As an amateur barista who’s been through 7 home espresso machines in a dozen years I understand the appeal of a foolproof model that makes you the same beautiful espresso every day. With most semiautomatic machines you need to get the beans, grind, measure and tamping pressure just right and then hope the machine’s volatile brewing pump is not sputtering nonsense to at least have the possibility of a properly extracted espresso falling into your cup. If you’ve received one of these recalcitrant appliances for Christmas you may already be pondering the ethics of regifting the bloody thing, perhaps as a wedding present for your ex-partner who’s marrying your former best mate.
Alternatively, if you’re buying an espresso machine for someone you actually still like – possibly yourself – you may be tempted by an idiot-proof apparatus that takes pre-measured pods or capsules filled with a precise dose of coffee grinds. Nespresso, with its selection of 16 Grand Cru coffees and irresistible George Clooney advertisements, dominates this sector. Now illycaffè, the most widely recognised name in premium Italian espresso coffee, has introduced the Francis Francis X7 (ÂŁ199 in the UK, $395 from illy in the US). This machine employs iperEspresso capsules and a patented two-stage extraction process that ensures a flawless espresso every time. Better still, it doesn’t ask you to make difficult decisions at 6:30am in the morning, such as “which of these 16 magnificently mellow Grand Cru coffees am I in the mood for and will I be able to detect the subtle differences among them?” illycaffè’s selection of iperEspresso capsules is limited to classic (medium roast), dark roast, decaf and lungo (long or Americano-style). That’s manageable, even during the pre-caffeine hours of the morning when your body may be out of bed but your psyche is still suspended in dreamland .
I tried out a loaner of the Francis Francis X7, courtesy of illycaffè, and can vouch for the effectiveness and consistency of this beautiful object by Italian architect and product designer Lucca Trazzi. You warm up the machine, drop the capsule into the handle, press a button and 25 seconds later you have a lovely espresso with a thick head of golden crema. With a little practice using the steam wand  you can turn out thick, textured milk for creamy, microfoamy lattes and cappuccinos.
I may complain that the X7’s casing is made of crackable plastic rather than sturdy stainless steel, that the absurd angle of the frothing wand has you spraying scalding water all over the kitchen counter when you try to drain it, that you can’t make a full-strength double espresso (or two espressos at once) or that the capsules are not recyclable or refillable. I might find the price of the capsules somewhat high for a coffee at home, ÂŁ41.20 for 6 tins of 21 capsules – about 33p per espresso – in the UK, $32 for 2 cans of 21 capsules – about 76 cents from illyusa! (Reminds me of HP printers: The price for the hardware is reasonable.  It’s the ransom paid on ink cartridges or, in this instance, coffee capsules, which bankrupt you). But the real reason I don’t like the Francis Franic X7 is that it works. You can count on it making you the same espresso every time.
Problem is I don’t want the same espresso every day, perfect or not. I wouldn’t restrict my wine cabinet and therefore home consumption to a single wine or even 4 wines. Why would I want to do that with coffee? I want to sample and compare superior coffees, single origins as well as custom blends, from outstanding UK roasters like Square Mile, Monmouth and Has Bean as well as from European and North American roasters and coffee shops I discover during my travels. Furthermore, I want to grind all my beans seconds before I brew them, filling my flat with the spellbinding, anticipatory aroma of coffee grinder gas. I want to calibrate the dose and tamping pressure so that, for better or worse, I know that I shaped the result.
If my week with the one-touch X7 is any guide, the verdict is clear: This great-looking machine is a satisfying, dependable, no-fuss espresso maker that won’t drive anyone mad, as most home espresso machines will. But coffee geeks in particular may find that perfection is limiting. Like me they may prefer something more DIY. They may sacrifice the comfort of consistency that illy offers in its machine as well as its coffee for the excitement of the unexpected.
Out of interest what home machine do you rate. I fear my Gaggia is about to give up the ghost and have been wondering. There is of course the Le Marzocco GS3, just not sure it is either affordable or practical.
My Gaggia just died, too. It’s been replaced by what most coffee geeks agree is the very best home espresso machine on the market for under ÂŁ500 – the Rancilio Silvio. Mine was purchased in the UK from Drury Coffee.
I have the Dualit esspressivo…love it
An amazing post, Dan! (Full disclosure, I am Dan’s bro.) Think if you were writing for the Times or another mainstream newspaper dependent on illy for advertising, you would not be able to write (and we would not have the entertainment and information of) this. With the “downside” of consistency, I still want to buy this machine, graduating from the Nescafe Gusto (minor leagues quality, even if an espresso is half the price of this illy machine).
Actually, I like the pod machine we have, as it is very easy to use and FAST and very satisfying to drink. We have had several espresso machines that were just too fussy; with our busy lives, the pod machine works for us (and our two teens)
Polas & Roy – It would be a shame to rely on capsules or pods and therefore not be able to take full advantage of living in the same county as two Intelligentsia coffee shops. Furthermore, I think it would be great for your daughters (and my nieces) to develop barista skills. It would build their appreciation for coffee and thereby enhance their lives. Plus one day it might help them find a part-time job in an aromatic work environment!
Hmmm. Didn’t think of that!
Thanks for the great unbiased review Dan.
Hope you don’t mind but I have linked to it from Coffee Forums UK
Fab post. I have been so tempted to buy a good machine, and this one was mentioned to me, but in the end (a) I am lazy, and (b) I love the whole experience of drinking my coffee in a coffee shop. For those with a multiple dose per day habit, a machine at home definitely makes sense. Maybe it’s worth it anyway, just to have my whole apartment smelling like coffee….
Thanks for a great review. I read this and a couple other reviews (less elaborate), and bought a black Francis Francis X7… This thing is nothing short of brilliant 🙂
A consistent machine so far (day three). Does anyone know though, how to reset the water volume delivered to the factory setting. The manual just says follow the instructions in this manual, but doesn’t seem to have anything specific.
thank you for the enlightment! I was almost tempted into buying the F1, because of the ok-reviews and te god price; but I’ll definetely go for the Silvia now!
To reset the X7 to factory volume: With the machine turned off, hold the power and coffee buttons down for about a second until the machine starts up. Your volume should be back to the default.