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.