Can someone who has never made espresso before prepare a drink they enjoy on the Meraki espresso machine? In his first hands-on session, Watson from Watson’s Reviews (@WatsonsReviews) does exactly that. He weighs his coffee through the built-in grinding system, prepares the portafilter, selects a 36 g espresso yield, and brews while steaming milk. His response to the finish ed drink is positive, even though his milk pouring is still a work in progress.
A First-Time User Starts with the Tools
Early in the video, Watson makes an important point about his experience: he has enjoyed drinking espresso, but he has never actually prepared it himself. That makes his review particularly relevant to someone wondering what the first session with a home espresso machine might involve.
His introduction begins with unpacking. He appreciates the tabs on the sides of the box, which make it easier to open and set up the contents. Although the number of accessories initially looks like a lot to keep track of, he says their roles become clearer after using the machine.
Watson breaks the process into three main tasks: grinding, brewing and steaming, followed by cleanup. That simple sequence gives the accessories a purpose rather than leaving them as a collection of unfamiliar parts.
He shows the wooden storage box holding the distributor, tamper and dosing cup. The box also supports the 58 mm portafilter during coffee preparation. He then points out the milk pitcher’s internal measurement lines, an 18 g basket, a blind basket, a detachable double spout, a cleaning brush and a cloth.
For a beginner, this part of the demonstration answers a practical question: where does each tool fit? The distributor and tamper belong to puck preparation, the pitcher is used for milk, and the brush and cloth support the cleanup afterward.
Finding the Controls Before Making Coffee
Before brewing, Watson walks through the Meraki espresso machine itself. He shows the rear water tank, explaining that it can be removed or filled by opening its lid. He also recommends filtered water during this part of the tour.
Next come the bean hopper, grind adjustment lever and dosing outlet. Under the grinder, the integrated scale measures the ground coffee. The touchscreen provides access to the machine’s controls, while the steam lever and wand sit alongside the brewing area.
He also points out that the drip tray separates into components for cleaning. These details make the review useful beyond the headline specifications: viewers can see where they will add water, collect grounds, operate the steam wand and clean up after a drink.
Watson’s assessment of the touchscreen is straightforward. He finds it intuitive and says the controls make sense to him despite his lack of espresso-making experience. That is his first-use impression, based on navigating the machine during the demonstration.
Grinding to a Selected Weight
For his first drink, Watson chooses a simple recipe and lets the machine handle the measurement. He fills the hopper, selects the weight of coffee he wants ground, and places the Meraki dosing cup beneath the outlet.
He notices that the cup is magnetic and sits steadily in position. After starting the grinder, he is surprised by how quickly it finishes. He also points out the option to add more grounds afterward if needed.
The video then shows the transfer into the portafilter. Watson places the portafilter upside down over the dosing cup, turns both over, and gives the assembly a small shake or tap to move the coffee into the basket.
This is the practical role of a dosing cup in espresso preparation: it carries the grounds from the grinder to the basket. In Watson’s demonstration, the machine measures the dose, while the cup helps him handle and transfer it.
He then rests the portafilter on the storage box, rotates the distributor a couple of times and tamps the coffee. His reaction is that the sequence is easy enough to follow. The machine assists with measurement, while he still performs the physical preparation of the coffee bed.
A 36 g Espresso Target and a Simple Ratio
With the puck prepared, Watson selects a brew weight of 36 g. He explains that he is following a common starting guideline: use a finished espresso weight that is twice the dry coffee weight.
That describes a 1:2 brew ratio. A 36 g target at that ratio corresponds to an 18 g coffee dose. The spoken review explicitly states the 36 g target and the ratio; it does not provide a complete shot record with grind setting, brewing temperature and extraction time.
The value of this example is its simplicity. Watson has a defined amount of coffee going into the recipe and a selected beverage weight coming out. Someone beginning to make espresso at home can follow what he is trying to achieve without needing to interpret a long list of settings.
After locking the portafilter into the group head, he begins brewing. He also starts steaming milk, putting the machine’s dual-boiler layout into use during the same preparation.
Brewing and Steaming in the Same Session
Watson introduces the dual boilers near the start of the review, but the drink demonstration shows why they matter to him. He can brew the espresso and steam milk at the same time, rather than treating them as two separate heating stages.
During this session, he uses the manual steam lever. He mentions that an automatic feature is available, but the steaming shown in his preparation is manually operated. This distinction matters when describing what he actually tested.
The separate brewing and steaming boilers are therefore part of the workflow he demonstrates, rather than simply an item on a specification list.
Once the espresso and milk are ready, he combines them. Watson acknowledges that he is not skilled at pouring steamed milk yet. His first attempt is about making a drink he enjoys, and he does not present the pour as a latte-art demonstration.
How Did His First Drink Taste?
Watson’s response after tasting the drink is clearly positive. He says that although he has never made espresso before, he has certainly drunk it, and he finds this first result very enjoyable.
He also gives the coffee beans some of the credit. For the review, he uses locally sourced beans that he already has available. He says he plans to try Meraki beans later, but does not have them at the time of filming.
That detail keeps the result grounded in the actual session. His drink is made with his own local coffee, using the machine’s grinding, brewing and steaming functions. The review does not include a comparison between different beans or a detailed tasting score.
His conclusion is personal and practical: he likes what he has made, enjoys the process and feels that he may have found a new hobby.
CoffeeSense Is a Feature He Plans to Try Next
Watson shows the CoffeeSense sensor during his tour and describes scanning compatible Meraki coffee packaging to access recipes and settings. It is one of the features that interests him most for future use.
However, he does not test it in this video. Because he is using locally sourced beans, his demonstrated recipe is set up without a CoffeeSense scan.
At the end, he says he has only begun to use the machine’s capabilities and is interested in trying more features, particularly CoffeeSense. His comments about it express interest in what he can try next, rather than a verdict based on a completed test.
Watson’s Verdict: An Approachable First Espresso Session
Watson finishes by highlighting the dual boilers, rotary pump, dual scales and espresso-focused grinder. He also sees value in the combination of a straightforward touchscreen and flexibility for users who want more control.
He considers the machine competitively priced for its features, although he does not name comparison models or provide a price table. His strongest evidence is the preparation he has just completed: grinding to a selected dose, transferring and tamping the coffee, brewing to a target weight, and steaming milk alongside it.
This is a first-use review, with more features still to try. Within that scope, Watson’s experience is encouraging. He starts without espresso-making experience and finishes with a drink he enjoys and an interest in continuing.
