Casabrews CM5418 Review: Proper Espresso at Home (Tested Daily)

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Post updated: 15th of December 2025

Some mornings don’t need motivation. They need espresso. I mean a proper shot: aroma, crema, that little pause before the day starts asking questions. I’m half French, half Italian, so espresso has always been part of my DNA, and in this house it isn’t a weekend hobby, it’s daily life. I usually pull 2–4 shots a day, most often straight espresso for me, and the occasional cappuccino.

Over the past few weeks I’ve been testing the Casabrews CM5418 at home, using my everyday coffee: Illy Classico (red tin) — to see if it can deliver that real espresso feeling without the café price tag.

This is my honest, hands-on review on this under $170 Espresso Machine.

About the Casabrews CM5418

The CM5418 is a compact home espresso machine designed for people who want “real espresso” at home without spending a fortune or turning coffee into a full-time hobby.

It’s not a bean-to-cup machine. It’s not a pod machine. It sits in that sweet spot where you still get the ritual( dosing, tamping, pulling the shot )but without it feeling complicated.

Casabrews highlights a 20-bar pump (as the brand states), and in daily use, it does extract in a way that produces crema and proper espresso body.

The espresso test: Illy red tin, and the crema moment

Illy Classico is smooth, balanced, familiar: which means it’s easy to tell when a machine is doing a good job.

With the CM5418, my first shot was one of those quiet “okay… wow” moments.

• Crema: thick, golden, and consistent

• Taste: balanced, full-bodied, not harsh

• Aroma: the kind that makes you pause before the first sip

And importantly: it stayed consistent from day to day. When you’re making multiple espressos daily, consistency matters more than “one perfect shot” on day one.

My quick routine (this makes a difference)

This machine gets better when you treat it like an espresso machine, not a button gadget.

Here’s what I do most mornings:

1. Preheat the cup (hot water in the cup for 20–30 seconds)

2. Run a quick blank shot (no coffee) to warm everything up

3. Dose, tamp, lock in, pull the shot

It adds a minute, but it massively improves warmth, crema, and taste. And yes, it makes the whole thing feel more satisfying.

Steam wand: cappuccino results without barista stress

I’m not pretending I’m a trained barista. But I do like a cappuccino sometimes, and my wife enjoys milky coffees more than straight espresso, so the steam wand actually matters in real life.

The wand on the CM5418 is:

• fast enough to froth milk without frustration

• easy to wipe down right after use

• capable of good foam, even if you’re not chasing perfect microfoam

You’ll need a few tries to get your technique right (angle, depth, timing), but once you do, it’s very doable for cappuccinos at home.

Design & size: compact, clean, and doesn’t hijack your counter

One thing I really appreciate: the CM5418 doesn’t dominate the kitchen. It has a slim footprint, a stainless-steel look, and it feels like a “grown-up” appliance rather than a plastic gadget. If you’re short on counter space (most of us are), that’s a big plus.

Small real-life note: stainless steel shows water marks. I just do a quick wipe after cleaning and it stays looking sharp.

Ease of use: good for early mornings

This is a machine you can use half-awake.

• heats up quickly

• buttons are straightforward

• shots are repeatable once you find your grind/dose rhythm

• cleaning is manageable (and not annoying)

This is exactly what I want from a home espresso machine: it should feel like a routine, not a project.

Life after pods: why this feels like an upgrade

We used a pod machine before (Lavazza system). Convenient, yes. But pods are expensive long term, and the taste is never quite as personal.

With the CM5418 you get:

• more control

• better espresso texture and crema

• a more “real” coffee experience

• less of that flat, pod-style taste

And honestly… it brings back the fun. The small satisfaction of making something properly.

Pros and cons (the honest list)

What I like

• Proper crema and satisfying espresso body

• Consistent results for daily use

• Compact footprint and good-looking design

• Steam wand is genuinely useful for cappuccino

• Easy enough for beginners, still enjoyable for espresso lovers

• Feels like great value for what it delivers

What could be better

• It’s a bit noisy (normal for pump machines)

• Stainless steel needs a wipe to stay spotless

• Milk frothing takes a little practice (it’s not automatic)

Final verdict: does it earn its place in my kitchen?

Yes. The Casabrews CM5418 fits real life: early mornings, quick coffees between school runs and work, and the occasional cappuccino when you want something softer. It gives me the ritual I missed from pod life, and the espresso quality is genuinely better than I expected at this price point.

If you’ve been thinking about moving into “proper espresso at home” without going overboard, the CM5418 by Casabrews is a very solid choice. The CM5418 is available on Amazon (here)

Jerome

Disclaimer: Casabrews sent me the CM5418 for review purposes, but all opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, which help support my work at no extra cost to you.