema is a sign that the coffee is freshly brewed and locks in the aroma and flavor. The fine metal filter basket ensures excellent water distribution and pressure to extract the oils and soluble solids that create the creamy crema.

The 15-bar pressure pump is powerful enough to properly infuse the hot water through the finely ground coffee. This brings out the full bodied character of the beans, including the natural sugars and acids that enhance the flavor. The end result is an espresso with a balanced, rich taste and mouthfeel.

Overall, the Yabano CM6816 delivers an authentic espresso drinking experience, with great aromatics and a bold, nuanced coffee flavor with each cup. The machine is capable of brewing espresso that rivals specialty coffee shops.

Additional Features

The Yabano CM6816 comes with several additional features that enhance the coffee making experience.

Cup Warmer

This espresso machine includes an heated cup warmer on top of the machine. The cup warmer helps maintain the optimal temperature for your cups so that espresso and milk drinks stay hot longer after they're brewed. The cup warmer has space for around 4 small espresso cups or 2 larger coffee mugs.

Accessories

Yabano includes a few handy accessories with the espresso machine. You get a stainless steel milk frothing pitcher for steaming and foaming milk. There's also a tamper for compressing the ground coffee in the portafilter and a measuring scoop for portioning out the right amount of grounds. These extras help you get set up for making great espresso drinks.

Size & Footprint

The Yabano CM6816 has a compact footprint that won't take up too much space on your kitchen counter. It measures 9.4 x 11.2 x 12.2 inches (24 x 28.5 x 31 cm) and weighs only 10.8 pounds (4.9 kg). This makes it easy to find room for it even in small kitchens.

Despite its small size, the CM6816 doesn't compromise on features or performance. It packs an impressive 15 bar Italian pump and a powerful 26-watt boiler into its frame. You can make single and double shots of espresso as well as milk frothing with its steam wand.

So if you're looking for an espresso maker with professional performance but don't have a lot of available counter space, the compact Yabano CM6816 is an excellent choice to consider. It provides delicious espresso and milk drinks without dominating your kitchen.

Noise Level

The Yabano CM6816 espresso machine runs at an average noise level, which some users may find disruptive in smaller home kitchens.

The pump and brewing operations generate a moderate amount of noise during the espresso pulling process. This is typical of domestic pump driven espresso machines in this price range. Users report the pump noise is audible but not excessive.

The steam wand emits a louder hissing noise when heating and steaming milk. This noise may surprise users who are new to making milk-based espresso drinks at home. More expensive espresso machines often have quieter and more powerful steam wands.

Overall, the noise level is comparable to similar beginner espresso machines. Users in apartments or who want an extremely quiet operation may prefer a model with vibration pumps and insulation. However, the Yabano CM6816 should not disturb most households during normal morning and daytime operation. Those sensitive to noise can minimize issues by only brewing coffee when ambient noise levels are higher.

Price & Value

The Yabano CM6816 espresso machine provides excellent value for an entry-level semi-automatic espresso maker. It is affordably priced under $200, making it a budget-friendly option compared to higher-end models that can cost $500 or more.

For the price, the Yabano CM6816 delivers solid performance and useful features like a steam wand for frothing milk and a removable water tank. While it may lack some of the sophisticated technology and premium build quality of more expensive machines, it produces good espresso and milk froth for home use.

Considering the entry-level pricing, the Yabano CM6816 is a good value purchase for someone looking to explore making espresso and milk-based drinks at home without a huge upfront investment. It can deliver quality results on par with machines twice its price. The value is further enhanced by the inclusion of key accessories like a tamper, measuring scoop, and single- and double-shot filter baskets.

For espresso enthusiasts on a budget, the Yabano CM6816 hits the sweet spot of balancing solid performance with an affordable price point. It's a great stepping stone into the world of home espresso making, without breaking the bank.