SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine Review 2023: Bean Me Up!

I might’ve watched one too many sci-fi movies lately, but I can’t be the only one who thinks that the SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine looks like something straight out of a retro futuristic film set. 

Unfortunately, this stylish coffee maker can’t shoot lasers or talk like a robot, but if you’re interested in what it can do, keep reading my SMEG fully automatic coffee machine review! 

SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine

Back to the Future!

Looks super stylish

Intuitive user interface

Small footprint

Easy to clean

No milk pitcher included

Expensive for what you get

$999.95

SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine Review Overview

While my first impression of the SMEG bean to cup machine was that it looks a little too much like a wall outlet (or something you’d plug your actual coffee maker into), that sleek design is what the manufacturer is famous for. If you’re someone who wants a coffee maker to look like it’s from the 1950s, you’ll appreciate the SMEG’s vibe. 

In case you didn’t know, SMEG is a luxury Italian brand. The manufacturer is known for its luxury appliances, ranging from drip coffee makers to boutique fridges. While all of SMEG’s products look pretty, most of them aren’t very kind to your wallet. 

As for this machine, SMEG trades the usual shiny finish for a brushed metal exterior and drip tray. I rarely see rounded, soft corners on coffee machines, but it manages to work with SMEG’s aesthetic. Anyway, nobody digs a square, right daddy-o? Sorry, I was just practicing my 1950s slang!

For $999.95, most of this machine’s appeal comes from its look. While it can do more than just sit on your counter and look pretty, it’ll definitely enhance your kitchen. Whether or not the SMEG is worth the money all depends on how important having an attractive coffee maker is to you. 

As far as features go, the BCC02 doesn’t do a great job of standing out from the bean to cup coffee machine pack. 

Still, behind that brushed matte and metal exterior, you’re getting a durable coffee machine that could last for years. It’s also a coffee machine that handles all the hard work. Whether grinding your coffee beans, or dispensing the right amount of espresso into your cup, the SMEG coffee maker has you covered.

Of course, those are just the basics. Next up in my SMEG fully automatic coffee machine review, I’ll go into my favorite (and least favorite) parts of this coffee maker. 

SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine Features

While the appearance of this coffee maker is deceptively simple, there’s more lurking beneath the surface. Or, in this case, the lid. Continuing my SMEG fully automatic coffee machine review, let’s get into the features!

Colors

You know me, I’m a sucker for any coffee maker that comes in a color that’s not just stainless steel or black plastic. All of the SMEG color options come with the brushed aluminum front, but you can pick between red, black, white and taupe accents. 

It’s hard to complain about any of these color options. However, if you’re committed to completing the vintage look, nothing beats bright red. 

Compact Design

I know I probably sound like a broken record when it comes to how sleek and smooth the outside of this machine is. However, once you’re treading into fully automatic territory, you won’t always find super compact machines. Even a top competitor like the Jura A1 isn’t quite as small. 

So, the SMEG bean to cup coffee maker is kind of an exception. From its stout dimensions to its handy cord positioning, you’ll have no problems fitting this machine on a crowded counter. What’s more, there’s no bulky water tank or awkwardly jutting drip tray to contend with. 

The machine is also fairly lightweight for a fully automatic, which is a plus in my book. I don’t want a workout every time I try to move my coffee maker. 

User Interface

The SMEG fully automatic coffee machine ditches the normal touchscreen interface that a lot of automatics use. Instead, you’ll get four buttons for controlling the action. 

While that might not sound like much, you’re actually getting eight functions across two menus. Don’t worry, that’s all the math you’ll have to do with this automatic coffee machine!

Most of the functions relate to how you want your espresso shot. SMEG allows you to pick between hot water, espresso, ristretto, light ristretto, long coffee, light espresso and the steam function. Whew, that’s a lot. Incidentally, picking light ristretto or light coffee is just going to brew your cup at half the strength of a normal brew. 

If you’re like a lot of home baristas, you’ll probably find your preference and just stick with it  – but it’s still nice to have choices!

Along with the four buttons, you’ll also see five alert icons on the control panel. Now, I know most espresso machines include indicator lights for the drip tray and descaling. That’s not exactly an inventive feature. Still think it’s worth mentioning that this machine has them. 

With the built in grinder, you’ll also have an indicator light for when the bean compartment is empty. After all, you’re not going to get far into the brewing process if you’re missing the most important component!

Burr Grinder

If there’s one thing I’ll never stop shouting into the void about, it’s freshly ground coffee. Using whole beans adds a richness to your espresso that pre ground coffee just can’t come close to. With the built in burr grinder on this machine, you’ll have every incentive to grind beans fresh every time. 

