Great review really, and thank you for declaring the lack of information on some aspects where many would just say inaccurate information. I can take this chance to clarify the two points related to the filter baskets and the water purge after steaming. Pressurized (double wall) filter baskets are made to foolproof the espresso brewing process. The idea is to raise the pressure enough by throttling the flow through a small hole, which allows for a wider range of grind size and makes puck prep less important. It would produce good shots with good crema every time, and it takes very little experience to make drinkable espresso. So when they say these baskets are for pre-ground coffee, they really mean for coffee that is ground with unknown grind size. On the other hand, non pressurized filter baskets (single wall) are intended for experienced users with good grinders. These filter baskets allow for finer grind size which enhances the extraction and flavor. The downside is the need for a decent grinder and experience. 1. Grind size and extraction time become major parameters that make or break the shot (look up dialing in espresso by James Hoffmann). 2. Puck prep becomes very important and can also make or break the shot; proper distribution and tamping will be required to prevent channeling. Channeling is when water finds a path of least resistance and goes through it on account of water flow throughout the rest of the puck. This area becomes over extracted and the rest of the puck will be under extracted. The result would be an unbalanced and unpleasant espresso shot. So when they say these filters are for freshly ground coffee, they mean for coffee where the grind size is controllable. In single boiler machines, the same boiler is used to produce steam and therefore, much higher temperature is needed. When the steaming is done, preparing espresso right after that would be a disaster. So what the machine does after steaming is first, it releases the steam pressure through a relief valve (you can hear that in the video) and once the pressure is low enough, it purges water through the boiler down to the drip tray to bring it back to espresso temperature and prepare the machine to brew espresso again. I hope this comment will fill the gaps in this great review. Cheers!
The pressurized filters for the pre-ground coffee are there so you can use almost any grind size they're way more forgiving than the single wall with lots of holes in it. It's there to make life easier if the grind is not perfect for your particular machine. That's why it's there. For example that bustello pre-ground coffee you have you want to use the pressurized filter for that.
Pressure vs non pressurized baskets has to do not with the freshness of the coffee, but with the ability to grind to match the requirements of the non pressurized basket. In other words you must grind finer and more accurately to use non pressurized. For pressurized basket you can use grind more like drip since the single hole develops the pressure the lack of grind creates. Also, the water you find after a shot may be the fact that better machines have a solenoid to release water from puck after shot. Not sure if this machine has…but that is my guess.
Espresso machines need a valve for the over pressure, so some water will drop off. If you possess an espresso machine with an E61, you can see it working, after every espresso you make.
For the filter baskets; one set is pressurized and one set is non-pressurized. It’s not really about fresh vs non-fresh. It’s about the grind of the coffee. The pressurized baskets are for pre-ground espresso. It compensates for unevenness/coarseness of the grind. Non-pressurized is for regular espresso beans that you grind yourself.
Pressurized filter baskets are for pre-ground coffee or for a grind/tamp that just isn’t quite good enough for a normal/traditional filter baskets. They’re the baskets with the single hole. Pressure is built in the basket versus the machine to extract the espresso as best as possible. Great to use for beginners or folks who don’t want to deal with dialing in the perfect grind or tamp.
@@michaelerbreviews think of it this way. More holes allow for more flow rate than the single hole. "Normal"/Commercial espresso machines, rely on a fine and consistent espresso grind, that is, the coffee is ground very fine and very consistent. This fine,consistent grind, coupled with a proper tamp to compress the grinds into a puck, will allow the machine to build up water pressure that presses through the coffee at a proper rate for good espresso extraction. Normal preground coffee, even ground coffee that is ground for espresso (i.e. Illy or other brands, or getting ground at Sbux or something similar) will not always allow for you to get a good extraction, and so Kitchenaid in this product provides baskets with only one hole. This allows the machine to build pressure and have a steady flow rate independent of the quality of the grind or the quality of the tamp. Some other machines actually have a valve in the basket to control the pressure. As the other guy said, it has nothing to do with the freshness of the coffee. I would say I agree with that for the most part, with the exception that as coffee gets older, the grind needs to be adjusted to suit the extraction and flavor profile of the espresso you prefer - one kind of coffee can yield different flavor profiles depending on how much coffee grinds you use (do you measure your grinds with a scale?), the fineness of the grind (do you grind at home with a GOOD and proper espresso grinder?), and a proper tamp (do you tamp with a consistent force?). These factors affect an espresso extract FAR more than the machine in most cases. I use a really crappy espresso machine, but I have a Mazzer Super Jolly grinder ,I roast my own beans, and I have trained as a barista, so I know how to properly tamp, resulting in very good espresso from a very budget espresso machine.
