I am one of the early backers of this product from Kickstarter and have been very impressed with the product so far. I have been making espresso at home for years on a Breville Barista Express and the Meraki is a huge step-up. The design of the machine with integrated scales and dual boilers makes workflow very efficient when you're making multiple milk drinks in the morning. I'm loving the quality of the grinder and customizable features when trying new beans. The first machine I received had a few issues but the replacement I have been using so far is going strong. The only concern I have would be longevity since the product is new to market but the included warranty and customer service makes me feel better about it. With the wifi connectivity, I am hoping Meraki continues to improve the machine with adjustments to the software based on customer feedback.
I was making instant coffee every day before my husband surprised me with the Meraki Espresso Machine. There was a relatively large learning curve especially for the steaming portion of my coffee. Now that I’ve had this machine for a couple of months I can definitely say having freshly ground coffee enhances the flavor. Having a steamer vs a normal frother also changes the consistency of the drink. Highly recommend this product for ease of use in making a drink every morning but also in the UI for giving tips and tricks and guided tutorials should I need them. The auto heat up feature is really nice too - some mornings I will lay in bed not wanting to get up and then I hear the happy little bling letting me know it’s ready to go and it gets me moving. The only thing is the machine is larger than my prior keurig, so it does take up space, which I have since adjusted to.