Fracino Velocino Review: VC1 and VC2 One-Touch Espresso Machines for Busy Cafés

Last updated: October 2026

In 30 seconds:

• The Fracino Velocino is a one-touch espresso machine. Staff press one button for an espresso, cappuccino, latte or Americano, and an automatic frother does the milk.
• There are two models. The VC1 has one group and makes up to 80 x 12oz drinks an hour, from £2,330. The VC2 has two groups and makes up to 120 x 12oz drinks an hour, from £3,930.
• Both are plumb-in machines, so you need a cold water feed and a waste pipe behind the counter.
• The VC1 runs from a 13A supply. The VC2 has a 4kW element and needs a 20A single phase supply.
• It is not bean-to-cup. It has a traditional group head, so you still need a grinder.

Staff turnover is the quiet cost in most pubs, hotels and busy cafés. Every new starter needs teaching to steam milk, and every coffee they get wrong is a refund or a lost regular.

The Fracino Velocino is Fracino’s answer to that problem. It is a hybrid that pairs the convenience of bean-to-cup with the simplicity of a traditional espresso machine. That suits sites where the person making the coffee is not a trained barista. This review covers both models, who each one suits, and what you need in place before it arrives.

Fracino Velocino VC1 and VC2 at a glance

Note on the VC1 element. Our VC1 listing title gives a different element rating from Fracino’s own model table. Until that is confirmed, we have left the figure out. The 13A supply is the same either way.

How the Velocino works

The Velocino looks like a classic espresso machine. It has a chrome-plated brass E61-style group, a copper boiler and a stainless steel case.

The difference is the control panel. It uses a colour-coded layout with tactile buttons and basic instructions printed on the front. Press a drink button, and the machine dispenses the coffee, milk and hot water in the amounts you have programmed.

What you can programme

• Water, coffee and milk volumes for every drink.
• Timings, with optional delays, so the layers look right in the cup.
• Regular and large sizes, through a “go large” button.
• Non-splash hot water for Americano and tea.
• An on and off timer, so the machine only runs in trading hours.

Programmes are locked with a security key. A new starter cannot change your recipes by accident.

What it tells you

• An LCD display shows the machine’s status in English, German, French or Italian.
• A service counter flags when a service is due.
• A water filter counter reminds you to change the filter.
• A drinks counter records each drink and the water used.
• A warning light shows when the milk frother needs cleaning.

There is also an automatic cleaning cycle for the group and the frother. On the left sits a manual steam valve, which works while the group is brewing. A trained barista can still steam milk by hand when they want to.

Fracino Velocino VC1: one group for steady trade

Quick specs

• Output: up to 80 x 12oz drinks an hour.
• Boiler: 4L, with 20L of hot water an hour.
• Power: 13A supply.
• Size: 535 x 380 x 500mm, 35kg.
• Price: from £2,330. See the Fracino Velocino VC1.

Best for

Hotel breakfast rooms, pubs, restaurants, garden centres and offices. Anywhere coffee is one job among many, and the person on shift changes every day.

Honest note

One group means one drink at a time. If your morning queue runs out of the door, the VC2 is the safer choice.

Fracino Velocino VC2: two groups for busy sites

Quick specs

• Output: up to 120 x 12oz drinks an hour.
• Boiler: 10L, with 60L of hot water an hour.
• Power: 4kW element on a 20A single phase 240V supply.
• Size: 535 x 810 x 550mm, 55kg.
• Price: from £3,930. See the Fracino Velocino VC2.

Best for

Busy cafés, hotel bars, visitor attractions and canteens. The two groups are independent, so two different drinks can be made at once.

Honest note

The VC2 is more than twice the width of the VC1. Measure your counter, and allow room for the grinder and the milk fridge beside it.

Velocino or something else?

The Velocino sits between a traditional automatic and a bean-to-cup machine. Here is how to choose.

• Choose the Velocino if your staff change often and you want cappuccinos and lattes at one press, with real espresso from a group head.
• Choose a traditional automatic such as the Bambino 2 Group Automatic (from £2,380) if you have a barista who steams milk by hand.
• Choose bean-to-cup such as the Jetinno JL31B (from £2,819) if nobody should handle coffee grounds at all.

Our guide to semi-automatic, automatic or bean-to-cup coffee machines explains each type in more depth. If you are torn between one group and two, read what size coffee machine your coffee shop needs.

What you need before a Velocino arrives

Fracino’s service requirements sheet lists what must be in place for its espresso machines.

• Cold water: a 15mm cold supply with a ¾-inch washing-machine style isolator valve.
• Waste: a 1½-inch minimum standpipe for the drain hose.
• Position: water and waste directly beneath the machine, within one metre.
• Power: a 13A supply for the VC1, or a 20A single phase 240V supply for the VC2, directly behind the machine.
• Grinder: its own 13A socket, on the side where the grinder will stand.
• Water treatment: a filter or softener on the feed. The Velocino counts the water used and tells you when to change it.

Hard water is the main enemy of any plumbed boiler. Our guide to coffee machine water filters and softeners covers what to fit and how often to change it.

The milk fridge

Both listings describe a compressor milk fridge that holds 4.4 litres of milk and weighs 12kg. On the VC2 it is listed as an option. Check the options on the product page when you order.

Paying for it

You can spread the cost with lease finance on orders over £1,000. You buy the machine and pay over time.

The biggest mistake: treating it as plug-in and go

“One-touch” describes the drinks, not the set-up. Buyers sometimes expect a Velocino to work like a bean-to-cup machine on a socket. It does not.

It needs a water feed, a waste pipe and a grinder. The VC2 also needs a 20A supply, which a normal socket cannot give. Book your plumber and electrician before the delivery date, not after.

Get those three things right, and a new member of staff can serve a good cappuccino on their first shift. For the wider picture across every Fracino model, see our commercial coffee machines buying guide.

Fracino Velocino: your questions answered

What is the Fracino Velocino?

It is a one-touch espresso machine made by Fracino in the UK. Staff press one button for an espresso, cappuccino, latte or Americano. An automatic frother handles the milk, so little training is needed.

What is the difference between the Velocino VC1 and VC2?

The VC1 has one group, a 4L boiler and makes up to 80 x 12oz drinks an hour, from £2,330. The VC2 has two independent groups, a 10L boiler and makes up to 120 x 12oz drinks an hour, from £3,930.

Does the Fracino Velocino need plumbing in?

Yes. Both models are plumb-in. You need a 15mm cold water supply with an isolator valve, and a waste standpipe within one metre of the machine.

Can the Velocino VC2 run on a 13 amp plug?

No. The VC2 has a 4kW element and needs a 20A single phase 240V supply. That means a dedicated circuit, which an electrician fits. The one-group VC1 runs from a 13A supply.

Is the Fracino Velocino a bean-to-cup machine?

No. It is a hybrid. It has a traditional group head, so coffee is ground on a separate grinder and loaded into the handle. The machine then times the shot and adds the milk at one press.

Can a barista still steam milk by hand on a Velocino?

Yes. There is a manual steam valve on the left. It works at the same time as the group, so a trained barista can steam milk by hand while the machine brews.

Does the Fracino Velocino come with a milk fridge?

A matching compressor milk fridge is listed with both models. It holds 4.4 litres of milk. On the VC2 it is an option, so check the options on the product page when you order.

Can I buy a Fracino Velocino on finance?

Yes. Lease finance is available on orders over £1,000. That covers both models. You buy the machine and spread the cost over time.