With the Faemina, the company Faema is making a move into the home espresso machine market. Recently, Faema has been most popular in the kitchens and homes of home baristas for its iconic group head, the Faema E61. Meanwhile, the company’s focus, with the E71, has been on commercial espresso machines.
With the Faemina, Faema aims to build on the success of that group head by placing a single-group portafilter machine in the premium segment. This massive espresso machine costs over 6,000 euros or 7,000 Swiss francs. The name, with its diminutive "-ina" suffix, fits the price as poorly as it fits the machine's dimensions. The Faemina weighs a hefty 37 kg, is 41.5 cm high, 51.7 cm deep, and has a width of 37.5 cm. With the portafilter locked in, we reach a depth of 62.5 cm. So, the diminutive is not very appropriate here, but it does suit the machine's range of functions. Because the Faemina has one primary strength: it brews coffee well and consistently. You will search in vain for flow rate control or pressure profiling in this elegant chunk of machinery. At least the machine features a smart pre-infusion function, which sets it apart positively from the similarly priced GS3 from La Marzocco, for example. And the Faemina can brew filter coffeehttps://kaffeemacher.de/blogs/kaffeewissen/dualboiler-espressomaschinen-tests/, well, in theory. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at the machine in detail.
Buy the Faema Faemina dual boiler
The following specialty shops sell the Faema Faemina dual boiler, and we can recommend purchasing a machine from these companies. They all offer to adjust the machine's offset.
Germany:
*We search for professional partners for you that we know provide good work and good service. We are in close contact with these retailers. These are affiliate links. If you order via this link, it costs you no more, but we receive a small commission that we put into new test equipment. We are still working on it and are looking for competent partners for you in the DACH region.
Strengths and weaknesses of the Faemina
Pros of the espresso machine
- Fast heat-up time for the espresso boiler of just 7 minutes
- Very good temperature stability
- Quiet machine at only 51 decibels
- Easily controllable via the group head controls
- Powerful steaming
- Relatively low energy consumption, especially with the steam boiler switched off
- Interesting machine for small catering businesses
Cons of the espresso machine
- Drip tray workmanship
- Limited flow and pressure adjustment options
- App glitches
Positioning and classification
Yes, the Faemina is a single-group espresso machine. Yes, Faema wants to have a stronger presence in the home segment with it. Nevertheless, it remains to be discussed whether the Faemina is not, in fact, a single-group commercial espresso machine. The components used certainly suggest it is. Apart from the pump, the Faemina relies on the same internal components that we recognize from the President and similar models. This ensures very good performance and makes the Faemina a very consistent and high-quality espresso machine.
From brewing to steam performance, what the Faema delivers is very good and can hold its own in any commercial setting. I would normally write: perfect for small cafés or bakeries. If the Faemina itself weren't so bulky. Because, first of all, you have to find a place for it.
Of course, the Faemina also does a magnificent job at the home barista bar. And one of the strongest arguments for the espresso machine is the incredibly fast heat-up time for a boiler. The 0.6-liter brew boiler sits directly above the portafilter, ensuring that the portafilter also heats up quickly. In addition, the Faemina directs energy primarily to the brew boiler first, making it ready for use after just 7 minutes. The machine itself signals that the heat-up phase is finished after just 5 minutes. Those wanting to steam cappuccino must then wait a few more minutes.
This fast heat-up time can compete with many thermoblocks. Admittedly, after testing many espresso machines with the Faema E61 group head, which need a good 25 minutes to heat up, I still have to get used to a 7-minute warm-up time from a Faema.
Good espresso thanks to temperature and pre-infusion
A constant brew temperature as well as a cleverly solved pre-infusion help to ensure that excellent espresso can be prepared with the Faemina. The Faemina is a reliable machine, which has been repeatedly demonstrated in all our measurements. Both the Kaffeemacher protocol and the much more extensive WBC protocol with high cycling between shots showed the high temperature stability of the espresso machine.
The WBC protocol compares the consistency of the espresso machine's extraction from seconds 4 to 25. The Faemina showed strong consistency and only a standard deviation of 0.49 across all shots. The PID temperature control can be operated via the app and directly via the controls on the group head.
It is impressive that the Faemina machine was already capable of brewing at temperature after just 7 minutes. This can be clearly seen in the following KM temperature protocol. All measurements were taken with the Scace 2.
Pre-infusion thanks to water diversion
The Faemina features a pre-infusion with a lower flow rate. This is achieved via a diversion that, when the function is activated, directs water to the group head via a hose narrowed to 0.6 cm. This allows the coffee puck to be saturated with water before the brew water is applied to the coffee at full pump power via the larger inlet pipe. It is a slight pity that although the reduction of the flow rate is successful, it still delivers almost 3 ml per second against backpressure on the coffee. This could be lower to utilize this function even better.
The control of the water diversion, as well as the ability to pause the water supply completely, are also important functions for using the filter coffee option of the Faemina.
