It’s that time of year again! Time for us to take a look at some of our favorite machines of the year. First up we have a perennial favorite at Seattle Coffee Gear: superautomatic espresso machines!
DeLonghi is a classic superautomatic manufacturer that has produced some of our customers’ favorite brewers in their storied history. This year we want to shout out the Eletta Explore, a fantastic superautomatic espresso machine that has really taken us by surprise.
It’s hard to come up with ways to innovate on the general design of superautos at this point, but somehow DeLonghi has. We really appreciate the workflow on this machine, as its touchscreen makes it really easy to get exactly the drink you want, and save that drink as a favorite. This isn’t necessarily groundbreaking, but sometimes modern superautos can get a little too complex with their menus and it can lead to some extra time spent playing with settings.
One area that the Eletta Explore does really innovate on is its milk frothing. With a cold foam and hot foam carafe you can expect some impressive milk foam at any temp. This is an area that superautos often struggle in, so we’re really excited to see DeLonghi working to improve this technology.
Of course, all of this is backed up by the quality and performance found in DeLonghi machines, which we’ve always been a fan of. If you’re looking for an easy to use machine that works with and for you, you should check out the Eletta Explore!
The first thing you’ll notice is that the Terra Kaffe TK-02 is slick. We really love the minimalist modern design here, the hard lines really make this machine pop, and the high contrast menu is easy to read and understand. What really makes this machine special, though, is its brew parameter options. While you will need to use the smartphone app to access some deeper menu options, this isn’t needed for daily use, and once you’re comfortable with the menus you really do get an incredible range of programming functionality here. The TK-02 may be on the more complex side of things, we find that its smart menu design helps mitigate any tedium.
The other thing we love about this machine? The drip coffee! Unlike most superautos that just pull additional water through their standard espresso dose to emulate a drip coffee, the TK-02 has variable grind size and pressure profiles to allow for a much more authentic drip cup. We love this feature and it makes this machine so easy to recommend for households with varied coffee preferences. Make sure to put this one on your list if you have any serious enthusiasts at home.
The J8 Twin offers all of the features you’d expect from Jura - great espresso, quality milk, easy cleaning and maintenance, and simple menus. Jura’s patented Pulse Extraction Process has always resulted in some of the best superautomatic espresso around, and that’s still true here as well. If anything, the only negative we can point to with the J8 Twin is that it does have a larger footprint than most superautos… but there’s a reason for that.
This machine features not one, but TWO bean hoppers. This is a really great feature that you can take advantage of for freshly ground and brewed decaf coffee, or if you just like some options when it comes to what you’re drinking for the day. Maybe you have an everyday blend that you like to keep around, and something a little more adventurous that you like from time to time. Now you can switch beans without having to grind through or scoop any out. This is such a unique feature that it really makes it the ONLY choice for someone who thinks they could take advantage of it!
Honorable Mention: DeLonghi Magnifica Evo Next
The machines we’ve put on this list so far are all incredible choices, but they’re also all pretty complicated and feature driven. Some users want something simple, and for that we recommend the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo Next. This machine has a button based interface and a no-frills design, but we actually think many users will prefer this over glossy touchscreens and rich drink parameters. Some users want to get started with something a little more hands on and simple, and the Evo Next offers this while still providing quality coffee. This is the perfect pickup if you’re looking to get started with a higher performance machine without too many extra bells and whistles.