From TVs to coffee: Can Hisense bring barista-style coffee home?

Hisense is a familiar name in South African homes, best known for televisions and major appliances. Now the brand is moving into a more personal part of the kitchen with the HSACM20LPO semi-automatic espresso machine – a product designed for people who want more control than a capsule machine, without building a complicated home barista setup.

Built around control, not complexity

The machine’s strongest idea is integration. A built-in grinder offers 20 grind settings, allowing users to adjust how finely their beans are ground for different roasts and recipes. A removable 260g bean hopper keeps the setup compact, while the 2.8-litre water tank is sized for regular household use.

Temperature control is another important part of the experience. The HSACM20LPO uses PID temperature management, with selectable brewing temperatures of 92°C, 94°C and 96°C. That gives users a practical way to experiment with extraction while also helping the machine deliver more consistent results from one cup to the next. Pre-infusion wets the coffee puck before the main extraction, while a 20-bar pump provides the pressure system behind the brew cycle.

The touchscreen brings key espresso settings into a simpler digital interface. Picture: Supplied

Faster milk drinks, familiar barista workflow

For milk-based drinks, Hisense has added a dual-heating system that allows coffee brewing and milk frothing to take place at the same time. This can make a noticeable difference when preparing cappuccinos or flat whites for more than one person. A barista-style steam wand leaves milk texture in the user’s hands rather than turning the process into a fully automatic routine.

The touchscreen is where Hisense’s consumer-tech background becomes most visible. The full-colour interface brings together functions including Single Espresso, Double Espresso, Americano, Hot Water and Steam, while also allowing adjustments to grind time, coffee volume and brewing temperature. For newcomers, that digital guidance can make a semi-automatic machine feel less intimidating; for more experienced users, there is still room to fine-tune a recipe.

Integrated grinder and digital controls keep the coffee-making process in the user’s hands. Picture: Supplied

Designed to be used every morning

Hisense has also kept the traditional espresso workflow. The machine uses a 58mm stainless-steel portafilter and includes single- and double-shot filter baskets, a calibrated tamper and a 350ml milk jug. In other words, it does not remove the craft completely – users still grind, dose, tamp, extract and steam.

Everyday details matter too. The removable 2.8-litre water tank reduces the need for constant refilling, while the HotCup warming platform can help keep freshly brewed espresso from losing heat too quickly in a cold cup. A removable drip tray and dedicated cleaning accessories are less glamorous than headline technology, but they are the kind of practical touches that determine whether a coffee machine is convenient enough to use every morning.

That balance is what makes the HSACM20LPO interesting. It is not promising that one button can replace an experienced barista. Instead, it gives home users the tools to learn what affects the cup, from grind size and temperature to milk texture, while making the process easier to navigate.

For South Africans ready to move beyond instant or capsule coffee, the HSACM20LPO looks like a serious first step into home espresso – and an unexpected new direction for a brand already well established in the home.

The HSACM20LPO can be purchased at Hirsch’s Home Appliances stores, nationwide.