Speaking of pre ground coffee, you won’t be able to use it on this machine. While I’m not the biggest fan of pre ground bypass chutes, I can certainly understand the convenience. It’d be nice to have the option for the occasional decaf. Still, the grinder is quick and quiet, so there’s not much to complain about.

With this specific machine, you’ll get five options for grind size. That’s plenty of room to experiment with, but if you’re just making standard espresso, a fine grind is your safest bet. 

As far as storing those coffee beans go, the coffee bean container has a 5.3 ounce (150 gram) capacity. You’ll see the alert icon turn on when it’s empty.

Milk Froth

Located just to the side of the coffee dispenser is your steam wand. SMEG has tried its hardest to make this thing look high tech. However, at the end of the day, it’s still just your typical steam wand. No special effects or lasers here. 

Now, when it comes to operating that steam wand, this is one part of the process that doesn’t feel completely intuitive. To get that delicious froth crema or silky milk foam, you’ll need to swirl the milk while keeping your jug tilted downwards. 

Oh and by the way, you’ll have to purchase a stainless steel milk pitcher separately. That’s a bit of a letdown in my opinion, especially considering the machine’s price point. 

Overall, the steam wand should work just fine once you get ahead of that initial learning curve. 

Specialty Drinks

If there’s one thing that this bean to cup coffee maker does right, it’s specialty drinks. Being able to make your coffee shop favorites on-demand is part of the magic of owning an automatic espresso machine. Plus, you don’t have to make awkward small talk with the barista just to get your americano. 

As a fully automatic, I’m not surprised that the BCC02 bean to cup machine makes specialty drinks seamless. Picking between drinks like americanos, long shots or light espresso just takes the push of the button. Certain specialty drinks (such as latte macchiato and flat white) aren’t programmed in, but they’re almost as easy to make. 

Brew Group

If you’re tired of hearing about portafilters and filter baskets, you might appreciate the internal brewing unit on the BCC02. An Internal brewing unit is the standard on bean to cup machines, and it’s where all the action happens. 

Keep in mind that just because there’s no traditional portafilter doesn’t mean you won’t have to clean the brew group. It’ll still need regular maintenance, but that’s just part of owning any espresso machine. 

Boiler

If there’s one thing I can appreciate about this espresso machine, it’s a quick heat up time. Waiting 10 or 15 minutes just for your espresso machine to heat up every morning can feel like an eternity. Features like thermoblock heating tend to spoil me, and fortunately, the BCC02 has got one on board. 

The machine doesn’t use a traditional boiler. Instead, water passes through the thermoblock and is quickly heated along the way. This means it’ll only take a few seconds for the machine to be ready to go.

Cup Height

Cup height is one of those factors that you never really think about unless it becomes an issue. You probably won’t notice the height of your machine unless you’re unable to fit tall cups underneath the spout. 

A lot of espresso machines allow for tall travel mugs by making their drip trays removable. While there is a removable drip tray on the BCC02, you don’t need to remove it just to get some extra room. The height of the dispenser itself is adjustable, and as compact as this machine is, there’s still plenty of space for tall cups. 

Warranty

Considering the price point of the BCC02, I’d be pretty disappointed if this SMEG automatic coffee machine didn’t have a warranty. Luckily, that’s not the case. You’ll get a one year limited warranty on this bean to cup machine, which covers manufacturer defects. 

How To Use the SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine

I’ve done enough yapping about the features of the BCC02 in my Smeg fully automatic coffee machine review. Let’s talk about how to use it.

Before I get into drink preparation, I want to talk about modifications. One interesting thing to note about the BCC02 is that you can customize the amount of espresso you get with each shot. Even though the BCC02 will automatically dispense the “correct’ amount for single shots, you can change that to your preference. 

To do so, place your cup under the adjustable coffee dispenser. Hold the key you want for at least three seconds and wait till the machine emits a double sound. This means it’s ready to modify your preset program. Start dispensing your espresso, wait until you have the desired amount and then press the key again. 

Next time you make that same drink, the BCC02 will dispense the new amount of espresso you’ve set. 

Speaking of customizations, there are also ways to set water hardness and acoustic signals. However, I won’t bore you with the details here – it’s all in the user manual. 

Drink Preparation

If you’re not looking to make modifications, here’s how you can make freshly brewed coffee with the BCC02 on its regular settings: 

1. Like any espresso machine, your first step is always going to be feeding the bean compartment and filling up the water tank. Remember  – use cool water and don’t exceed that little ‘MAX’ line. 
2. Press the power button, make sure your drip tray and cup are in the right position and let the machine heat up. Since it’s fully automatic, there’s not a lot of elbow grease involved here. Really, operating the BCC02 is just a waiting game. 
3. Once your indicator light flashes and the machine is ready, pick the type of coffee you want to dispense. Your espresso should start flowing like liquid gold and the machine will stop automatically when it’s done. That’s the beauty of fully automatics like this one: you don’t have to time your espresso shots. If you need to stop the shot early, you can press the function key again and it should stop manually. 

