By: The Caffeinated Gear Team
A comprehensive review of the Morphy Richards Accents espresso machine, comparing its performance against the professional-grade Gaggia Classic espresso machine.
Our testing journey with the Morphy Richards Accents began during a delightful holiday in Cornwall’s charming St Agnes. Finding an espresso machine in our rental cottage was an unexpected treat – a welcome change from our usual holiday coffee routine.
Typically, we pack our trusty Smart grinder pro and rely on manual brewing methods, venturing out to local gems like Sorting Office St Agnes and breakers beach cafe for our espresso fix.
The machine we discovered was the Morphy Richards Accents – an entry-level espresso maker that caught our interest. While it’s not a professional-grade machine, its presence offered us a brilliant opportunity to evaluate a popular home coffee maker.
We were particularly keen to test this model, as it features in our guide to best cheap espresso machines 2017. Until now, we’d only analysed its specifications and user reviews without hands-on experience.
At first glance, comparing an £80 Accents machine with the £429 Gaggia Classic might seem peculiar. However, our aim isn’t a direct comparison – instead, we’re using these machines to illustrate the key differences between consumer and prosumer espresso makers.
The Gaggia Classic represents the entry point into prosumer territory, while the Accents exemplifies what’s available in the consumer market. This comparison helps highlight which machine might suit different coffee enthusiasts.
We’ve identified two distinct groups of espresso machine buyers: everyday coffee drinkers and dedicated home baristas.
Consumer machines like the Accents target casual coffee drinkers seeking convenience and value. Prosumer machines, often manufactured by commercial espresso machine makers, cater to passionate home baristas willing to invest in their coffee journey.
Our week with the Accents helped crystallise the distinction between these categories. We discovered that the Accents excels at what it’s designed for – serving everyday coffee drinkers who want a reliable espresso maker without the complexity of professional equipment.
The Accents impresses with its sleek design and practical footprint. Its generous 1.25L water tank surpasses many competitors in its price range, featuring straightforward removal and replacement.
The machine comes fitted with a Panarello steam wand – standard for this price point. While removable, it lacks the modification potential of older Classic models, though we should note that even recent Classic versions may have similar limitations.
The portafilter appears compact and lightweight compared to professional models. It uses pressurised baskets for both single and double shots – a design choice that actually benefits users of pre-ground coffee or ESE pods.
These pressurised baskets can enhance results with supermarket coffee, though they might limit the potential of freshly ground speciality beans. One minor gripe involves the basket retention clip – you’ll need to remember to flip it before knocking out used grounds, or you’ll find yourself fishing a hot basket out of your knock box.
The ready indicator lights up quickly – within minutes. However, our testing revealed better results after allowing 15-20 minutes of warming time, similar to our practice with the Classic.
From our dual perspective as coffee professionals, the Accents produces results that we’d categorise in two ways:
For everyday coffee drinkers, it makes very good coffee that will satisfy most palates. From a professional standpoint, it creates a decent espresso-style drink – comparable to what you might achieve with an Aeropress.
The resulting brew lacks some depth compared to the Classic, and produces minimal crema. However, this perfectly illustrates the machine’s target market – when we served a cappuccino to a visiting friend who typically drinks instant coffee, they were so impressed they immediately asked about purchasing one.
This reaction perfectly encapsulates who this machine serves best: coffee drinkers who view their daily cup as a pleasant beverage rather than a craft to perfect. While home baristas invest considerable time and resources in pursuit of the perfect shot, casual coffee drinkers often seek reliable results without the complexity – and the Accents delivers exactly that.
The machine includes a Panarello steam wand, which consists of a plastic sleeve fitted over the steam pipe with side vents. While we understand why manufacturers include these wands for home users—they simplify the milk frothing process—our testing revealed both advantages and limitations.
In our extensive trials, we found that Panarello wands primarily create larger bubbles in the milk. This works perfectly well if you’re after that classic cappuccino foam that sits proudly atop your drink. However, if you’re keen to experiment with latte art, you’ll find these bubbles far too large for creating those intricate designs.
We discovered you can remove the Panarello attachment quite easily, which immediately improved our results. Using our trusted Espro Torid 2 milk jug, we achieved significantly better texture, though still not quite perfect microfoam. Mind you, this reminded us of our early days with the classic machine—it took substantial practice to master the technique, even after upgrading to the Rancilio Silvia pro wand.
Most casual coffee drinkers approach their first espresso machine purchase differently from enthusiasts. They’ll likely use pre-ground coffee from supermarkets or ESE pods rather than investing in a grinder straightaway.
Even when considering a grinder, someone spending around £80 on an espresso machine probably won’t splash out hundreds more on grinding equipment. They might pick up one of those blade-based devices marketed as ‘grinders’—though we’ve always wondered how chopping beans with a blade counts as grinding!
For coffee newcomers who simply want their daily caffeine fix without diving deep into the world of home brewing, this machine hits the sweet spot. Our testing showed it consistently produces coffee that will satisfy most casual users.
Coffee enthusiasts, however, approach their equipment choices differently. They’re not just buying an appliance—they’re investing in a hobby. They research extensively, understanding the crucial role of quality grinders, seek out freshly roasted beans, and aim for perfect microfoam rather than basic froth.
For everyday coffee drinkers seeking reliable espresso without the complexity, this machine offers brilliant value at its current Amazon price of around £100.
From our perspective, the Gaggia Classic stands as the gateway to prosumer espresso machines, with the Rancilio Silvia following closely at roughly £100-£150 more expensive. Beyond these, prices climb dramatically.
While some coffee perfectionists might dismiss these entry-level machines, our hands-on experience tells a different story. Yes, you’ll notice differences between the Gaggia Classic (RRP around £300) and a £2,000 La Spaziale S1, but these differences don’t disqualify the Classic as a serious home barista tool.
We’ve pulled countless outstanding shots with the Classic. Sure, we occasionally miss the mark, but that happens with premium machines too—rather like parking a Lamborghini Aventador doesn’t guarantee scratch-free alloys!
The Classic’s reliability impresses us constantly. Our test unit, now 14 years old, has needed just £8 worth of maintenance over 18 months—£3 for a new shower head and £5 for a fresh group head seal.
With the Rancilio Silvia steam wand fitted, we consistently achieve silky microfoam. These capabilities firmly establish the Classic as a genuine prosumer espresso machine.
It lacks certain premium features—no PID controller or E61 group head—but these aren’t deal-breakers. The fundamentals remain rock-solid: excellent espresso extraction and proper milk steaming. Everything else falls into the ‘nice-to-have’ category.
Would we love a La Spaziale S1 or similar high-end machine? Absolutely. The consistent shot quality and powerful dual boiler system that lets you pull shots while steaming would be brilliant. But we’re thoroughly content with the Classic’s capabilities.
For aspiring home baristas on a budget, consider this: our current setup includes a second-hand Gaggia Classic (£100) upgraded with a Rancilio Silvia steam wand (£12), paired with the Sage smart grinder pro. The grinder typically costs £199, though Amazon occasionally offers deals around £150 (check the current Amazon UK price here). Total investment: £250-£300.
Caffeinatedgear.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.co.uk.
© 2025 Caffeinated Gear.