The prerequisite for this is also a precise flowmeter, which on the Faemina enables the programming of 5 buttons. What sounds self-evident is not possible with many espresso machines in the dual boiler and heat exchanger segment with the Faema E61 group head. A cleanly functioning volume control is, however, the requirement for commercial use. And here, the Faemina's flowmeter marks another plus point.
Steam performance with power
The 2.6-liter steam boiler delivers powerful milk texturing. 300 ml are steamed to temperature within 20 seconds. By comparison: the Quick Mill Essence takes over 40 seconds for this.
The milk can be textured accordingly smoothly. Here, too, we note: with this performance, the Faemina proves once again that it can make a good impression in a commercial setting.
Accessories and workmanship
Included in the delivery are a single and a double portafilter, which are equipped with classic Faema baskets. The baskets are of sufficient quality but could be improved by using precision baskets.
The 58mm tamper is high-quality but does not sit flush with the included baskets. We measured a rim gap of 0.85 mm. Also included are the plumbing kit and drain hose, as the rotary pump can be connected to the mains water supply.
Speaking of the rotary pump: it hums along quietly and reaches just 51 decibels. This is extraordinarily quiet. The machine's button beeps were louder, but fortunately, they could be turned off.
Overall, the machine's build quality is also good, with a few exceptions. Even with the large Faema espresso machines, I am surprised at how poor the haptics of some plastic parts are. The steam activation lever, for example, has obvious seams. That’s simply not nice. However, the plastic drip tray really contrasts with the machine. That just doesn't fit together! The plastic is thin and feels like a foreign object on the heavy machine.
For the plastic grid on the machine, one can at least argue that it protects the machine from scratches. But there are nicer solutions. In addition, the screw covers located directly under the grid are not fixed and slide off easily when moving the grid.
However, these small flaws cannot overshadow the overall good build quality and charisma of the machine.
Filter coffee performance of the Faemina
The Faemina has a brew program for filter coffee. The integrated flowmeter, in conjunction with a controller, allows for the programming of a pre-infusion and a number of pulses.
While the duration and amount of water for pre-infusion can be set, only the number of pulses and the last pulse can be programmed for the main brew. For the calculation of the total brewing time, it must therefore be noted that the drainage time must also be included. For a total volume of 300 ml, a last pulse could, for example, be set at 1:40 min.
The brewing performance is significantly determined by the distribution capability of the shower screen as well as the control of the pulse programming. In our case, the shower screen delivers water slightly unevenly, which is why the coffee on that side of the filter was swirled more.
It is also practical that the drip tray can be moved up and down with a simple movement, so that at least a filter compatible with the machine, including a carafe, fits under the group head.
Faema itself sells a filter set that matches the machine, which, however, proved to be too wide in our test. A more cylindrical format, such as the portafilter basket developed by Scott Rao (to be discussed in one of our upcoming videos), seems to have significantly better properties for brewing espresso with an espresso machine. The recommended filter is not wetted with water in the outer areas, and the coffee lying there is thus not sufficiently extracted, leading to uneven coffee extraction.
The pulse adjustment option certainly allows for a good filter coffee to be brewed with some optimization. At home, however, I would always prefer a manual dripper and carafe to brew the coffee well through clean swirling and targeted pouring. If, however, there are multiple groups (multiple Faeminas?) or an underutilized espresso machine in a catering business, the filter function is certainly an interesting possibility.
Energy consumption
One might think that such a large espresso machine must consume a lot of electricity. And indeed, it does so under full power and with the steam boiler switched on. If you leave this off, however, the Faemina, thanks to its short heat-up time, achieves a low consumption of just 0.144 kWh for 5 shots, according to the KM protocol. In this scenario, including heating up, one espresso consumes 0.1 kWh.
If we switch on the steam boiler, we reach a value of 0.35 kWh, which is remarkably low given the large steam boiler. If we switch on the steam boiler, we consume 0.29 kWh for the shot of an espresso. A cappuccino, on the other hand, comes to 0.31 kWh.
Conclusion on the Faemina by Faema
The Faemina is an interesting espresso machine. Much suggests that it is suitable for use in small catering establishments, for catering services, or even in larger offices with coffee-enthusiastic employees. The latter will appreciate the fast heat-up time, and the machine's start time can also be programmed via the app. For the catering industry, the fast heat-up time is less necessary but still a nice addition. The good overall performance in terms of temperature and steam quality are important prerequisites for brewing many coffees in a short time.
For private use, the size and especially the price could serve as counterarguments, although the fast heat-up time and the quality of the espresso are, of course, pro-arguments. It is certain, however, that there are other machines on the market with more flexibility and adjustment options in terms of flow rate control for significantly less money. However, those who do not place value on these aspects and are looking for a very solid machine with its own aesthetics and good performance will find a very good espresso machine in the Faemina.
