The cult surrounding the coffee bean continues. Fully automatic machines should deliver good espresso and Co. at the push of a button. But the price differences are huge. And not always justified, as Warentest states.
Good coffee? There's also at home. Thanks to the one-touch function, many fully automatic machines in the test prepare cappuccino, latte macchiato and co. quickly and easily. The machine also takes care of the subsequent rinsing. In its latest study, Stiftung Warentest took a closer look at eleven. The most expensive model in the test costs around eight times as much as the cheapest: the cheapest machine is available for 345 euros, the most expensive for 2130 euros.
They differ enormously in terms of price, but hardly at all in terms of quality, as the testers find out. Apart from that, all eleven devices tested were found to be "good", the eight machines with a milk function as well as the three without. Drink strength and quantity, degree of grinding and temperature can usually be set easily, the models are easy and intuitive to use, easy to clean and not too loud.
In addition to luxury models with large touch displays and many setting options, there were also inexpensive devices without frills. As far as their main task - preparing espresso - is concerned, they are often in no way inferior to the more expensive coffee machines. The eight inexpensive and compact fully automatic coffee machines without milk frother and container cost between around 270 and 630 euros.
Since 2021, Warentest has dispensed with a sensory assessment of the espresso aroma because many machines offer a large selection of coffee drinks that can be individually adapted in many cases. In the study, on the other hand, the devices had to show how well they could grind the beans, brew coffee and, if necessary, froth milk. The quality assessment also included how long the devices needed from the start to the finished first drink, whether settings such as the degree of grinding or the water temperature can be easily changed and how quietly they work. The testers also checked how easy it was to clean the various models and how much electricity they consumed - even in stand-by mode.
The best machine in the study is "De'Longhi Eletta Explore" ("good", grade 1.7) for 910 euros, followed by "Saeco Granaroma SM6580/00" for 685 euros ("good", 2.0). Third place is shared by the most expensive and the cheapest. "Jura Z10" for 2130 euros can prepare six times as many different coffee drinks, namely a total of 24, as "Philips EP 2231/40" for 345 euros (both grade 2.1).
(This article was first published on Tuesday, October 18, 2022.)
