Tried & Tested
On trial: KitchenAid’s Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF8
Introduce your kitchen to its own personal bean-to-cup barista – no training necessary
In the world of coffee there are regular drinkers and then there are coffee snobs. There’s no point pretending; I am 100 per cent the latter. My friends and family know I won’t take them to a bad coffee spot, because I won’t stand for burnt beans or overheated milk in my chosen caffeine kick. It may be a simple daily ritual, but for some of us a coffee can make or break our day. I am, then, intrigued by the promise of the KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF8 and keen to put it through its paces. Can it match up to my favourite local baristas? Will it displace them in my affections? Let’s see.
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What is the KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF8?
This all-singing, all-dancing machine is more than a simple coffee maker; it’s a bean-to-cup beauty that takes coffee pods out of the equation and removes the need for a separate grinder. You can feed the removable bean hopper with your favourite roast – I chose to test-drive the KF8 with a fresh blend from a local independent roastery – but there’s also the option to add in pre-ground coffee, handy for decaffeinated drinks later in the day perhaps.
Why is KitchenAid’s Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF8 special?
- The removable bean hopper offers a 270g capacity (that’s approximately 22 espresso shots from each fill) and seven precise grind settings. Because you can lift it out, it’s easy to clean out and switch beans as your tastes demand.
- A 12.7cm full-colour display, through which – among other things – you can scroll and select your coffee of choice, customise said drink and then add to a profile to ensure you’re served your coffee exactly as you like it.
- Programmable water and coffee temperature settings, so you can customise your pour still further.
- A 2.2L water tank, meaning more drinks and fewer refills.
- Quiet Mark certification, which sets it apart as one of the quietest machines in its category.
Any other key design features?
When it comes to the look and feel of this machine, everything is considered. The sleek, streamlined design comes in four different colours so it will fit in any space. With metal-clad construction, it’s a pretty heavy piece of kit, but it’s clearly built to last – as all KitchenAid appliances are. There’s a removable drip tray that slides out seamlessly and, as the height of the spigot can be smoothly raised and lowered, you can drink your caffeinated drinks from your favourite cup or mug, big or small.
As everyday maintenance affects the taste of a brew, this espresso machine also features a number of automated cleaning functions to keep everything running smoothly. And if anything should go awry, the whole machine is covered by a 3 year guarantee plus 10 years' repairability.
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The verdict
Once I’d wrestled the weighty machine from its packaging and found a good spot for it on the worktop, the setup of this smart piece of kit was incredibly easy. After an initial purge of the system – which the display walked me through step by step, requiring minimal effort from me – I was drinking my first coffee within 20 minutes. And it was a good cup of coffee. The drinks only got better as I played with the settings to suit my own tastes – although, as I don’t actually drink that many coffees a day, it may take a little longer to perfect my daily flat white. I’m happy to take the time though.
The KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF8 is by no means a budget option, but it’s a solid investment: the money you’d save on your increasingly pricey daily brew or two would cover it soon enough, with the added bonus that you know you’re getting a good drink – even if you don’t spend time playing around and customising drinks for your profile, the factory settings set the bar high to start with. Really, the only thing this machine can’t offer is the walk to and from your favourite coffee haunt, and the fun chat with your regular barista while you’re at the counter. A piece of kit to please a serious coffee drinker… meaning no complaints at all from this particular coffee snob.
★★★★★
