Much of the secret sauce in the Series 1 comes down to its heating technology, what the brand is calling a “boosted boiler.” Instead of using the slow heat up of a standard boiler or the remarkably fast but somewhat less stable thermojet that’s all over midpriced machines, the Series 1 pulls a bit from both camps. A low thermal mass heater essentially preheats water incredibly quickly before it goes to hang out in the boiler, then a final heat controller at the group head (the part of the machine where the water comes out) stabilizes everything. As a result, this machine is ready to brew much faster than its competitors. The current top pick in our espresso machine testing, the Lelit Mara X takes somewhere between 12 and 15 minutes before it can pull a shot (and it will pull a better one if you can let it stabilize for more than 20). The Series 1 was good to go about two minutes after I flipped the on switch.
The steam wand is big and powerful and, helpfully, comes with a thermistor built into it. That measures the temperature of the milk in real time so the display can tell you when it’s hit the mark for flat whites and cappuccinos, which call for slightly different temperatures to get the right foam texture; 135℉ for a flat white, 140℉ for a cappuccino. Coming soon, but not ready yet according to Miller, will be real-time instructions on the display that let you know when it’s time to adjust the pitcher to get better structure in the milk. I prefer this set up to the automatic milk steaming that Breville has mastered in recent years because it actually lets you develop a feel for the process.
Finally, like all of Fellow’s products, the Series 1 looks good on the counter. Lots of higher end home espresso machines have an industrial style—all stainless steel and black plastic. The Series 1 comes in a few colors (black, red, and a light chocolate brown) and has a distinct fancy coffee shop aesthetic to it. It’s a bit wider than most home machines, so you will have to give over a bit of counter space to it, but it’s squat enough to nestle it under your top cabinets.
I didn’t get to use every feature Fellow says this machine will have by the time it ships out, but based on my experience with the Aiden, which has improved with every update over the last year or so, I’m optimistic that the Series 1 will deliver on its promises.
