FrancisFrancis! X 5

76 reviews

Dec, 2024

Positive
usability (56)
design (46)
reliability (32)
price (24)
performance (12)

Negative
capacity (2)

General overview
Price comparison

alaTest has collected and analyzed 76 reviews of FrancisFrancis! X 5. The average rating for this product is 3.6/5, compared to an average rating of 4.0/5 for other products in the same category for all reviews. People are impressed by the performance and price. The reliability and design are also mentioned favorably. Some have doubts about the capacity, and there are some mixed reviews about the noise.

usability, design, reliability, price, performance

capacity

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other products in the same category the FrancisFrancis! X 5 is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 73/100 = Good quality.

Review analysis

(Based on 76 reviews)

User Reviews

Review Ratings

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Showing 1 - 57 of 76 Show Reviews: in English

Consumer review (amazon.com)

Amazon.com review summary for FrancisFrancis! X 5

alaTest has collected and analyzed 47 user reviews of FrancisFrancis! X 5 from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 3.4/5, compared to an average user rating of 3.8/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.com. Reviewers are impressed by the performance and design. The usability and reliability also get good views, whereas many are critical about the capacity. Comments are divided on the noise.

price, reliability, usability, design, performance

capacity

72% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

Dec, 2024

Consumer review (coffeegeek.com)

Great Coffee if you use Great Coffee

The machine is quite well build and well designed. It is heavy, easy to clean, hard to scratch, and attractive. I have had absolutely no problem with the clock, contrary to some others' experiences, and it functions quite well for timing shots. I am...

Well-built, reliable, easy-to-clean, fairly easy-to-operate ; Makes excellent espresso with the right coffee and grind ; Can make pourable microfoam with a bit of care and practice ; Attractive (and despite some comments to the contrary, I find the...

Finicky. I find that I get quite excellent results with George Howell coffee, ground at somewhere around 2 on my Virtuoso but that is about it ; Almost too slow for company ; Warming tray lacks oomph ; Just a bit difficult to refill the water

Dec, 2008

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Consumer review (epinions.com)

Beauty and the Beast:: Not a Good Buy

Style definitely made it tough to resist this machine, but we would have been far better off had we resisted, and I hope you definitely do. This gorgeous machine is a rip-off. Save yourself a whole latte trouble and get a good, solid Gaggia for your...

Gorgeous! Makes delicious coffee while it lasts

Poorly engineered. Boiler fails. East Coast repair center and no replacement parts sold. Unethical

Sep, 2008

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Consumer review (coffeegeek.com)

Francis Francis is espresso espresso.

Francis Francis' repair center has alot to be desired. After only 3 months of owning the machine, it started spitting out tepid espresso and the wand stopped working. Thermostat? I contacted Aarabee who provided Francis' service center # in Buffalo...

Francis Francis X5 Red's finer points include: easy to operate, easy to clean, cool to look at, delish espresso, heating wand ideal temp. I get great crema from this machine

ESE - easy serving espresso option - aka PODS.....no thanks....someone new at espresso would probably like/be intrigued ; No explanation in instructions how to clean the frothing wand properly. Seemed like there should be an easier way ; Warming plate...

Aug, 2008

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Consumer review (coffeegeek.com)

The X5 is a solid, stylish machine that is well built and pulls fantastic shots when coupled with a nice grinder and fresh roasted coffee.

I love this machine! I have been using Rancilio's Rocky grinder with the X5 and it makes great shots once you dial in to a blend. The crema I am able to get is abundant with fresh roasted coffee (Intelligentsia's Black Cat and Counter Culture's...

Brass Boiler makes the shots nice and hot ; It looks great ; The steam wand makes nice microfoam ; Coupled with a nice grinder and better tamper it makes great shots ; You can time your shots with the clock

Clock is plastic ; Water drips from wand and brew head slightly ; Single filter often gets stuck in brew head until you jiggle it out ; Plastic tamper included is not good enough

Oct, 2007

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Consumer review (coffeegeek.com)

Good product, reccomended if you love coffee. Stylish.

Excellent product except for shorter when you need to accomodate cups. I make expresso and macciato my opinion taste better than Starbucks when I use good quality ESE Pods. Highly reccomended. I got this new as a bargain price of $ 200.

Been using this for about 1 year, so far awsome. Make excellent expresso when uses ESE Pods

Need to be taller in order to fit cups. Need a larger steamer

Aug, 2007

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Consumer review (epinions.com)

Francis X5 so-so

For it's price the X5 lacks in a number of areas. One can only make a 2 oz. shot, anything over that will be bitter. If you want more than a 2 oz. shot you have to wait a bit and then remove the portafilter, re-fill it and pull another shot. Meanwhile ...

good foam, fairly good coffee

Poorly designed, too much fuss per cup.Not worth the money

Jul, 2007

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Consumer review (coffeegeek.com)

pretty to some but looks can be deceiving

I tried three of these through Illy offer.

Fair to high quality steaming ; ease of use ; cost

poor crema

May, 2007

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Consumer review (coffeegeek.com)

I've never drank more espresso, nor have I been happier with a machine

I got the machine through the Illy deal, so I consider it to be a $200-300 machine with an obligation to buy a bunch of Illy coffee. With that in mind I'm very happy with the machine, though I'm not so sure this would have been the best choice for...

Mar, 2007

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Consumer review (epinions.com)

Beautiful Little Durability Problem, but when it works.

I purchased a X5 about 2 years ago, primarily because the striking design. It doesn’t take an interior decorator to recognize that the Fransis Fransis Company has put time and money into the design of their espresso machines. Unlike other machines ...

Beautiful design, brass boiler, all metal housing

Duribility, plastic buttons

Jan, 2007

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Consumer review (epinions.com)