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The Omega VSJ843 is the vertical pick in my celery juicer guide, at $330.99. It is an upright slow juicer: an auger turning at 43 RPM presses produce against a screen, pulp leaves through its own outlet, and a flap on the spout holds juice in the bowl until you open it.

Amazon shows 4.3 stars across 1,953 ratings. Filtering to this listing leaves 492 written reviews, and 140 of those are critical.

Owners who get on with it praise dry pulp and quiet running. The critical reviews centre on jams with fibrous produce, a hopper that locks onto the bowl so tightly some owners reach for pliers, and machines that stop working.

Quick Verdict

What Comes in the Box

The manual lists a juice cup and a pulp container in the box; Omega’s image shows a jug. The spout flap closes for mixing and opens to pour.

The manual lists the pusher, hopper, auger, screen, spinning brush with its silicone wipers, juice bowl, motor base, pulp container, juice cup and a cleaning brush.

Amazon’s included-components field says only “Juicer”, so check the parts against that list on arrival. Two critical owners describe units that arrived used or damaged, one with dried produce still inside.

The listing gives the warranty as 15 years on the motor and one year on parts. Omega’s warranty policy adds that owners pay the shipping on replacement parts, that lids and gaskets count as consumables, and that cover applies only to the original purchaser.

Specifications

What 43 RPM and Omega’s Own Numbers Tell You

Omega’s image gives 7 by 8.5 inches of counter. The manual says 10 inches deep.

43 RPM is the point of the design. A slow auger crushes and presses produce rather than shredding it against a fast-spinning basket. My masticating vs centrifugal comparison covers the trade-off.

The numbers do not all agree. The Amazon listing says 150 watts and the manual says 250 watts rated consumption. Omega’s product image puts the footprint at 7 by 8.5 inches and the manual at 7 by 10. Either way, it takes far less counter depth than a horizontal slow juicer.

It is not built for long sessions. The manual says not to run it for more than 30 minutes at a time, then to let it cool for 5 minutes. For a morning glass that never matters; for batch juicing a week of bottles it does.

The rating needs care. 140 of the 492 written reviews for this listing are critical, or 28%, and 80 are one star. That is a larger critical share than the 4.3 average suggests.

Who It’s For

• Anyone juicing a glass or two at a time who wants dry pulp. Dry pulp is among the most repeated praise, including from owners who have had other juicers.
• Kitchens short on counter depth. It stands upright on a base about 7 inches wide.
• Early-morning juicers in shared homes. Quiet running comes up again and again in the positive reviews.
• People willing to cut celery and other stringy vegetables small. Omega’s manual asks for 1 to 2 inch pieces.
• Anyone who washes the parts straight after juicing, which is what keeps the hopper from locking on.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

• Batch juicers. The 30-minute operating limit and the time spent cutting produce small both work against big sessions.
• Anyone who wants to drop whole produce in. Owners repeatedly report cutting carrots, celery and apples into small pieces to stop it jamming.
• Buyers on a budget. The Omega Cold Press All-in-One is $199.87 and the Ninja NeverClog JC151 is $149.95.
• Anyone counting on the warranty to be painless. Owners describe unanswered emails and replacement parts whose shipping cost more than the part, which matches Omega’s policy that owners pay shipping.
• People who leave the juicer assembled with pulp inside. Several owners describe a hopper they could not unscrew.

Performance

Juice and pulp

Juice and pulp leave through separate outlets, so a batch runs without stopping to empty a basket.

Dry pulp is among the praise that recurs most. One owner says the pulp from ginger was dry enough to use as kindling; another, who had tried other juicers, likes this one best because it extracts a lot of juice and the pulp comes out near dry.

Not every owner sees that. A critical owner found wet pulp and pulp in the juice, and another, after three years, says its moist carrot pulp and juice are no better than their earlier $100 juicer. One owner notes that softer fruit leaves wetter pulp and runs it through a second time.

Hard produce such as carrots, beets, apples, ginger and cucumber comes up most in the positive reviews.

Celery, greens and jams

The REV position runs the auger backwards to push a jam back up. Omega calls it anti-clog; owners still report jams.

Jams are the most specific complaint. Owners describe the auger stalling on small pieces of carrot, fibrous produce wrapping around it, and having to stop mid-batch to clear it. One says celery’s long fibres bind inside the machine.

Omega’s manual expects this. It tells owners to cut celery, fennel and other stringy stalks into 1 to 2 inch pieces, and to hold REV for a few seconds, then restart, if the auger stops. Positive reviewers who juice celery say the same thing: cut it small and feed it slowly.

If a slow juicer keeps stalling, my guide to why a juicer clogs covers the usual causes before you call support.

The hopper that will not come off

The auger sits inside the screen, and the hopper screws down over both.

The hopper screws clockwise onto the juice bowl, and several owners report it locking on. One owner cannot take it apart without help as the base screws itself tighter during use; another needed channel-lock pliers; a third uses a clamp and a wrench.

One critical owner, a month outside the warranty, says the hopper threads jumped their track and the assembly is now stuck for good.

The manual’s advice for a hopper that will not open is to run the motor to clear pulp, press REV, and not to force it. Taking it apart soon after juicing, before pulp dries, is the habit most likely to avoid the problem.

Cleaning

Omega shows it making almond milk. Every part the milk touches has to come apart for washing.

Cleaning divides owners. Several positive reviews say the parts rinse clean quickly, some once they have learned how it comes apart, while others say rinsing, washing and drying the parts is the one drawback, and that the screen basket is hard to scrub.

Between juices, the manual says to close the flap, pour water through and run it, then wash the full bowl set once juicing is done for the day. The spinning brush wipes the inside of the screen as it turns, which Omega calls its auto cleaning system.

The listing calls the parts dishwasher safe and the manual shows both a hand-wash soak and the top rack of a dishwasher. My guide on how to clean a juicer covers screens and augers.

Design and Build

The tall chute feeds the auger from above. The switch has ON, off and REV positions.

It is a silver and black upright machine: a tall black feed chute and pusher on top, a clear juice bowl with a measuring scale, the pulp outlet on the left, the spout and its flap on the front, and a rocker switch on the side.

It weighs 11.5 pounds, and the manual says to lift it by the base with both hands rather than by the bowl.

The manual calls some shaking normal with hard produce such as carrots and beets. Its troubleshooting page puts juice leaking over the base down to overfeeding, which pushes the seal aside, or a juice flap left open.

What Owners Report

Of the 492 written reviews filed under this listing, 298 are five stars and 80 are one star; 352 are positive and 140 critical. The themes below each appear in more than one unconnected review.

What recurs in the positive reviews

• Dry pulp. Owners describe pulp coming out near dry, especially from hard produce.
• Quiet. Quiet running comes up in dozens of positive reviews.
• Juice quality. Smooth juice with little pulp, by owner accounts.
• Longevity for some. Owners report years of regular use, one at three years.
• Easy once learned. A learning curve to assemble, then simple to use and clean for many.

