CASABREWS Espresso Machines: Models and Baskets Compared
CASABREWS sells budget and mid-range machines, and the basket is the detail that separates them. By the maker's data, the 3700 Essential, CM5418 and 5418 PRO use 51 mm portafilters with double wall baskets, while the Ultra and Marenza move up to 58 mm. We have no independent measurements, so read this as a spec comparison.
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For a first try on a tight budget, the CM5418 is the one to look at: 51 mm, double wall baskets, a steam wand and a gauge, per the maker. Double wall baskets forgive a rough grind, but they teach you less. If you plan to buy a real grinder, the Breville Bambino is our pick, because it ships with single wall baskets too.
On this page
CASABREWS is one of the brands you run into as soon as you search Amazon for an espresso machine in the lower price classes, and it runs its own online shop too. We couldn't read a company history we could check, so we can't tell you much about who stands behind it. What we can do is put the models next to each other. How we compare explains why “maker's data” and “per listing” are different things on this site.
The models at a glance
| Model | Portafilter | Baskets | Other points the maker or listing names | Price class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3700 Essential* | 51 mm | 1-cup and 2-cup double wall | Stainless steel, steam wand, 20-bar pressure system | Budget |
| CM5418* | 51 mm | 1-cup and 2-cup double wall | Pressure gauge, PID, 34 oz tank, steam wand | Budget |
| 5418 PRO* | 51 mm | 1-cup and 2-cup double wall | Fast heating, with 3-second steam switching on the range page | Not classed |
| Ultra* | 58 mm | Single and double wall | LCD display, adjustable temperature, adjustable shot volume | Mid-range |
| Marenza* | 58 mm | Not read | Built-in conical burr grinder, 20-bar pump, fast heating | Mid-range |
CASABREWS's own pages don't always agree. We saw 30 grind settings on one Marenza page and 15 on another, so check the manual before you decide on that number. The range also holds models we don't list, such as the 3700 Gense, a different machine with its own 58 mm portafilter despite the similar name. And model names shift over time, so match the exact model before you order parts.
| Seller data onlyCASABREWS CM5418 | Seller data onlyCASABREWS 3700 | Seller data onlyCASABREWS Ultra | Seller data onlyCASABREWS Marenza | Our pick: with a separate grinderBreville Bambino | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heating | – | – | – | – | ThermoJet |
| Pump, as stated | – | – | – | – | 15 bar |
| Brew pressure, as stated | – | – | – | – | 9 bar |
| Portafilter | – | – | – | – | 54 mm |
| PID | – | – | – | – | Yes, per the instruction book |
| Built-in grinder | No | No | No | Yes, per listing | No |
| Milk | Steam wand, per listing | Steam wand, per listing | Steam wand, per listing | – | Manual wand |
| Price class | Budget | Budget | Mid-range | Mid-range | Mid-range |
| Best for | A first try at espresso on a tight budget | The smallest budget that still buys a pump machine | Buyers set on this brand who will read the spec sheet first | Budget buyers comparing built-in grinders below the Breville range | Beginners who want to pick their grinder and upgrade it later |
| On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon |
The CASABREWS columns stay mostly empty because our product data holds listing values only, and we would rather leave gaps than guess. The table above is where the maker's own data is.
Why the basket matters more than the bar number
Every CASABREWS title leans on its pump: 20 bar, in most cases. The 15 or 20 bar on the box is what the pump can reach. Espresso is brewed at about 9 bar, and we could not read a brew pressure for these machines. Our page on 15 and 20 bar goes through the numbers.
The basket tells you more. CASABREWS doesn't explain its double wall baskets on the pages we saw, but Breville explains the same type clearly: dual wall baskets are for pre-ground coffee, and they regulate the pressure to help the extraction regardless of grind, dose, tamp or freshness. Single wall baskets are for freshly ground beans, and they let you experiment with those variables.
What that means for you
With pre-ground coffee or a basic grinder, a double wall basket is the right tool, and that's how most first-time buyers in this class will start. But it also hides what your grind is doing, so it teaches you less. If you plan to buy a real espresso grinder and weigh your shots, look for single wall baskets. That points to the Ultra in this range, or to a machine from another brand.
The size matters too. A 51 mm machine takes 51 mm tools, and accessories are not interchangeable across sizes. If you are starting from nothing, a 51 mm accessory kit* covers the tamper, distributor, WDT tool and funnel, per its listing. Measure your own portafilter first.
Strengths and weak points
- Reaches the budget class
- Steam wand on the machines we list, per the titles
- Double wall baskets work with pre-ground coffee, so you can start without a grinder
- A step up to 58 mm within the same brand
- The maker describes a 12-month limited warranty
- We only have listing and maker data, and read no independent measurements
- Bar numbers are pump ratings, not brew pressure
- The 51 mm models list double wall baskets only
- The maker's own pages disagree on some values
- Heater type isn't always named, so we don't name it either
All of these have a steam wand. What you pour depends on your milk technique.
Which one for whom?
If you want to try espresso on the smallest budget → CASABREWS 3700 · Seller data only
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you want a gauge and a compact machine in the budget class → CASABREWS CM5418 · Seller data only
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf the wait between shot and steam bothers you → CASABREWS 5418 PRO · Seller data only
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you are set on this brand and want single wall baskets → CASABREWS Ultra · Seller data only
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you want the grinder in the same body → CASABREWS Marenza · Seller data only
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon
For the 5418 PRO's heater and what fast heating costs and gains, see our thermoblock page. All of the above only have our listing-level confidence. That's why none of them carries one of our pick labels.
