Fellow
Fellow Espresso Series 1 review
Updated 2026-08-03
Fellow's first espresso machine, shortened to ES1 by most of the people who own one. It is a 58 mm semi-automatic that brings programmable pressure profiling and digital temperature control down to a 1,500 dollar price. Its Boosted Boiler runs three heating elements to reach brew temperature in under two minutes, and the steam wand senses milk temperature and stops itself at your target.
Our opinion
7.6/10
Clever, and pricey
Fellow walked into espresso and skipped the timid entry model. Pressure profiling and tenth-of-a-degree temperature control usually start north of 2,500 dollars, so seeing them here at 1,500 with a two-minute warm-up is genuinely interesting. Owners have weighed in and the core promise holds: the espresso is excellent and the steam surprised people. The software story has also improved since launch, because Fellow keeps shipping firmware that fixes real complaints rather than leaving buyers to shout into a support queue. What remains is a first-generation machine from a first-time maker, so the reliability question is open and will stay open for a year or two. There is no grinder in the box either, which puts the real outlay closer to 1,800. Buy it if you want the most capable machine at this price and you are comfortable being early. If you want a boring workhorse for half the money, a Breville Barista Pro still earns the cross-shop.
- In the cup 8.5
- Value 7.0
- Ease of use 8.0
- Build & longevity 7.0
- Versatility 7.0
- Type
- Semi-automatic, 58 mm bottomless portafilter
- Boiler
- Boosted Boiler, three heating elements
- Pressure
- 15 bar pump, calibrated to 9 bar at the puck
- Pressure profiling
- Programmable, with controlled pre-infusion
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What works
- +Programmable pressure profiling and pre-infusion, which normally start well above this price
- +Digital temperature control holds to a tenth of a degree and it warms up in under two minutes
- +Temperature-sensing steam wand stops itself at your target, so milk texture is repeatable
The catch
- −At about 1,500 dollars it costs roughly double a Breville Barista Pro
- −No built-in grinder, so a good one is a separate spend on top
- −Firmware is still catching up, and some of what was promised at launch has yet to arrive
- −First-generation machine from a company that had never built one, so nobody knows how it ages
What owners say
Recurring themes from public owner discussion (home-barista forum threads, r/espresso threads, professional reviews, Fellow's published firmware release notes), paraphrased. Checked 2026-08-03.
Comes up as praise
- +The guided workflow gets beginners pulling good shots fast, while the nerdy settings are all there for dialling in
- +Steam power beat expectations, with easy microfoam even for first-time machine owners
- +Fellow keeps shipping firmware, and its release notes name the things owners complained about: temperature and volume offsets being honoured, profiles no longer choking on long infusion stages, the grouphead rinse and the descale cycle
- +Owners who settle on a water recipe and a routine report it stays put rather than drifting week to week
Comes up as gripes
- −Launch firmware was rough, with settings that wandered and presses that needed repeating, and some promised features are still on the list
- −It flushes a lot of water, so the drip tray and tank need constant attention
- −Some owners report shot-to-shot inconsistency and felt the product shipped before it was finished
- −This is a first-generation machine and there is no long-term reliability record, a point reviewers keep raising rather than glossing over
Watch
See it in action
Video: Seattle Coffee Gear. Embedded from YouTube.
Full specifications
| Type | Semi-automatic, 58 mm bottomless portafilter |
|---|---|
| Boiler | Boosted Boiler, three heating elements |
| Pressure | 15 bar pump, calibrated to 9 bar at the puck |
| Pressure profiling | Programmable, with controlled pre-infusion |
| Temperature control | Digital, holds to within 0.1 degree |
| Steam wand | Temperature-sensing, auto-stops at target milk temp |
| Heat-up time | Under 2 minutes |
| Water tank | 2.0 L, removable |
| Weight | 21.7 lb (9.8 kg) |
| Warranty | 2 years, extendable |
Who it's for
The Fellow Espresso Series 1 suits espresso enthusiasts, shot control, milk drinks.
About Fellow
Fellow is a San Francisco coffee-gear company founded in 2013, known for the Stagg kettle, the Ode and Opus grinders, and the Aiden brewer. The Espresso Series 1 is its first espresso machine.
Where to buy
If the Fellow Espresso Series 1 sounds like your machine, this is the listing we verified.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this site are affiliate links, and if you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend gear we would use ourselves, and our editorial picks are never sold.
Compare with
Breville Bambino Plus
A compact single-boiler espresso machine that uses Breville's fast ThermoJet heating system and an automatic steam wand to froth milk hands-free.
Breville Barista Pro
The BES878, and the step up from the Barista Express: the same all-in-one grind-and-brew format with a faster ThermoJet heating system, 30 grind settings and an LCD interface in place of analogue dials.
Ninja Luxe Café Premier
Ninja's 3-in-1 machine (ES601) makes espresso, drip and cold brew from one body, with a built-in conical burr grinder, a built-in dosing scale and a hands-free automatic milk frother.