Meraki Gen 2 Espresso Machine

Fully automatic machines are primarily for those who prioritize convenience and have no barista background.

Manual setups are for enthusiasts. Beyond the espresso machine itself, a full setup requires a separate grinder, a scale, and a kettle.

Even when each device is compact, laying all of them out on the counter always takes up significant space. On top of that, the workflow between individual devices tends to be disjointed. Users have to manually weigh the coffee before grinding, actively watch the extraction weight, and stop at exactly the right moment. Subjective inconsistencies are entirely normal as a result.

For home users, this process can be said to be a bit complex and difficult to make consistent — which is why this approach has traditionally been reserved for those who are genuinely knowledgeable about coffee.

THE ORIGIN OF THE MERAKI ESPRESSO MACHINE

The Meraki integrates a grinder and two built-in scales to deliver a simpler brewing workflow through automated precision measurement.

Meraki was established to fill the gap between manual espresso machines and fully automatic espresso devices. The goal was to eliminate the complex measuring and weighing steps while retaining the essential elements needed to pull consistent espresso — resulting in a machine that is powerful, approachable, and easy to use.

Users still grind, distribute, tamp, extract, and steam milk themselves. What Meraki does is automate the repetitive measurement parts of the process — controlling coffee dose weight, extraction yield, and milk temperature limit — while still allowing manual intervention at any point with a single tap. Every step flows seamlessly without time lost switching between separate devices.

The result is that Meraki has become the most optimized workflow of any home espresso machine currently available. It makes brewing feel natural, simple, and consistent. The brewing station with Meraki becomes genuinely streamlined — true to the philosophy of “Less is More.”

Watch the video of a full latte in just 1 minute and 8 seconds with the Meraki. Even faster than a Chip Chip instant noodle ad.

A. DESIGN AND BUILD QUALITY OF THE MERAKI ESPRESSO MACHINE

The Meraki divides its body into 4 distinct towers — for grinding, brewing, steaming, and the water reservoir — all linked and controlled through a central circuit board. This layout gives each module its own dedicated space, limiting heat transfer from the two boilers into the grinder and water reservoir, which would otherwise affect flavor. The modular design also makes real-world repairs significantly easier compared to a fully sealed system.

The round touchscreen can be tilted to adjust the viewing angle based on the user’s height. The screen size is comfortably large enough for smooth touch interactions.

Design details of the Meraki espresso machine.

The Meraki’s materials are a fairly well-executed combination of metal and plastic. The brew tower is fully metal while the grinder and steam towers use ABS plastic. Both surfaces are finished in the same color with a similar texture, making them difficult to distinguish at a glance.

Overall, the Meraki feels modern and distinctly different. Compared to other machines currently on the market, this one looks like it came from the future.

THE MERAKI’S TWO INDEPENDENT BOILERS HEAT UP VERY FAST

Having dual boilers has long been one of the primary distinguishing features between mid-range and premium espresso machines. Most of the machines iCup distributes — such as the Lelit Bianca, La Marzocco Micra, La Marzocco Mini R, and Profitec Drive — share this characteristic.

Dual boilers are one of the defining features of the Meraki’s premium positioning.

Each boiler handles its own dedicated function — brew extraction and milk steaming — independently. This means while espresso is being extracted, the user can steam milk simultaneously without any waiting.

The 550ml steam boiler provides enough steam power to handle 4–5 consecutive lattes without any difficulty.

The 350ml stainless steel brew boiler features PID temperature control to the degree. The ability to change water temperature makes the Meraki flexible enough to brew a wide variety of beans at different roast levels.

Different roast levels call for different water temperatures. The Meraki’s integrated PID makes adjusting this setting easy.

Dual boiler machines typically have relatively long warm-up times — the fastest previously was the La Marzocco Micra at around 5 minutes. The Meraki surpasses even that. With both boilers’ relatively small capacity, the machine is ready in approximately 4 minutes — including the steam wand at maximum power.

This makes the Meraki exceptionally well suited for home use. Essentially, you can have coffee whenever the mood strikes.

TWO INTEGRATED SCALES FOR GRIND-BY-WEIGHT AND BREW-BY-WEIGHT

The Meraki integrates two digital scales. One sits beneath the grinder to measure the weight of coffee ground. The other monitors the extracted espresso weight. Both connect to the central operating system and stop automatically when the preset parameters are reached.

• The left scale precisely controls the weight of ground coffee dispensed: Accuracy within ±0.2g.
• The right scale features auto-tare when a cup is placed on it. Extraction weight is displayed in real time and the machine stops the moment the target is reached: Accuracy within ±0.5g.

The Meraki integrates two digital scales, automating the grind and brew process by target weight.

