Coffee is a multi billion dollar industry, with millions upon millions of us relying on a cup of coffee to get our day started. If you’re reading this, chances are you like coffee and have probably experienced a decent cuppa in your time. That cup of coffee may have been from a coffee shop and made with a rather large & expensive machine. What if you could experience that coffee shop experience at home? Well, I’ve been trying out the Melitta Caffeo Solo & Perfect Milk Coffee Machine, to see if this domestic machine can deliver a decent cup of coffee.

Tech Spec

– Bean to cup coffee with integrated burr grinder
– Bar pressure: 15bar
– Cup warmer
– 2 Year warranty
– Removable 1.2L water tank
– 1400w power consumption (13a plug)
– Dimensions (H)32.5 x (W)20.0 x (D)45.5

Look & Feel

The coffee machine’s outer casing is predominantly glossy black plastic, with either a silver or black front to choose from. To the front of the machine are the controls, a minimalist display, a drip tray, the outlet for the coffee and the milk controls. To the top at the rear of the machine is the hopper for the coffee beans, and the water tank, which is detachable, allowing you to carry it to your tap for filling up. To the side of the machine is a removable panel, which gains access to the machine itself, for cleaning & maintenance.

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The overall size of the machine is fairly compact, especially when you consider what’s inside it. I put it on my kitchen worktop for a week and it didn’t look out of place or overpowering. That being said, if you have cupboards above your worktop, consider that when positioning, as it wasn’t the easiest to pour the beans into the hopper. The water tank lifts up and to the side, so that’s not so much of an issue. The excess water, through self-cleaning and the left over coffee grounds are deposited into a tray underneath. This can be pulled out and emptied.

Once you have an espresso, you can make any coffee you like, but this machine has been specifically built to produce espresso, standard coffee, cappuccino and latte macchiato. There are options to select the strength of your coffee, shown on screen in number of beans (1/2/3), more equals stronger. Plus you can set how much coffee is delivered to suit the size of your cup. For the larger cups, you will still get one shot of coffee, but more hot water. There is an option for two shots, if you double tap the coffee bean button. Now the taste of the coffee is your own preference and you can purchase whichever beans you want but either way, the machine gives off a wonderful aroma, thanks to the machine moistening the beans with water before brewing. Not only does this fill your room with a glorious smell, it adds to the flavour and it delivers a beautiful crema to your espresso. The coffee delivered is hot to touch or sip, but not boiling. Add too much cold milk to your coffee and it will get cold quickly.

A key feature for the coffee machine is the Auto-Cappuccinatore. This is similar to your traditional water steamer, but made easier for you. This allows you to steam your milk, making it rich & silky or to froth it to get that fluffy top layer you associate with a cappuccino. This is also the outlet for hot water if you wanted to do that. To use these features, there is a little dial that can be rotated to your desired output. To steam your milk, select that option, place cup of milk under outlet and turn on. Steam as along as you want but not too long, as your milk will start to bubble. For the froth, you need to select that option and use the supplied plastic hose, attached to the auto-cappunccinatore and insert the other end into your jug of milk. Turn it on and watch the milk begin to froth into your cup of coffee or glass. This is a great feature, the frother is excellent and delivers consistently. The steamer also works well, but is a little more tricky to get used to. There is an option to get this machine without the ‘perfect milk’ feature and is slightly cheaper to purchase.

Some of the other features include an auto clean option, every time you turn the machine on, it will flush through with water. You can also purchase a water filter for the tank and set the filter strength, based on your water hardness. A simple water dip test is included with the machine so you can determine how hard you water is.

Also, once you have adjusted the settings to achieve your perfect coffee, the machine will remember it, even if you turn it off at the mains. The outlet also slides up and down, to suit the size of your cup or glass.

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The last thing to mention is Melitta have actually developed a companion app for the machine. Now it’s not required to use the machine, nor can it control it in anyway but it’s a handy tool for guides, tips and also purchasing items such as the water filter.

I haven’t got many negative points to make, other than the gloss, stainless steel and mirrored finish shows dirt or splashes very easily. The plastic pipe for frothing also attracts dust & dirt, it’s that almost sticky like plastic once washed & dried. If you’re not used to a domestic coffee machine, this may seem very loud to you when first using it.

Verdict

Melitta have produced a fantastic coffee machine at a very affordable price point. After making many cups of coffee for myself, family and friends, I had nothing but praise back to me. I’d like to think that was all me, but I know it was the performance & quality of the machine that produced a great cup of coffee. I’ve seen this machine available online from some high street retailers for less than £350. Buy one, you wont be disappointed.

For more info, check out the official Melitta website.