The entry point to Cuisinart's first espresso lineup, launched in 2025. A hidden rear water reservoir keeps the footprint small, and a bottomless portafilter offers visual feedback on extraction, unusual at this price, though it also exposes any puck-prep mistakes more visibly than a spouted basket would.
See the full budget espresso machine comparison for the other machines we cover.
6.4/10
| Boiler | Thermoblock (15-bar pump) |
| Group | Bottomless portafilter |
| Typical MSRP | ~$230 |
| Criterion | Weight | Finding | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso quality & consistency | 35% | Basic 15-bar pump with no grinder, a straightforward but unremarkable extraction ceiling | 6.0 |
| Ease of use | 25% | Bottomless portafilter offers useful feedback but is less forgiving than a standard spouted basket | 6.5 |
| Build & longevity | 20% | Backed by Cuisinart's established small-appliance manufacturing, though this specific line is new as of 2025 | 6.5 |
| Value in tier | 20% | Reasonable for the compact footprint, not a standout on specs alone | 7.0 |
Full methodology and how this compares to the rest of our lineup: full budget espresso machine comparison.
Cuisinart EM-160 — official manufacturer/retailer page. Research-based comparison: built from published manufacturer specifications and publicly available independent reviews and owner feedback, not hands-on lab testing. See our editorial standards for what that means.
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Espresso · Roasting · Business