I Tested GE Cafe’s Affetto Espresso Maker — And My Review Speaks for Itself

Coffee snobbery is a slippery slope. One day you’re idly picking up a Chemex on a whim at World Market, and suddenly you’re scrolling niche specialty coffee gear at 4 a.m., wondering how your shopping cart reached $400 for just a grinder and an electric scale. 

Or maybe I’m projecting. It may not be as dramatic as that, but it’s true that the world of coffee enthusiasm seems to exist on a bell curve —there are devices for people who see coffee as a utility item that can be brewed automatically by a $26 drip machine, and there are devices for people who believe espresso shouldn’t be made by anything that costs less than a car (and comes with a comparably sized instruction manual, too).

I … fall somewhere in the middle. My obsessive search for the perfect at-home cup led me down a dangerously pricey path of burr grinders and meticulously calibrated kitchen scales— or at least, it was about to. Until I discovered the Cafe Affetto espresso machine.

Suddenly, what seemed like a certain descent into yet another expensive hobby (fact: I of all people do not need another expensive hobby) was brought to a halt, all thanks to a relatively compact and unassuming countertop device that, frankly, doesn’t receive much press. Allow me to explain.

One of the small kitchen devices under the GE-owned Cafe Appliances brand, the Affetto is an automatic espresso machine with an integrated adjustable burr grinder and bean hopper. It’s fully automatic, taking the guesswork out of the traditional tamping and shot-pulling of a traditional espresso setup. Meaning the level of knowledge required to get a good espresso shot is basically nonexistent. 

To me, the appeal of this device is that it hits a sweet spot: balancing elevated, integrated functions with essentially foolproof operation to produce better-than-expected espresso. It’s the best of both worlds — there’s absolutely no learning curve, and no messy manual tamping and shot-pulling, but you don’t sacrifice freshness or flavor the way you might when buying pre-ground beans. And unlike some pod-based espresso makers, you can use literally any beans with it, so there’s no plastic waste and no subscription model. There’s no need for an external grinder or milk frother, because it’s an all-in-one coffee hub. A true one-stop shop for better mornings. 

The Cafe Affetto has been my go-to coffee method for years now (how’s that for a testing period?). In fact, after a power surge fried a few of my kitchen devices including the Affetto (RIP) thanks to my 1895 home’s questionable wiring, I even repurchased the exact same model without a second thought. The convenience is a huge part of why I love the Affetto, but it also just produces better espresso than it has any right to, given how impossibly simple it is to use. I wouldn’t turn anywhere else for my daily lattes, fresh espresso shots for making late-night espresso martinis, and hot teas (the device doubles as a hot water dispenser). 

If you’re like me — someone who wants espresso at home but doesn’t want to learn how to pull a shot, or use an independent grinder, or resort to pods — then you already know my answer. Here’s who I think this is for: