Fellow has been slowly rising its assortment of espresso devices with its brewers, scale, grinders and extra. However up till now, there’s at all times been a giant gap in its lineup. That modifications immediately with the arrival of the corporate’s first espresso machine: the Espresso Sequence 1.
Once I acquired to strive it out a pair weeks in the past previous to launch, Fellow CEO Jake Miller stated the aim was to make a tool that “baristas can be excited to make use of and that they might really afford.” That stated, at $1,500, it definitely is not low cost. Nonetheless, whenever you begin evaluating the Espresso Sequence 1 capabilities to competing machines, that value shortly begins to make a whole lot of sense. That is as a result of in contrast to a whole lot of equally priced rivals, Fellow’s providing presents a ton of how to customise and regulate the brewing course of, which incorporates management over not simply temperature, but additionally stress, extraction time, steaming and the flexibility to create or obtain profiles for particular beans.
When in comparison with different fashionable machines, rivals just like the $1,350 Meticulous assist customized profiles and stress settings, but it surely does not have a built-in steamer for milk just like the Sequence 1. And if you’d like a ton of management over all the pieces, espresso lovers typically look to much more complicated and costly choices just like the Decent, which works for effectively over $3,000. So whereas Fellow’s newest product might sound dear, it feels very cheap in context.
Now, I’ll admit that once I noticed the Sequence 1 in its cherry crimson hero colour, I believed Fellow had departed from its earlier design language. However after nearer inspection, it’s clear the corporate nonetheless retains its concentrate on clear traces whereas nonetheless making the gadget easy-to-use. It simply has a bit extra character now because of components just like the polished stainless metallic brewer and the wooden accents on the included 58mm portafilter’s deal with. The Sequence 1’s base package comes with each a single-wall double-shot basket and a pressurized double-shot basket. Fellow even went out of its strategy to create a rear housing constituted of a single sheet of metallic with curvy corners, as a result of the corporate wished the again to look simply nearly as good because the entrance.
Much like the Aiden, the Sequence 1 incorporates a round display screen, besides this time it is barely bigger. And when you can regulate all the pieces utilizing the espresso machine’s single management dial, for extra complicated duties like creating customized profiles, it will most likely be simpler to make use of Fellow’s free companion app (iOS and Android) as a substitute.
With regards to brewing, I actually recognize that in case you simply desire a cup of espresso, the Sequence 1 streamlines issues and makes it simple to bust out a cup shortly. There are three somewhat self-explanatory buttons on prime for espresso, steaming and allotting scorching water. Plus, there are a ton of small however useful options like a temperature-sensing wand (with auto-purge) that helps take a whole lot of the guesswork out of constructing completely frothy milk. Fellow even thought of stuff like somebody’s day by day workflow, which is why there is a small rubberized mat on prime of the machine for storing demitasse cups.
After all, the proof is in espresso. The Sequence 1 produced a cup with a shocking quantity of crema that highlighted the beans’ fruity notes. It was wealthy and clean and just about all the pieces I need in a shot of java. It additionally made the brewing course of very approachable, as a result of for individuals who may not have a ton of expertise, there are guided brew settings as effectively.
Usually, once I need espresso, I’m going out to a espresso store as a result of I’ve but to discover a machine that hits the precise steadiness between fashionable styling and ease of use whereas nonetheless being able to regulate and tinker with settings. However with the Espresso Sequence 1, it looks like Fellow has made a machine that delivers on all the pieces that each one ranges of lovers can get into.
The Espresso Sequence 1 might be accessible for $1,500 in three colours: cherry crimson, malted chocolate and black. Nonetheless, Fellow says early consumers can get a particular launch value of $1,200, which features a $100 credit score for the corporate’s Drops program that provides a curated collection of espresso beans for buy.
