I didn’t expect Xiaomi to make an espresso machine – but I wish I’d had it when I was at university

Xiaomi – a brand I didn’t expect to see making coffee machines – has just quietly launched its new espresso maker. At just 14cm wide, the Xiaomi Mijia Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine can fit into the smallest of spaces, and it’s pretty affordable, too.

When I was at university, I survived on a lot of coffee to get me through long nights of studying. I even had a pod coffee machine in my room for late-night caffeine hits, although it took up quite a lot of room as pod makers were a lot chunkier back then – wow, that sounds old.

So, when I saw the new Xiaomi Mijia and how compact it was, it definitely made me wish it had been around when I was in my university room. As mentioned, the Xiaomi Mijia has a 14cm width, making it extremely slim so it can fit into small spaces in your kitchen, on your desk and even in dorms.

Made from stainless steel, the Xiaomi Mijia has a touchscreen for quick and easy controls that make single or double espresso servings. Despite its slim design and simple screen, the Xiaomi Mijia is packed full of coffee-making expertise, including 20 bar pump to extract the full flavour of coffee beans.

While it doesn’t have a built-in grinder, the Xiaomi Mijia uses pre-infusion technology to evenly soak the ground coffee puck within the portafilter to draw out the flavour. It has precise temperature control to make the right strength espresso for each cup without it being too watery or weak.

Despite its lack of bean grinder, the Xiaomi Mijia does have a built-in steam wand, so you can turn your espresso drinks into milky coffees, like lattes and cappuccinos. The steam wand expertly heats and froths milk, and has a flexible design so you can rotate it out and around the coffee machine.

The size of the Xiaomi Mijia isn’t the only thing that’s small either. The new Xiaomi Mijia Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine is extremely budget-friendly and is available to buy for £92.99 at Xiaomi.