These two scales are the single biggest advantage in handling the complex measurement portion of the workflow. Automation frees users to focus more on preparation technique and extraction quality, making it far easier to reproduce a brew profile consistently.

AUTO-STOPPING STEAM WAND WITH TEMPERATURE SENSOR

One of the main reasons latte and cappuccino quality tends to be inconsistent is milk temperature after steaming.

Milk textured to 55–60°C reaches its naturally sweetest state. At this temperature, the protein structure of the milk remains stable — the foam lasts longer and pours more easily into latte art patterns. If the temperature exceeds 70°C, overheated milk loses its natural sweetness and takes on a scalded flavor.

Professional espresso machines demand professional users. Sensing milk temperature by feeling the outside of the pitcher is a subjective skill that takes a lot of practice. Not everyone has the time to develop that as a barista would.

Meraki solves this with an auto-stopping steam wand with a built-in temperature sensor.

Simply set the target temperature (adjustable from 45 to 65°C) and the steam wand stops automatically. Milk will always be at its optimal temperature regardless of whether the user is an expert or a beginner. Interestingly, experimenting with ±1°C adjustments in milk temperature reflects immediately in quality — making it easy for users to find their preferred setting after just a few tries.

Beyond manually holding the milk pitcher to steam, the hands-free steaming mode also works quite well: simply place the pitcher on the base, submerge the steam tip into the milk, and press the button on the screen. The entire steaming process takes approximately 20–25 seconds and produces smooth microfoam. The silkiness of the milk can be adjusted through steam tip positioning, milk volume, and steam power level.

The long steam wand rotates freely across multiple angles. Meraki offers 4 steam power levels to suit different skill levels: Gentle → Mild → Medium → Strong. Beginners should start at Mild before moving to higher settings.

Note: The temperature sensor does not automatically create smooth microfoam. Users still need to practice the swirling and blending technique to achieve the fine, glossy texture required for quality milk drinks.

THE COFFEE GRINDER CO-DEVELOPED BY TIMEMORE FOR THE MERAKI

Timemore is a brand with a very broad ecosystem focused on manual coffee brewing equipment. Their experience in coffee grinder design in particular is extensive — nearly 15 years of it. Several Timemore grinders are highly regarded on the market, including the Sculptor 078, 078S, 064, 064S, Timemore Bricks 01S, and the S3, C5, and C5ESP hand grinders.

Before the collaboration, Meraki attempted to develop their own grinder in-house. They quickly realized it was far more complex than anticipated — and eventually reached out to Timemore to plan a partnership.

Timemore’s manufacturing experience, deep technical expertise, and precision particle analysis laboratory using the Sympatec Helos instrument significantly shortened the product development timeline. The Meraki currently uses a 5-sided 38mm conical burr with stepless grind adjustment and 45 positions displayed on screen.

Timemore co-developed and manufactured the integrated grinder for the Meraki.

Compared to the Gen 1 with 30 adjustment steps, the Gen 2 grinder is a meaningful improvement. Using the same coffee, setting 12 on Gen 1 produces results equivalent to setting 16 on Gen 2 — creating a significantly wider adjustment range for light roasts compared to the previous generation.

The grinder features an integrated plasma generator for anti-static, anti-clumping performance, so ground coffee can be used immediately without needing redistribution.

Ground coffee exits evenly distributed — no WDT redistribution needed before tamping.

The grinder hopper holds approximately 100g of whole beans — enough for a day’s use.

ROTARY PUMP — DURABLE AND LONG-LASTING

Rotary pumps are typically found only in premium espresso machines. This type of pump offers three clear advantages over standard vibration pump machines:

1. Quiet operation: Minimal noise impact on those nearby.
2. Stable pressure: Coffee tends to flow into the cup smoothly and evenly.
3. Long lifespan: A rotary pump can run for up to 20,000 continuous hours without maintenance. When failure does occur, the most common cause is mineral buildup from hard water burning out the pump.

The rotary pump on the Meraki offers a long lifespan and consistently stable extraction pressure.

B. SELECTED FEATURES OF THE MERAKI ESPRESSO MACHINE

LOW-PRESSURE PRE-INFUSION

Pre-infusion duration is adjustable from 5–15 seconds at 3–4 bar. This mode can be toggled on or off as needed. For medium to dark roast coffees, it can be skipped entirely.

DAILY SCHEDULED STARTUP

The machine can be scheduled to start on any day of the week, with different times set for weekdays and weekends.

AUTOMATIC BACKFLUSH CLEANING MODE

Instead of manually toggling through steps, the Meraki has a dedicated backflush cleaning mode. Simply add cleaning powder to the blind basket, lock the portafilter into the group head, and activate the mode — the machine handles the rest. The on-screen cleaning guide provides clear visual step-by-step instructions.

