Illy Francis Francis Y1 iperEspresso Machine Review
A large espresso machine is not for everyone, especially for apartment and office dwellers looking for a good cup of caffè espresso. But brewing a good shot has typically required a machine with a big footprint because caffè espresso is made by forcing pressurized hot water through seven grams of ground coffee in about 25 seconds.
A perfect caffè espresso has a crema, a caramel-colored foam, covering its surface, and its taste should be rich and lingering.
Now illy has a compact alternative, the Francis Francis Y1 iperEspresso machine. Available in red and white, it measures only 9.45” x 9.45” x 10.83”. But how does such a machine perform?
We’ve previously tested illy’s Francis Francis X7, a fully featured (and somewhat larger) machine with a built-in milk frother.
Just like the X7, the Y1 uses illy’s patented capsules that have pre-measured, ground, and tamped beans. The machine uses a two-stage extraction process that first infuses hot water under ultra-high pressure and then forces the coffee through a patented valve that, using emulsification, creates a rich, long-lasting crema.
The Y1, as a result, produced a perfect shot of caffè espresso every time I used it. If you are limited in space but desire to partake of a wonderful cup of espresso, I recommend that you try it.
–Paul Riegler is Technology Editor of Executive Road Warrior.