Coffee party at Warentest
The cheapest fully automatic machine makes the best espresso
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Stiftung Warentest tests twelve new fully automatic coffee machines, eight of which perform well overall. The cheapest machine makes the best espresso, its big sister is the test winner. But sommeliers sometimes have different tastes.
With the latest test of fully automatic coffee machines, Stiftung Warentest has introduced an important innovation. From now on, three coffee sommeliers will taste espresso and cappuccino produced by the machines. A single type of espresso bean is used that was previously rated well by Warentest.
First, the experts taste the drinks blindly, i.e. without knowing which fully automatic machine they come from. Then repeat the test with the settings you optimized. In addition, Warentest takes measurements of, among other things, the preparation time, the temperature, the consistency of the milk foam and the options for varying the degree of grinding and strength.
Good coffee from 370 euros
Surprisingly, in the espresso rating, the cheapest machine, with an average online price of 370 euros, performed best among the twelve newcomers with a grade of 2.4. The sommeliers found the coffee only satisfactory. Also the cappuccino De'Longhi Magnifica Start ECAM220.60.B was rated good (2.5) by the product testers and tasted satisfactory to the sommeliers. Because it also achieved good results in terms of handling, safety, environmental properties and pollutants, the machine achieved a strong quality rating of 2.3.
The test victory was secured De'Longhi Rivelia EXAM440.55.B with an overall grade of 2.1. At around 805 euros, it is more than twice as expensive, but is only superior to its little sister in details. Their espresso is just as good as the cheap De'Longhi. The cappuccino (2.3) didn't taste any better to the sommeliers, but the test winner can froth milk separately, unlike her little sister.
The second-placed fully automatic machine Krups Intuition Experience+ EA877D (2.2) is even more expensive with an online price of 875 euros on average. The machine produces cappuccino, which professional gourmets liked. Stiftung Warentest rated the safety of the Krups as very good, and handling and pollution levels as good. Because it is not easy to repair, the machine performed only satisfactorily in terms of environmental properties.
Sommelier favorites
Anyone who primarily trusts the taste of coffee sommeliers will find this one, which costs around 905 euros Melitta LatteSelect (2,3) the best machine. The experts rated both the espresso and the cappuccino well. However, the espresso note was only satisfactory because Warentest found the time to heat up too long and the options for varying the strength too limited.
It's similar with the Nivona NICR 550 (2.4), which is significantly cheaper at around 550 euros, but still received good marks twice from the sommeliers. The espresso rating of the machine was only satisfactory because you can hardly vary the grinding level.