Just found this machine on clearance for $100. I am hopeful it will be good for iced lattes and coffees, as a starter espresso machine. I'm a total newbie, so if it produces a half decent product, I'm not picky. Thank you for your honest review and instructions. Very helpful to me! 😊
Just my two cents. First steam the milk so the coffee shot does not sit waiting, but have the coffee shot ready to be pulled and your cup in place. Place the steam wand slightly below the milk surface and near the side of the pitcher. Hold it still so the milk starts to create a circular vortex. Watch the froth and expansion of the milk. If you decide you have enough froth lower the wand deeper to curb additional unwanted froth. you should be holding the pitcher in the palm of your hand so you can feel the milk temperature. When it feels too hot to hold you are about done so stop the steaming. Clear the wand with steam immediately to prevent milk from being drawn up and baking itself to the inside of your wand and tubing. Wipe the wand. Pull the shot and pour you warmed milk over it. Because I know I want two little demitasse spoons of sugar I put it in my cup and pull the shot over it, stirring as the shot is flowing. It is normal for vented water to collect in the steam tray. All machines do this and that's why it has a drip tray. Most places like Starbucks and even McDonalds overheat their milk creating a scalding hot latte. This does not happen in Europe. Milk should be no more than 150 degrees. I prefer 140. Overheated milk ruins its taste and burns your mouth because milk has fat and the fat is a lot like hot oil.
A thing that I like to use when frothing the milk is a beverage thermometer. The one I got is from Taylor and it comes with a clip that you clip it to the frothing pitcher with. I shoot for 140F and it goes to 142-143 but I always stop the steam before 145. The frothed milk seems sweeter when frothed to that temp. Also hold the tip of the frothing wand just below the surface of the milk and at an angle to help get a bit of a roll going on. As the milk expands then you can push the tip of the frothing wand deeper in the milk.
Hello, so I just bought the machine and watched the review. You’re probably the only person that has done a great and thorough review. I keep on pulling sour shots with my fresh coffee, have you’ve run into these problems as well?
@@michaelerbreviews dang! Thanks for the heads up. We're looking at some black Friday deals, looks like the KitchenAid is out of the running. Any opinion on the Breville Bambino or DeLongi Dedica?
I am not familiar with either of those machines. If you are looking for a less expensive espresso machine, I recently used a Wirsh espresso machine, very reasonably priced and it was very good. Way better than the KitchenAid and 1/3 the cost. amzn.to/3G0rSg1 I also use and have reviewed the Delonghi ECP3220w th-cam.com/video/0hIwQwWWDLU/w-d-xo.html but honestly I prefer the Wirsh.
Thanks for your honest comments on this machine. I was stoked based on the reviews for this machine. I replaced a Delonghi ECP3220 which had a few issues but gave us 3 years of good service, going to gift it to a friend who doesn't mind the issues. However, I am displeased with the quality of the coffee of this machine. It's worse than the Delonghi which was half the price. Biggest issues: -Not hard to adjust settings. but with the highest water temp setting, it's still warm espresso at best. Unacceptable. -I'm grinding my own coffee beans and have tried different things, crema is poor and coffee taste overall is not that good. Maybe I need to use the "double-walled" filter basket, but this still doesn't solve the issue of the temperature. -Look at reviews, most have received an incentive to leave a comment. This tells me we are not getting accurate reviews of this product. I was convinced by the mid-tier price and nice features, but I think I'm going to return it. Pros: -Everything about it, on paper, is great. Nice, heavy duty portafilter that's flat and can fit a true double-shot. Included frothing jug. Tamper is heavy and the machine overall has a great fit and finish. If only it made great coffee it'd be a 10/10! But the poor coffee quality is a deal-breaker. the Delonghi I had was much more forgiving and made superior coffee.
I’m sorry you had a bad experience with the machine. However, I’m not surprised. This is one of my least favorite machines that I’ve tested in the last several years. There are much better performing machines making far better espresso for less cost. Check out my reviews of the wirsh and the mattanata machines, for instance.
I just purchased this espresso machine, and I am having problems with the overflow of water in the filter after making the espresso. You mention that there is better product for the price. Could you please share some other options?
Coleen, how much do you intend on spending? For half the cost I was quite impressed with how well this one worked. This is an Amazon affiliate link amzn.to/2ZIGCAz
Great demo, review and comments. I finally spent my Saturday morning making a decision as to return this unit after struggling with no creama from my shots ground at 4 different settings over the past 2 months. Now I see that my Cuisinart DBM-8, grinder doesn't grind a fine enough grade for this machine. Although, my old Breville 800 ESXL; which I have used for years always gave me a nice creama from grounds from the same Cuisinart grinder. I compared the pre-ground coffee Cafe Bustelo expresso vs my Cusinart finely fresh ground Starbucks expresso. As in the demo, the coffee ran through much too fast with the freshly ground Starbucks and I never got much creama. The pre-ground Cafe Bustelo expresso took longer to express and gave me a nice creama. Which means I'd have to only use pre-ground coffee with this unit or buy another coffee grinder. I prefer to freshly grind my beans. Also, I believe I tamp with enough recommended pressure, but the puck was inconsistent after several attempts when using the freshly ground beans. Finally, I was fortunate enough to get the bonus purchase which included the milk dispenser. Unfortunately, it takes too many extra steps to clean it for the limited amount of froth it yielded. And using the manual steam wand didn't give me much froth and I think it scorched the milk. I love my KitchenAid appliances, but with only 2 days left to return it to the store, we are going to have to depart company.