What recurs in the critical reviews

• Jams. Stalling on fibrous or hard pieces unless produce is cut small.
• A hopper that locks on. Owners needing pliers, clamps or help to unscrew it.
• Failures. Machines that stopped after 15 uses, within a year, or once out of warranty.
• Used or damaged on arrival. Broken lids and dried produce inside.
• Wet pulp for some. Pulp in the juice and moist pulp from carrots.
• Warranty service. Unanswered emails and parts that cost more to ship than to buy.
• Cleaning time. Several parts to wash and a screen that is hard to scrub.

The reviews split by how the machine is used. Owners juicing hard produce in modest amounts, cut small and cleaned straight away, rate it highly; owners pushing stringy greens through it, or leaving it assembled, meet the jams and the stuck hopper.

Value

At $330.99 the VSJ843 costs $131 more than the Omega Cold Press All-in-One at $199.87, a horizontal slow juicer with a longer body, and $181 more than the Ninja NeverClog JC151 at $149.95.

What the extra buys is an upright footprint and continuous pulp ejection at 43 RPM. It does not buy a better owner record: 28% of the written reviews for this listing are critical.

The price moves. My celery guide recorded it at $308.99 in June and $334.99 in August, and the listed price is $399.99, so it is worth checking before buying.

Durability

Durability reports cover the whole range: owners still using theirs after three years, and others whose machines stopped after 15 uses, within a year, or once out of warranty.

The 15-year motor warranty is the listing’s strongest reassurance, but parts are covered for one year, owners pay shipping on replacements, and Omega classes lids and gaskets as consumables. Register it and keep the receipt.

Two habits in the manual are within your control: stop within 30 minutes and let the motor cool, and cut stringy produce small so the auger is not forced.

None of this is a failure rate. Unhappy owners write more reviews than happy ones, and 492 reviews is a modest sample for a machine sold this long.

Alternatives to Consider

• For a horizontal Omega at much less money, my Omega Cold Press juicer review covers the All-in-One.
• For the cheaper cold press pick in the celery guide, see my Ninja NeverClog JC151 review, and for a hands-free premium machine, my Nama J2 review.
• If you are not sure juicing will stick, my Hamilton Beach Big Mouth review covers a $74.95 centrifugal starter.
• For the full field, see my best juicer guide and best juicer for greens, and the juicers hub collects everything else.

Verdict

The Omega VSJ843 is a quiet upright slow juicer that owners credit with dry pulp and smooth juice, and it fits a counter a horizontal slow juicer would not.

Against that, it costs $330.99, 28% of its written reviews are critical, and those reviews keep returning to jams with fibrous produce, a hopper that locks on, and machines that stop. Cut produce small and clean it straight away, and many of those problems look avoidable; the failures do not.

Six out of ten: marked up for pulp, noise and footprint, marked down for price, jams, the stuck-hopper reports and warranty friction.

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How This Review Was Put Together

Plainly: this is research-based, not a hands-on test. I have not owned or used this juicer, and nothing here should be read as a report from my own kitchen.

What it rests on: the published specification — the speed, motor, auger, dimensions, operating limit and parts Omega lists on Amazon and in the VSJ843 user manual, and the terms of Omega’s warranty policy — read against the other juicers in my celery juicer guide; the split of the 492 written reviews filed under this exact listing rather than the 4.3 average across 1,953 ratings; and the text of the positive and critical reviews, read for themes that recur across independent owners.

Why owner reviews are treated as evidence here: one reviewer cooking on one unit for a fortnight cannot show whether a hopper that locks solid or a motor that stops after a year is one bad unit or a pattern. Several hundred owners writing over several years can at least show which problems repeat. A theme is only reported above where more than one unconnected owner raised it.

What I could not establish: which of Omega’s two wattage and two depth figures is current, since the manual dates from 2014; whether the 1,953 pooled ratings include other colours of this model; and what share of units fail, since unhappy owners are over-represented in written reviews.

Price, stock and ratings were read from Amazon’s US marketplace on 15 September 2026 and will move.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Omega VSJ843 good for celery juice?

It can juice celery, but Omega’s manual says to cut celery into 1 to 2 inch pieces, and owners report the long fibres binding the auger when pieces are larger. Feed it slowly and use REV if it stalls.

How fast does the Omega VSJ843 turn?

43 RPM, according to both the listing and the manual.

Why won’t the hopper come off my Omega vertical juicer?

Several owners report the hopper locking onto the bowl. The manual says to run the motor to clear pulp, press REV to push stuck food up, and not to force it, and to contact Omega if it still will not open.

How long can the Omega VSJ843 run at a time?

Under 30 minutes at a time, according to the manual, followed by 5 minutes to let the motor cool.

Is the Omega VSJ843 dishwasher safe?

The listing says the parts are dishwasher safe, and the manual shows both a hand-wash soak and the top rack of a dishwasher. Owners are split on how easy it is to clean.

What is the warranty on the Omega VSJ843?

15 years on the motor and one year on parts, according to the listing. Omega’s policy says owners pay shipping on replacement parts and that lids and gaskets count as consumables.

Omega VSJ843 or the Omega Cold Press All-in-One?

The VSJ843 is upright and takes less counter depth. The All-in-One is a horizontal machine at $199.87 with nut butter and pasta attachments. Both are slow juicers; the choice is mostly footprint against price.

What comes in the box?

The juicer, pusher, hopper, auger, screen, spinning brush, juice bowl, pulp container, juice cup and a cleaning brush, according to the manual.

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The Gevi 20-Bar is the Best Budget pick in my semi-automatic espresso machine guide, and it now costs $139.99. It is a compact stainless espresso machine with a pressure gauge, pre-infusion, a steam wand and a hot water outlet, and you grind, dose and tamp yourself.

Amazon shows 4.3 stars across 3,767 ratings. Only 306 written reviews are filed under this exact listing, and 93 of those are critical.

Owners who get a good unit like the espresso and the small footprint. The critical reviews are dominated by machines that failed, mostly within the first year, and by pressure gauges and steam wands that stopped doing their job.

Quick Verdict

What Comes in the Box

The box: portafilter, two baskets, a combined scoop and tamper, and the manual.

The machine, a portafilter, 51 mm single and double filter baskets and a plastic coffee scoop with a tamper on the end, per the listing and Gevi’s photo. There is no grinder or milk jug.

Four owners single out the tamper as flimsy plastic that is fine for levelling but not for a firm tamp, and three recommend buying a proper one.

Several owners report receiving machines that had clearly been used, with water in the tank, coffee grounds inside or parts missing, so inspect it on arrival.

Gevi gives a 12-month warranty and lifetime tech support on units bought through an official or authorised channel.

Specifications

What 20 Bar and 4.3 Stars Actually Mean

The gauge is the Gevi’s signature feature, and one several owners report failing.

The 20-bar figure is pump capacity, not brewing pressure. Gevi’s own product image says the machine delivers 9-bar extraction through its 20-bar pump, which is the pressure espresso is normally brewed at.

