Lidl's Silver Crest coffee machine: 60 euros and broken within a year

Lidl's Silver Crest coffee machine: 60 euros and broken within a year

A 60-euro coffee machine that, according to one user's account, broke down at fourteen months, and the brand sent him a new one from Germany within 24 hours. That is the summary of the Silver Crest coffee machine that Lidl sells in its leaflets, and which has sparked a conversation spanning more than a decade about whether it is worth ditching capsules. The starting point is simple: the household Nespresso has died, the loss of pressure ruins the coffee, and it is time to decide between continuing to pay for capsules or switching to ground coffee with a supermarket machine.

The majority response suggests the Silver Crest more than delivers. Some recall that their parents bought the equivalent **eight or ten years ago for 60 euros**, use it daily and it still works like a rock; they even bought a second one for their country house. The argument against capsules is emphatic: anyone with a Nespresso is "just waiting for it to break" so they can switch to the Lidl one, because the whole capsule thing is a rip-off. The home test comes quickly: a coffee made with a recycled capsule from another brand turns out better than the one from the broken Nespresso, with a taste reminiscent of the original.

The after-sales service that changes the equation

The point that breaks the narrative of the cheap brand with no support comes with the breakdown. At **fourteen months** after purchase, water starts leaking from the steam wand while it is closed. A warranty claim is filed, the machine is sent to Barcelona, and the very next day a package ships out from Germany. It is not the same one repaired: it is a brand-new unit. The conclusion drawn is that it is cheaper for the brand to send another one than to fix a valve. The episode catches off guard anyone expecting the usual warranty ordeal.

Not everyone shares the enthusiasm. Some distrust plastic parts exposed to heat and prefer refillable stainless steel capsules, though the ones they find seem expensive to them. The cheapest alternative found costs around **18.94 euros with shipping included from China**, with the detail that the seller declares a value below 20 euros to dodge customs, a trick that will stop working when the European rules for shipments from third countries change.

Noise, grinding and other usage details

The coffee machine's noise is described as normal, even on the low side, with no screeching. The milk frother seems flimsy, although some have no plans to use it. For ground coffee, the advice going around is to seal the package airtight with a clip and keep it in the fridge: it does not lose freshness and the result is surprising. The machine sells out at some Lidl stores as soon as it goes on sale, forcing buyers to search nearby towns to find one.

The comparison with 15-bar pump machines and drip coffee makers leaves a bitter aftertaste: they break down with packaged ground coffee and vinegar does not save them within the warranty period. Against that, the Silver Crest holds up in the word of mouth of those who use it daily. The remaining question is whether the replacement unit will last more than a year or whether the cycle will repeat itself. Nobody knows yet.