I just got this machine but haven’t tried it yet. I also plan on going to Starbucks and having them grind coffee for me. Since you said they didn’t do a good job, what do you recommend I ask them to do? I’m very new to this whole process
Well, that's not an easy question to answer. Typically, if you ask a coffee roaster to grind your coffee for a home espresso machine, that's what they will do. However, there is still a range of grind variability that will possibly work best with your particular machine. Getting a good extraction, depends on many factors, including depends the proper grind, the amount of pressure you are using to tamp your coffee, the screen in your Portafilter itself, the type of coffee it is, what the roast of your beans are...all these factors work together and that is what tweaking your grind is all about when you start doing your own barista thing at home. In my case, the grind was so fine that the machine just couldn't deal with it. But beyond that, I tried different grinds, and the machine was just not a great machine for me. I guess the bottom line is that you should really have your own burger grinder at home so that you can adjust the grind as necessary to work with your machine in the most optimal way. Otherwise, you are relying on someone else to grind coffee and since they don't know what the result will be, they're flying in the dark.
my reseearch on these, and I have never used one so salt before consuming...is that the steam system depressurizes to save the seals, thats why it dumps water into the drip tray. I learned this looking at videos about the Gaggia Classic, you need to manually decompress the steam wand into the drip tray when done.
Hello! And thanks for your video! Just yesterday I acquired this machine here in Colombia and it caught my attention as to why the drip tray fills with water every time you make an espresso or use the Steam. Do you know the reason for this?
You pulled a 18 second shot - if I'm not wrong you time it when it starts to flow (15 seconds) until it starts to drip (33-34 seconds). So it was nearly enough... just slightly finer grind or more pressure on tamp would have been better for non pressurized filter. For the pressurized filters you wouldn't have any control on the shot-length regardless of grind size or tamp. You can only clog/strain the machine by tamping too hard. Also, the frother isn't a panorello so you cannot produce froth unless you use the correct technique. I can tell you had the frother way too far down in the milk because of the sound it makes. It should be making a "tsk" sound over and over as it froths the milk until the milk is about 100F then you want to roll the milk by angling the frother just right. Watch a few videos of people making latte art with real frothers and pay close attention to the sound and motion of the milk.
Thanks for your tips. I've failed miserably at making froth for years and will probably continue to do so. But I'll watch some more videos and maybe hire a real Barista to give me instruction (I'm not kidding)
Did you have issues with the stainless steel plate vibrating so bad that it moves your espresso cup? I have to hold my espresso cup in place in order for it to stay put, otherwise espresso misses the cup. I also noticed a crack in my machine today and I have no idea how it happened, as it stays in the same place every day. Super disappointed because I’ve only had this machine for 9 months. Wishing I would’ve gotten a breville instead.
I saw that the water ejected after steaming, is to pull down water temperature to be able to brew a new shot of espresso without need to flush it before pulling another shot, its not to clean the steam wand.
Really good and thorough review - thank you. My question is one around temperatures; you mentioned the temperature of the water used to make your espresso was perhaps not hot enough (for you). You then said the temperature of the milk is perhaps too hot when looking to add foam. Possibly trying to see the good in all, but would you think that the two together (I sometimes like added milk/lattes) works, as far as combined temperature goes? I've got the opportunity of purchasing this machine for £330 GBP and am trying to workout if saving £300 (instead of buying the Sage Barista Pro, or Nespresso Creatista Pro) is a real saving, or my sacrificing a better espresso (Barista pro) or true convenience (Creatista Pro) - Thoughts?
I'm sorry I didn't see your question sooner. What did you finally settle on? I had absolutely terrible experience with the Creatista Plus and the Pro is quite similar I believe. I don't know anything about the Sage machine you mention. I would probably go with something completely different than any of these you mention, including this KitchenAid.
a number of machines dump hot water through the wand in order to cool the machines down, as steam wands operate at higher temperatures than espresso extraction wants.
Thank you for the thorough and awesome review. I just bought this machine and am learning how to use it. Checked out a few videos and yours was the most comprehensive. Thank you so much. I was shocked when I heard the constant knocking /booming sound during the milk frothing process. But I noticed yours made the same sound. I owned a Delonghi Stilosa and Mr. Coffee One touch Coffeehouse before and never heard this type of noise. Is it normal? Thank you for your insight in advance.
@@michaelerbreviews r Thank you so much for your reply. Really appreciate it. I also ordered the milk frother. Used it for the first time today and failed miserably. Love the machine but the frother only shot out spits of milk. No foam at all even at the maximum foam level. Still learning to see if I'm doing something wrong. Thank you for all your expertise.
Hi, thanks for the review! I am wondering if you have found an aftermarket portafilter that fits on this machine? Cause I would like to have a bottomless portafilter if possible. Thanks in advance!
Hi! Great presentation. But i would like to know if it is possible to use E.S.E. pods with this machine? Are there filter basket also for E.S.E available? What about water filter. Does this coffee machine use/is it possible to use any water filter to make water softer? Thanks
To the best of my knowledge it does not use ESE pods. There is no water filter in the machine. I use filtered water either from my refrigerator or from my Aquasauna water purifier. And although you didn’t ask, I just want to be clear that I do not recommend this machine. I do not feel it’s performance is anywhere near what it should be for a $400 machine.
