Those of you who have owned a decent espresso machine know the importance of getting your grind size and quantity right and using the proper amount of pressure to prepare your drink like a pro. Prosumer espresso machines like the ROWAN Nova Reverie go beyond that. This is a sleek stainless steel espresso machine with smart temperature control, integrated tamping mechanism, and various other features you would expect in higher-end espresso makers. The good folks behind it were kind enough to send us one to test. Let’s see what was included:
Our ROWAN Nova Reverie espresso machine came in a fairly large package. It is one of the largest espresso machines we have tested. Everything was neatly packed inside. We got a water tank, a stainless steel beast of a machine, drip tray & pan, a bean hopper, and a 58 mm portafilter. Single and double shot baskets were also included. You can remove the tank and tray for easy cleaning. This machine comes with a whole host of accessories, including a cup holder, a cleaning pin, cleaning brushes, and a towel. You can store some of these accessories behind the drip tray.
We found the machine to be very easy to set up. You will just have to remove the tape, run a hot water cycle, and you are ready to go. Before getting started, we had to remove a silicone plug from the bottom of the water tank. The main control panel is quite sleek. It has touch controls with steam, hot water, Americano, espresso, double espresso, descale, and temperature settings. You can reprogram single and double grinding time with a tap and hold. If you make changes you don’t like, you can always reset the machine to original settings by holding single- and double-grind buttons for 3 seconds. The same can be done for single and double shot volumes.
This machine can preheat in 20 seconds. It has 3 temperature settings for you to choose from (198°F, 201°F, and 205°F). Going from beans to espresso is pretty straightforward. Just bring your beans, choose the right grind size, insert the portafilter, and use the tamping lever when the grinding process is complete. The manual recommends going with a grind setting of 15 but we have had more success with 5 to 7 settings. Once your coffee grounds are ready, just insert the portafilter into the brew head, press the single or double espresso button, and you are set.
Even if you are not interested in making espresso, you can run the hot water program to prepare a quick tea. Unlike a few other espresso machines we have covered, this one has a dedicated Americano program. It maintains the proper temperature and pressure to brew your drink just right. You will just have to do three things: add water and beans, grind, and move the portafilter from the grinder to the brew head. For our experiments, we prepared a cup of tea, an Americano, an espresso, an iced latte, and a cappuccino without any issues.
The Nova Reverie is not the lightest model we have tested, but it is not hard to move around either. It also has feet that make sure it stays put on any flat surface. We also tested this on a wooden desk and didn’t have to worry about its bottom leaving any scratches. The frothing process is very similar to what you get with other espresso makers. Just bring your whole or half-and-half milk, hold your jug at about 45°, and keep the steam wand below the surface of the milk to get started. By pressing the steam button, you will be able to get the process rolling. Once the jug starts to feel warm, you should stop.
Unlike other fully digital espresso machines that we tested a few months back, this one has an analog pressure gauge that helps you figure out what you need to change as far as your grind size, dose and tamping effort. For example, if you are over the espresso range, you will have to reduce your coffee amount, go with a coarser grind, or reduce the pressure when tamping. You get a descaling agent that comes in handy for long-term maintenance. It looks stunning but still fits in a small kitchen like ours.
Overall, this is the sleekest espresso machine we have tested. It has a gorgeous stainless steel design and is built like a tank. It has a semi-automatic design, so you can go from beans to an espresso or Americano in just a couple of steps. It has an intuitive control interface, so we didn’t even have to look at the manual to understand it. If you are looking for a high-end espresso machine that turns heads, you should give this one a serious look.
