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
4.6
(113 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 113 reviews
5 Stars
85
4 Stars
18
3 Stars
4
2 Stars
1
1 Star
5
92%of customers recommend this product.
(
89 out of
97)
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
5
Such a beautiful machine!
on March 7, 2026
Posted by: BenW
We recently received our Fellow Series 1, and it's been a blast to play with! After dialing in the settings, the espresso quality is excellent, the steamer works very well, and the machine is super easy to use.
The machine completely justifies the digital integration of all the options and settings. (We are coming from an old-school lever machine with almost no electronics whatsoever.) And the 2-minute warmup is a beautiful thing!
Notes:
- The shot volume seemed to be poorly calibrated out-of-the-box. When set to a double-shot 36g pour (18g grounds, 2:1 ratio), pulling a shot yielded only about 18g of espresso, equivalent to a single shot. It took some digging and internet sleuthing to discover the setting buried deep within the menus (Settings > Customization > Nerdy Settings > Volumetric Offsets) that allowed us to correct this. We had to adjust the settings from 48mL to 65mL for the first shot, and from 44mL to 61mL for the 2nd and nth shots.
- It was useful to have the water hardness measuring strip in the box, but oddly frustrating to not have an immediate way to correct the issue. (Our RO filtration unit provides about 20ppm; ideal is more like 100ppm.) If Fellow were to partner with e.g. Third Wave Water to provide a couple water-softening packets in the box, that would be a nice touch for both companies. Unboxing a new espresso machine is the perfect time to change consumer habits for something like this, and it would make the coffee taste better, and make the machine last longer.
- Tiny bug: Setting the water hardness to "5-7dh" causes the setting to be locked in as "2-5dh". (It would be useful for the screen to show 'ppm' equivalents here as well, for customers who measure their water in ppm units. 1°dH is about 17.8ppm.)
- The hot water dispenser seems to have a very slow flow rate. Maybe this is limited by how fast the heating element can heat the water, but if there were a way to make it 2x faster, that would be a nice improvement.
Overall, we are very happy customers so far. Kudos to Fellow for making such a fantastic machine!!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
5
A machine to grow old with
on March 7, 2026
Posted by: Hcsweetie
I am in love with my new machine! I’m relatively new to espresso, and I have found it very approachable. I think Fellow did a great job building a machine for both nerdy and new users. It feels like a machine that’ll grow with me.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
5
The kPa has been set!
on March 9, 2026
Posted by: REM
Congrats to the entire Fellow team—and a special shoutout to the design engineers! Nailing a product like this right out of the gate is a huge accomplishment.
I could immediately tell that every person on the team actually uses this thing in their own home. The design is so intuitive—zero learning curve. I watched the tutorials, pulled my very first shot, and it was an instant success.
I wish I could invest in Fellow because this machine is going to be a massive hit.
p.s. - I’m pretty sure I’m the first person to take the Series 1 on an overlanding trip… so can we please get a dedicated travel hard case?!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
5
It just works.
on March 9, 2026
Posted by: Skylar s
Overall, this is an amazing machine. Before this, I had a Rancilio Silvia with a custom microcontroller to control pressure and temperature. In theory, they both had a lot of the same features on paper, but this machine just works.
There are definitely a few cons — the interface is laggy, and it was released with a lot of promised software features that haven't materialized yet. It also doesn't work with VST baskets, and portafilter compatibility is a little lacking. But all in all, it's a fantastic, beautiful machine that makes delicious coffee.
There are definitely a few cons — the interface is laggy, and it was released with a lot of promised software features that haven't materialized yet. It also doesn't work with VST baskets, and portafilter compatibility is a little lacking. But all in all, it's a fantastic, beautiful machine that makes delicious coffee.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
5
Great value and performance !
on March 13, 2026
Posted by: Ken pak
Beautiful design. Amazing service. Ease of use. Excellent results
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
5
Beautiful Design, Incredible Espresso, and Surprisingly Easy to Use
on March 14, 2026
Posted by: Carissa
We just added the Fellow Espresso Series 1 to our kitchen and I’m genuinely impressed.
Over the years I’ve owned several all-in-one systems from Jura, Saeco, Miele, and others. They’re convenient, but the experience and results never quite matched what you’d get from a truly great espresso setup.
The Fellow changes that completely.
What stands out most is how thoughtfully it guides you through the process. From dosing and tamping to extraction and milk drinks, the machine provides step-by-step cues that make it incredibly approachable—even if you’re new to making espresso. It somehow manages to teach you while you’re using it, and the results are consistently excellent. Lattes, cappuccinos, straight espresso—everything we’ve made so far has been fantastic.
And it’s stunning. Fellow really understands design, and this machine feels like a piece of functional art on the counter.
We also decided to split our setup instead of relying on a single all-in-one machine. Pairing the Fellow Espresso Series 1 with the Fellow Aiden coffee maker turned out to be the right call. Aiden produces some of the best pour-over style coffee I’ve had, but with the convenience of an automatic machine.
Together they cover everything: exceptional espresso drinks and excellent brewed coffee.
After years of trying high-end super-automatic machines, this setup is easily the best coffee decision we’ve made.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
4
Solid Machine
on March 14, 2026
Posted by: Nathaniel
I’m glad I purchased this, but it’s definitely a learning curve with the volume-metrics that are programmed. If you’re a beginner, it’s a great educational machine that is easy to use, but if you’re wanting more of a manual experience, it can be a little tricky to get the desired result. Make sure the settings, including the nerdy ones, are consistently being played with if you truly want a commercial, premium experience.
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow
Customer Rating
5
Fantastic step-up from generic prosumer machines
on March 18, 2026
Posted by: dizziness
I was an early backer and waited patiently for this unit. It fits my needs, space constraints, and still has power user tweakability. Fellow knows how to make affordable but customizable products! And the proof is in the cup, the flavor and consistency of the coffee is what I expected. Profiling is fun, too!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Fellow