Pretty sure they sell espresso “pods” that are in tea bag like pouches. Single hole because the mesh on the bag catches the grounds instead of the basket
KitchenAid does not recommend using coffee pods in this machine. The single hole basket creates a more uniform pressure for better extraction when using pre-ground coffee.
@@michaelerbreviews I get that. But instead of scooping and tamping they sell bags of pre ground coffee in circular puck shaped sacks. It’s a little easier for starting home baristas and extremely convenient for busy mornings. I’ve found the sacks gives almost the exact same results as tamping especially for a smaller non commercial machine
It could be an air bubble at the bottom of the water reservoir. Simply lift the water reservoir off the machine tap your finger on the hole where the water is sitting and then replace the water reservoir.
The body of the portafilter is metal, the basket is metal but the inside of the portafilter has a plastic insert. I try to avoid plastics. Most better quality portafilters are all metal.
@@emmettkate1370 You can find all metal portafilters on Amazon or other websites that sell espresso machines. But I no longer have this machine and don't remember what size portafilter it uses. They are not all universal in size nor do they all use the same attachment method. Some have 3 tangs, others 2 or 4. You just have to figure out what you've got and try to find something that will fit.
Do not reuse the grounds. You can either throw them out, or I dump them into a mulch pile which eventually makes it's way into my garden, enriching the soil.
We just got ours, and for some reason the light water keeps blinking… We checked the water tank several times and cleaned the steam wand. We have not been able to use it at all :(
Wow thank for you this. I got one as a gift and I really thought I was doing it all wrong because the milk didn't froth and the coffee got cold waiting for it to froth. My $40.00 Mr. Coffee works just as good if not better! And really coffee shouldn't be this complicated.
@@bushkillrealty1817 I was extremely disappointed in this espresso machine. For $400 it’s just not up to the task. I have a DeLonghi which is about $130 and it works far better than this one.
I have a Bella Pro 19 bar ($150) from BestBuy and one thing that I did notice when making coffee in Bella vs Breville Baristra Pro ($700) is that the steam pressure is incredibly low to get the whirlpool going in cheaper machines. However, I did some trial & errors and found that if the frother tip is kept on the surface of for almost entire time, the milk texture does become like “wet paint” which is very handy to work with Latte Art. In general, I find every machine different in its own way and could take a couple months or more to get handy managing the variables (grind size, tamper pressure, frothing consistency, pour speed) right!
Nice set up but honestly way to complicated for me first thing in the morning. I have a Keurig and I set it up the night before and once it heats up I just press the cup size button and I have coffee.
Bought this machine in July this year, The two holes in the black portafilter-inlay are not well separated, the two outlets sprinkle espresso all over the place. Called KitchenAid for replacement iportafilter-inlay under warranry::: Horrible service from KitchenAid in Europe. Coffee mug vibrates heaily (even moves) on the sinc tray. Machine performs, but cannot really recommend this machine.
The big question is: What is the pressure tank made of? Because aluminum is not so stable and our livers cannot metabolize it, under pressure the material will get into the water, therefore the coffee ... if you drink that every day, then after a while, that will cause several problems ...
Great review really, and thank you for declaring the lack of information on some aspects where many would just say inaccurate information. I can take this chance to clarify the two points related to the filter baskets and the water purge after steaming.
Pressurized (double wall) filter baskets are made to foolproof the espresso brewing process. The idea is to raise the pressure enough by throttling the flow through a small hole, which allows for a wider range of grind size and makes puck prep less important. It would produce good shots with good crema every time, and it takes very little experience to make drinkable espresso. So when they say these baskets are for pre-ground coffee, they really mean for coffee that is ground with unknown grind size.
On the other hand, non pressurized filter baskets (single wall) are intended for experienced users with good grinders. These filter baskets allow for finer grind size which enhances the extraction and flavor. The downside is the need for a decent grinder and experience. 1. Grind size and extraction time become major parameters that make or break the shot (look up dialing in espresso by James Hoffmann). 2. Puck prep becomes very important and can also make or break the shot; proper distribution and tamping will be required to prevent channeling. Channeling is when water finds a path of least resistance and goes through it on account of water flow throughout the rest of the puck. This area becomes over extracted and the rest of the puck will be under extracted. The result would be an unbalanced and unpleasant espresso shot. So when they say these filters are for freshly ground coffee, they mean for coffee where the grind size is controllable.
In single boiler machines, the same boiler is used to produce steam and therefore, much higher temperature is needed. When the steaming is done, preparing espresso right after that would be a disaster. So what the machine does after steaming is first, it releases the steam pressure through a relief valve (you can hear that in the video) and once the pressure is low enough, it purges water through the boiler down to the drip tray to bring it back to espresso temperature and prepare the machine to brew espresso again.
I hope this comment will fill the gaps in this great review. Cheers!
Well said. Thank you.
The pressurized filters for the pre-ground coffee are there so you can use almost any grind size they're way more forgiving than the single wall with lots of holes in it. It's there to make
life easier if the grind is not perfect for your particular machine. That's why it's there. For example that bustello pre-ground coffee you have you want to use the pressurized filter for that.
Well stated.
