Our verdict: The CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL Compact 20 Bar Espresso Machine with Milk Frother ranks 5th of the 10 espresso machines we compare, with 8.5 out of 10. It takes our Best Budget badge.
CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL Compact 20 Bar Espresso Machine with Milk Frother
8.5/10Best Budget
The CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL is a compact 20 bar espresso machine with a manual steam wand and a 51 mm portafilter. It suits a first-time buyer with a small kitchen who wants lattes and cappuccinos at a budget price.
51 mm portafilter with pressurized-style baskets limits shot quality
No pressure gauge
No grinder, and light plastic accessories
Why the CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL scores 8.5
Each bar shows where it places among the 10 espresso machines in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.
How happy owners are7th of 10
How many rated it4th of 10
How new it is2nd of 10
Why it sits behind the CASABREWS Ultra Espresso Machine
The CASABREWS Ultra Espresso Machine (8.6) beats the CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL Compact 20 Bar Espresso Machine with Milk Frother (8.5) because it leaves owners a little happier.
About the CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL
The 3700ESSENTIAL is a semi-automatic espresso machine with a stainless steel finish and a body 5.7 inches wide. Target lists it at 12.5 inches high and 12.6 inches deep, so it fits under most cabinets and leaves counter space free. The brand sells it in silver, beige, black, pastel green and sapphire blue, and describes it as a compact machine for beginners, gifts and small kitchens.
Pressure is rated at 20 bar and power at 1350 W. It uses a 51 mm portafilter and comes with one-cup, two-cup and double-shot baskets. You choose the 1 cup or 2 cup preset, and the machine shuts itself off after use. Milk drinks come from the manual steam wand: you texture the milk yourself, and Target's listing notes that the machine can heat and froth at the same time.
There is no grinder, so you need pre-ground coffee or a separate grinder. The baskets are the pressurized type, which forgive an uneven grind and give a thicker crema, but they cap how much better the shots get as your technique improves.
What owners report about the CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL
Owners who bought it for a small space say it does the job: it looks good, sits neatly on a crowded counter and is easy to clean. Many are pleased with the espresso for the money, and the steam wand gets praise for frothing milk. Owners often say it works well as a first machine.
The complaints are about feel and handling. Some owners find the machine has more plastic than the stainless look suggests, and one reports it shifts on the counter when the portafilter is locked in. Ease of use scores lowest among owners, and a common tip is to preheat the machine before pulling a shot.
Owner feedback on long-term durability for this exact model is thin, so we can't say how it holds up after years of daily use.
Who the CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL suits
Buy it if this is your first espresso machine, your counter is small, and you want to learn milk steaming without spending much. It also works as a gift for someone starting out. Plan to buy a grinder or use pre-ground coffee, and treat the accessories as basic.
Look elsewhere if shot quality is the priority or you want to improve over time. The CASABREWS Ultra Espresso Machine moves to a 58 mm portafilter and adds a shot timer. The CASABREWS CM5418 Espresso Machine adds a pressure gauge. If you want a built-in grinder, the Breville Barista Express BES870XL is the usual starting point.
Questions about the CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL
Where can I find the CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL manual?
CASABREWS publishes a 3700 ESSENTIAL user manual as a PDF on its site. It covers setup, the 1 cup and 2 cup presets and cleaning.
How does the CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL compare with the CM5418?
The CM5418 is a stainless steel machine with a pressure gauge, aimed at someone who wants the feel of a larger machine. The 3700ESSENTIAL is narrower at 5.7 inches wide and has no gauge.
Does the CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL have a built-in grinder?
No. It has no grinder, so you need pre-ground espresso or a separate burr grinder.
What warranty does the CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL have?
CASABREWS lists a 1 Year Warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee on its product page.
What size portafilter does the CASABREWS 3700ESSENTIAL use?
It uses a 51 mm portafilter with pressurized-style baskets, not the 58 mm size found on many larger machines.
Other espresso machine picks
The other badge winners in our espresso machines ranking.
Every score here comes from our ranking model; no editor sets the order. Too few review sites cover espresso machines for their verdicts to lead, so this ranking is led by owners. It ranks products by how happy owners are, holding back any product few owners have rated until more agree. How many rated it and how new it is only settle close calls, and value for money earns its own badge rather than a higher place. We compared 16 models for this guide before settling on these ten.
Brands can't pay to be included or to move up. We last checked these picks in October 2026.
