I am a huge coffee lover and enjoy a take-out cup of joe as much as the next office worker, but I find the best coffee is the one I make at home. After my simple pod model gave up the ghost, I’ve been on the hunt for the best coffee machine, which is when I tried the Kitchenaid kf8.
The large box the machine arrived in was daunting. I was left wondering how much effort I’d have to put in to set up a state-of-the-art coffee machine in my flat – and I hadn’t had my morning coffee yet.
But it was simply a case of lifting the machine out of the box and plugging it in. A small note let me know that the machine is pre-flushed, so it’s fine to use immediately. I’m someone who doesn’t love reading manuals, and happily, minimal instructions were needed for the setup.
This seamlessness and ease of use are features that continued as I began using the machine, and it has become something I look forward to each morning.
How I tested
To really assess its performance, I have been testing the KitchenAid kf8 coffee machine for two months, trying a range of different drinks and, most importantly, seeing how it makes my essential morning coffee every day. I had high hopes. When it came to testing, I considered ease of use, cleaning, adaptability, and, of course, the taste of the coffee it produced. I’ve detailed my full testing criteria at the end of the review.
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KitchenAid kf8 fully automatic espresso machine
Warranty: Three year guarantee, repairable for 10 years
Brewing process: Bean-to-cup
Heat up time: Less than 40 seconds
Water tank capacity: 2.2l
Dimensions: 47cm x 26cm x 36cm
Why we love it
- Drinks can be meticulously personalised
- Sleek, attractive design
- Removable coffee caddy to switch beans easily
- Easy to set up and pre-flushed for immediate use
- Save drink creations to a personal profile
Take note
- Drip tray fills up quickly due to frequent water purging
- Drip tray cover easily scratched by glass/mugs
While it might sound strange, KitchenAid’s kf8 fully automatic espresso machine is beautiful to look at. The minimalist digital display and stainless steel outer fit perfectly alongside other appliances on my kitchen counter. It comes in four colours, but I have been testing the silver/steel colour, which is sleek and modern. The flat top is useful for storing cups and other accoutrements for easy accessibility.
The milk tank is only attached by the tube, meaning it can be easily removed for cleaning and to be stored in the fridge.
The intuitive touch screen interface means quick selection for drinks, with satisfying sounds when selecting and when your drink is ready. One of the biggest highlights of the kf8 is the complete customisability of drinks. Once you select a drink, a second screen allows you to select options such as temperature and whether you want light, medium or strong body espresso, the strength of grind and volume of liquid. Choose the type of milk, and the machine will treat your drink differently depending on whether you want dairy or plant-based. I was impressed that you can even decide which order you want the ingredients added – for example, hot milk with espresso on top or espresso first and then milk, which affects the texture and visuals of each drink.
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One downside is that for the americano setting, you can’t change the order of water and espresso, meaning the crema is compromised when the water is added. You can manually choose hot water and then add a shot of espresso, but this requires a few extra presses.
One of my favourite features is ‘my profile’, which allows you to store (up to six) people’s uniquely customised drinks. This means you can have a double shot instead of a single shot in your cappuccino, 80ml vs 100ml of hot water in your americano, and a medium body, 40ml espresso shot instead of a full-bodied 50ml shot. This tweaking allows you to evolve and play to create your perfect drink and keep it saved for minimum brain use on a groggy morning. A choice of two espresso shots means you can make your drink extra strong or even make two drinks at the same time.
It took me a little while and some Googling to find that the panel to the right-hand side of the machine is detachable and adjusts the fineness of the grind. I like a strong, finely ground espresso, and I was slightly nervous that I’d have to waste two puck-worth of coffee on each cup.
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The bean caddy can be shut off from the grinder with the twist of a knob, so you can switch out the beans easily, depending on whether you want to try something new or need a decaf cup. The grinder is purged after every use, so there is no chance of cross-contamination of beans. While this is primarily a bean-to-cup machine, there is a single-scoop slot next to the coffee bean caddy for ground coffee should you want. This does require frequent purging, so the drip tray fills up quite quickly and the water tank (although a hefty 2.2l) feels quick to deplete, meaning frequent refills are necessary.
The drip tray has a red ‘buoy’ that begins floating to signal the need to empty it. After any drink involving milk, the milk tube is purged too, which also feeds into the drip tray, and will require more frequent washing as milk goes off very quickly. The used coffee ‘pucks’ are deposited in a separate tray next to the drip tray, which needs emptying less frequently. But I have found mould in there on a couple of occasions, so it’s worth cleaning this out regularly. The metal drip tray cover is also easily scratched, which can look slightly unsightly, especially on a nearly £2,000 machine. Glass and ceramic cups are obviously frequently plonked down, so a tougher metal might have made more sense.
The machine purges when you turn it on and off, which can be annoying as it fills the drip tray each time. One way around this is to set the machine to stay on for eight hours. I can’t measure how much energy this consumes, but it means you don’t have to worry about the water purging when you turn it on, after your drink is ready and then again when it turns off. I boot it up at the beginning of the day and turn it off when I go to sleep, using a cup to collect the water.
The machine also signals when to empty the trays, when the water tank needs refilling, when the grinding funnel needs freshening up, and when you need to descale (although I haven’t tested long enough for this to appear yet). Minimal maintenance is required, but the water filter will need to be replaced every two months according to the KitchenAid website. The filters are £15 each to replace, and there is one in the box when it arrives. But I use filtered water from my Brita to fill the water tank.
The machine is quite quiet, the loudest time being the grinding. Some coffee machines (I’m looking at you, Nespresso) are invasively loud, which is quite grating when you first wake up in the morning.
Buy now £1899, Kitchenaid.co.uk
The verdict: KitchenAid kf8 fully automatic espresso machine
The ergonomics of this machine are its strength. This is a great option for people on the go who don’t want to use a portafilter and a manual steam wand. The easy set-up, customisable and easily navigable digital screen means little time needs to be spent to get your perfect cup. Easy cleaning and minimal maintenance are built into this coffee machine. It’s for people who love coffee, want more from their machine, but aren’t hardcore coffee hobbyists.
How I tested KitchenAid’s kf8 fully automatic espresso machine
I’ve been using KitchenAid’s kf8 fully automatic espresso machine for months. Every time I used it during that time, I considered the following:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Samuel Mathewson is the audience editor for eCommerce at The Independent. He has been reviewing products for almost three years for IndyBest, covering everything from the best food and drink hampers to the best men’s fragrances. When he’s not reviewing, Sam is particularly obsessed with coffee – having been a barista using huge commercial machines – and pod coffee machines that run with a single button-press.
The wider IndyBest team has expert-tested dozens of machines and is a group of coffee lovers, with reviews of the best independent coffee brands, best instant coffees, best iced coffee and cold brew makers, best decaf coffees and much more.
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