Pressure vs non pressurized baskets has to do not with the freshness of the coffee, but with the ability to grind to match the requirements of the non pressurized basket. In other words you must grind finer and more accurately to use non pressurized. For pressurized basket you can use grind more like drip since the single hole develops the pressure the lack of grind creates.
Also, the water you find after a shot may be the fact that better machines have a solenoid to release water from puck after shot. Not sure if this machine has…but that is my guess.
Espresso machines need a valve for the over pressure, so some water will drop off. If you possess an espresso machine with an E61, you can see it working, after every espresso you make.
@@maximilianschwab9668 That is true but to be clear this is not an E61. Although it does have 58mm basket the portafilter is not E61 compatible.
For the filter baskets; one set is pressurized and one set is non-pressurized. It’s not really about fresh vs non-fresh. It’s about the grind of the coffee. The pressurized baskets are for pre-ground espresso. It compensates for unevenness/coarseness of the grind. Non-pressurized is for regular espresso beans that you grind yourself.
What is a pressurized basket?
Pressurized filter baskets are for pre-ground coffee or for a grind/tamp that just isn’t quite good enough for a normal/traditional filter baskets. They’re the baskets with the single hole. Pressure is built in the basket versus the machine to extract the espresso as best as possible. Great to use for beginners or folks who don’t want to deal with dialing in the perfect grind or tamp.
@@michaelerbreviews think of it this way. More holes allow for more flow rate than the single hole. "Normal"/Commercial espresso machines, rely on a fine and consistent espresso grind, that is, the coffee is ground very fine and very consistent. This fine,consistent grind, coupled with a proper tamp to compress the grinds into a puck, will allow the machine to build up water pressure that presses through the coffee at a proper rate for good espresso extraction. Normal preground coffee, even ground coffee that is ground for espresso (i.e. Illy or other brands, or getting ground at Sbux or something similar) will not always allow for you to get a good extraction, and so Kitchenaid in this product provides baskets with only one hole. This allows the machine to build pressure and have a steady flow rate independent of the quality of the grind or the quality of the tamp. Some other machines actually have a valve in the basket to control the pressure. As the other guy said, it has nothing to do with the freshness of the coffee. I would say I agree with that for the most part, with the exception that as coffee gets older, the grind needs to be adjusted to suit the extraction and flavor profile of the espresso you prefer - one kind of coffee can yield different flavor profiles depending on how much coffee grinds you use (do you measure your grinds with a scale?), the fineness of the grind (do you grind at home with a GOOD and proper espresso grinder?), and a proper tamp (do you tamp with a consistent force?). These factors affect an espresso extract FAR more than the machine in most cases. I use a really crappy espresso machine, but I have a Mazzer Super Jolly grinder ,I roast my own beans, and I have trained as a barista, so I know how to properly tamp, resulting in very good espresso from a very budget espresso machine.
Just found this machine on clearance for $100. I am hopeful it will be good for iced lattes and coffees, as a starter espresso machine. I'm a total newbie, so if it produces a half decent product, I'm not picky. Thank you for your honest review and instructions. Very helpful to me! 😊
I’d be curious to hear your impressions once you get it
@@michaelerbreviewsme too. I’m particularly interested in hearing about that releasing water from the wand after the fact
@@adelaidemarie I have learned that it is how the unit cools itself down after attaining the temperature it needs for producing steam.
@@michaelerbreviews thanks
Just my two cents. First steam the milk so the coffee shot does not sit waiting, but have the coffee shot ready to be pulled and your cup in place. Place the steam wand slightly below the milk surface and near the side of the pitcher. Hold it still so the milk starts to create a circular vortex. Watch the froth and expansion of the milk. If you decide you have enough froth lower the wand deeper to curb additional unwanted froth. you should be holding the pitcher in the palm of your hand so you can feel the milk temperature. When it feels too hot to hold you are about done so stop the steaming. Clear the wand with steam immediately to prevent milk from being drawn up and baking itself to the inside of your wand and tubing. Wipe the wand. Pull the shot and pour you warmed milk over it. Because I know I want two little demitasse spoons of sugar I put it in my cup and pull the shot over it, stirring as the shot is flowing. It is normal for vented water to collect in the steam tray. All machines do this and that's why it has a drip tray.
Most places like Starbucks and even McDonalds overheat their milk creating a scalding hot latte. This does not happen in Europe. Milk should be no more than 150 degrees. I prefer 140. Overheated milk ruins its taste and burns your mouth because milk has fat and the fat is a lot like hot oil.
A thing that I like to use when frothing the milk is a beverage thermometer. The one I got is from Taylor and it comes with a clip that you clip it to the frothing pitcher with. I shoot for 140F and it goes to 142-143 but I always stop the steam before 145. The frothed milk seems sweeter when frothed to that temp. Also hold the tip of the frothing wand just below the surface of the milk and at an angle to help get a bit of a roll going on. As the milk expands then you can push the tip of the frothing wand deeper in the milk.
Thanks for your tips
Thank you very much.
The best review I saw about this machine and from someone who really knows the espresso process.
🎉
Hello, so I just bought the machine and watched the review. You’re probably the only person that has done a great and thorough review. I keep on pulling sour shots with my fresh coffee, have you’ve run into these problems as well?
