Updated October 2026 by the BeanBurds Team. Prices are in AED and were correct when we published; the product page always shows the live price.
The Meraki is the machine we get asked about most, usually by someone who has been making coffee on a Sage for a year or two and wants to know whether the jump is worth it. It is one of the most complete home espresso machines you can buy in the UAE right now: a dual boiler, a rotary pump, a built-in grinder and built-in scales in one compact body. Here is what it does well, where it is not the right pick, and how it compares with the Sage (Breville) machines people usually cross-shop it against.
The short version
- What it is: a dual boiler espresso machine with a built-in grinder, two built-in scales and automatic milk steaming, at AED 7,875 for the Meraki Gen 2.
- Who it suits: people who want café-level espresso and milk drinks every morning without building a separate grinder, scale and machine setup.
- Who should look elsewhere: people who want to swap grinders, profile flow by hand on every shot, or keep the purest traditional E61 workflow.
- Is it worth it over a Sage? If you have outgrown a Barista Express or Barista Touch and drink several milk drinks a day, yes. The dual boiler, rotary pump and weight-based brewing are a real step up.
Meraki Gen 2 at a glance
| Feature | Meraki Gen 2 |
|---|---|
| Price in the UAE | AED 7,875 (Black or White) |
| Heating | Dual boiler: brew and steam at the same time |
| Pump | Commercial-grade rotary pump |
| Grinder | Built-in conical burr grinder co-engineered with Timemore, 45 grind steps |
| Portafilter | 58 mm, compatible with standard E61 accessories |
| Scales | Two built-in scales for grind-by-weight and brew-by-weight, accurate to ±0.2 g |
| Milk | 360° steam wand, four steam levels, stops automatically at your set temperature |
| Controls | Touchscreen with auto and manual modes, pre-infusion, hot water, pre-heat timer |
| Smart features | CoffeeSense NFC recipes, over-the-air updates, one-tap back-flush cleaning |
| Power | 220 to 240 V, UAE-ready |
What changed in Gen 2
Gen 2 keeps the same power base as the first Meraki and refines the parts owners interact with every day:
- A wider grind range. 45 steps, with 10 coarser and 5 finer settings than before, so very light and darker roasts are both easier to dial in.
- A 58 mm E61-compatible brew group. Standard professional baskets, tampers and bottomless portafilters now fit, and the locking motion is smoother, with a damped feel.
- A two-stage shower screen. Water is diffused before it reaches the puck, which saturates the coffee more evenly and reduces channelling when your puck prep is not perfect.
The first-generation Meraki is no longer sold on BeanBurds; Gen 2 is the current model.
What it is like to use every day
In auto mode you set a dose weight and a target espresso weight. The Meraki grinds to that weight into the portafilter, you distribute and tamp, lock in, and it stops the shot when the cup reaches your target. Weight-based brewing is the same discipline good cafés use: time-based shots drift as beans age, weight-based shots repeat.
Manual mode hands everything back to you: grind, pre-infusion and stop the shot yourself. CoffeeSense goes the other way. Scan an NFC-tagged coffee bag and the machine loads suggested grind and brew settings. You do not need those bags; any fresh beans work in auto or manual mode, including the local roasters in our UAE coffee beans guide.
For milk, the 360° wand has four steam levels and stops automatically at the temperature you set, so you can turn to the next cup while it finishes. Because steam comes from its own boiler, you can steam while the shot pulls, which is what makes back-to-back flat whites easy.
Who the Meraki is for, and who it is not for
Great fit
- Upgrading from a Sage Barista Express, Barista Express Impress or Barista Touch and wanting café-level consistency.
- Households making several milk drinks a day.
- Apartments and smaller kitchens where a separate grinder and scale would crowd the counter.
- Anyone who wants weight-based espresso without buying and syncing a separate scale.
Look elsewhere if
- You want to choose your own grinder and upgrade it separately later. A machine like the Lelit Bianca V3 paired with a grinder from our grinder guide gives you that freedom.
- You want hands-on flow profiling on every shot. The Bianca's paddle is built for exactly that.
- You want the machine to tamp for you too. The Sage Oracle Jet grinds, doses and tamps automatically.
Meraki vs Sage (Breville): which should you buy?
