One look at the Starbucks Sirena espresso machine and you'll fall in love - It's a very sleek, BMW-designed addition to your counter top. Sirena is really a winner when it comes to showmanship. I've seen espresso machines that cost twice as much that look junky in comparison, so if you're out for an impressive piece of machinery this is it.
Don't worry, I'm not trying to make up for its coffee-brewing short-comings by telling you about how great it looks. For my test-run with Sirena, I made a latte.
The first few minutes with the Starbucks Sirena, however, are a waiting game. It does take some time to heat up, but I don't think it was more than a minute before I could start brewing, and then a few seconds more to use the steam wand. The steam wand worked well and heated the milk much faster than I anticipated. If you've never frothed milk before, this steam wand has a little more power than most at-home espresso machines, but nothing too powerful.
You may want to consult with someone who has steamed milk before using it. The good news is, if you're buying it from a Starbucks, the employees would be happy to help you get it figured out.I proceeded to steam the milk and it turned out creamy smooth with a great foam top. Perfect!
The shots are really where it's at, and I was really impressed by the crema that came out of the machine. The espresso rolled out of Sirena a light golden brown - delicious! Almost the perfect shot - and from a relatively low-priced machine. It tasted perfect as well.
Overall, Sirena makes a great latte that's consistently delicious. It's also pretty easy to clean, so no worries there. And if you use it and decide that you don't like it after all, Starbucks does have a no hassle return policy.
For more information about the Starbucks Sirena Espresso machine, please visit my blog below.
Starbucks Sirena Review - A Sleek Espresso Machine