I gave up on this machine. It was just terrible. Maybe mine was defective, I'll never know for sure because I just got rid of it.
@@michaelerbreviews oh man, that’s what I’m afraid of. If I can’t pull any decent shots, I may need to return it as well.
@@heatherwyman7376 I'm sorry to hear that.
@@michaelerbreviews dang! Thanks for the heads up. We're looking at some black Friday deals, looks like the KitchenAid is out of the running.
Any opinion on the Breville Bambino or DeLongi Dedica?
I am not familiar with either of those machines. If you are looking for a less expensive espresso machine, I recently used a Wirsh espresso machine, very reasonably priced and it was very good. Way better than the KitchenAid and 1/3 the cost. amzn.to/3G0rSg1
I also use and have reviewed the Delonghi ECP3220w th-cam.com/video/0hIwQwWWDLU/w-d-xo.html but honestly I prefer the Wirsh.
Thanks for your honest comments on this machine.
I was stoked based on the reviews for this machine. I replaced a Delonghi ECP3220 which had a few issues but gave us 3 years of good service, going to gift it to a friend who doesn't mind the issues.
However, I am displeased with the quality of the coffee of this machine. It's worse than the Delonghi which was half the price.
Biggest issues:
-Not hard to adjust settings. but with the highest water temp setting, it's still warm espresso at best. Unacceptable.
-I'm grinding my own coffee beans and have tried different things, crema is poor and coffee taste overall is not that good. Maybe I need to use the "double-walled" filter basket, but this still doesn't solve the issue of the temperature.
-Look at reviews, most have received an incentive to leave a comment. This tells me we are not getting accurate reviews of this product. I was convinced by the mid-tier price and nice features, but I think I'm going to return it.
Pros:
-Everything about it, on paper, is great. Nice, heavy duty portafilter that's flat and can fit a true double-shot. Included frothing jug. Tamper is heavy and the machine overall has a great fit and finish. If only it made great coffee it'd be a 10/10! But the poor coffee quality is a deal-breaker. the Delonghi I had was much more forgiving and made superior coffee.
I’m sorry you had a bad experience with the machine. However, I’m not surprised. This is one of my least favorite machines that I’ve tested in the last several years. There are much better performing machines making far better espresso for less cost. Check out my reviews of the wirsh and the mattanata machines, for instance.
I just purchased this espresso machine, and I am having problems with the overflow of water in the filter after making the espresso. You mention that there is better product for the price. Could you please share some other options?
Coleen, how much do you intend on spending? For half the cost I was quite impressed with how well this one worked. This is an Amazon affiliate link amzn.to/2ZIGCAz
Great demo, review and comments. I finally spent my Saturday morning making a decision as to return this unit after struggling with no creama from my shots ground at 4 different settings over the past 2 months. Now I see that my Cuisinart DBM-8, grinder doesn't grind a fine enough grade for this machine. Although, my old Breville 800 ESXL; which I have used for years always gave me a nice creama from grounds from the same Cuisinart grinder. I compared the pre-ground coffee Cafe Bustelo expresso vs my Cusinart finely fresh ground Starbucks expresso. As in the demo, the coffee ran through much too fast with the freshly ground Starbucks and I never got much creama. The pre-ground Cafe Bustelo expresso took longer to express and gave me a nice creama. Which means I'd have to only use pre-ground coffee with this unit or buy another coffee grinder. I prefer to freshly grind my beans. Also, I believe I tamp with enough recommended pressure, but the puck was inconsistent after several attempts when using the freshly ground beans. Finally, I was fortunate enough to get the bonus purchase which included the milk dispenser. Unfortunately, it takes too many extra steps to clean it for the limited amount of froth it yielded. And using the manual steam wand didn't give me much froth and I think it scorched the milk. I love my KitchenAid appliances, but with only 2 days left to return it to the store, we are going to have to depart company.
Yup. What did you end up purchasing?
Excellent video. No one could have given better instructions.and done a better video.
Wow, thanks!
I just got this machine but haven’t tried it yet. I also plan on going to Starbucks and having them grind coffee for me. Since you said they didn’t do a good job, what do you recommend I ask them to do? I’m very new to this whole process
Well, that's not an easy question to answer. Typically, if you ask a coffee roaster to grind your coffee for a home espresso machine, that's what they will do. However, there is still a range of grind variability that will possibly work best with your particular machine. Getting a good extraction, depends on many factors, including depends the proper grind, the amount of pressure you are using to tamp your coffee, the screen in your Portafilter itself, the type of coffee it is, what the roast of your beans are...all these factors work together and that is what tweaking your grind is all about when you start doing your own barista thing at home. In my case, the grind was so fine that the machine just couldn't deal with it. But beyond that, I tried different grinds, and the machine was just not a great machine for me. I guess the bottom line is that you should really have your own burger grinder at home so that you can adjust the grind as necessary to work with your machine in the most optimal way. Otherwise, you are relying on someone else to grind coffee and since they don't know what the result will be, they're flying in the dark.
my reseearch on these, and I have never used one so salt before consuming...is that the steam system depressurizes to save the seals, thats why it dumps water into the drip tray. I learned this looking at videos about the Gaggia Classic, you need to manually decompress the steam wand into the drip tray when done.