ACTIVE GROUP HEAD HEATING

The 350ml brew boiler can experience heat loss during continuous extraction, so the Meraki adds an active heating element inside the group head managed through the screen.
Users can set the group head temperature between 30–70°C. This feature helps the Meraki quickly warm the portafilter locked in the group head and maintain consistent water temperature across consecutive shots.

HOT WATER SPOUT

A small spout beneath the brew group delivers hot water for Americano preparation.

OVER-THE-AIR SOFTWARE UPDATES

The machine auto-updates via Wi-Fi to improve and add features over time.

C. KEY UPGRADES IN MERAKI GEN 2 VS GEN 1

REDESIGNED SHOWER SCREEN

The new shower screen distributes water more evenly across the full surface of the coffee puck, reducing channeling and improving extraction uniformity.

The Gen 2 shower screen is a significant improvement over Gen 1.

E61-COMPATIBLE GROUP HEAD

The first generation of the Meraki used a 58mm portafilter with a proprietary locking design — incompatible with third-party accessories from other brands. This limited Meraki users in their ability to personalize their setup.

The Gen 2 has transitioned to a fully E61-compatible group head. Third-party E61 portafilters can now be used perfectly on the Meraki.

Many different E61 portafilters can now be fitted to the Meraki Gen 2 group head.

This is a smart move by the brand — because in practice, Meraki’s customers are experienced users. Many are already using other E61 machines and want to transition to the Meraki without having to part with their familiar portafilters and accessories.

C. WHAT THE MERAKI CAN AND CANNOT DO

The Meraki is responsible for measurement. The user is responsible for technique.

When all is said and done, how would a machine know whether extraction is too fast or too slow; whether the grind is too fine or too coarse; whether the water ratio is right; which temperature is appropriate; whether the milk foam is too fine or too dense; what the numbers on the screen actually mean and how to adjust them to meet expectations?

The Meraki only provides precise measurement tools and guidance to make the brewing process easier and more consistent. Everything else depends on the user.

So there is no simple answer to “does the Meraki make good coffee?” It makes consistent coffee — meaning it can be consistently great or consistently mediocre, depending on the person behind it.

That said, in practice, it is genuinely hard to pull a bad shot on this machine. With this level of support baked in, if a cup still comes out poorly… maybe it’s time to reconsider the coffee itself.

SOLUTIONS FOR BREWING MULTIPLE COFFEE VARIETIES ON THE MERAKI

The Meraki’s design is highly optimized for someone who sticks to one type of bean. So what if you want to brew a variety? Does every bean change mean cleaning out the grinder? That sounds wasteful and tedious.

The most effective solution is to use a second grinder capable of single-dose grinding — such as the Timemore Sculptor 078S or the Millab M01 hand grinder (for less frequent bean changes). Use the Meraki’s integrated scale as a standalone scale, weigh out the required dose, and grind with the second grinder.

The rest of the workflow stays exactly the same — but the coffee can be completely different.

IMPORTANT — WHO IS THE MERAKI FOR?

The Meraki targets experienced machine users who want a more seamless and consistent experience. Still leveraging the skill and knowledge they already have — but freed from the process of measuring every drop of water and counting every gram of coffee.

How refreshing is that idea! Where else can you find a single machine sitting on your counter that can do all of that at once?

Only the Meraki.

DRAWBACKS OF THE MERAKI ESPRESSO MACHINE

Having evolved from prototype → Gen 1 → Gen 2, the Meraki has become considerably more refined. That said, nothing is truly perfect. The Meraki still has a few small shortcomings that deserve acknowledgment or future improvement:

