Smeg ECF03 – a retro espresso machine that also makes cold brew in minutes

Cold brew is a lovely drink with a terrible business model. You steep coffee for 12 to 24 hours, strain it, and then realize on Tuesday morning that you forgot to start it on Monday night.

The Smeg ECF03 is a 1950s-style espresso machine with a second menu just for cold brew. Smeg says it makes a cold brew shot in under three minutes, no overnight steep. It also does normal hot espresso and steams milk, so it’s the whole café in a pastel box.

I like a machine that solves my laziness. This one also looks like it drove in from a diner.

What is the Smeg ECF03?

Smeg is the Italian appliance maker best known for those rounded retro fridges. The name stands for Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla, a company founded in 1948 that started out enameling metal. The ECF03 first launched in Europe and the UK. Smeg USA brought it to the US in April 2026, at an MSRP of 840 dollars.

On paper it’s a proper semi-automatic machine. Smeg lists a 15-bar pump, thermoblock heating, a 58mm portafilter, a steam wand and a pressure gauge on the front. The water tank holds 47 ounces. It comes in black, white, cream, pastel green and pastel blue.

How does the cold brew work?

The buttons are split into two menus. The white menu does single and double espresso and steam. The blue menu does cold brew, in a single (100ml) or double (160ml) dose, according to the Amazon listing.

You fill the portafilter with ground coffee just like for espresso, then press the cold brew button instead of the espresso one. Smeg only says the water ratio and extraction are tuned for cold brew, so don’t expect a deep technical explanation. It says the whole thing takes under three minutes. TechRadar’s reviewer timed it closer to two, and called the cold brew mode a good base for iced lattes and cocktails.

A side lever switches the wand between steam and hot water, so Americanos and tea are covered too.

What I like / What could be better

What I like:

• TechRadar gave it five stars when it launched in the UK and wrote that it was hard to fault. The reviewer liked how quickly it heats up and how steady the temperature and pressure stay from shot to shot.
• That front pressure gauge. TechRadar points out it tells you if your extraction was any good before you even taste it.
• Little things: a hidden drawer for accessories behind the drip tray and a cup warmer on top.
• It comes with four filter baskets (pressurized and non-pressurized) and a steel tamper, so a beginner and a fussy home barista can both use it.

What could be better:

• No grinder built in. Smeg sells a matching CGF03 grinder separately, and you’ll want one, or at least good pre-ground coffee.
• It’s a design object, and you pay for the design. There are plainer machines with a steam wand for less money.
• Cold brew comes out 100 or 160ml at a time. Fine for an iced latte, not for filling a pitcher for the whole family.

Who is the Smeg ECF03 for?

It’s for the person who drinks iced lattes all year and wants a machine that looks good on the counter. Also a solid gift for a couple who argue about hot versus cold coffee every morning. Now they can both win.

If you only drink black coffee and don’t care about looks, skip it. A cheap pour-over setup or the AeroPress Premium will make you happy for a fraction of the price. Already own the matching Smeg retro kettle? Then this will make the set, and that’s probably all the convincing you need. For more ideas, see our gifts for coffee lovers.

Where can I buy the Smeg ECF03?

You’ll also find it at shops like Sur La Table and Crate & Barrel. On Amazon it was about 700 bucks in pastel blue at the time of writing (October 2026), and the same listing has the other colors.

Cold brew without the overnight wait. Take my money.