I believe that what you’re saying is accurate. Thanks for your input.
Hello! And thanks for your video! Just yesterday I acquired this machine here in Colombia and it caught my attention as to why the drip tray fills with water every time you make an espresso or use the Steam. Do you know the reason for this?
It releases a little water after making steam to reduce the temperature of the mechanism inside the machine
You pulled a 18 second shot - if I'm not wrong you time it when it starts to flow (15 seconds) until it starts to drip (33-34 seconds). So it was nearly enough... just slightly finer grind or more pressure on tamp would have been better for non pressurized filter. For the pressurized filters you wouldn't have any control on the shot-length regardless of grind size or tamp. You can only clog/strain the machine by tamping too hard.
Also, the frother isn't a panorello so you cannot produce froth unless you use the correct technique. I can tell you had the frother way too far down in the milk because of the sound it makes. It should be making a "tsk" sound over and over as it froths the milk until the milk is about 100F then you want to roll the milk by angling the frother just right.
Watch a few videos of people making latte art with real frothers and pay close attention to the sound and motion of the milk.
Thanks for your tips. I've failed miserably at making froth for years and will probably continue to do so. But I'll watch some more videos and maybe hire a real Barista to give me instruction (I'm not kidding)
Did you have issues with the stainless steel plate vibrating so bad that it moves your espresso cup? I have to hold my espresso cup in place in order for it to stay put, otherwise espresso misses the cup.
I also noticed a crack in my machine today and I have no idea how it happened, as it stays in the same place every day. Super disappointed because I’ve only had this machine for 9 months.
Wishing I would’ve gotten a breville instead.
I saw that the water ejected after steaming, is to pull down water temperature to be able to brew a new shot of espresso without
need to flush it before pulling another shot, its not to clean the steam wand.
I hadn't considered that. Makes sense. Doesn't change my overall opinion of the espresso machine though.
Really good and thorough review - thank you. My question is one around temperatures; you mentioned the temperature of the water used to make your espresso was perhaps not hot enough (for you). You then said the temperature of the milk is perhaps too hot when looking to add foam. Possibly trying to see the good in all, but would you think that the two together (I sometimes like added milk/lattes) works, as far as combined temperature goes? I've got the opportunity of purchasing this machine for £330 GBP and am trying to workout if saving £300 (instead of buying the Sage Barista Pro, or Nespresso Creatista Pro) is a real saving, or my sacrificing a better espresso (Barista pro) or true convenience (Creatista Pro) - Thoughts?
I'm sorry I didn't see your question sooner. What did you finally settle on? I had absolutely terrible experience with the Creatista Plus and the Pro is quite similar I believe. I don't know anything about the Sage machine you mention. I would probably go with something completely different than any of these you mention, including this KitchenAid.
Thank you for the demo. Better than the manual.
Glad you liked it!
a number of machines dump hot water through the wand in order to cool the machines down, as steam wands operate at higher temperatures than espresso extraction wants.
I eventually came to that conclusion too. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your information, i was so close to buy one but i changed my mind 👍🏻🤘🏻
Thank you for the thorough and awesome review. I just bought this machine and am learning how to use it. Checked out a few videos and yours was the most comprehensive. Thank you so much. I was shocked when I heard the constant knocking /booming sound during the milk frothing process. But I noticed yours made the same sound. I owned a Delonghi Stilosa and Mr. Coffee One touch Coffeehouse before and never heard this type of noise. Is it normal? Thank you for your insight in advance.
The sound is normal. It's typical for the type of pump it uses.
@@michaelerbreviews r
Thank you so much for your reply. Really appreciate it. I also ordered the milk frother. Used it for the first time today and failed miserably. Love the machine but the frother only shot out spits of milk. No foam at all even at the maximum foam level. Still learning to see if I'm doing something wrong. Thank you for all your expertise.
Hi, thanks for the review! I am wondering if you have found an aftermarket portafilter that fits on this machine? Cause I would like to have a bottomless portafilter if possible. Thanks in advance!
I no longer have this machine. You should be able to buy a 58mm portafilter that has 3 locking tabs.
I got one and I'm happy but for the temperature, it seems to only get medium hot despite being set to Max.
Same issue for me. I didn't like this espresso machine much at all. Very disappointed.
Hi! Great presentation. But i would like to know if it is possible to use E.S.E. pods with this machine? Are there filter basket also for E.S.E available? What about water filter. Does this coffee machine use/is it possible to use any water filter to make water softer?
Thanks
To the best of my knowledge it does not use ESE pods. There is no water filter in the machine. I use filtered water either from my refrigerator or from my Aquasauna water purifier. And although you didn’t ask, I just want to be clear that I do not recommend this machine. I do not feel it’s performance is anywhere near what it should be for a $400 machine.
Pretty sure they sell espresso “pods” that are in tea bag like pouches. Single hole because the mesh on the bag catches the grounds instead of the basket
KitchenAid does not recommend using coffee pods in this machine. The single hole basket creates a more uniform pressure for better extraction when using pre-ground coffee.
