We Asked Coffee Pros to Blind Test Coffee Machines. The Results Were Surprising
What are you doing do you like coffee? Is it the morning caffeine boost, the creamy smoothness of a cappuccino or latte, the bucket of drip coffee you can sip all day, or the quick boost of a good espresso? Or is it the Zen ritual of it all, the measuring of the beans and the precision of the perfect extraction? Luckily, it’s much better for you than science previously thought.
If the hype is to be believed, you can have it all, with the best in fully automatic coffee machines. These compact countertop cafes promise to offer an extensive drink menu at the touch of a button, all without any barista prowess. But are the beers really good?
WIRED tests many coffee machines: productivity would stop if we stopped. But for this group blind test, we wanted to know what coffee professionals thought about drinks produced by the “best” in fully automatic machines, without being influenced by any fancy design or brand awareness. We’re not judging the machine’s usability, app interface (there’s always an app) or how easy it is to clean. We just want to know more about Joe.
By the end of our experience, it was clear that while money can give you endless choice and push-button convenience, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee barista-quality coffee at home.
Our Experts
Adam Cozens is the co-founder of Perky Blenders, a British specialty coffee brand originating from cafe-rich, hipster-populated East London. He was joined at WIRED’s test cafe by his business manager and coffee lover, Calum Hunt. Launched in 2015 from a three-wheeled coffee trolley, they now have multiple cafes and over 100 retail partners across the UK.
For this test, they chose their Forest Blend beans, known for their dark chocolate, molasses and nutty notes, creamy body, low acidity and smooth, lingering finish. Importantly, Cozens and Hunt know implicitly what Forest Blend beans should taste like, and they are ideally placed to decide which of our machines produces the best coffee with the most accurate flavor profile from the beans supplied.
The test
Each of the machines we chose is a fully automatic giant, capable of producing over 50 types of coffee drinks at the touch of a button; everything from espresso and cortado to iced lattes with syrup or a simple long black.
WIRED chose the latte — America’s most popular steamed latte order — and classic espresso for a blind taste test. The latte allows us to test the mechanisms of milk heating, frothing and steaming, while the espresso reveals the coffee’s extraction and flavor weaknesses. Per Cozens’ instructions, we used organic whole milk.
Our experts were blindfolded and then served a latte and espresso from each machine. Labeled A, B, C and D, the machines were visible to testers, but they had no idea which coffee came from which cafe. They then rated each drink based on its appearance, how well the milk was cooked, the crema (the aromatic golden foam on top of the espresso), temperature, extraction and flavor. The cafes were then ranked from best to worst.
I repeat, this is not a test of the usability, desirability or functionality of the machine. Each design can change every aspect of each recipe, but we’re not convinced the average buyer will want to dive deep into the settings. These are sophisticated push-button machines designed to simplify making great coffee at home – everything for an easy life.
Coffee machines
Machine “A”
One of the few machines capable of brewing espresso drinks and classic drip coffee, the TK-02, from New York-based Terra Kaffe, is a stunning kitchen kit with premium components, a delicious glass milk carafe, a super cool monochrome touchscreen, extensive customization, and full app control.