The rating needs the same care. Amazon’s 3,767 ratings and 888 written reviews span more than one format, and filtering to this listing leaves 306 written reviews: 213 positive and 93 critical, including 181 five-star and 55 one-star.

That is 30% critical and 18% one-star, against 7% one-star in the pooled ratings. Written reviews skew negative on most products, but a one-star share that high is a warning worth weighing.

Who It’s For

• First-time espresso buyers on a budget who want a pressure gauge and a steam wand. Several first-time owners say it makes better coffee than their old drip machine.
• Small kitchens. At 5.5 inches wide it takes very little counter space, and owners mention the compact size often.
• One- or two-drink households. Owners report it needs a cool-down after steaming before the next shot, so it suits a morning cappuccino better than a round for guests.
• Anyone willing to add a proper tamper, which several owners recommend.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

• Anyone who wants a machine to last. Critical reviews describe units dying within days, weeks and months, and the warranty is 12 months.
• Households making several milk drinks back to back. Owners report it overheating or shutting off between steaming and the next shot.
• Buyers who need dependable after-sales help. Owners describe Gevi’s support as excellent in some reviews and unreachable in others.
• Latte drinkers who want very hot milk. Several owners find the drinks lukewarm or the froth weak.
• Anyone who would rather pay slightly more for a longer record. The De’Longhi Stilosa costs about $10 more and has 13,832 ratings.

Performance

Shots, pressure and the gauge

Gevi’s own figure: 9-bar extraction from a 20-bar pump.

Owners who are happy with it are happy with the espresso, and that is what most of the five-star reviews praise. One owner comparing it with the Breville Bambino they wore out over two years rates it five stars, and another reports using theirs daily for three years or more.

The gauge is where trouble shows. Owners report needles that never reach the espresso range, stop moving, fail to return to zero, or read very high while no coffee comes out; 15 reviews of this listing mention the gauge.

Soupy, wet pucks come up in two critical reviews. That usually points to grind or dose rather than the machine, and my guide to an espresso machine not building pressure covers the checks worth running before calling support.

Shot volume and controls

Programmable single and double shots, per Gevi.

Controls are four buttons on top, with programmable single and double shots of 0.8 to 2 oz and 1.7 to 4.4 oz. Owners mostly call it simple to set up, though one needed a 24-hour wait and the manual’s fix before it worked.

The electronics draw specific complaints. A three-star owner says the controls freeze unless the buttons are pressed in a particular order, including after steaming, and others describe buttons that stopped responding or a machine that beeps without explanation.

Steam wand and milk

The steam wand has a removable froth nozzle for cleaning.

Milk results split owners more than anything else. Some say it steams well, including with almond milk; others found it only blew bubbles, barely heated the milk or made drinks lukewarm.

One positive owner found the wand very loud and weak at first and puts that down to their own technique, which is worth knowing before returning one. My guide on a steam wand that will not froth covers the usual causes.

Steaming also heats the machine. Owners report having to wait before pulling the next shot, and one describes a shutdown after about three drinks in a row that a restart fixes.

Heat-up and the cup warmer

The cup warmer on top. One owner says it does not get hot enough to keep cups warm.

Heat-up is one of the most consistent positives: owners describe it as quick, and one puts it at about a minute.

The cup warmer is less convincing, with a five-star owner saying it does not get hot enough to warm cups. The hot water outlet, for Americanos and tea, draws little comment.

Design and Build

Gevi’s drawing: 5.5 inches wide, about 12.3 deep and 12 tall.

It is narrow and light, with a stainless steel housing, a clear water tank at the back and a black-handled portafilter. The 5.5-inch width is the headline for small kitchens.

Plastic is the recurring build complaint: a plastic piece in the portafilter basket, the plastic scoop and tamper, and owners who would rather hot water and coffee did not touch plastic at all. Two owners say it vibrates enough during a shot to walk cups off the drip tray.

One owner found the portafilter tipped the basket into the bin whenever they knocked out the puck, and another’s portafilter snapped after five months.

What Owners Report

Of the 306 written reviews filed under this listing, 181 are five stars and 55 are one star; 213 are positive and 93 critical. The themes below each appear in more than one unconnected review.

What recurs in the positive reviews

• Espresso for the money. First-time owners say it beats their old drip coffee.
• Small footprint. Compact enough for a small counter, and light enough to move.
• Quick heat-up. Ready in about a minute, by owner accounts.
• Easy to use. Simple setup and controls for a first machine.
• Helpful support for some. Several owners praise Gevi’s customer service, one agent by name.

What recurs in the critical reviews

• Failures. Units dead on arrival or failing within days, weeks and months, mostly inside the first year.
• Pressure gauge faults. Needles that stick, never reach the espresso range or read high with no coffee.
• Weak or lukewarm milk. Steam wands that barely froth or heat.
• Overheating. Shutdowns or waits between steaming and the next shot.
• Used units sold as new. Wet tanks, grounds inside and missing parts on arrival.
• Unreachable support for others. Owners who could not get a reply or a replacement.
• Accessories. A flimsy plastic tamper several owners replaced.

The split is sharp. Owners with a working unit tend to rate it five stars and praise the value; owners whose unit failed tend to rate it one star, and the reviews in between are mostly about milk, heat and the gauge.

Value

At $139.99 the Gevi costs about $10 less than the De’Longhi Stilosa at $149.95, which carries 13,832 ratings to the Gevi’s 3,767. For a first machine, that $10 buys a much longer owner record.

The Casabrews 3700, now the Best Budget pick in my best espresso machine under $200 guide, is $99.99, $40 less, and 417 of its 1,607 written reviews are critical (26%, against 30% for the Gevi). The Gevi’s case over it rests on features: the Gevi has a pressure gauge and the Casabrews 3700 does not.

Its price moves, and it was listed at $118.99 in late August, so it is worth checking before buying.

Durability

Durability is the Gevi’s weak point in the reviews. Owners describe units that did not work out of the box, broke after one or two uses, and stopped after a month and after two, four, six and eight months.

The failures that repeat are a pressure fault where the gauge climbs and no coffee comes out, a steam function that quits, and a machine that will not turn on. One owner got about two years of light use before the gauge and then the power failed.

Descaling on schedule is the one habit within your control, and my guide to how often to descale an espresso machine sets out the intervals. Keep the receipt, since the warranty is 12 months.

None of this is a failure rate. Unhappy owners write more reviews than happy ones, and 306 reviews is a modest sample.

Alternatives to Consider

• For a similar price and a far longer owner record, see my De’Longhi Stilosa review.
• For cheaper and better-documented options, my best espresso machine under $200 guide compares the field.
• If you can stretch further, my Breville Bambino Plus review and best espresso machine under $500 guide cover the step up.
• Whatever you buy, the grinder matters: my espresso grinder guide covers that, and the coffee hub collects every coffee review and fault guide.

Verdict

The Gevi 20-Bar gives a first-time buyer a pressure gauge, pre-infusion, a steam wand and a narrow stainless body for $139.99, and owners with a good unit like the espresso it makes.