@@michaelerbreviews I get that. But instead of scooping and tamping they sell bags of pre ground coffee in circular puck shaped sacks. It’s a little easier for starting home baristas and extremely convenient for busy mornings. I’ve found the sacks gives almost the exact same results as tamping especially for a smaller non commercial machine
What is the brew temperature on the machine? I read that its on the low side doesnt brew at ideal temps?
That was my experience as well. The low brew temperature resulted in espresso that was not nearly hot enough.
Hi there, brand new out of the box and the water light is blinking and won't pump water. Any suggestions?
It could be an air bubble at the bottom of the water reservoir. Simply lift the water reservoir off the machine tap your finger on the hole where the water is sitting and then replace the water reservoir.
Is the inside of the portafilte plastic or steal? Or which one is better for health, plastic vs steal? Thanks.
The body of the portafilter is metal, the basket is metal but the inside of the portafilter has a plastic insert. I try to avoid plastics. Most better quality portafilters are all metal.
@@michaelerbreviews thanks. Any recommendation on any metal portafilter?
@@emmettkate1370 You can find all metal portafilters on Amazon or other websites that sell espresso machines. But I no longer have this machine and don't remember what size portafilter it uses. They are not all universal in size nor do they all use the same attachment method. Some have 3 tangs, others 2 or 4. You just have to figure out what you've got and try to find something that will fit.
Once you use the ground coffee do you through it out or can you re-use it?
Do not reuse the grounds. You can either throw them out, or I dump them into a mulch pile which eventually makes it's way into my garden, enriching the soil.
Great video Micheal, thanks for sharing. I don’t drink Expresso but it looks good for all the people who do drink it.
Thanks Barbara. If it had worked as good as it looks it might be OK. Sadly it was disappointing.
We just got ours, and for some reason the light water keeps blinking… We checked the water tank several times and cleaned the steam wand. We have not been able to use it at all :(
Sorry to hear. This machine did not perform well for me either.
Thank you for doing a thorough review. I learned a lot from your video. Awesomeeee👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for your comment.
Thank you, much appreciated!
Wow thank for you this. I got one as a gift and I really thought I was doing it all wrong because the milk didn't froth and the coffee got cold waiting for it to froth. My $40.00 Mr. Coffee works just as good if not better! And really coffee shouldn't be this complicated.
Oh and had to add, I had to nuke the coffee a few seconds so I could drink it. Tastes good though!
@@bushkillrealty1817 I was extremely disappointed in this espresso machine. For $400 it’s just not up to the task. I have a DeLonghi which is about $130 and it works far better than this one.
I have a Bella Pro 19 bar ($150) from BestBuy and one thing that I did notice when making coffee in Bella vs Breville Baristra Pro ($700) is that the steam pressure is incredibly low to get the whirlpool going in cheaper machines. However, I did some trial & errors and found that if the frother tip is kept on the surface of for almost entire time, the milk texture does become like “wet paint” which is very handy to work with Latte Art. In general, I find every machine different in its own way and could take a couple months or more to get handy managing the variables (grind size, tamper pressure, frothing consistency, pour speed) right!
The water temperature is great (hot coffee)
Not my machine. It was not hot enough.
What's the difference between the KES6404?
The KES6404 also includes a milk frother.
I must say nice review man 🤘🏽👏🏽
Hi friend,
We need to make a professional sales video .Could you do that?
How to work with you?
Looking forward to your reply.
Leon
Leon, please contact me directly. topreviewer@live.com
@@michaelerbreviews ok
I've not heard from you. Are you still interested?
Thank you for this review. I now know I do NOT want to purchase this machine.
Nice set up but honestly way to complicated for me first thing in the morning. I have a Keurig and I set it up the night before and once it heats up I just press the cup size button and I have coffee.
Keurig and Nespresso certainly win in the convenience department for sure.
Just bought one and the water light keeps blinking from the start lol
Sorry to hear that. I"m not a fan of this machine.
Bought this machine in July this year,
The two holes in the black portafilter-inlay are not well separated, the two outlets sprinkle espresso all over the place. Called KitchenAid for replacement iportafilter-inlay under warranry::: Horrible service from KitchenAid in Europe.
Coffee mug vibrates heaily (even moves) on the sinc tray.
Machine performs, but cannot really recommend this machine.
I agree. Thanks for sharing your views on the machine.
Ахахах 😂 😂 😂 спасибо поржал.. Профессионал 😅
Thank you
The big question is: What is the pressure tank made of? Because aluminum is not so stable and our livers cannot metabolize it, under pressure the material will get into the water, therefore the coffee ... if you drink that every day, then after a while, that will cause several problems ...
This is a thermocoil machine - no pressure tank. Not sure if the tubing is aluminum or stainless steel.
@@RandomNumber141 Thank you very much for the info!
dude those are pressurized baskets .. its for beginner's
Not so much for beginners but more for pre-packaged coffee that isn't fresh enough to generate much crema.
Thanks for the review. I am glad that I didn't buy the machine.
You're welcome. There are definitely better choices at this price point.
It didn’t froth because the milk was only 1%.
garbage chinese thermoblock machine.just buy a gaggia classic or even better a rancilio silvia or profitec go
I have no issues with thermoblock machines because some work very well. This one however does not and there are many better choices out there.