Product Description

Manufactured by Francis!Francis! Designed by Luca Trazzi.Featuring a brass boiler and a chrome plated brass brewing handle. Comes with both an ESC pod and ground coffee handle.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #667226 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Color: White
• Brand: Francis Francis
• Model: X3-White
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 11.40" h x 12.80" w x 17.80" l,

Features

• Pump-driven brewing system with 18 bars of dynamic pressure
• Chrome-plated brass brewing handles maintains ideal temperature
• Generous water tank with rear access
• Includes handles for both ESE pods and ground coffee
• Measures 10-5/8 by 6-1/4 by 11-3/4 inches; 1-year warranty

Amazon.com Review
The friendly attitude of the FrancisFrancis! espresso machines is not just a cosmetic matter. Designed and assembled in Italy, the line’s welcoming qualities extend to the brewing process too, so making espresso in your home is pleasurable, simple, and non-intimidating. One of the company’s slimmest models, the FrancisFrancis! X3 machine is built to work with you whether you’re an espresso novice or a skilled barista. Trim, sleek, and fun to look at, it features a brass boiler and a pump-driven brewing system with 8-9 bars of dynamic pressure. The chrome-plated brass brewing handle maintains ideal temperatures for coffee, while the steam/hot water wand swivels for tidy storage.

Brewing can be done with your favorite loose grounds or the eminently simple ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) coffee pods, a pre-measured amount in a teabag-like container. The X3 comes with two brewing handles--one for loose grounds, one for pods--and three baskets to let you choose from ristretto, regular, or lungo shots. A tamper is also included.

A good choice for small kitchens, the X3 measures 10-5/8 by 6-1/4 by 11-3/4 inches, so it has a smaller footprint than many models. The water tank is accessed from behind, and controls are on the side. The top of the machine has a handsome mirror finish, adding a pleasing gleam to accent the playfully bright body. Warranted for one year after purchase, the X3 comes with detailed and illustrated instructions for pulling the perfect shot. --Emily Bedard

Customer Reviews

Perhaps overpriced but a great home espresso machine
When paired with an espresso capable grinder (like the Gaggia MDF) and freshly roasted beans, this machine is an excellent choice as a stylish home espresso machine, producing superb espresso and good milk foaming. A plus is that the machine is designed (in what may be a unique design) to allow you to froth milk first and then brew the espresso without burning the espresso: this can be useful if you like reducing dishes, since you can foam the milk directly in a cappa or latte cup, and then brew directly into that cup. (This produces a cool visual effect in the cup, and it preserves hot temperatures, crucial to taste.)

While you can save money and get equivalent espresso in a Gaggia Carezza, the X3 is my favorite machine which combines true style and good internals (like a quality brass boiler). An excellent choice for your kitchen.

good, small machine
I purchased this machine used, so I can't really properly comment on whether or not it's worth buying at full price. The are several features that make this machine stand out from others. First, while this is a hefty machine, it has a small footprint, which for me and my small apartment is perfect. It fits in a corner of my kitchen counter and is light enough for me to scoot it out when I need it. Second, you can make individual lattes fairly quickly on this machine because filling the boiler with cold water immediately after steaming brings the machine to brewing temperature in a matter of seconds. So, the time need to preheat, steam, fill the boiler, and brew is less than five minutes. Third, cleanup is also very easy despite not having a backflush feature. After pulling a shot, set the machine back to steaming and the pressure from steaming will push out the excess water in the portafilter, giving you a dry puck to knock cleanly. I don't know if this is an intended feature, but it works for me.

Now, since the machine is so small, it cannot steam more than 10-12oz of milk without running out of steam. The wand is also very short and won't work with a frothing pitcher larger than 20oz. If you make each drink individually then these are not pressing problems.

I should point out that I buy fresh, locally-roasted coffee every week, have it ground at the coffee shop (gasp!), and keep it stored airtight in the fridge. Needless to say, I'm not pulling "God shots" this way, but whatever. I can make a good to great double shot espresso drink in five minutes, which is simply not possible by using pods or by grinding your own beans, which take extra space and time that I don't have.

[edit] So, it's a year or so later and I've since learned some more of the X3's quirks and also bought a grinder (my previous excuse for not having one was, well, lame) and a proper tamper (buy a flat one). I've discovered that the steam wand is just the right length to allow you to steam 10oz of milk by merely setting the frothing pitcher on the drip tray, hands-free. It amazingly manages to produce respectable microfoam using the "surf the air hole" technique presented at the coffeegeek website. Since milk frothing becomes hands free, I use that time to grind the beans. Also, it's important to mention that the size and design of the machine cause the drip tray to be smallish and cumbersome to empty. It will take you some practice to use this machine without makeing a mess. Nevertheless, the verdict is that I am still very happy with this X3 machine and expect to be for many years to come.

Great little machine - Overall best buy for the money
This is a great little machine. It is so versatile. You can use pods or grind your own but you will need to purchase a real tamper (57mm) - the little plastic one just doesn't cut it. What is GREAT about this machine (frankly AMAZING) is that you can steam a jug of milk, run a bit of water through the grouphead, and be at optimal brewing temperature within 10 seconds after you steamed. Even the Isomac Zaffiro can't match that.

The espresso quality is okay when using pods. But with a really good burr grinder and the right tamp, you can pull astonishingly good shots with plenty of crema. All this in such a tiny and cute package.