Customer reviews from Fellow
Fellow - Espresso Series 1 Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine with up to 9 bars of pressure and custom roast profiles - Black
Average customer rating
4.5
(172 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 172 reviews
5 Stars
126
4 Stars
25
3 Stars
7
2 Stars
3
1 Star
11
91%of customers recommend this product.
(
91 out of
100)
Customer Reviews for Fellow - Espresso Series 1 Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine with up to 9 bars of pressure and custom roast profiles - Black
Customer Rating
4
Frustratingly close to greatness
on March 18, 2026
Posted by: Dev
There's a ton to like about the Series One. The feature set is tremendous for the money, the interface is clean, the display and encoder are easy to use, and there are some really nice industrial design touches like the big chunky ball joint on the steam wand. Understandably given the price point, there's a few cheap/flimsy feeling parts of the fit and finish (especially the drip tray), but broadly speaking it's an attractive design and it feels well made. Most importantly, in no uncertain terms, it can pull an excellent shot. Even coming from a Decent DE1XL at work, I've not at all been disappointed with the extraction, programmability, temperature stability, or pressure profiling granularity. If you can't make first rate espresso on a Series One, it's on your grinder, your beans, your profile, or your prep, not the machine.
That said, there are a couple annoying quirks that hold it back currently from no-brainer territory for me. Most I really hope get sorted out in firmware updates, though a few are endemic to the actual physical design.
1. While I was incredibly stoked for the temp controlled steam wand at this price point, and while the steam wand itself looks and feels amazing, it's the weakest part of the machine. The steam pressure is anemic, steaming is painfully slow, it's hard to get a nice vortex and fine effectively, and it's very clunky to hold a pitcher and have to reach over the group head to initiate the controls. It's also a bizarre oversight that you can't adjust the target temp before you start steaming. 65C as the default is too hot IMO - by then it's already starting to get that weird cereal smell.
2. The incredibly fast cold start to shot ready is awesome, but the amount of water waste/bypass to get that super fast startup is significant. I've typically filled the drip tray within three shots, and I'm constantly having to refill the tank. Not ideal if you're using expensive filters or mineral packets for your coffee water, and not ideal from an energy waste perspective.
3. Having remote app connectivity and choosing not to support scale integration/gravimetric targets is a bummer and a half. The volumetric targets sort of work, though I almost always have to vastly overestimate the ratio. On the current coffee I'm working with, I have to specify a coffee to water ratio of 1:4 to actually yield around 1:2.5 in terms of liquid mass. Even if it came by way of an upgraded drip tray with an integral scale, gravimetric programmability is my number one wish list item.
4. The portafilter is perfectly nice looking and feeling, but the gasket on the group head is really stiff, and it makes it quite a task to lock the portafilter in. A softer silicone gasket option for the group head would go a long way. I really don't love how much strain I currently have to put on the group head to get a seal, you can see it bend under the torque just to get it like a quarter turn in.
So yea, 4/5. I would have happily paid a little extra to have a few more plasticky bits be less plasticky, but I understand the price psychology of where they have it, and I honestly can't think of anything else I'd rather have under 3k. A handful of software/firmware updates, and ideally a couple of upgrade options to add in some of the missing features, and I think this will more or less own the consumer market for the foreseeable future.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
1
Room for Improvement
on March 18, 2026
Posted by: Surge
Only had one day to test, but all the shots came out really large, 8-12oz! I may be doing something wrong but definitely not the first impression I was hoping for.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
5
Beginners
on March 18, 2026
Posted by: Randy
My wife and I are far from being coffee aficionados. After watching a few of the YouTube videos and actually visiting the San Francisco store we are very comfortable using the machine. Attended the online class as well and found it to be very informative. Very happy with our maching.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
5
Great for Espresso Newbie
on March 18, 2026
Posted by: carlie
I purchased this soon after it was announced and have been looking forward to receiving my Espresso Series 1 for almost a year. I am new to espresso and while there has been a learning curve, the coffee has been amazing! I love the design of this machine, it fits perfectly alongside my Aiden, Kettle and Ode 2. I look forward to purchasing a new grinder soon. I recognize that some of the challenges I've had with consistency has been more with my inexperience. The machine has all the tools to help me learn. I look forward to perfecting this fantastic craft!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
5
Great value
on March 17, 2026
Posted by: halfrican
This is my first REAL espresso machine, so far very pleased with the performance. A great value option for those wanting more control than a superautomatic. Looking forward to future updates to the firmware that will enhance the user experience even more.
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
5
Great espresso machine
on March 17, 2026
Posted by: historicaleditor
Day one reservation here and it was absolutely worth the wait. I have been waiting a looooong time for an espresso machine to look this good and also perform well at this price range. Props to the fellow team on making such an amazing product.
Heat up time to use is definitely fast. I usually get my cats food ready and by the time I feed her, the machine is ready to go.
It’s been has been nothing but a great experience using this machine. After seeing the other reviews on reddit talk about setting it to manual mode and not relying on the set profiles, I have been able to dial in just about any beans so far. But I can definitely see the appeal for someone who is just getting started with making espresso.
The only thing I can complain about so far is the fact that this machine BLEEDS water. But i saw they’re working on a software patch for it so hopefully it gets resolved soon.
I would recommend this to a friend!
(click to see the video)
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
5
Gets the Job Done
on March 17, 2026
Posted by: branfull
It makes espresso, it steams milk, it makes hot water. What else could you want in an espresso machine?
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
5
Great machine lots features.
on March 17, 2026
Posted by: Jennifer80
First espresso machine. Compact but sturdy. The tampers and portafilter have a nice feel. They help new users by providing classes and instruction videos. Doesnt take long to heat like 5 mins. Has nice work flow and a lots of features. I've used medium roast, lever, and 9 bar so far There is geeky settings memu if that is your fancy. Nice drip tray. So far makes a great cup/shot. I am happy with purchase. Great design.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow