Meraki Espresso Machine Drops $300 to $1,699 in Limited-Time Mid-Year Sale

Q: Is Meraki's Gen 1 discount a smart buy, or does the upcoming Gen 2 model make it an instant regret?

For most buyers, the discounted Meraki Gen 1 is a smart buy, not an instant regret. At $1,699, Gen 1 is $300 below its usual price and still offers a strong feature set for the money: dual stainless-steel boilers, a rotary pump, a heated 58mm group head, integrated grind-by-weight and brew-by-weight functions, and a built-in TimeMore grinder. Reviewers say it can produce café-quality espresso and milk drinks, with shot quality competitive with machines that often cost much more. The main reason it is not instantly outdated is that many of Gen 2’s software improvements also reach Gen 1 through Wi‑Fi updates. That means Gen 1 owners still benefit from refinements to usability and performance, even if they do not get the newer hardware. Gen 2 does bring meaningful hardware upgrades. Reports point to a wider grinder range, an E61-compatible group head, improved water distribution, and small fixes to earlier design annoyances. Those changes matter most for buyers who use lighter roasts, want broader accessory compatibility, or care about squeezing out the last bit of performance. So the choice is practical. If you want the best Meraki version and are willing to pay full price, Gen 2 is the better machine. If you want strong value and can live without the newer hardware, Gen 1 at $1,699 remains a very capable purchase. The only caution is that ZDNET rated this specific deal just 2/5, meaning it is decent rather than exceptional.

2 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jun 24

$1,699 is the current sale price for Meraki's high-end espresso machine, a $300 cut from $1,999 and one of the lowest levels seen since Black Friday.
The limited-time mid-year offer appears on Meraki's website, though no end date was given, making the discount notable for a machine that rarely goes on sale.
The dual-boiler model targets serious home baristas with premium features including a built-in TimeMore grinder, integrated scales, a 58mm heated group head and more than 25 stepless grind settings.
Meraki's machine also carries design credentials after topping $1 million on Kickstarter in 2024 and winning 2025 Red Dot and iF design awards.