This is the comparison most people are really making. Sage machines are excellent first machines; the Meraki is built for the person who has outgrown one.
| Meraki Gen 2 | Sage Barista Touch Impress | Sage Oracle Jet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (AED) | 7,875 | 4,799 | 6,399 |
| Heating | Dual boiler | ThermoJet | ThermoJet |
| Grinder | Built in, 45 steps | Built in, 30 settings | Built in, 45 settings |
| Portafilter | 58 mm, E61-compatible | 54 mm | 58 mm |
| Built-in scales | Yes, grind and brew by weight | No | No |
| Tamping | You tamp | Assisted | Automatic |
| Milk | Auto-stop at set temperature | Automatic | Automatic |
Choose the Meraki if you want more control over the espresso itself: weight-based shots, a 58 mm workflow that takes professional accessories, and steam power from a dedicated boiler. Choose the Barista Touch Impress if you want the easiest guided experience and spend less. Choose the Oracle Jet if you want grinding, dosing, tamping and milk all handled for you. Browse every model on our Sage page.
Meraki vs a separate machine and grinder
The traditional route to the same quality is an E61 dual boiler plus a good grinder. A Lelit Bianca V3 (from AED 9,999) with a Eureka Mignon Specialita (AED 2,258) comes to about AED 12,250, before a scale. The Lelit Elizabeth (AED 5,299) with the same grinder is about AED 7,550. Both setups give you more freedom to upgrade one part at a time. The Meraki gives you a dual boiler, grinder and scales in one footprint at AED 7,875, with less to set up and fewer things on the counter.
Buying a Meraki in the UAE
Buy from an authorised seller so the machine is genuine, UAE-ready at 220 to 240 V, and covered by a warranty that can be serviced here rather than overseas. That matters more than usual on a machine with this much technology inside. The Meraki Gen 2 on BeanBurds is AED 7,875, comes with local warranty, delivers across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the rest of the Emirates, and can be split with tabby or tamara at checkout. More on the Meraki page.
Looking after a Meraki in UAE conditions
- Water: use filtered water, or a bottled water with moderate minerals. Avoid distilled water. Scale is the most common cause of service visits on any boiler machine.
- Cleaning: run the one-tap back-flush regularly and wipe the steam wand straight after every use; its coating makes that a ten-second job.
- Grinder: keep only a few days of beans in the hopper. Heat and humidity age coffee quickly, so store the rest airtight and away from heat.
- Placement: keep the machine in an air-conditioned space, out of direct sun, with enough clearance to refill the water tank easily.
- Updates: leave it connected so over-the-air updates arrive.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Meraki espresso machine worth it?
For someone making espresso and milk drinks daily who wants café-level consistency in one machine, yes. At AED 7,875 it combines a dual boiler, rotary pump, grinder and scales that would cost more bought separately.
Does the Meraki have a built-in grinder?
Yes. The Meraki Gen 2 has a built-in conical burr grinder co-engineered with Timemore, with 45 grind steps.
Is the Meraki a dual boiler?
Yes. It has separate brew and steam boilers and a rotary pump, so you can pull a shot and steam milk at the same time.
What is the difference between Meraki Gen 1 and Gen 2?
Gen 2 adds a wider 45-step grind range, a 58 mm E61-compatible brew group with a smoother locking motion, and a two-stage shower screen for more even extraction. The core dual boiler platform is the same.
How much is the Meraki espresso machine in the UAE?
The Meraki Gen 2 is AED 7,875 on BeanBurds, with local warranty and delivery across the UAE.
Do I need special Meraki coffee bags?
No. CoffeeSense NFC bags load suggested settings automatically, but any fresh beans work in auto or manual mode.
Should I upgrade from a Breville Barista Express to a Meraki?
If you want steadier shots, weight-based brewing and the ability to steam while you brew, it is a meaningful upgrade. If you mainly want more automation, look at the Sage Oracle Jet instead.
Does the Meraki tamp automatically?
No. It grinds to weight into the portafilter and you distribute and tamp yourself. If you want automatic tamping, the Sage Oracle Jet does that.
Still comparing? Our best espresso machines in the UAE guide covers every budget, or book a coffee consultation and tell us how you drink. We will help you decide.