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Casabrews 3700 Essential: one-minute review
Casabrews hasn’t quite garnered the same brand recognition as names like De’Longhi or Breville. But given it was only founded in 2020, it’s natural we don’t see Casabrews machines dominating lists of the best espresso machines just yet.
It’s difficult to know what to expect from this relative new-kid-on-the-block, and in my experience testing Casabrews’ espresso machines so far, the brand’s line-up has been a real mixed bag. The 3700 Essential continues that legacy of leaving me conflicted. While it’s attractively designed, impressively compact, and delivers top-notch steamed milk; there’s just too little consistency when it comes to the espresso itself. Add to that a persistent problem of dripping and messes after pulling shots, and my feelings are totally split.
Casabrews 3700 Essential: price and availability
- List price: $129.99 / £139.99
- Available in the US and UK
- Discounts available on Casabrews website
The Casabrews 3700 Essential is an affordable pick that’s undoubtedly on the lower end of budget espresso machines.
Those in the US can buy the Casabrews 3700 Essential at the Casabrews website or on Amazon, and regardless of where you choose to shop, it’ll usually set you back $139.99. That said, Casabrews frequently has discounts available on its range.
In the UK, you can still order from the Casabrews’ site though all prices are listed in dollars. Alternatively, you can pick it up from Amazon UK. However, your only color choices are silver and black, and the black variant costs $149.99.
Casabrews 3700 Essential: specifications
|
Type |
Semi-automatic espresso machine |
|
Drink options |
2 (single and double espresso) |
|
Pump pressure |
20 bar |
|
Water tank capacity |
43.9 oz / 1.24 liters |
|
Steam wand |
Yes, manual |
|
Side (H x W x D) |
12.5 x 5.7 x 12.6 inches / 31.75 x 14.48 x 32cm |
|
Weight |
10.25lbs / 4.65kg |
Casabrews 3700 Essential: design
- Suitable for tiny kitchens
- Available in 5 colors (green, blue, silver, black, beige)
- Some high quality details, some not so high quality
In many respects, the Casabrews 3700 Essential is basically a slightly cheaper twin of the Casabrews CM5418: they share the same portafilter size, almost the same dimensions, and have virtually identical functions. For the most part, all that sets them apart is a $10 price difference … and a pretty substantial disparity in performance (but we’ll get to that later).
The Casabrews 3700 Essential is an espresso machine that feels made to be space-savvy. A small footprint on a budget machine is almost always a great choice. After all, if you’re on the hunt for an espresso machine under $150 dollars you might be a student, someone trying to budget, or just not ready to dive headfirst into the world of espresso. No matter what your reason for opting for a low-cost machine, you likely don’t have tons of counter space, or don’t want to sacrifice it.
So, whether you have a cramped kitchen or want a caffeine fix in your office, the 3700 Essential fits the bill for a compact espresso machine, thanks to it coming in at less than six inches wide. It’s half an inch larger in the back than the CM5418 in the back though to accommodate a larger water tank though, which is a bit of a shame. To me, a larger tank is only ever really a bad thing, as it incentivises you going longer without changing your water – stagnant water isn’t ever a note you want to bring to your coffee.
Aside from the machine itself, you also get a one-shot pressurized basket, a two-shot pressurized basket, and a plastic tamp scoop. These accessories are pretty bare bones, but this is to be expected given the price. With the inclusion of two pressurized (or double-walled) baskets and no non-pressurized (or single-walled) baskets, the 3700 Essential should – in theory – deliver a more consistent output, even when using coffee that is too coarse or not freshly ground.
Casabrews 3700 Essential: performance
- Inconsistencies with espresso output
- Beware of messes and drips
- Steam wand performs ideally
None of the Casabrews machines I’ve tested so far have had a three-way solenoid valve to relieve pressure on the puck after extraction, but the CM3700 Essential appears to suffer the most from its absence. Post-pull dripping was a notable issue with it, even beyond the amount I had come to tolerate while using budget espresso machines. I also had issues with the puck appearing soupier than expected, and even experienced a nightmarish ‘portafilter sneeze’ which sent wet, gloopy grounds flying across my drip tray and work surface.