Against that, 30% of the written reviews for this listing are critical and 18% are one star, dominated by machines that failed within months, gauges that misread and steam that falls short. At $10 less than the far better-documented Stilosa, the saving is small for the risk.

Five out of ten: marked up for features and footprint at the price, marked down for failure reports, inconsistent milk performance and patchy support.

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How This Review Was Put Together

Plainly: this is research-based, not a hands-on test. I have not owned or used this espresso machine, and nothing here should be read as a report from my own kitchen.

What it rests on: the published specification — the pump, pressure gauge, temperature control, shot volumes, tank, dimensions and warranty Gevi lists — read against the other espresso machines in my semi-automatic espresso machine guide; the split of the 306 written reviews filed under this exact listing rather than the 4.3 average of a rating pool it shares with other formats; and the text of the positive and critical reviews, read for themes that recur across independent owners.

Why owner reviews are treated as evidence here: one reviewer cooking on one unit for a fortnight cannot show whether a $140 espresso machine is still pulling shots after a year. Several hundred owners’ written reviews can at least show the pattern. A theme is only reported above where more than one unconnected owner raised it.

What I could not establish: the machine’s model number, which the listing does not state; the real brewing temperature; whether the pooled 3,767 ratings include other Gevi machines; and what share of units fail in the first year, since unhappy owners are over-represented in written reviews.

Price, stock and ratings were read from Amazon’s US marketplace on 14 September 2026 and will move.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Gevi 20-Bar a real semi-automatic espresso machine?

Yes. You grind, dose and tamp the coffee yourself and start the shot, with programmable single and double volumes. It has a pressure gauge, pre-infusion and a steam wand.

Does 20 bar make better espresso?

No. Espresso is brewed at around 9 bar, and Gevi’s own image describes 9-bar extraction from its 20-bar pump. The pump rating is headroom, not brewing pressure.

How long does the Gevi espresso machine last?

Owner reports range from units that failed out of the box to about two years of light use and one owner at three years or more. Many critical reviews describe failures within the first year, and the warranty is 12 months.

Why does my Gevi shut off after steaming milk?

Owners report the machine overheats after steaming and needs to cool before the next shot, and one says it shuts down after about three drinks in a row until it is unplugged and restarted.

Why is the pressure gauge not moving?

Several owners report gauges that stop moving or never reach the espresso range, sometimes alongside no coffee flow. Check the grind, dose and descaling first, and contact Gevi within the warranty if nothing changes.

Is the Gevi good for lattes?

Owners disagree. Some steam milk well, including almond milk, while others report weak froth or lukewarm drinks, and the machine needs a pause after steaming before another shot.

What comes in the box?

The machine, a portafilter, single and double filter baskets, a scoop with a tamper on the end and the manual. Several owners recommend buying a sturdier tamper.

What is the warranty?

12 months, plus lifetime tech support, for units bought through an official or authorised channel, according to Gevi.

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The Silonn SLIM24B is the nugget ice pick in my countertop ice maker guide, at $143.91. It makes soft, chewable pellet ice rather than hard bullets, and Silonn rates it at 33 lb a day with first ice in as little as six minutes.

Amazon shows 4.3 stars across 1,243 ratings, but that figure is shared with other Silonn machines, including a bullet-ice maker. The 130 written reviews filed under this 33 lb model are the better evidence, and 34 of them are critical.

Those reviews agree the ice is good. They disagree about noise and speed, and more than a dozen describe machines that stopped working, from a couple of weeks to just over a year after purchase.

Quick Verdict

What Comes in the Box

The basket and scoop that come with it. Note the height label, which cannot be right.

The machine, a removable ice basket and an ice scoop, per the listing. Silonn’s drawing puts the basket at about 7.2 by 4.3 by 4.9 inches, and one owner compares it to an extra-large cup.

It fills by hand from a jug, with no water line to connect. The warranty is one year.

One owner reports the manual asks you to let the machine stand for 24 hours before first use so the cooling system can settle. Another says theirs arrived without the basket and scoop, so check the box while the return window is open.

Specifications

What the 4.3 Stars Cover

Amazon pools this listing’s ratings with other Silonn machines sold on the same product page. The same 1,243 ratings and 74% five-star share appear on a 26.5 lb Silonn bullet-ice maker, a 36 lb nugget model and a 44 lb nugget model with a 3-litre detachable tank.

Filtering to reviews written about this 33 lb model in gloss black leaves 130: 96 at four or five stars and 34 at one to three. That is 88 five-star and 20 one-star reviews, or 68% and 15%, against the pooled 74% and 9%.

Written reviews usually skew more critical than star-only ratings, and this listing is no exception. The fair comparison is between machines measured the same way: in the screen behind my guide, this model had the lowest critical share of the nugget makers with more than 100 model-specific reviews, at 26% against 40 to 80% for the EUHOMY, Kismile and Frigidaire machines checked.

Who It’s For

• People who want chewable, Sonic-style pellet ice at home. Several owners who chew ice through the day say that is the whole reason they bought it.
• Households using ice steadily, where a machine that keeps topping up the basket matters more than a big batch on demand. Two owners say it keeps up with daily family use.
• Anyone who wants simple controls: one button, and a light that shows when the basket is full or the tank needs water.
• Buyers who want nugget ice for well under the $299 GE Opal Mini and can live with the failure reports below.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

• Anyone who needs a lot of ice quickly for a party. Owners report 40 minutes to over an hour to fill the basket, and one says the basket holds enough for about two medium glasses.
• Open-plan kitchens and light sleepers. Noise is a repeated complaint, and one owner moved the machine to a room with the door shut.
• Anyone who wants ice to keep. The basket is not refrigerated, the pellets are small and melt quickly, and one owner found bagged pellets froze into a single block.
• Buyers counting on it lasting years. More than a dozen written reviews describe it failing within about a year, and the warranty is one year.
• Anyone who dislikes refilling. Owners describe the water tank as small, and Silonn does not publish its capacity.

Performance

Six minutes to first ice, much longer to a full basket

Silonn advertises ice in six minutes. That is the first pellets, not a full basket.

Owners who like it say it starts producing within minutes and then keeps going. One who also owns Silonn’s bullet machine says this one fills its basket in half the time.

The slow reports are just as specific: about 40 minutes for a full basket from two cups of water, over an hour for a full basket, an hour and a half to make ice, and almost two hours for about a cup.

None of these owners says how warm the room or the water was, and both affect how fast any ice maker works.

Two owners also found ice heaping under the chute trips the full signal early. One stirs the basket about every ten minutes to keep it running, and another knocks the pile down.

The ice

Silonn sells the texture, and owners mostly agree it delivers.

This is where the positive reviews concentrate. Owners compare it to the ice at Sonic and restaurants, describe it as soft and crunchy, and several say they eat it on its own through the day.

It makes one size of small pellet. A three-star owner expected more sizes from a video, and a four-star owner finds the pieces tiny and quick to melt.

Small, porous pellets chill a drink fast and melt fast, so expect more dilution than with solid cubes.

