The full story
By the Espresso Rated editors · Published Nov 13, 2026
The Synchronika is ECM's large dual boiler: a lever-operated group, a rotary pump, adjustable temperatures and a lot of polished stainless steel. The praise centers on the espresso, the milk and the way it is built. The complaints are about warm-up time, size, price and a few small parts that work loose over the years.
Steady, tunable shots, with flow control that is not always in the box9.4/10
The espresso is the Synchronika's strongest suit, praised almost without exception. The temperature of each boiler can be changed from the display, and Bens Coffee Rants could taste the difference shot to shot after a small adjustment. Jeremy Vinny credits his best shots to being able to fine-tune every part of the brew.1
Temperature holds steady through the shot, and the gauge on the group lets you watch the pressure as you pull. The lever does real work too, easing the pressure in at the start. Whole Latte Love, a retailer that sells it, is candid that none of this puts it ahead of its technical peers in the cup.
“there’s no reason why the Synchronika would produce a better espresso. But it will look better doing it.”
The caveats come from kaffeemacher.de's measurements. Consistency during the draw is high, but short warm-ups and rapid back-to-back shots produce what it calls "outlier espressos", and the machine drifts warmer when pulled in quick succession.2 Flow control is the other thing to check: Jeremy Vinny's machine had it, while Bella Barista says of its version "it doesn't have a flow valve as stock".3
Silky milk at an unhurried roll, from a wand that tapers off and drips8.6/10
Milk steaming is widely liked. The steam boiler has the power to set the whole jug spinning, yet it does not heat the milk so fast that you lose control of the texture. Artisti Coffee Roasters put the result plainly: "sexy, silky milk".4
The wand is angled, fully articulated and insulated inside, so it is easy to place and to wipe. Bens Coffee Rants found he could set the jug down and let the wand do the work.
It is strong, not the fastest. ECS Coffee found it took a little longer than a La Marzocco side by side.5 The steam also tapers off gradually after you close the valve, and the wand can drip, so park it over the tray.6
Steel made to outlast its buyer, with loose screws and a brittle fitting on record7.5/10
The build is widely liked, and the materials are the reason. The chassis and both boilers are stainless steel, the finish is called a step above its rivals, and the rotary pump is quiet during a shot by kaffeemacher.de's account. Getting inside takes a handful of screws on the top panel.
“Anyone who takes care of their Synchronika will likely never buy a second machine in their life.”
The long-term accounts are good but not spotless. Bens Coffee Rants warns that a plastic connector inside turns brittle after some years, and found the side panels a struggle to refit.7 RockArruda traced a rattle to small screws that had worked loose with use.8 Post & Beam saw a slight leak at the flow control, and the drip tray can rattle and slide.
It is also big and heavy. Bella Barista cautions that it looks larger still once it is in your kitchen, so measure the counter first.
A brew boiler hot in minutes, and a far longer wait for the group6.0/10
Warm-up divides opinion, and the split comes down to what you count as ready. The brew boiler gets priority and heats first, and the steam boiler can be left off for espresso alone. On that basis Bella Barista says the machine can "give you espresso in 6 minutes".9
The heavy group takes much longer to come up to heat. kaffeemacher.de measured it: "We waited 35 minutes" before every important component was at brew temperature.10 Keen On Coffee gives a similar figure as its working minimum.
Once hot, there is no waiting between jobs. You can pull a shot and steam milk at the same time. For a weekday morning, a timer plug or an early switch-on is the practical answer.
A lever, a shot timer and quick valves, with no automation to lean on6.0/10
The routine suits some kitchens and not others. Lift the lever and the display switches to a shot timer on its own. The steam and hot water valves open with a quick push, and the angled portafilter handle makes locking in easier than a straight one.
What it will not do is think for you. There is no volumetric dosing and no programmable pre-infusion, so every shot is stopped by hand.11 kaffeemacher.de adds that you need to know the machine well to judge what temperature you are really brewing at.12
Smaller niggles: Keen On Coffee finds the hot water spout gets in the way and the space under the group tight for a tall iced drink. The machine can be plumbed to mains water and a drain, which Post & Beam strongly recommends doing.
