And for the price this is a great option for anyone looking to get their first bean to cup coffee machine. It is simple to use and you won’t get overwhelmed by a myriad of options, but the settings you do have will allow you to enjoy exceptional espresso and if you choose the “& Milk” option then great cappuccino’s and Lattes. Otherwise, when I take a look at what’s available on the market in my fully automatic coffee machine test 2023, there aren’t many options available in the entry-level price range. Even if we put the entry-level test winner, the DeLonghi Magnifica ECAM 22.110, up for discussion, then, of course, you get a ‘complete’ machine there, but you have to live with somewhat of lower coffee quality. In addition to the automatic programs, you need to consider how easy is the manual clean? This generally boils down to how easy is it to get to the parts you need to clean. Well the Melitta Caffeo solo is great in this regard. The Solois one of the smallest automatic coffee makers in the world. And yet it provides enough room for high-grade Melitta technology. Adjustable Coffee Strength, Adjustable Water Quantity, Adjustable Coffee Temperature, Adjustable Cup Quantity

You will need to get a stainless steel jug to do this part, and there is not one supplied. Simply put you need to fill the jug roughly half way up, and then submerge the wand into the milk. Open the valve a little at first to start the warming of the milk. As the temp rises you can then lower the jug so the tip of the wand is just in the milk, and then pen the valve a little more. This will make the foam on the top. There is also Melitta’s aroma extraction system, which pre wets the beans with a little water prior to the full extraction. Brand: Some brands are known for delivering amazing quality products, it’s a case of trying to find the Rolex equivalent for Coffee machines, but at a realistic and reasonable price. Although the Solo can only make coffee and espresso, you can easily make all of the necessary settings adjustments. With the Melitta Caffeo Solo, everything comes in threes: three grind settings, three coffee strengths and three temperature settings.Whilst this is a lot simpler than doing it yourself, I personally think the quality of foam it makes is not as good as what even a novice barista could achieve. Milk Drinks verdict But that will be enough for a lot of people, and means it is capable of producing a much better cup of coffee than a mug of instant. A fully automatic coffee machine cannot make filtered coffee, and a regular coffee machine cannot make espresso. Not only because of the pressure required but also because of ‘incidental’ things like filters. In other words, the Melitta Caffeo Solo and a modern Moccamaster cannot effectively replace one another.

I can’t stress this enough: the water tank, drip tray and grounds container really should be cleaned between uses. Previous experience: Have you ever owned any Coffee machines? Think about your experience of the product and how good it was. What brand was it? How much was it? What was it made from? All of these can help you when considering your options. It does fall short when compared to other coffee machines when you look at the customisation options. If you want more control then I suggest you choose a different bean to cup machine from my list of the top ten Milk Frothing The minimum water quantity for espresso or coffee is 25 milliliters instead of 30 milliliters (0.85 ounces to 1 ounce).

If you want to have a foot in both the filtered coffee and espresso worlds, you can just buy one of each. That’s what some people have commented below this review, at least. I have to say, I do agree with their logic and wouldn’t think of it as over the top to do so. Melitta Caffeo Solo are a respected manufacturer and have a great build qaulity, so they require little maintenance on your part. Although they don’t supply one, they are compatible with “Claris water filters” and I would strongly urge you to use one to limit limescale build up. That said, if you find this cost prohibitive or simply inconvenient, you’ll have to decide which style of coffee you want to wake up to each morning. Miss the Frothed Milk? A Few Suggestions for Cappuccinos & Latte Macchiatos People have been poking fun at how this fully automatic coffee machine doesn’t have a milk frother on board, and I see why. When it entered the market in 2014, this was a sign of pronounced self-confidence. After all, customers wanted everything in a fully automatic coffee machine — even if they didn’t use it. If you enjoy Cappuccinos or Latte Macchiatos almost every day, you’re better off with alternatives like the Melitta Caffeo CI or the feature-rich Melitta Caffeo Barista TS Smart anyway.

That said, the Solo’s variations of 87, 90 and 93 degrees Celsius (187, 194 and 199 degrees Fahrenheit) for coffee and espresso are completely ridiculous anyway. This issue has been corrected in the Purista, in my opinion. I find that the Purista’s coffees are even a tad bit hotter and have fuller body. Melitta Caffeo Solo & Milk (E953-102) : This is the same as above, but has the addition of a manual steam wand, to allow you make milk based coffees, such as Cappuccino. On top of that, the Melitta Caffeo Solo uses the same high-quality technology in the brew group, without any added costs, that you will find in older and posher versions of Melitta fully automatic coffee machines.

As far as most buyers are concerned, this machine provides a great cup of espresso with minimal fuss and at the strength required. There is also the added bonus of the cup warmer to maintain the temperature a little more. The machine is limited on the type of coffee it can make but there is a different version out there with a milk steamer for those that want more variety. Most people will naturally think automatic is the obvious choice, but it is not that simple. Automatic does offer convenience, but the manually textured milk offers better quality.