Lidl takes on Smeg with its own retro-inspired espresso machine – and it’s a fraction of the price

Everyone’s favourite supermarket chain, Lidl is back at it again with a new espresso machine. Exclusively available in Lidl stores, the Silvercrest Espresso Machine takes inspiration from Smeg’s retro-inspired espresso maker, but it’s a fraction of the price.

The middle aisle of Lidl is always a fun place to be – one day, you can buy a stand-up paddle board and the next, you’re looking at weed-killing flame thrower (yes, really!). But during this year’s summer, Lidl has been adding small appliance dupes to its stores.

The best examples of this is the Silvercrest Slushy Maker, similar to the Ninja SLUSHi for frozen drinks, and the Grillmeister Ceramic Barbecue that was inspired by Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe. Now, Lidl is taking on Smeg with its new espresso machines.

The Silvercrest Espresso Machine looks almost identical to the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine. It has a similar range of pastel colours, simple controls, and a built-in milk frother, so it definitely seems that Lidl has taken inspiration from the Italian appliance manufacturer.

The Silvercrest Espresso Machine doesn’t have an integrated bean grinder like most best bean to cup coffee machines have, but it does use a portafilter system to dispense coffee. It has a 15-bar pump pressure to extract flavours from ground coffee, which you add to the portafilter with the 2-in-1 coffee spoon and tamper.

The Silvercrest Espresso Machine has two filter inserts so you can make one or two shots of coffee at a time. It has a 2-in-1 high pressure, swivelling steam nozzle that can froth milk and release hot water. It also comes with a 1-litre removable water tank at the back, and has an automatic switch-off and status light to help save energy.

Compared to the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine which the Silvercrest Espresso Machine is inspired by, the price difference is quite shocking. The former starts at £399.95, but the Silvercrest Espresso Machine which is exclusively in Lidl stores is just £79.99 – or £69.99 if you’re a Lidl Plus Member.