'It makes incredible coffee': Smeg's drip coffee maker, reviewed by a qualified barista

Whoever said that brains and beauty don't go together clearly had never used a Smeg coffee machine. The iconic Italian brand has been around for nearly 75 years and they've never failed to impress.

The Smeg drip coffee maker is an easy addition to any kitchen. It makes exceptional filer coffee with all the extras you could possibly want, including a timer, so that it will brew your morning coffee before your alarm goes off and a sensitive warming plate will keep the coffee pot warm if you decide to hit snooze.

Like many of the best coffee makers, it's a straightforward appliance that will undoubtedly please all of the family. You can brew for ten people in under five minutes. The convenience of quick, batch brews won't compromise your coffee quality either.

As a barista, I'm always itching to get involved in the brewing process, but the Smeg drip coffee maker rendered me useless. It turns out, you don't need to be a barista to make incredible coffee. You just need the Smeg drip coffee maker.

Smeg Drip Coffee Maker: Key Info

• Colors: blue, green, grey, black, white, pink, red
• Dimensions: 9.75 x 10 x 14.25 inches
• Model: DCF02
• Weight: 7 lb 8 oz
• Water tank capacity: 1.5 qt
• Filter: permanent
• Sound: 46 dBA

Smeg Drip Coffee Maker: First impressions

The Smeg drip coffee maker needs only one chance to make the best first impression. All chrome and curves, it looks beautiful. This is plastic, like most drip coffee makers, but it feels premium. When I tried to move it back on the countertop, I realised that it is quite a tall appliance. If you have low cupboards, you will need to keep this in front of them, or in a gap.

That being said, I don't think this was designed to keep out of sight or subtly stored. The bright color palette that the drip coffee maker is available in asks you to make a style statement, which is perfect if you're designing a coffee bar in your kitchen.

Making coffee in the Smeg Drip Coffee Maker

Drip coffee makers tend to be easy to use and this is no exception. Once I had set the time on the LED screen, the machine was ready to go. The front has four buttons: on and off, keep warm, which is self-explanatory; aroma, for more intense coffee; and a four-cup button.

The reusable filter basket at the back is ready for ground coffee to be poured into. Smeg provides a coffee scoop for your grounds, but this is a rough and ready approach to take. I would recommend using some coffee scales like these from QVC to have consistent, precise results.

The removable, refillable reservoir doesn't have a handle, but it's big enough to pick up and place down with ease. It's quite close to the hinge, so I would recommend using a jug to fill the reservoir at the back. That's the best way to avoid spilling water.

There's one way to elevate your drip coffee: using freshly ground beans. If you don't already do it, get ready to elevate your coffees. I would recommend freshly grinding your coffee beans with Smeg's coffee grinder - available at QVC. Not only does it look fantastic, I've tested this and really liked it. It's easy to use, doesn't suffer from much static or popcorning, so your coffee tastes richer and more flavorful as a result.

To make my coffee, I lifted the lid and added three tablespoons of coffee. I used the four cup setting to see how precise the machine could be. After pushing the button, the Smeg made a beep and boiled the water. After three minutes my cups were ready to drink. The machine was never louder than 46 dBA, which you won't need to raise your voice to be heard over. I don't even think that's loud enough to wake you up in the morning.

The aroma function, which makes your coffee taste more rich and intense is interesting. The taste difference isn't extreme, I wouldn't say that it's a completely different cup of coffee, but it's a small variation if you want to mix things up. 

Smeg says that your coffee will be kept warm for twenty minutes. I wanted to see whether this created that burnt or stale flavor which is typical in so many machines. I left it warming for twenty minutes and when I came back to it my coffee was steaming hot and it still tasted perfect.

I also tested the programmable timer, where you can set a specific time that you would like your coffee brewed for. This was easy to do and precise. I would rely on this to have my coffee ready in the monring.

Should you buy the Smeg drip coffee maker?

If you're a large household of filter coffee drinkers, the Smeg drip coffee maker should be at the top of your wish list. This fulfils a lot of drip coffee maker creiteria: the filters are reusable (check), the machine is beautiful (check), and it makes good coffee (triple check). Some coffee makers tick these boxes too, but the Smeg drip coffee maker goes above and beyond. For example, rather than having two holes in the sprayhead, this has five. It's more expensive, but gives your coffee grounds an even saturation. I could taste the difference. Unless you don't like drip coffee, I can't think of a reason not to buy this.

Laura Honey

Laura is the eCommerce Editor for Homes & Gardens. Before joining Future, she studied English at Oxford University. Alongside her studies, she qualified as a barista and worked with coffee for over three years. Outside of caffeine kicks, Laura writes about design and interiors at Homes & Gardens. She's always looking for stylish ways to integrate appliances into your home, but is also passionate about home fragrance. As a trained Master Perfumer, she has experience working within the luxury perfumes, so she always prioritizes quality and style over quantity and fads. 

At Living Etc, we test all our products thoroughly. Our team of industry experts takes every product that we review to our test kitchen. We make notes on how they look and how easy they are to clean. We'll make notes of special features and let you know if anything isn't up to spec.

Laura, a qualified barista, took the Smeg drip coffee maker to out test kitchen. She tested all the special features of the Smeg machine as well as ensuring that each cup of coffee tasted exceptional. o learn more about our process across reviews and buying guides, you can take a look at our explanation of how we test.