While you can turn the machine off manually, it also features an auto shutoff function. After 20 minutes without any activity, the BCC02 turns off automatically to save power. For those of us that don’t always remember to hit the power button when we’re rushing out the door, auto shutoff sure is handy to have. 

SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine Cleaning

Most people aren’t as excited about cleaning and descaling their espresso machines as I am. Fortunately, the BCC02 keeps maintenance low-key. Since the removable brewing unit is internal, there’s not as much elbow grease involved as with semi automatic espresso machines. 

Of course, any espresso machine is going to need external cleaning. I’d recommend doing a quick wipe down of your BCC02  – but make sure it’s completely cool. Just use a damp cloth and a little warm water to wipe it off, which should go a long way towards keeping your machine in tip top shape. 

Really, there are just two golden rules for cleaning the BCC02: don’t put it in the dishwasher and don’t submerge it in water. Those could put you on the fast track to needing a new espresso machine. 

Components like the water tank, drip tray and the coffee bean container will also need their fair share of maintenance. You can remove all of these parts fairly easily. Oh, and make sure you empty the coffee grounds container when the machine is on. That way, it’ll reset the counter. 

As for cleaning the brew group and the steam wand, a quick rinse after every use is a good idea. There are clips on the side that allow you to remove the brew group, and you can remove the steam wand’s tip to give it a good rinse. 

Now, let’s talk descaling. I know it’s a chore, but the good news? You don’t have to do it very often and the machine gives you a heads up. Suffice to say, the frequency with which you’ll need to descale depends on your water hardness. There are more specific directions in the user manual. 

SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine Specifications

SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine vs Others

I can’t wrap up my SMEG fully automatic coffee machine review without seeing how it handles the competition. There are tons of options in my super automatic espresso machine guide 2023, so let’s see how the SMEG measures up to a few of those machines. 

SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine vs Jura D6

For $1,449.99, there’s not that much of a price difference between the BCC02 and the Jura D6. 

The Jura D6 is less compact, but it takes its simple user interface to a whole new level. There’s one touch operation for making most of your espresso drinks, an Aroma G2 grinder and an intelligent water system (which is really just a water filter). 

One thing the Jura D6 has that you won’t find with the BCC02 is smart app control. You can rely on the manual settings just fine, but using the app is an easy way to fine tune them. I’d argue that the D6 achieves the futuristic feel that SMEG is trying so hard to get with its look. 

See Also: Jura D6 Review 2023

SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine vs Jura A1

Another machine from the Swiss manufacturer, the Jura A1 comes in at $795.00. Not only does the A1 come with a more affordable price tag, it’s compact enough to rival the BCC02. 

The water tank is a little smaller on the A1 and it uses a similar user interface and integrated grinder as the BCC02. However, the biggest difference between these two machines is the fact that the Jura has no milk system whatsoever. 

See Also: Jura A1 Hands-On Review 2023

SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine vs Tchibo

Costing $469.00, the Tchibo Fully Automatic Coffee Machine definitely has a friendlier price tag than the SMEG.

Besides the two bags of coffee beans that you get with Tchibo, there’s little to recommend the machine. Its user interface is a little more limited and certainly not as intuitive as the SMEG’s. 

If you’ve read my Tchibo review, you’ll know I’m not always the biggest fan of this manufacturer. Its fully automatic didn’t do a great job of impressing me, but then again, it’s definitely pretty budget-friendly for a bean to cup machine. 

See Also: Tchibo Coffee Machine Hands-On Review 2023

SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine vs Others Comparison Chart

Verdict: SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine Review

SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine

Back to the Future!

Looks super stylish

Intuitive user interface

Small footprint

Easy to clean

No milk pitcher included

Expensive for what you get

$999.95

To wrap up my SMEG fully automatic coffee machine review, I’ll just say this: while I love the BCCO2’s compact size and futuristic design, most of its features are just standard for bean to cup machines. The SMEG fully automatic is priced fairly high in that regard, especially since you can find superior machines for a lot less.

However, if looks and counter space are a big deal, it’ll be hard to find an automatic that looks quite as small and cute in your kitchen. That said, if you’re more interested in special features or just getting the most bang for your buck, you might want to look elsewhere. 

SMEG Fully Automatic Coffee Machine FAQ