Controls and the water tank

One button and a coloured light. One owner finds the blue and white hard to tell apart.

Operation is a single button: fill the tank, press it, and the light shows the state. Silonn’s legend gives white for making ice, green for a full basket, blue for self-cleaning and red for add water.

Owners repeatedly call it easy to use. The one complaint about the panel is that the blue and white are close enough to confuse cleaning with making ice.

The tank is the limit on unattended running. Two owners who like the machine say it is small enough to need refilling often, and a three-star owner is always refilling.

Cleaning

Silonn pairs the self-clean cycle with a removable cover for manual descaling.

Holding the clean button for about five seconds starts a 15-minute cleaning cycle, and the top cover comes off for descaling and deeper cleaning, per the listing.

Two owners describe cleanup as simple and another values the self-clean cycle, while a three-star owner found cleanup more of a chore.

The serious report is mould: an owner who ran the cleaning cycle weekly still found mildew within a month and now rinses with vinegar after each use. Running the cycle regularly and emptying the tank before the machine sits unused are the sensible defaults, and my guide to using a countertop ice maker covers setup and cleaning.

Design and Build

The clear cover lifts over the basket, and the fan vents through the side.

It is a black plastic box with a clear cover over the basket, a carry handle and fan vents on the side. It weighs 20.8 lb, and one owner advises leaving ventilation space on both sides.

The dimensions do not agree. Amazon lists 11.3 by 12.91 by 8.9 inches, while Silonn’s own drawing shows it 8.6 inches wide and 11 inches deep and labels the height 33 inches, which cannot be right for a countertop machine. Measure your clearance against the photos and allow room for the cover to lift.

A four-star owner found it bulkier than expected, and another says the lid gives no positive click when it closes.

What Owners Report

Of the 130 written reviews for this 33 lb model, 88 are five stars and 20 are one star; 96 are positive and 34 critical. The themes below each appear in more than one unconnected review.

What recurs in the positive reviews

• The ice. Soft, chewable pellets owners compare to Sonic and restaurant ice.
• Steady output. Starts within minutes and keeps a household supplied, when the unit works well.
• Ease of use. One button, a removable basket and a light for full and empty.
• Quiet enough for some. Several owners call it quiet or fairly quiet.
• Reliable so far. Owners at two months and at several months report no problems.

What recurs in the critical reviews

• Failures. More than a dozen units that stopped, from a couple of weeks to 13 months.
• Noise. Very loud for some owners, and several describe new noises developing before or alongside a failure.
• Slow filling. 40 minutes to two hours for a basket or a cup of ice.
• Melting. Small pellets that melt fast in a glass.
• A small tank. Frequent refilling.
• Returns and support. Two owners waited weeks for refunds, and two found Silonn unable or unwilling to help with a failed unit.

The positive and critical reviews often describe the same machine at different points in its life. Several critical reviews begin with months of excellent ice and end with a new noise, slushy ice or a unit that stops.

Value

At $143.91 it costs about twice the EUHOMY bullet ice maker and about $50 more than the Frigidaire EFIC189. The extra buys the ice texture, not a stronger record.

Against other nugget machines it is cheap. GE’s Opal Mini is $299 and the Opal Ultra $499, and neither holds a better rating; Silonn’s own 36 lb nugget model on this listing is $161.99 and the 44 lb model $259.99.

The finish changes the price: other finishes of the 33 lb model were listed at $149.96 and $182.99 on the same day.

Durability

Durability is this machine’s weak point in the reviews. Owners describe units that stopped or began failing after a couple of weeks, about a month, and two, three, four and five months, and one that lasted just over a year.

One owner bought the same model three times: the first lasted a year, the second five months and the third four months. The recurring pattern is a new noise or slushy ice, followed by a machine that stops making ice.

The warranty is one year, and an owner whose unit died at 13 months says Silonn could do nothing. Keep the receipt; one owner who lost a unit within weeks advises buying a protection plan.

None of this gives a failure rate. Unhappy owners write more reviews than happy ones, and 130 reviews is a small sample.

Alternatives to Consider

• For hard bullet ice with a far larger rating record, see my Frigidaire EFIC189 review, the Best Overall pick.
• For the cheapest working machine, my EUHOMY review covers the budget pick.
• Silonn’s bullet machine is covered in my Silonn countertop ice maker review.
• The full field is in my countertop ice maker guide, and if you need ice stored rather than made, a small chest freezer does that job.

Verdict

The Silonn SLIM24B makes the ice nugget fans want, with one-button operation, for under $150. Of the nugget machines with enough reviews to judge, it had the smallest share of critical ones for its exact model.

It is also slow to fill for many owners, loud for some, and more than a dozen of its 130 written reviews describe it failing within about a year. Buy it for the ice, expect to empty the basket and refill the tank often, and keep the receipt.

Six out of ten: marked up for the ice, the simple controls and the price against other nugget machines, marked down for failure reports, slow filling and noise.

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How This Review Was Put Together

Plainly: this is research-based, not a hands-on test. I have not owned or used this ice maker, and nothing here should be read as a report from my own kitchen.

What it rests on: the published specification — the output, controls, cleaning cycle, dimensions and warranty Silonn lists, and where its own figures disagree — read against the other ice makers in my countertop ice maker guide; the split of the 130 written reviews for this model rather than the 4.3 average of its shared rating pool; and the text of the positive and critical reviews, read for themes that recur across independent owners.

Why owner reviews are treated as evidence here: one reviewer cooking on one unit for a fortnight cannot show whether a nugget ice maker is still making ice after a year. More than a hundred owners writing over nine months can at least show the pattern. A theme is only reported above where more than one unconnected owner raised it.

What I could not establish: the capacity of the water tank, which Silonn does not publish; the machine’s true height, since the listing and Silonn’s drawing disagree; and what share of units fail in the first year, since unhappy owners are over-represented in written reviews.

Price, stock and ratings were read from Amazon’s US marketplace on 14 September 2026 and will move.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the 4.3 stars for this model?

Not only. Amazon shares the 1,243 ratings with other Silonn machines on the same listing, including a 26.5 lb bullet-ice maker and 36 lb and 44 lb nugget models. The 130 written reviews for the 33 lb model include 88 five-star and 20 one-star reviews.

How long does it take to make nugget ice?

Silonn says first ice arrives in as little as six minutes. Owners report 40 minutes to over an hour to fill the basket, and one says almost two hours for about a cup.

Is the Silonn nugget ice maker loud?

Owners disagree. Some call it very loud, others quiet or fairly quiet, and several describe new noises developing after months of use, sometimes before it stopped working.

How long does it last?

Owner reports range from failures within a couple of weeks to just over a year, while others report months without problems. The warranty is one year.

Does it keep ice frozen?

No. The basket is not refrigerated, so the ice slowly melts. Bag it and move it to a freezer if you want to keep it.

What do the light colours mean?

According to Silonn: white while making ice, green when the basket is full, blue while self-cleaning and red when the tank needs water.

How do you clean it?

