- Ducati’s new coffee machine celebrates “100 years of Italian engineering”
- The machine accepts Nespresso capsules and is manufactured by a Swiss company.
- It’s available to pre-order now for approximately $2,000 / £1,500 / AU$2,800
To commemorate its centenary, motorcycle brand Ducati launched a premium espresso machine adorned with dials and insignia. At first glance it’s a fun novelty, but one that makes sense (Italy is the home of espresso, after all), but the closer you look, the stranger it becomes.
Firstly, despite its size and weight, the Ducati Barista M3 1926 Limited Edition Carbon Fiber (as it is conspicuously called) is neither a manual nor a super-automatic espresso machine. It doesn’t use fresh beans at all. Instead, use Nespresso Original capsules. They can be fine if you choose the right ones, but they are not the typical choice of coffee connoisseurs.
Secondly, the company that Ducati has commissioned to “celebrate 100 years of Italian engineering” is not Italian at all. Cuisine Barista (which specializes in premium Nespresso machines) is Swiss.
Another thing I find strange is the claim that the M 1926 has the “world’s first integrated milk frother,” which can “lift your lattes and cappuccinos with perfectly foamed milk right into the cup that comes with your machine.” Maybe Cuisine Barista’s system works differently, but the Lavazza Assoluta I tested last year also steams and froths milk directly into a special cup.
Look
In a YouTube video marking the launch, Cuisine Barista proudly proclaims that “Ducati’s Barista M3 1926 Limited Edition Carbon Fiber is the world’s only true carbon fiber pod coffee machine,” which is so specific it’s almost certainly true.
However, it has some attractive features, including a PID controller to maintain the ideal water temperature, a descaling alarm, and a warm-up time of just seven seconds.
Start your engine
This is not the first time I have seen a motorcycle brand launch a coffee maker. Last year, BMW launched an espresso machine built around an R 18 Big Boxer motorcycle engine. It looked downright strange, but beneath the surface was a properly specced coffee maker, with dual boilers (one for coffee and one for steam) and a pressure dial for each, professional-grade steam and hot water valves, and a shot counter so you can see when it’s time to wash the brew group to remove any residue.
It’s something that could happily and usefully sit on the counter of a small, very expensive cafe, if the owner had €7,900 (about $9,100 / £6,900 / AU$14,000) burning a hole in the pocket of his leather pants.
Compared to the Big Boxer, the Ducati Barista M3 1926 Limited Edition Carbon Fiber is downright affordable, priced at CHF1,599, which is equivalent to around $2,000 / £1,500 / AU$2,800. Tempted? You can pre-order one now (in white, red or black) for a deposit of around $130 / £100 / AU$190 for October delivery.
Alternatively, take a look at our roundup of the best Nespresso machines to find more modestly priced options.
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