Russell Hobs Brew and Go Coffee Machine Review

Coffee, coffee, coffee, some say it’s what makes the world go round. A huge industry, with millions upon millions of people drinking the stuff every day. The quality and types of coffee vary, from your instant rubbish to a bean to cup, barista-style latte with a sprinkle of chocolate on top. But filter coffee sits somewhere in between and that’s where the Brew & Go comes in. It’s a very affordable, compact coffee machine, that filters coffee grounds in your cup for a tasty brew when on the go.

At just £32.99, I’m not expecting miracles but I am expecting something good enough to give me a tasty perk in the mornings. The coffee machine is fairly compact, it’s lightweight and won’t take up too much space on your kitchen counter (or dare I say it, your desk at work). The coffee machine comes with a pretty sleek stainless steel travel mug and some instructions. The USP for this machine is its built-in timer. A 24hr timer, meaning you can set the timer for a coffee to be ready to go, down to the precise minute in the morning.

Set up was very easy, just plug it in, set the time and you are ready to go. Upon first use, it’s advised you perform a full flush through the machine with clean water. At the top of the machine and under the flimsy cover, is the water reservoir and filter. There is a max line to the rear and a small cut out at the back of the machine above the max line, so if you do fill it up too much, the water will pour out onto your worktop. You are limited to that max level but the idea is to fill the reservoir up with the exact amount of water required based upon the size of your cup. So fill your cup up with water, then pour it in. After that, add some ground coffee, not instant, no beans and this will depend on how strong you want it but they recommend 15-20grams of coffee per cup. Do not fill it up too much as the water will not get through and it will make a mess inside the machine.

That leads me to my next point, the water. It’s heated up and then sprayed on top of the coffee, filtering through into your cup. There is no pressure like a barista style coffee machine, so you have to be patient and leave the water to filter through naturally. Once all the water has been used, the machine will stop by itself. You can then remove the filter and casing around it, empty the coffee grounds and rinse through ready for next time.

The timer is very easy to use, just press and hold the clock button for a few seconds and adjust the time with the H and MIN buttons. Once you select your time, press the clock button again and you’re all set to go. The machine will now make your coffee at the set time. Do not turn off the machine, the time will reset.

If you’re using the provided travel cup, you’ll be fine but when using a cup, I found a fair amount of splashing due to the distance between the cup and the outlet. The drip tray can be lifted slightly but it doesn’t help that much.

The taste of the coffee is irrelevant, that depends on the bean but the coffee that came out was nicely brewed. The coffee was not boiling but hot enough to make you sip that first time you drink. As there is no pressure, the consistency is watery and you do not get that silky crema you get from a barista machine. You cannot make latte art with this, not that I can do that anyway. There is no temperature control, you are stuck with what you’re given.

At this price point, with the free travel mug and timer, it’s a handy little machine for any coffee fans in a rush. It’s better than instant, nowhere near as good as barista but it’s ideal for you to grab and go on those early morning starts. Not to mention it’s far cheaper and quicker than a barista style set up.

For more info, head over to the official Russell Hobbs website. Want to make the perfect Cappuccino? Click here.