AMZCHEF Espresso Machine With Grinder Review: Does It Earn Its Spot on the Counter?

Ask around about budget all-in-one espresso machines and you’ll get one of two answers. 

Either someone tells you they’re all junk and you need to spend real money to get a decent shot, or you get a vague “it depends on your standards” that tells you nothing useful. 

Neither answer actually helps you decide what to buy. I’ve had the AMZCHEF Espresso Machine  With Grinder running on my counter every morning for the past few weeks, so instead of guessing, I can tell you exactly what it does well and where it falls short.

Let’s get into it! 

What You’re Actually Buying

All-in-one machines that grind, brew, and steam in a single unit have become the easy answer for anyone tired of juggling a separate grinder and espresso maker. 

AMZCHEF sells a handful of near-identical machines under different listings though, so it’s worth knowing exactly what you’re getting before you click buy. 

My unit, the CM1626 model, comes with 44 grind settings and a 190 to 201 degree Fahrenheit temperature range, while a sibling model on Amazon drops to 20 grind settings with a slightly different heat range. 

Same brand, same general shape, different internals.

Here’s the spec rundown for my unit:

• 20-bar Italian-style pump
• Built-in conical burr grinder with 44 settings
• PID temperature control, 190 to 201 degrees Fahrenheit
• 60oz (1.8L) water tank
• 1350W thermo-block heating
• 8mm stainless steel steam wand
• One-touch cold brew mode 
• Touchscreen display showing grind time, brew time, and temperature

First Impressions and Setup

Pulling it out of the box, the stainless steel body feels sturdier than I expected for the price. 

It’s not going to fool anyone into thinking it’s a commercial machine, but the panels don’t flex when you press them, and the weight gives it a planted feel on the counter. 

It came with a portafilter, a tamper, single and double shot baskets, and a small cleaning brush, nothing fancy but enough to get you brewing on day one.

Setup took me about ten minutes. Filling the tank is straightforward since it lifts out from the back, and clicking the hopper into place needs a firm twist until you hear it lock. 

I’ll admit I missed that click the first time and ended up with beans rattling loose in the chute. Once it’s primed, the touchscreen walks you through the basics without needing the manual open next to you.

The Built-In Grinder

Forty-four settings sounds like overkill until you actually use them. 

The jump between each setting is small enough that you can fine-tune your grind rather than guessing between two extremes. 

I found the sweet spot for my espresso beans sat somewhere in the finer third of the range, and it held that consistency shot after shot.

Retention is where I noticed the biggest weak spot.

A small amount of ground coffee lingers in the chute between grinds, not enough to ruin your shot, but enough that you’ll notice a slightly different dose if you’re not tapping the chute before locking in the portafilter.

Pulling Shots

Heat-up is quick. I’m rarely waiting more than a couple of minutes from power-on to my first shot, which matters on a weekday morning when patience is thin. 

The temperature range lets you push hotter for darker roasts or pull it back for something lighter and more citrus-forward, and I noticed a real difference in flavor between the two settings.

Crema comes out thick and holds its color well, but I’ll be straight with you on why. 

The portafilter basket has a single pin-sized hole at the bottom rather than a spread of small holes, which means it’s a pressurized basket. It forces crema through mechanically, so you get a good-looking layer even when your grind or tamp isn’t quite right. 

I tested this on purpose, going coarser and easing off the tamp, and the crema held anyway. That’s genuinely useful if you’re new to espresso and don’t want to stress over a perfect grind from day one, but don’t mistake thick crema on this machine for proof you’ve nailed your technique the way you would on a non-pressurized basket. 

Worth a mention too, the machine also has a one-touch cold brew mode built in. I haven’t put it through its paces yet, so I can’t speak to how it performs, but it’s there if iced coffee is part of your routine. 

Steaming Milk

The steam wand punches above its size. It builds pressure fast and produces genuinely silky microfoam for lattes, not the loose bubbly froth you get from cheaper wands. 

Oat milk behaves a little differently than dairy, as it always does, but with a bit of practice on the angle you can still pull a decent microfoam out of it. 

Wiping the wand down right after use keeps it from crusting over, and it’s never given me trouble opening back up the next morning.

Daily Cleaning and Maintenance

From grinding beans to sipping my drink, I’m usually done inside five minutes once the machine is warmed up. 

The drip tray holds a fair bit before you need to empty it, and the one-button descale cycle means you’re not hunting through a manual every few months to remember the steps. Popping the hopper off to clean out the grinder takes a minute at most.

So, Is AmzChef a Good Brand?

AmzChef built its name on juicers and induction cooktops before it moved into coffee equipment, so this isn’t a company with decades of espresso pedigree behind it. 

That said, the machine itself doesn’t feel like a first attempt. It comes with a 24-month warranty, and when you purchase directly from the iamzchef.com store, registering it on their site adds another free year, which tells me they’re expecting these to last. 

Is the AMZCHEF espresso machine good enough to justify the AMZCHEF Espresso Machine name on your counter? Based on my weeks with it, yes, with a few caveats below.

Pros and Cons

Who Should Buy the AMZCHEF Espresso Machine With Grinder

If you’re coming from pods or a basic drip machine and want to step up without buying a separate grinder, this is a smart, budget-friendly landing spot. 

If you’re already a dedicated home barista with a grinder you love, you might not need to replace it just to get this machine’s extraction and steam performance.

Alternatively, you can purchase directly from the AMZCHEF website and get an extended 3-year warranty. Check out HERE.

Final Thoughts

Weeks in, this machine has earned its daily spot on my counter, retention quirks and all. It grinds well, pulls a proper shot, and steams milk better than most machines in its price range. 

Have you tried the AMZCHEF Espresso Machine With Grinder yourself, or are you still weighing it against something else on your shortlist?

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