Smeg has just revealed a new version of its top-rated bean-to-cup coffee machine, with an automatic frother to take the fuss out of achieving the perfect balance of milk and foam.
The Smeg BCC13 is a successor to the Bean to Cup BCC02, which has long been a favorite of ours thanks to its stylish retro design and ability to brew rich, strong espresso with a thick crema.
The new machine keeps all our favorite features (including an adjustable height dispenser for different size cups), but replaces the traditional wand with an integrated system that lets you prepare up to 10 coffee drinks with milk before cleaning and refilling.
There's no need to worry about the frother breeding bacteria, either – just connect the milk pipe to the machine, put the end in a cup of water, press a button, and the whole circuit will clean itself.
The Smeg BCC13 is available in emerald green, white, and black for £799.95 (about $1,000) direct from Smeg, with a £70 saving for a limited time. It's currently only on sale in the UK.
Take back control
If you prefer to have full control over the texture of your milk (or you just enjoy the authentic coffee shop sound), Smeg has also launched a second machine, the BCC12, which is the same device with a manual wand.
Its specifications are almost identical to those of the BCC02, with a 1.4L water tank, 19 bar pump pressure, and physical buttons to choose your grind and brew preferences. The only difference appears to be the power usage, which is slightly lower at 1,350W compared to 1,470W for the older machine.
The BCC12 is also available to buy direct from Smeg in green, white, and black. It's priced at £629.95 (about $810), and can only be bought in the UK at the time of writing.
