This video reviews five espresso machines priced under or around £500. Hoffmann tests each machine's build quality, ease of use, espresso quality, and milk steaming capabilities, ultimately aiming to guide viewers in choosing the best machine for their needs and budget.
Hoffmann made the following modifications before testing:
He replaced the pressurized portafilters on the Sage Bambino Plus and Gaggia Classic Pro with better baskets. He explained that these machines came with pressurized portafilters only, and switching to better baskets was an easy improvement that was worthwhile.
He also used a better basket for the Rancilio Silvia and Gaggia Classic Pro for espresso testing, because both came with 50ml portafilters.
He did not change the Lelit Anna's basket because he couldn't find a suitable replacement in time. This put the Lelit at a slight disadvantage in the comparison because its stock basket wasn't as good as the VST baskets used in the other machines.
The provided transcript does not state a single "best" machine overall. While James Hoffmann expresses preferences and highlights strengths and weaknesses of each machine, he ultimately leaves the choice to the viewer based on their individual priorities (budget, desired level of tinkering, importance of milk steaming, etc.). He does suggest that he would be torn between the Rancilio Silvia and the Gaggia Classic Pro if he had to keep one, but this is a personal preference based on his willingness to mod the machines.