Fracino Cherub Review: The Affordable Entry Espresso Machine for Small Cafés
Last updated: August 2026
In 30 seconds:
- The Cherub is Fracino’s entry machine — one group, tank-fed, British-built, from £1,240.
- Best for a small café, kiosk or start-up doing lower volumes. It makes one drink at a time.
- No plumber needed. Fill the tank, plug into a normal 13A socket, and you’re pouring.
- It’s a proper commercial machine, not a domestic one — same build as the bigger Fracinos.
- Biggest mistake: buying a Cherub for a busy site. One group can’t keep up past a light rush.
Weighing it against the bigger machines? See the full range in our electric coffee machines buying guide, or work out your size first with what size coffee machine your shop needs.
Quick specs
- Groups: 1 (one brew head)
- Boiler: 2.3 litres
- Water: 3-litre tank — fill by hand, no plumbing
- Power: 2.85 kW / 13A — plugs into a normal socket
- Size: 380 (H) × 360 (W) × 460 (D) mm
- Weight: 18 kg — an easy one-person lift
- Price: from £1,240
- View the Fracino Cherub product page →
Best for
Small cafés, kiosks, deli counters and start-ups. Anywhere you want proper espresso but don’t have big morning queues — or the plumbing for a fixed machine.
What it does well
- Plug in and pour. Tank-fed and 13A — no plumber and no special socket. Fill the tank and go.
- Proper commercial build. Same Fracino quality as the bigger machines, just with one group.
- Small and light. 18 kg and compact. It fits a tight counter, and one person can lift it.
- The cheapest way into a real Fracino. A genuine step up from a domestic machine, without the big spend.
What you need to run it
- A normal 13A socket. No special supply and no wiring work.
- Water to fill the tank. Top it up through the day — it isn’t plumbed in.
- Softened or filtered water. Hard water still furs up the boiler, even on a tank machine. Here’s why filtering matters.
- A grinder. The Cherub doesn’t grind beans — pair it with one from our coffee grinder buying guide.
- About 15 minutes to warm up from cold.
When to size up instead
The Cherub has one group, so it pours one drink at a time. Two people can’t work it at once, and you’ll wait between shots at a rush.
If you’re regularly serving a queue, a single group will hold you back. Look at a two-group machine like the Fracino Contempo 2 Group, or read what size coffee machine your shop needs to be sure.
Keeping it running
- Warranty is back-to-base. For a small machine like the Cherub, a workshop repair means sending it to Fracino, and collection is at your cost. Worth knowing before you buy — here’s how servicing and warranty works.
- Keep the tank clean and the water fresh.
- Clean and descale on a routine to protect the boiler — here’s the simple routine.
The biggest mistake to avoid
The Cherub is brilliant at the job it’s built for — low to medium volume. The mistake is asking it to be a workhorse.
If you’re pouring all day to a queue, you’ll outgrow one group fast and wish you’d bought two. Match the machine to your real covers, not your best day.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Fracino Cherub a commercial coffee machine?
Yes. It’s a proper commercial single-group machine, built in the UK by Fracino — the same build quality as their bigger models, just at one group.
Does the Cherub need plumbing in?
No. It’s tank-fed. You fill a 3-litre tank by hand and top it up through the day, so there’s no plumber and no fixed water connection.
What power supply does the Fracino Cherub need?
2.85 kW on a standard 13A plug. It runs from a normal socket, so you don’t need special wiring.
How much does the Fracino Cherub cost?
From £1,240. It’s the most affordable way into a genuine commercial Fracino.
How many cups can the Cherub make?
It has one group, so it pours one drink at a time. That suits lower-volume sites — a small café, kiosk or start-up — rather than a queue at the morning rush.
Is the Cherub any good for a busy café?
Not really. For steady queues you want two groups so two drinks can pour at once. Look at the Contempo 2 Group instead.
Do I need a separate grinder?
Yes. The Cherub pulls the shots but doesn’t grind the beans, so pair it with a café grinder.
Is the warranty back-to-base?
Yes. A workshop repair means the machine goes to Fracino rather than an engineer coming to you, and collection is at your cost.