CASABREWS vs Breville
This is the comparison many buyers end up making, so here is our view. The two brands don't really compete at the same price class. Breville documents more, including the numbers that CASABREWS's pages leave out. The Breville Bambino lists a 15 bar pump and 9 bar extraction, a 54 mm portafilter, an 18 g dose, single wall and dual wall baskets, and a start-up of 3 seconds. That data is why it's our pick here.
Breville Bambino
A compact machine with a 54 mm portafilter, ready in 3 seconds. The grinder is yours to choose.
Why here: If your budget reaches the mid-range, this is the documented step up from a CASABREWS, with single wall and dual wall baskets in the box.
Best for: Beginners who want to pick their grinder and upgrade it later
- Ready to start in 3 seconds (Breville)
- 54 mm portafilter, 18 g dose (Breville)
- Manual steam wand for hand-textured milk (Breville)
- Needs a separate espresso-capable grinder
- Breville's product page does not mention PID, though its BES450 instruction book does
- Heating
- ThermoJet
- Pump, as stated
- 15 bar
- Brew pressure, as stated
- 9 bar
- Portafilter
- 54 mm
- PID
- Yes, per the instruction book
- Built-in grinder
- No
- Milk
- Manual wand
- Price class
- Mid-range
If it doesn't reach that far, a CASABREWS is a fair way to find out whether you like making espresso. Our budget machines guide sets it against the De'Longhi Stilosa and others. If you lean toward an all-in-one, compare the Marenza against the machines with a built-in grinder.
Parts, manuals and warranty
CASABREWS has a manual page on its site, and it sells parts such as a 51 mm bottomless portafilter. It describes a 12-month limited warranty on eligible products bought from its own site, official marketplace stores or authorized sellers, and a 30-day return policy for machines bought directly. Terms change, so read the current version, and check your seller before you count on it.
Still comparing brands? The start page sorts every recommendation by what you drink.
Asked at the bar
Are CASABREWS espresso machines any good?
We can't rate them from our own use, because we don't run tests. On paper they cover the basics: a pump, a steam wand and a portafilter, in the budget and mid-range classes. Their maker data is thinner than Breville's, and the bar number isn't a measure of quality. Choose by basket and by what you plan to grind with.
What size portafilter does the CASABREWS CM5418 use?
51 mm, according to CASABREWS, and it comes with 1-cup and 2-cup double wall filter baskets. The maker lists the same size for the 3700 Essential and the 5418 PRO. The Ultra and the Marenza use 58 mm. Measure your own portafilter before you buy a tamper or a funnel, because model names change.
What is the difference between the CASABREWS 3700 and the CM5418?
Both are budget machines with a 51 mm portafilter and double wall baskets, per CASABREWS. The maker lists a pressure gauge and PID temperature control for the CM5418, and we didn't see those on the 3700 Essential's accessory and range data. If the gauge matters to you, read the manual for each before you choose. Both titles mention a steam wand.
CASABREWS or Breville: which should I buy?
Budget decides first. CASABREWS covers a lower price class, with less published data. If you can reach the mid-range, we prefer the Breville Bambino for its documented specs: 15 bar pump, 9 bar extraction, and both single wall and dual wall baskets in the box. Below that, a CASABREWS is a sensible way to try espresso.
What warranty does CASABREWS offer?
CASABREWS describes a 12-month limited warranty on eligible products bought from its own site, official marketplace stores or authorized sellers, and a 30-day return policy for espresso machines bought directly. Read the current terms on its site before you order, and check how they apply if you buy through a marketplace.
Where this comes from
- CASABREWS: coffee makers and espresso machines range page
- CASABREWS: CM5418 product page (seen through search results, direct reads were rate limited)
- CASABREWS: 5418 PRO product page (seen through search results, direct reads were rate limited)
- CASABREWS: Ultra product page (seen through search results, direct reads were rate limited)
- CASABREWS: warranty and returns FAQ (seen through search results, direct reads were rate limited)
- Breville: Bambino BES450 instruction book, on single and dual wall baskets
Next round
How we compareHow our espresso machine picks come about: spec sheets, standards and published research, what we cannot verify, which outside tests exist, and how we are funded.- On a budgetBudget espresso machines: what a low price buys, where a little more changes the cup, why the grinder comes first, and what cheap dual boiler titles really tell you.
- Breville BambinoBreville Bambino BES450: 54 mm portafilter, 3-second ThermoJet, one-touch shots and a manual wand. What the manual asks of you, and who should pick something else.
- With grinderEspresso machines with a built-in grinder compared by spec sheet: Barista Express, Impress, Pro and Touch, plus Ninja, De'Longhi, KitchenAid, Gevi and CASABREWS.
- For beginnersThe beginner espresso machine to buy first, and in which order: machine, espresso-capable grinder, scale. Our pick is the Breville Bambino, with budget options.
semiautomaticespressomachine.com Editorial Team
Espresso gear & shot craft
We are the editorial team at semiautomaticespressomachine.com. We read maker spec sheets, manuals, standards and published research on espresso and turn them into plain-English buying advice, with sources on every page. We do not run lab tests, and we say so openly.
- Spec sheets & standards read
- Sources on every page
- No lab tests – stated openly
- Publisher details in the imprint