Hold the clean button for about five seconds to run the 15-minute self-clean cycle, and remove the top cover to descale. One owner who ran the cycle weekly still found mildew within a month, so rinse it regularly.

Which size should I buy?

This review covers the 33 lb model. The same listing sells a 36 lb nugget model at $161.99 and a 44 lb model with a 3-litre detachable tank at $259.99, while the 26.5 lb option is a bullet-ice machine, not nugget.

What is the warranty?

One year, according to the listing.

I earn a commission if you buy through the Amazon links below, at no extra cost to you.

The Hamilton Beach Big Mouth 67601A is the budget pick in my celery juicer guide, at $64.79. It is a centrifugal juicer: a spinning blade and mesh basket, an 800-watt motor, a 3-inch feed chute and an 80-ounce pulp bin.

It holds 4.4 stars across 41,501 ratings, far more than the other juicers in that guide, with 70% five-star and 5% one-star.

The owner reviews agree on what it is. It is fast, it takes whole fruit, and it is loud; the arguments are about how wet the pulp is, how easy it is to clean, and how long the motor lasts.

Quick Verdict

What Comes in the Box

Hamilton Beach says the removable parts are dishwasher safe and includes a brush for the strainer.

The juicer, a food pusher, a pulp bin and a strainer cleaning brush. The listing names the pulp bin, juice bowl, lid and pusher as dishwasher safe.

There is no juice jug in the listing’s included components, so plan on a glass or jug under the spout.

The warranty is three years, per the listing.

Specifications

Noise, heat and the motor

The three-year warranty is the listing’s strongest reassurance. Owners give it reason to matter.

It is loud. Noise comes up in hundreds of reviews, including from owners who rate it five stars. One apartment owner says it sounds like a factory floor and only runs it at times that will not disturb the neighbours; others call it a tad loud and move on.

The motor can strain. Several owners describe a burning or hot-metal smell: one after a glass or two of juice, one while juicing celery, and one with ginger, when the machine also shook. One gave up on it after four uses.

Some units fail. Owners report a juicer that broke down within four months, one that dies at around eight months and has been bought four times, and one that stopped after two and a half years of daily use. Side clamps that break are another repeated complaint.

None of this stops 70% of owners giving it five stars. But it is why the three-year warranty matters, and why feeding it steadily rather than forcing produce down the chute is the habit to keep.

Who It’s For

• Anyone who wants to find out whether juicing will stick before spending $150 or more. A four-star owner who was not ready for a $400 slow juicer calls it a good way to start.
• People juicing hard produce: apples, carrots, beets and citrus. One owner reports very dry pulp from beets, carrots and lemons.
• Cooks short on prep time. The 3-inch chute takes whole apples, which owners say saves most of the chopping.
• Anyone who wants dishwasher-safe parts and a long warranty for under $100.
• Mixed juices with some celery or greens in them, rather than straight celery juice.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

• Anyone juicing mostly leafy greens or straight celery. Owners report little juice from greens, and a centrifugal basket is the wrong mechanism for celery on its own; my celery juicer guide explains why.
• Apartment dwellers who juice early or late. The noise is the most repeated complaint.
• Anyone who wants the driest pulp and the most juice per pound. A slow juicer does that better.
• People who hand-wash everything. Some owners find the strainer hard to clean by hand, even with the brush.
• Anyone planning heavy daily use for years. Owner reports of motors and clamps failing are frequent enough to weigh.

Performance

Speed and the 3-inch chute

The 3-inch chute is the reason to buy it: a whole apple goes in without cutting.

The chute is what the positive reviews lead with. Owners describe washing produce and dropping it straight in, and one who juices beets, celery, cucumber, garlic, apples and carrots together says the machine sorts the peel and pulp from the juice without fuss.

Not everyone finds it that easy. One critical owner says the mouth is not wide enough and can only take a little at a time, and another has to feed small pieces or the machine blows the pusher out and shakes on the counter.

Pieces flying out of the chute come up more than once. One owner suggests having the pusher in the chute before switching on; another holds the machine for the first couple of seconds because it jumps from the torque.

Juice yield and pulp

Hamilton Beach claims maximum juice yield. Owners find that depends heavily on what goes in.

Yield depends on the produce. One owner juicing beets, carrots, celery, parsley and lemons found the pulp very dry, while another says you can watch how little juice comes out of greens.

Wet pulp is a recurring complaint, and one owner says the pulp got noticeably wetter after about 15 uses. A small-business owner juicing pineapples in quantity found the yield disappointing.

This is the trade-off of a centrifugal juicer rather than a fault of this one. My masticating vs centrifugal juicer comparison covers where each type wins.

Cleaning

Lining the pulp bin with a bag, as Hamilton Beach shows here, keeps one part out of the wash.

Cleaning splits owners. Many call it quick and easy, and the parts are listed as dishwasher safe.

Others say hand-washing takes real effort even with the brush, that the lid does not fully contain the pulp, and that dried leaves stick in the corners unless it is washed straight away. One owner says the pusher melted in the dishwasher, so a low heat setting or hand washing that part is safer.

If the basket clogs mid-batch, juice can spray out of the side; one owner has to stop and clean the strainer partway through. My guide on how to clean a juicer covers the strainer.

Design and Build

Hamilton Beach’s drawing: 14.4 inches tall and 11.5 inches deep.

It is a black plastic body with a large clear pulp bin, a single on-off knob and side clamps that hold the lid down. At 8.36 pounds it is light enough to store in a cupboard.

The listing contradicts itself on power: the bullets and the model name say 800 watts, and the specification table also lists 200 watts. Hamilton Beach calls 800 the rated power.

The side clamps are a part owners repeatedly report breaking. One owner on a second broken set says Hamilton Beach is sending a free replacement.

What Owners Report

Amazon shows 70% five-star, 16% four, 7% three, 2% two and 5% one across 41,501 ratings. That is a far larger pool than the other juicers in my celery guide.

What recurs in the positive reviews

• Value. A capable juicer for about $65.
• The chute. Whole apples and bunches of produce go straight in.
• Speed. Juice in seconds rather than minutes.
• Hard produce. Quick work of apples, carrots and beets.
• A starter juicer. A cheap way to find out if juicing sticks.

What recurs in the critical reviews

• Noise. The most repeated complaint.
• Wet pulp. Poor yield from greens and some fruit.
• Motor strain. Burning or hot-metal smells under load.
• Failures. Motors that stop and side clamps that break.
• Cleaning by hand. Harder than the dishwasher-safe label suggests for some owners.

The five-star and one-star reviews describe the same juicer. Owners who feed it hard produce at a steady pace, and wash it straight away, are happy; owners who push greens through it, or run it hard every day, meet its limits.

Value

At $64.79 the Big Mouth costs much less than the Ninja NeverClog JC151, the cold press juicer that tops my celery guide.

What the extra money buys in a slow juicer is drier pulp, more juice from greens and quieter running. What the Big Mouth gives back is speed, a wide chute and a much lower price.

If you want a centrifugal juicer with more refinement, my Breville JE98XL review covers the step up.

