HiBREW H16 Review: Advanced Automatic Coffee and Cappuccino Maker

Automatic coffee machines are an excellent way to enjoy a barista-style espresso at home. These machines, equipped with a built-in grinder, can also prepare excellent cappuccinos and other beverages. Fully automatic and easy to use, simply add water and coffee beans to the appropriate containers and press the start button.

Today's subject of our review is the H16 from Hibrew, an award-winning company that boasts a wide range of coffee machines and grinders. The H16 is a complete and advanced automatic coffee and cappuccino machine, featuring a modern design and a fully touch-screen interface.

Let's analyze in detail all the features and performances of the Hibrew H16.

Design and technical features

The Hibrew H16 features a decidedly modern and refined design. Starting with the all-plastic body, matte gray on the sides and glossy black on the top.

Machine developed in length, with dimensions equal to approximately 440 x 320 x 190 mm, with a weight of 8.65 kg.

We continue with the narrow front where we find the small plastic drip tray, which attaches magnetically to the machine and has a removable stainless steel lid. The dispensing system, external to the machine and adjustable in height up to 10 cm, is also carefully designed. It features a dual coffee outlet and separate nozzles for milk and steam. The latter are made of rubber and removable for easy cleaning under running water.

We continue with the separate milk container on the left side. This practical solution allows you to store the container in the refrigerator when not in use. Made of transparent plastic, it has a 1-liter capacity, comes with a lid, and connects to the machine via a rubber tube. This tube can be attached to the lid when not in use.

The front is also dominated by the large, slightly angled 4.3-inch LCD touchscreen display with adjustable brightness.

Immediately behind the screen is the lid that protects the coffee bean container (holding up to 180g) and the grinder, which can be adjusted to 16 different positions via a large integrated knob. Removing the knob provides access to the grinding system for easy maintenance. The Hibrew H16 uses a 38mm stainless steel grinding system, which is superior to ceramic models. Furthermore, the conical grinding chamber minimizes heat buildup and prevents clogging, preserving the coffee's natural aroma.

Let's move on to the rear area dedicated to the removable, not very large, 1.5 L water container, with integrated lid.

Once the cover on the right side is removed, you can access the brewing unit, the heart of the machine. This system receives the ground coffee, compresses it, and mixes it with hot water. 

The entire brewing group can be easily removed from the H16 and washed under running water. Underneath the brewing group is the easily removable, generously sized coffee grounds container.

Finally, we would like to mention the water pre-injection system, for better coffee extraction at 20 Bar, and the separate boiler for producing steam, intended for the milk, which allows for faster heating.

The Hibrew H16 can be controlled entirely via the large touchscreen display. The interface, unfortunately, is in English. It allows you to prepare espresso, double espresso, latte macchiato, cappuccino, Americano, milk froth, and hot water for tea or herbal teas.

Customization options are very limited; the user can only adjust the amount of coffee and milk dispensed, from 40 to 80 ml and 40 to 100 ml, respectively. It's a shame there's no advanced settings, such as coffee brewing temperature or milk temperature and consistency.

Interface with large virtual buttons, also embellished with photos, videos and animations that accompany the preparation of drinks, maintenance operations (which we will analyse later) and error messages.

User experience and price

Overall, our assessment of the Hibrew H16 is positive, but there's one important factor to consider before purchasing. Unfortunately, the HiBrew 16 isn't calibrated for Italian tastes and brews an excessive amount of espresso. In the settings menu, you can't go below 40 ml (the perfect amount of espresso per cup is 25 ml). In practice, it brews almost two cups at a time when selecting the "single espresso" mode, with about 16 g of ground coffee (the ideal amount is about 7-8 g). The espresso quality is still good, obviously after carefully adjusting the grind and choosing a high-end blend. The coffee has the right electronically controlled extraction temperature, a dense, hazelnut-colored crema, an intense aroma, and a balanced, rounded flavor.

The cappuccino quality is very good, with the standard setting already providing a good balance between coffee and milk. The foam is also good, abundant and very firm. The temperature is also good, hot but not scalding. Finally, the latte macchiato and Americano coffee are excellent.

Let's not forget the short heating and preparation times for the various drinks and the fairly low noise.

The build quality is excellent, with a positive assessment also being made of the easy maintenance, both automatic and manual, of the various easily removable parts. First and foremost, the coffee spout is automatically and obligatorily cleaned with hot water when the machine is started and shut down. Furthermore, the spout and suction duct are recommended to be automatically cleaned after each use of milk. The only negative is the brewing group, which will need to be cleaned frequently, after every eight uses of the machine. The milk spout, however, should be washed once a week. Furthermore, the user interface offers various maintenance options, such as automatic cleaning, descaling, and cleaning the coffee handle.

The interface gets an excellent rating: fast, clear, and easy to use. It's also worth noting its energy consumption, which is 1,350W. Finally, the package includes a manual, poorly translated into Italian, a small brush for cleaning the machine, and two replacement nozzles.

We conclude with the price of the Hibrew H16, which can be purchased on offer on the company's website for around 501 euros (list price of 629 euros).

--
Hibrew H16 Automatic Coffee Machine: Review, Features, and Price
https://www.today.it/tech/recensioni/macchina-caffe-hibrew-h16.html
© Today