• No pressure gauge: This means there is no way to monitor extraction pressure acting on the coffee in real time. Reproducing a shot relies entirely on time and yield — not pressure data.
• More plastic than expected for the price: The machine is very solid, but plastic always creates a feeling slightly at odds with the price point.
• No cup warming tray: On most espresso machines, the top surface — a natural heat escape from the boiler — is used to warm cups before use. The Meraki has no suitable surface for this. The workaround is to use the integrated hot water spout to rinse cups before brewing.
• Flow control paddle present but not connected to water flow control: The most important missing feature that would make the Meraki the undisputed best home machine in its price range.
• Narrow gaps between the three towers are difficult to clean: Coffee grounds, water, and milk splatter easily accumulate in these crevices over time, but getting a hand in there is quite difficult. Regular cleaning with cotton swabs and a small brush is recommended.
• Multi-layer drip tray accumulates milk and coffee residue easily: The tray has many layers, gaps, and small holes where grounds and milk stick stubbornly. A brush and running water under a tap are needed to clean it properly.
• Loose water reservoir lid: While it doesn’t affect operation, it does affect the feel of daily use.
• Grind size display has a small offset: The number shown on screen has approximately ±1 unit of discrepancy relative to the actual mechanical position. This doesn’t affect use but reflects a minor synchronization gap.
• No detailed information available on the burrs: The 38mm conical burr co-developed by Timemore for the Meraki has no known retail replacement availability yet. Understandable given how recently the machine launched — this issue hasn’t arisen in practice yet.
• Long-term repairability and durability not yet fully proven: The machine’s interior is fairly dense with multiple high-pressure PTFE tubes. Meraki is still a relatively new brand, so real-world data on long-term durability and spare parts availability is limited. That said, the fact that early prototypes and first commercial units are all still running well is a positive sign.
• Gen 2.0 supports 9 languages — but NOT Vietnamese: To be fair, very few espresso machines include Vietnamese in their operating system. Still, if you’ve gone that far, adding one more language isn’t exactly difficult. This also suggests Vietnam is not yet a primary target market for Meraki — ha.
• Hot water spout temperature cannot be adjusted: This means Americanos drawn directly from the spout will be too hot to drink immediately. Whether future firmware updates will address this remains to be seen.
• No screen customization or personalization: At 55 million VND and the display is locked to one fixed orange color scheme — that’s genuinely a little disappointing. Adding this feature would cost very little to implement and would make a difference.
• The Coffeesense NFC feature is not useful in the Vietnamese market: This feature auto-configures and suggests brew profiles based on NFC tags embedded in coffee packaging from partner roasters. The problem is that no Vietnamese roasters are linked to Meraki’s NFC program, and the international roasters who are participating are difficult to find or purchase from locally.

USAGE NOTES FOR THE MERAKI ESPRESSO MACHINE

• Use filtered water: Optimal TDS is 50–100ppm. Using unfiltered tap water not only affects flavor but can cause mineral buildup that blocks the internal plumbing.
• Do not activate the grinder while using the steam wand: The Meraki cuts steam when the grinder runs to maintain overall stability. This is a built-in safety feature, not a manufacturing defect.
• The bean hopper is optimized for one bean type per session: Switching coffees requires removing the hopper, purging, and grinding out all remaining beans. Plan your daily dose accordingly rather than filling the hopper fully — stale coffee left overnight affects quality.
• Consider adding a flat burr grinder for light roast coffees: The included conical burr grinder is well suited for medium to dark roasts. For specialty light roasts, a flat burr grinder like the Sculptor 078S or Eureka Pisa 65 will unlock more of the coffee’s potential.
• Wipe and purge the steam wand immediately after use: The Meraki’s steam tip is relatively large and accumulates milk residue easily. Not cleaning it right away will affect the flavor of the next drink.
• Using the manual lever puts the Meraki in fully manual extraction mode: In this mode, extraction yield and milk temperature are no longer automatically controlled. To maintain precise dosing and temperature settings, use the touchscreen interface.
• The Meraki supports scheduled startup: Set the machine to turn on at a specific time each day of the week based on your actual routine.
• The finish materials on the Meraki look uniform but are actually different: The grinder tower and steam tower use ABS plastic bodies. The brew tower and group head assembly are metal. The knobs are also metal. The plastic is well-machined and color-matched closely enough to the metal parts to be nearly indistinguishable at a glance.

BASIC USAGE GUIDE FOR THE MERAKI

HOW TO DIAL IN GRIND SIZE ON THE MERAKI

CLEANING GUIDE FOR THE MERAKI ESPRESSO MACHINE

MERAKI ESPRESSO MACHINE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Brand: Meraki
• Dimensions: Width 370 x Depth 370 x Height 415mm
• Machine weight: 14.5kg
• 58mm group head with E61-compatible portafilter and independent temperature control
• Material: Stainless steel
• Voltage / Power: 220V / 1,800W
• Quiet rotary pump with long lifespan
• Brew boiler: 350ml
• Steam boiler: 550ml
• Bean hopper capacity: 100g
• Water reservoir: 2,000ml
• Conical burrs: 38mm
• Grind adjustment: 45 steps
• Made in China
• Warranty: 24 months

MERAKI ESPRESSO MACHINE PACKAGE INCLUDES

This is one of the rare espresso machines where unboxing doesn’t require bending over and dragging a heavy machine out of the box. More than a few bad backs — including iCup’s admin — will be very grateful for that.

• 1 x Meraki espresso machine
• 1 x Wooden accessory stand
• 1 x Portafilter with removable dual spout
• 1 x Steel tamper
• 1 x OCD distribution tool
• 1 x Dosing cup
• 1 x Stainless steel milk pitcher
• 1 x Cleaning brush
• 1 x Soft cloth

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