A machine to keep at $3,249, with a jug and a flow valve still to buy6.0/10
Value divides opinion, because the price is high and the case for it is measured in years. RockArruda uses his several times a day, calls it "insanely expensive" and says it has been "worth the investment" all the same.13 Whole Latte Love argues the extra money buys decades of service, while noting it was the dearest machine in its comparison.
The rotary pump adds to the argument, since it lets you run from the tank or plumb the machine in. Against that, the accessories get mixed marks. kaffeemacher.de calls them sensible and useful; ECS Coffee finds part of the kit "a little thin" and misses a bottomless portafilter.14
Two extras belong in the budget. No milk jug is included, and where the flow control valve is not fitted it is a paid addition.
A programmable cleaning reminder, a lever to re-grease and steel that shows fingerprints5.0/10
Upkeep is the lowest-scoring part of the machine, though the evidence here is thinner than elsewhere. The helpful side is a cleaning reminder you can set by number of coffees, and good access to the parts you need to reach.
The chores are specific. Backflushing with detergent dries out the lever mechanism, which then has to be opened and lubricated, a job Bens Coffee Rants finds tedious. The mirror finish looks good and, as kaffeemacher.de notes, collects fingerprints.15
The drip tray is disputed. Bens Coffee Rants and Jeremy Vinny call it roomy and easy to clean, while Bella Barista finds it "a little bit shallow".16
Our verdict
Buy the Synchronika if espresso and milk drinks are a daily habit, you have the counter space, and you want a machine you can tune, service and keep. Skip it if you need coffee minutes after switching on, want the machine to stop the shot for you, or balk at $3,249 before a grinder and a jug. Before ordering, ask whether the flow control valve is included, measure the depth and height of your counter, and plan a timer plug for the warm-up.
7 sources quoted in this story (16 notes)
- 1Jeremy Vinny · 7:11 “the shots I pulled with the synchronic were impressive the ability to fine-tune every aspect of the Brewing process”
- 2kaffeemacher.de · written review “It has high temperature consistency during the draw, is well-built, and relies on a first-class rotary pump.” but “However, with shorter warm-up times or under frequency, there are also outlier espressos.”
- 3Bella Barista · 13:42 “And then also moving on to that is it doesn't have a flow valve as stock.”
- 4Artisti Coffee Roasters. · 11:42 “Look at that milk. That is sexy, silky milk. That is wonderful.”
- 5ECS COFFEE Espresso & Coffee Gear · 10:03 “this steam wand is still super powerful” but “but it is still taking a little bit longer than the Lamar zoko”
- 6Bens Coffee Rants · 18:19 “it kind of just steams itself like you don't have to hold the pitcher you don't have to move things around” but “when I release this and I turn it back off the steam keeps coming out for like it kind of tapers off gradually”
- 7Bens Coffee Rants · 32:11 “I took mine out after a year and it was still nice and solid no problems no leaks” but “they used a plastic T connector and the plastic apparently gets brittle and falls apart after a few years”
- 8RockArruda · 0:58 “I was getting some rattle noises and that's what was causing it with some little screws overtime loosening”
- 9Bella Barista · 12:12 “That means it can heat up and give you espresso in 6 minutes.”
- 10kaffeemacher.de · written review “We waited 35 minutes until the Synchronika with all important components was at a brew temperature of 93 degrees.”
- 11kaffeemacher.de · written review “Anyone looking for volumetric shot control or programmable pre-infusion will look in vain for it with the ECM Synchronika.”
- 12kaffeemacher.de · written review “Home baristas must get to know their machine very well to estimate at what temperature they are currently brewing.”
- 13RockArruda · 6:15 “it has been worth it it definitely has been worth the investment and we hope to keep this machine forever” but “looking at purchases machine yes it is insanely expensive”
- 14ECS COFFEE Espresso & Coffee Gear · 3:15 “it's nothing fancy it's nothing special it's a little thin it's a little light”
- 15kaffeemacher.de · written review “It looks beautiful and reflects wonderfully, but unfortunately, it collects numerous fingerprints.”
- 16Bella Barista · 14:16 “the drip tray is a little bit shallow. It's probably about a 1.2 L capacity drip tray.”
