Almost a perfect machine. Ergonomic, user-friendly, with easy-to-understand workflows and generally easy to use. The only drawback is the rough insertion of the portafilter into the group.
Bought this as an upgrade to an old (13 years) Sunbeam em6910. The workflow of this machine is so much nicer and it consistently pulls amazing shots once dialed in. The grinder performs better then any other built in I've used as does the steam wand. The feature set of this machine means it is suited for not only the normies but also the geeks and aficionados that need to extract the most from their espresso machines for that perfect shot. Build quality seems excellent and I can't fault anything on the machine.
The only problem I have is not with the machine itself, but one of the accessories that comes with it.... the milk jug... I find it a bit small and the first time I made my partner a latte, it overflowed due to the power of the steam. Changing the steam power to low helped a little on the second latte but still made me uneasy seeing the milk swirling right on the edge almost overflowing.
Other then the little jug, I am extremely happy with the machine and see myself getting daily use from the Meraki for years to come.
Excellent espresso in a package that’s makes it accessible and easy!