Durability

Durability reports cover the whole range: an owner whose earlier unit lasted four years, one on two and a half years of daily use before the motor stopped, and others whose machines failed within months.

The failures that repeat are the motor under strain, sometimes announced by a burning smell, and the side clamps. The three-year warranty covers the first years of that; keep the receipt.

Feed produce at a steady pace rather than forcing it, cut very hard items like ginger into small pieces, and stop if you smell the motor.

Check the box on arrival. Two critical owners received units with a part missing.

Alternatives to Consider

• For more juice from greens and quieter running, my Ninja NeverClog JC151 review covers the cold press pick.
• For the full field, see my best juicer guide and my best juicer for greens guide.
• For a better-built centrifugal juicer, see my Breville JE98XL review.
• Everything else on juicing is collected in the juicers hub.

Verdict

The Hamilton Beach Big Mouth is a good cheap juicer for hard produce. It is fast, takes whole fruit, has dishwasher-safe parts and a three-year warranty, and 70% of more than 41,000 owners give it five stars.

It is also loud, wasteful with greens, and some motors and clamps fail well before the warranty runs out. Buy it to find out whether juicing sticks, not as a machine for daily green juice.

Seven out of ten: marked up for value, the chute and the warranty, marked down for noise, wet pulp and failure reports.

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How This Review Was Put Together

Plainly: this is research-based, not a hands-on test. I have not owned or used this juicer, and nothing here should be read as a report from my own kitchen.

What it rests on: the published specification — the motor, chute, pulp bin, dishwasher-safe parts and warranty Hamilton Beach lists, where its own figures disagree, and what owners report about noise, pulp, cleaning and the parts that fail — read against the other juicers in my celery juicer guide; the shape of the rating distribution across 41,501 Amazon ratings rather than the 4.4 average it produces; and the text of the positive and critical reviews, read for themes that recur across independent owners.

Why owner reviews are treated as evidence here: one reviewer cooking on one unit for a fortnight cannot show whether a juicer motor survives two years of daily carrots and beets. Several thousand owners over years can. A theme is only reported above where more than one unconnected owner raised it.

What I could not establish: what share of machines fail in the first year, since unhappy owners are over-represented in written reviews. I also could not reconcile the listing’s 800-watt and 200-watt figures beyond Hamilton Beach calling 800 the rated power.

Price, stock and ratings were read from Amazon’s US marketplace on 14 September 2026 and will move.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth good for celery juice?

It will juice celery, but a centrifugal juicer is the wrong mechanism for straight celery juice, and owners report poor yield from greens. It suits celery mixed with apples, carrots and cucumber better.

Is the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth loud?

Yes. Noise is the most repeated complaint in the reviews, including from owners who rate it highly.

Are the parts dishwasher safe?

The listing says the pulp bin, juice bowl, lid and pusher are. One owner says the pusher melted in the dishwasher, so a low heat setting is safer.

How long does the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth last?

Owner reports range from failures within months to two and a half years of daily use and one earlier unit that lasted four years. The warranty is three years.

Why does my juicer smell like burning?

Owners report a burning or hot-metal smell when the motor is under strain, such as with ginger or when juicing a lot at once. Stop, let it cool and feed smaller pieces.

Is it 800 watts or 200 watts?

The listing calls 800 watts the rated power, and the specification table also lists 200 watts. I could not reconcile the two figures.

How big is the feed chute?

Three inches, wide enough for a whole apple according to Hamilton Beach and owners.

What is the warranty?

Three years, limited, according to the listing.

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Update, 21 September 2026: Amazon currently shows the Stilosa as unavailable, with no new offer. My espresso machines under $200 guide now recommends the De’Longhi Dedica in the same price class (6 inches wide, 15-bar pump, $149.95, 4,862 ratings at 4.0 stars). The price and rating figures below are the last ones I recorded for the Stilosa.

The De’Longhi Stilosa EC260 was the best-overall pick in my espresso machines under $200 guide, and it last sold for $149.95. It is a manual machine: a 15-bar pump, a small stainless steel boiler, a steam wand and a portafilter with two pressurized filter baskets.

It holds 4.2 stars across 13,831 ratings, a large pool, and the distribution is split: 67% five-star but 9% one-star.

The owner reviews explain the split. Owners who learn the grind and tamp, and get a sound unit, report years of good espresso; owners who expect café shots out of the box, or get a faulty machine, write the one-star reviews.

Quick Verdict

What Comes in the Box

The steam wand, the portafilter and the two filter baskets, single and double.

The machine, a portafilter with single and double filter baskets, and a combined measuring scoop and tamper. The water tank holds 1 litre (33.8 fl oz), per the listing.

There is no milk jug and no grinder, so budget for both if you do not already own them.

The included tamper is plastic, and one owner calls it a joke. Owners also say the baskets are a small, non-standard size, about 51mm, so a larger tamper will not fit.

Specifications

What the one-star reviews are about

De’Longhi markets the boiler as built to last. Owner reports on longevity are mixed.

Parts that fail. The plastic control knob is the most specific recurring complaint. One owner’s broke after four months, another is on a third knob in two years, and a third marked the machine down a star for its plastic knob.

Other owners report a pump that stopped working after just over a year, a leak above the group head that led to a replacement, and a front indicator light that failed.

Shots that disappoint. Weak or dripping espresso is the other theme. One owner found only 10 grams of coffee fit in the double basket; another tried different grinds and doses and still got a slow drip.

The shot problems usually have fixes, covered below. The parts failures do not, and the warranty is one year.

Who It’s For

• Beginners who want to learn espresso without spending much. One first-time owner says it is the only entry-level machine that earns a passing grade.
• Milk-drink makers. Owners describe the steam wand as easy for cappuccinos and lattes, and one who also owns a far more expensive Breville says it froths milk just as well.
• Anyone short on counter space. It is 13.5 inches wide, and owners mention its small footprint.
• People willing to tinker. Owners get more from it by swapping the pressurized basket for a non-pressurized one or a bottomless portafilter.
• Anyone who owns, or will buy, a burr grinder. The OXO Brew Conical Burr is the budget grinder reviewed on this site.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

• Anyone who wants café-quality shots with no learning curve. Owners describe grind size, dose and tamping as things to get right.
• Tall-mug drinkers. Owners say large mugs and tumblers do not fit under the portafilter.
• Anyone who wants a long warranty. The listing gives one year, and some owners report parts failing after that.
• People who make several milk drinks back to back. One owner lets the wand reheat three or four times to froth milk for two cups.
• Anyone who wants a machine to grow into. My Gaggia Classic Pro vs Stilosa comparison covers the step up.

Performance

Espresso and the pressurized baskets

The 15-bar pump. The baskets it pushes water through matter more.

Owners who are happy with the espresso describe good crema and consistent shots, including one going on four years with the same machine.

The baskets are pressurized, which builds pressure even with an imperfect grind. That makes the Stilosa forgiving for beginners, but one owner who also runs a far more expensive machine notes it caps how good the extraction can get.

