The 3700 Essential is Casabrews’ entry-level pump machine, built to fit on a narrow counter at around $129 (Casabrews runs it on sale near $99 fairly often). It’s a genuine 20-bar pump machine rather than a capsule brewer, which puts real espresso within reach at this price — but Tom’s Guide’s testing found the shot quality behind that pump inconsistent from one pull to the next.
A compact machine that measures up
Tom’s Guide measured the unit at 12.6 x 5.7 x 12.5 inches, with a 44-ounce water tank and a thermoblock heating system rather than a boiler, weighing 8.1 pounds. That 5.7in width is genuinely narrow for a pump espresso machine, and it’s the reason this model gets picked for small kitchens where a full-size machine wouldn’t fit. The 20-bar pump rating is a marketing number more than a brewing one — nine bars is the conventional target at the puck, and pump ratings well above that are standard across this price tier — but it does confirm this is a real pump, not a pressurized capsule system.
The basket you use changes the shot
Tom’s Guide found a real difference depending on which portafilter basket was used. With the stock dual-walled pressurized basket, shots came out “strong, a little bitter” and lacking complexity. Swapping in an aftermarket bottomless portafilter produced noticeably better results — more rounded, balanced and sweeter espresso. That’s consistent with how pressurized baskets generally behave: they’re forgiving of grind and dose errors and will pull a shot from underprepared coffee, but they flatten flavor compared to a single-wall basket used correctly. If you want the machine’s actual ceiling, that means buying and learning a bottomless portafilter rather than relying on what’s in the box.
Where consistency breaks down
The bigger issue Tom’s Guide flagged wasn’t flavor but repeatability: “espresso shots from the 3700 Essential proved to be more of a gamble,” with the reviewer noting they couldn’t count on getting the same cup twice in a row. Post-shot dripping was called out specifically as worse than what the reviewer had come to tolerate on other budget machines, including a “portafilter sneeze” — wet grounds scattering when the portafilter is removed too soon. The stated cause is structural: none of the Casabrews machines Tom’s Guide has tested include a three-way solenoid valve, which on pricier machines relieves residual pressure on the puck after the shot ends, and the reviewer found the 3700 Essential suffered from its absence more than other Casabrews models they’d tried.
The steam wand is the bright spot
Both Tom’s Guide and other testers singled out the steam wand as punching above the machine’s price, delivering what Tom’s Guide called silky microfoam despite a single-hole tip that takes more finesse to aim than a multi-hole wand. One quirk worth knowing: after steaming, the machine needs roughly ten seconds of purging or the next shot is blocked.
Before you buy
- Budget for an aftermarket bottomless portafilter if you want better flavor than the stock pressurized basket delivers.
- Expect some dripping and mess after each shot — there’s no three-way solenoid valve to relieve puck pressure.
- Wait for the sale price if you can; Casabrews reportedly discounts it to around $99 fairly often against the $129 list.
- Remember to purge the steam wand for about ten seconds after frothing milk, or the next shot won’t pull.
Specifications and test findings from Tom’s Guide’s review of the Casabrews 3700 Essential. CoffeeLogik has not tested this machine in person.
