KitchenAidFully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6, KES8556SX, Stainless Steel

For background, I have multiple automatic Jura machines in the office. I used one for almost a year during Covid. So I have experience with machines in the $1,500 - 5,000 price range. We had a Breveille at home. Loved the coffee quality, but finally decided we wanted to step up the easy factor. Didn't want to spend the money on a Jura. So, we went and tried a Bosch 300 Series. They've been making coffee/espresso machines forever, so thought the quality/reliability would be good. Unfortunately the coffee was not. It was strong, but not hot enough, and no crema. Our friends bought a KitchenAid and we tried it at their house, with our beans, and found it was almost as good as our Breveille or the Juras in my offices. For the price, we went for it and bought one. About 1 month in, we're happy with it. The adjustable temp is great (hot is actually hot). The removable bean hopper is a nice feature. It actually makes crema (not quite as much as the Breveille or Jura, but enough). It's quieter than the Bosch and Juras. It's easy to clean. The water tank on the side is easier to fill for us than a tank in the back (we have it under kitchen cabinets, on the kitchen counter). Being able to save settings for multiple users makes it just a little quicker to get your drink started. Really no complaints at this point. Just need to see how it holds up in a few years.

I spent a lot of time researching this purchase. We have owned a Gaggia and a Miele and didn’t want to buy either again due to some deficiencies. We are so happy with this purchase. Don’t usually write reviews but this really deserves a great one. Well designed, easy to navigate, sturdy, and a great cup of americano for me. The morning coffee is a special time of day and Kitchenaide nailed it.

It makes great coffee, is well-designed, easy to clean, quiet, and packed with all the bells and whistles.The only issue I have is with the software—it could be more intuitive. The most frustrating part is when selecting two cups of coffee. While you can choose this option in the menu, it doesn’t reset after one use. Instead, it continues making two cups for all subsequent brews, with no clear indication in the coffee selection menu. You have to go into the "advanced" settings to see or change it. We've had countless cups overflow and spill everywhere because of this.

Makes great coffee (I'm not really an espresso drinker, and no milk, just cream added later) and is a 1-touch type like my old Miele. Quieter by far when grinding. No fiddling with handles and moving containers from one part of the maker to another, just one touch. No frou-frou drinks, just good aromatic coffee. Stunningly better than a drip carafe. As usual with this type of machine you'll need to rinse and clean it. My old Miele after many years just became too dirty inside to fully clean and developed a smell like old dry soil. But 10 years is a good run, so I'm hoping the same for this one. Looks like good quality, but my Miele was twice the price so I can only hope it lasts 5. Nice bonus is it comes with its own water filter which my Miele did not, leading to a "descaling program" that took forever to run every once and a while. Overall very nice. Temperature and strength, many different new options again that my old Miele did not have, while retaining the same basic layout and function. Only minor complaint I have is that my old Miele would let me make a coffee for my wife and I with a double tap to "2 coffees" while this one you need to change the settings each time -- if you forget and leave your 1 portion at 2, watch out! Not a big deal, but double clicking on it and walking away would be easier. Also the way it makes Americano the water comes from the middle so there isn't a way to make 2 cups at once.

Specialty coffee makers run the gambit of expense from hundred to a few thousands of dollars. I have owned the product for about 6 months and use it everyday. I makes good coffee and is very easy to use and clean. I like that I can keep my whole coffee beans in the hopper, but can add to the preground scoop for my wife's decalf (without having to remove my beans). It is super easy to clean and add water. My only negative is that the coffee is not as hot as some people may want (but I can microwave as needed). Still for the cost, taste , ease of use, and comparatively low price point, I think this is a winner. It also looks good on the counter.

I am reviewing this from the layperson’s point of view as I do not have a sophisticated palate for espresso. For me this machine provides three crucial things:1) Sleekness of design - looks great on the counter2) Ease of use & maintenance - drink menu is appealing and easy to navigate // machine does majority of self-maintenance and remainder is simple3) Drink quality - as mentioned I do not have a sophisticated espresso palate (I can tell when burnt/bad but the bar is pretty low), but the drinks here are flavorful. The fresh grind enhances the aroma profile and the milk-based drinks look pretty with the foam layers etc.It’s a bit of a steep price point but definitely a nice indulgence if you are a casual coffee drinker like myself looking for an upgrade from the Keurig/Nespresso machine. Has a fun drink menu on how to make espresso martinis, etc. as well, which is fun to explore