This is a minor annoyance in the grand scheme of things but it’s not difficult to find a similarly priced-machine that doesn’t suffer from these problems to the same degree. All of this meant that I had to remind myself to wait a little while after pulling a shot before removing (and cleaning) my portafilter to avoid having to drop sludge into my knock box. This is a deceptively simple request for someone like me, who’s likely to forget about it entirely, and find myself greeted by a gross crusty puck the next morning.
Thankfully, the side effects of excess portafilter pressure can be mitigated by getting properly accumulated to the rhythm of your machine. For the most part, you can avoid a big clean-up job once you figure out exactly when to stop your shot, when to remove your cup, how fine you can grind before your machine starts to ‘choke’, and when to safely and cleanly remove your portafilter. That knowledge comes with time and practice but I can’t help feeling like other machines I’ve tested took far less getting accustomed to.
The slightly messy fuss of the CM3700 Essential might feel worth it if I was consistently pleased with the espresso that came out of it. While I had high hopes based on my first shot, performance proved to be variable in the long run.
I had some difficulty getting a confident, clean tamp on my puck as the tamp scoop was light, awkward to wield, and ever so slightly smaller than for my basket. This meant I had to perform multiple tamping motions while shifting the tamp around the puck in order to flatten the full surface area. Obviously, this wasn’t ideal and I could see the puck getting slightly cracked with each new push, but I worked to get the best preparation I could despite my struggles.
Besides, pressurized baskets are designed to compensate for imperfect grind size or technique, essentially forcing a thicker crema and “pretty good” extraction even with suboptimal coffee and puck prep. That’s why so many entry-level machines include them. Thankfully, the pressurized basket had created a pleasant-looking layer of crema which—while not technically a sign of well-extracted espresso in this case– certainly looked the part. The taste was solid too: it had managed to produce something quite flavorful and pleasant to drink black, as is.
However, from that point on, espresso shots from the 3700 Essential proved to be more of a gamble. To be clear, I wasn’t expecting a $129 espresso machine to rival a top of the line model, but even by budget standards the fluctuations felt a tad extreme. I compared it directly with the Casabrews CM5418 (again, the 3700 Essential can’t escape the shadow of its more capable brother), and it produced more balanced results with the same beans and recipe. The 3700 Essential just doesn’t inspire confidence that I could get the same cup twice in a row, which is all you can really ask of your machine.
It’s not all doom and gloom though. My tinge of disappointment was softened by how well the machine handles steaming milk. Despite being a compact and inexpensive machine, the 3700 Essential delivers the kind of steam pressure and precision you need to produce silky microfoam, as well as airy cappuccino froth.
The steam wand is controlled by a knob on the side of the machine, and while it’s a small detail, I did appreciate the silicone grip around its perimeter. Not only does it feel more comfortable in my hand than steel or plastic but it offers better traction when turning, which is helpful for maintaining control while steaming. The last thing you’d want is to fumble when trying to turn the knob and end up burning your milk.
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Should you buy the Casabrews 3700 Essential?
|
Attribute |
Notes |
Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Value |
Affordable coffee machine that’s definitely at the budget end of the market. |
5/5 |
|
Design |
Very compact machine, but accessories are very bare-bones. |
4/5 |
|
Performance |
Inconsistencies with espresso output, and messy drips, though steam wand works well. |
2.5/5 |
Buy it if
Don’t buy it if
Casabrews 3700 Essential: also consider
If you’re not sure that the Casabrews 3700 Essential is the right coffee maker for you, here are two alternatives to consider.
How I tested the Casabrews 3700 Essential
I tested the Casabrews 3700 Essential over a period of three weeks. During this time, I used it to brew espresso and steam milk.
Across my testing, I used light, dark, and omni-roasted fresh espresso beans bought from specialty coffee roasters. I adjusted my dose and grind size in pursuit of the best recipe for each variety. All beans were ground with the Baratza Encore ESP.
Steam wand functionality was tested by using fresh, full-fat dairy milk, semi-skimmed milk, and oat milk. After each steam, I made sure to purge and clean the wand to keep it clean and functional. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.
First reviewed September 2025