Owners who want more swap in a non-pressurized basket or a bottomless portafilter.

Weak shots are the flip side. One owner found only 10 grams of coffee fit in the double basket, another got a slow drip despite changing grind and dose, and a four-year owner warns against grinding too fine or packing too tight.

Steam wand and milk

The manual steam wand.

The steam wand is one of the most praised parts of the machine. Owners use it for lattes and cappuccinos without much fuss.

Switching from espresso to steam means waiting for the boiler to heat again, about 35 seconds according to one owner, who steams the milk first for that reason.

The small boiler is also why frothing for more than one drink is slow. One owner lets the wand reheat three or four times to froth enough milk for two cups.

Heat-up, size and cup clearance

De’Longhi sells it on its size, and owners agree it takes little counter space.

Owners put heat-up at about a minute or less, quick enough for a weekday shot.

At 13.5 inches wide and 11.22 inches tall, it fits under wall cabinets, and owners mention its small footprint.

The trade-off is cup clearance. Owners say tall mugs and tumblers will not fit under the portafilter, so plan on brewing into a small cup and pouring.

Design and Build

De’Longhi’s sales claim, small print and all, sits on the product image.

It is a compact black machine with a stainless front panel, a front control dial, a steam knob on the side, indicator lights and a two-level drip tray for different cup sizes.

Owner opinions on the build are split: a four-year owner calls it solid yet lightweight, while another calls it cheaply built and clunky. The specific weak points owners name are the plastic knob and dial markings that wear off with wiping.

The two-level drip tray helps with small cups, but owners still find little room for anything tall.

What Owners Report

Amazon shows 67% five-star, 13% four, 6% three, 5% two and 9% one across 13,831 ratings. A one-star share larger than either the two- or three-star share is the pattern of a machine most owners like and a minority find faulty.

What recurs in the positive reviews

• Value. Real espresso and a working steam wand for about $150.
• Milk drinks. A simple steam wand for cappuccinos and lattes.
• Longevity for many. Owners report two, three and more than four years of daily use.
• Small footprint. It fits a small counter.
• A good teacher. Beginners learn grind, dose and tamp on it.

What recurs in the critical reviews

• The knob. Plastic, and it breaks for some owners.
• Baskets and tamper. Pressurized baskets and a plastic tamper limit the shots until upgraded.
• Cup clearance. Tall mugs do not fit.
• Steam for more than one drink. The wand needs time to reheat.
• Failures. A pump, a leak and a failed indicator light among the critical reviews.

The five-star and one-star reviews describe the same machine. The difference is mostly expectations and luck: owners who learn it and get a sound unit keep it for years, and owners who expect café shots or get a faulty one do not.

Value

At $149.95 the Stilosa costs far less than the Breville Bambino Plus or the Gaggia Classic Pro, and it still uses a pump and a portafilter rather than steam pressure alone.

Owners stress grind size again and again, so a burr grinder is part of the real cost, and a proper tamper and a milk jug are worth adding. The OXO Brew Conical Burr is the budget grinder reviewed on this site.

If you are torn between this and a pricier machine, my Breville Bambino vs Stilosa comparison sets out what the extra money buys.

Durability

Longevity reports are encouraging for a $150 machine. One owner’s previous De’Longhi of the same style lasted more than four years at three to five drinks a day, another is going on four years, and others report two and three years of daily use.

The failures that do appear are specific: the plastic knob, a pump after just over a year, and a leak above the group head. With a one-year warranty, anything after the first year is on you.

Turn the knob gently, avoid packing the basket too tight, and keep the machine clean.

One owner reports receiving a used unit sold as new, which Amazon replaced, so check the box and seals on arrival.

Alternatives to Consider

• For automatic milk texturing and faster heat-up, see my Breville Bambino vs De’Longhi Stilosa comparison.
• For a machine to learn on and keep for years, my Gaggia Classic Pro vs Stilosa comparison sets out the step up.
• Every pick under $200 is compared in my espresso machines under $200 guide, and semi-automatic machines at every price in my semi-automatic espresso machine guide.
• Grinders, machines and brewing guides are collected in the coffee hub.

Verdict

The De’Longhi Stilosa is a good first espresso machine. For about $150 it pulls real espresso, steams milk well enough for lattes and fits a small kitchen, and many owners report years of use.

Its limits are the pressurized baskets, a plastic knob that breaks for some owners, and little room for tall mugs. Buy it to learn on, budget for a grinder and a proper tamper, and do not expect café shots on day one.

Seven out of ten: marked up for value, the steam wand and long owner histories, marked down for the knob, the baskets and a one-year warranty.

Check Price on Amazon

How This Review Was Put Together

Plainly: this is research-based, not a hands-on test. I have not owned or used this machine, and nothing here should be read as a report from my own kitchen.

What it rests on: the published specification — the pump, boiler, baskets, tank and warranty De’Longhi lists, and what owners report about shots, steaming, cup clearance and the parts that fail — read against the other machines in my espresso machines under $200 guide; the shape of the rating distribution across 13,831 Amazon ratings rather than the 4.2 average it produces; and the text of the positive and critical reviews, read for themes that recur across independent owners.

Why owner reviews are treated as evidence here: one reviewer cooking on one unit for a fortnight cannot show whether a plastic control knob survives two years of daily use. Several thousand owners over years can. A theme is only reported above where more than one unconnected owner raised it.

What I could not establish: what share of machines develop a fault, since failed units are over-represented in one-star reviews and working ones rarely get a follow-up. I also could not confirm the basket diameter from De’Longhi’s listing; the 51mm figure comes from owners.

Price, stock and ratings were read from Amazon’s US marketplace on 14 September 2026 and will move.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the De’Longhi Stilosa good for beginners?

Yes, with a learning curve. The pressurized baskets forgive an imperfect grind, and first-time owners describe good results once grind size and tamping are right.

Does the Stilosa have a boiler or a thermoblock?

De’Longhi’s listing describes a stainless steel boiler. It is small, which is why steaming milk for more than one drink can mean waiting for it to reheat.

What size is the Stilosa portafilter?

Owners measure the filter baskets at about 51mm, smaller than many machines, so a larger tamper will not fit. De’Longhi’s listing does not give the size.

Can you use a non-pressurized basket in the Stilosa?

Owners do, swapping to a non-pressurized basket or a bottomless portafilter for better extraction once their grind is consistent.

How long does the De’Longhi Stilosa last?

Owners report two, three and more than four years of daily use. The failures they report are the plastic control knob, a pump after about a year and a leak above the group head, and the warranty is one year.

Will a tall mug fit under the Stilosa?

Owners say no. Large mugs and tumblers do not fit under the portafilter, so brew into a small cup and pour.

Why is my Stilosa espresso weak?

Owners trace weak or dripping shots to grind size, dose and tamping. One found only 10 grams fit in the double basket, and a long-time owner warns against grinding too fine or packing too tight.

What comes in the box?

The machine, a portafilter with single and double filter baskets, and a combined measuring scoop and tamper. There is no milk jug.