After living with the original Casabrews Ultra for a while, I was genuinely curious whether the new Ultra Pro was a real upgrade or just a small refresh.
In this review, I put them side by side on my counter, pulled matching shots, tested temperature and pressure, and ran both through my usual daily routine so you can see exactly what changed and whether it’s worth paying more for the Pro.
Here is my Casabrews Ultra Review on my YouTube Channel.
Quick verdict
If you already like the idea of the Casabrews Ultra but wish it heated faster, steamed stronger, and gave you more feedback while pulling shots, the Ultra Pro is the version you actually want. It’s basically the same compact stainless steel body with smarter heating, a better display, real‑time pressure and shot time, and a surprisingly fun cold extract mode for iced coffee. Shot quality is very similar between the two, but the Pro makes the whole workflow smoother and faster.
If you’re on a tighter budget and don’t care about real‑time pressure readouts or cold extract, the regular Ultra is still more than enough for most home users.
Ultra Pro vs. Ultra: Key Differences
| Feature | Ultra Pro | Original Ultra |
| Heat-Up Time | ~5 seconds | ~40 seconds |
| Display | Dark LCD with live pressure/time | Light LCD, basic info |
| Brew to Steam | Almost instant | ~15-second wait |
| Steam Tip | 3-hole & 1-hole included | 1-hole included |
| Cold Coffee | Yes (160ml Cold Extract) | No |
| Max Pressure | Auto-stops at ~15 bar | Pushes past 16 bar |
Workflow & Speed: The 5-Second Difference
The biggest upgrade is the Flashheat thermoblock. The Ultra Pro is ready to brew in about five seconds. While it doesn’t really mean that the water temperature reaches the optimal brew temp in just a few seconds, in reality, the machine is ready before you finish grinding and prepping your 18g dose. That means you don’t need to wait for the machine, and it’s waiting for you.
Switching to steam is also vastly improved.
On the older Ultra, you wait about 15 seconds after hitting the steam button. On the Pro, steam starts almost immediately. If you are making back-to-back lattes on a busy morning, this snappier workflow is a massive relief.
Pro Tip: While the thermoblock heats water in 5 seconds, your massive 58mm steel portafilter will still be cold. For the best extraction, lock the empty portafilter into the group head and run a blank “hot water” shot through it first. This preheats the metal components and prevents your brewing temperature from dipping.
Cup Quality: Does It Taste Better?
Note: Better workflow does not automatically mean better coffee. Here is how they actually compare in the cup.
Using the same 18g dose and grind size, both machines pull excellent, syrupy shots with rich golden crema. Tasting them side by side, the flavor profiles are nearly identical. Both deliver strong cocoa and caramel notes perfect for classic espresso.
However, the Pro makes dialing in that perfect shot much easier. The upgraded dark display shows your exact pressure and shot time, so you can easily know whether this shot is under extracted or over extracted. If the pressure is high, you can grind a bit coarser, otherwise, you can go a bit finer to increase the pressure.
When I switched to a bottomless portafilter, I could clearly see the pressure holding steady at 9 bars for a 31-second extraction. If you are over-extracting or grinding too coarse, the live screen tells you instantly.
The New Cold Extract Mode
Double-tap the hot water button, and the Pro enters Cold Extract mode. Despite the “Americano” icon on the screen, this mode uses room-temperature water.
Using my standard 18g espresso grind, the machine extracts a longer, 160ml shot at 9 bars of pressure.
Poured over ice, the result is stronger and more refreshing than a standard iced Americano. It is not just a marketing gimmick; it is a genuinely great feature for iced coffee drinkers.
Steaming & Milk Texturing
The standard Ultra utilizes a traditional thermoblock workflow: after finishing your shot, you press the steam button and wait roughly 15 seconds for the block to ramp up to steaming temperatures.
The Ultra Pro completely eliminates this bottleneck. The transition from brewing to steaming is nearly instantaneous. Furthermore, the Ultra Pro upgrades the steam wand with a 3-hole tip alongside the standard single-hole tip.
The 3-hole tip drastically increases the velocity and volume of steam introduced into your pitcher. It whips up a rolling vortex almost immediately. For beginners, the sheer speed can be a bit intimidating, requiring precise wand placement just below the milk surface to prevent massive, uneven bubbles. However, once you master the angle, the Pro texturizes milk into a glossy, wet-paint microfoam ideal for intricate latte art much faster than the original model.
Build & Maintenance
Both machines share the exact same 33x26x31cm footprint. They are compact, wrapped in easy-to-clean stainless steel, and feature a passive cup warmer on top.
Crucially, both feature a 3-way solenoid valve. This dumps excess water into the large drip tray after your shot finishes, leaving you with a dry, easy-to-knock coffee puck. This is a must-have feature for keeping your brew group clean and speeding up your routine.
Who Should Buy the Ultra Pro?
- Upgrade if: You want zero wait time in the morning, love iced coffee, and want live pressure feedback to improve your barista skills.
Skip if: You already own the Ultra, only drink hot espresso, and do not mind using a manual scale and timer. The cup quality alone is not different enough to justify replacing a perfectly working machine
Does the Casabrews Ultra Pro make better coffee than the Ultra?
No, the actual shot quality is very similar. Both produce rich, syrupy espresso. The Pro just makes it much easier to achieve that quality consistently thanks to real-time pressure and time readouts.
What is the Cold Extract mode?
It is a dedicated setting that runs room-temperature water at high pressure through your espresso puck, yielding a 160ml shot by default. It is perfect for pouring directly over ice without watering down the flavor.
Do I need a separate grinder?
While the machine includes pressurized (double-wall) baskets for pre-ground coffee, you need a high-quality burr grinder to get the most out of the standard single-wall baskets and the 58mm commercial group head.
Can I use pre-ground coffee with these machines?
Yes. Both machines include dual-wall (pressurized) baskets in the box, which are designed specifically to build optimal brewing pressure when using pre-ground coffee or a simpler blade grinder.
