FrancisFrancis! X3 Espresso Machine, Silver
by FrancisFrancis!
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: FrancisFrancis!Brand: Francis!Francis!
Model: X3-Silver
Color: Silver
Product features:
- Pump-driven brewing system with 18 bars of dynamic pressure
- Chrome-plated brass brewing handles maintains ideal temperature
- Generous water tank with rear access
- Includes handles for both ESE pods and ground coffee
- Measures 10-5/8 by 6-1/4 by 11-3/4 inches; 1-year warranty
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of FrancisFrancis! X3 Espresso Machine, Silver
Customer Review: Excellent espresso machine
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had a Gaggia Classic in my office for quite some time. It pulls excellent espresso shots, but the steam wand is cheap-looking, ineffective, and cumbersome to clean. The machine itself is not quite an award-winning beauty item, either.
On the market for a machine for home, I eyed this FrancisFrancis! X3. Reviews were equally outstanding and the machine looked much more attractive, so I decided to take the plunge.
The machine arrived in excellent packaging and with a complimentary pack of Illy espresso pods (FrancisFrancis! is owned by Illy, I believe). The machine is, indeed, really beautiful (I bought the silver one).
I thought I'd write a review comparing against the Gaggia Classic, since it's the clear contender in the same price range.
- In terms of aesthetics, the X3 wins hands down. This is not the overriding factor for me, but truth be told, it is important.
- In terms of material and construction, they both feel solid, but the X3 feels more so. The grill in the X3 is made of plastic, whereas the Gaggia's is metallic. On the other hand, the steam knob in the X3 is metallic, but made of plastic in the Gaggia. The X3 is slightly easier to clean.
- In terms of usability, the X3 is clearly targeted toward ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) pods. It has a holding element exclusively for pods, and the protective perforated plate that is typically attached to the boiler element to protect it from coffee grounds comes included as an add-on in the X3 package, whereas the Gaggia has it attached permanently (which is more typical). While the X3 can, apparently, use coffee grounds just fine (judging by the instructions and other users' reported experience), in my case I only accomplished to make a mess of my kitchen counter. Nevertheless, I fully intended to use ESE pods exclusively (SO much easier to keep things clean and tidy), as I do with the Gaggia in my office, so this wasn't a concern for me and thus I never tried too hard to get it to work with coffee grounds.
- Espresso quality is outstanding in both cases, but each machine has a trick to it. In the case of the X3, it is important to get the hang of how long a shot you can pull before the water coming out of the boiler decreases in temperature, which would give a bitter taste to the coffee. As a rule of thumb, if the low temperature light comes on, you've ruined your espresso. It took me a couple of days of scratching my head and Googling to find this out, but once I realized where the problem was, it was fixed forever. In fact, the X3 comes with three different ESE holders, each with more or fewer perforations. The instructions clearly indicate that you should pick one based on how long a shot you want--i.e., NOT by pumping out water for a longer time. I guess I learned my lesson the hard (bitter?) way. The Gaggia is not without tricks, as it tends to drip some water into the cup before it starts to pump out espresso, so I always need to hold on for a couple of seconds after the pump is on to put the cup beneath the spout (messy!), or the coffee will be watery. On the other hand, the Gaggia can pull longer shots and not come out bitter (perhaps temperature is higher to begin with).
- The steam wand in the X3 is extremely easy to use and clean. You can create abundant and (importantly) dense froth as long as you use 2% or fattier milk. The best way to learn how to use and clean it is to watch the DVD that comes with the machine, which is by the way short (good), to the point, and excellent. The wand in the Gaggia was something I gave up on long ago.
People complain about the water reservoir being too small. I personally think it's perfectly adequate, although the Gaggia's is indeed larger.
In conclusion, both machines are excellent, with the X3 looking nicer, sturdier, and sporting a better steam wand. I would venture that the Gaggia pulls slightly better espresso shots, but they are really close. The one thing I don't feel comfortable discussing is the X3's handling of ground coffee (as opposed to ESE pods). If that's important to you, I sugggest to look for answers in other reviews.
Description of FrancisFrancis! X3 Espresso Machine, Silver
Manufactured by Francis!Francis! Designed by Luca Trazzi.Featuring a brass boiler and a chrome plated brass brewing handle. Comes with both an ESC pod and ground coffee handle.The friendly attitude of the FrancisFrancis! espresso machines is not just a cosmetic matter. Designed and assembled in Italy, the line?s welcoming qualities extend to the brewing process too, so making espresso in your home is pleasurable, simple, and non-intimidating. One of the company?s slimmest models, the FrancisFrancis! X3 machine is built to work with you whether you?re an espresso novice or a skilled barista. Trim, sleek, and fun to look at, it features a brass boiler and a pump-driven brewing system with 8-9 bars of dynamic pressure. The chrome-plated brass brewing handle maintains ideal temperatures for coffee, while the steam/hot water wand swivels for tidy storage.
Brewing can be done with your favorite loose grounds or the eminently simple ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) coffee pods, a pre-measured amount in a teabag-like container. The X3 comes with two brewing handles--one for loose grounds, one for pods--and three baskets to let you choose from ristretto, regular, or lungo shots. A tamper is also included.
A good choice for small kitchens, the X3 measures 10-5/8 by 6-1/4 by 11-3/4 inches, so it has a smaller footprint than many models. The water tank is accessed from behind, and controls are on the side. The top of the machine has a handsome mirror finish, adding a pleasing gleam to accent the playfully bright body. Warranted for one year after purchase, the X3 comes with detailed and illustrated instructions for pulling the perfect shot. --Emily Bedard
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