KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine with Burr Grinder, KES6551, Porcelain White

Excellent quality espresso!
This espresso maker has been a huge hit with our family. I’m not a coffee snob per se, but I do know that for great espresso you need fresh beans, a quality grind, super-hot water, and optimal pressure. This machine does all those things to create an outstanding cup of coffee, rivaling the taste and freshness of any coffee shop cappuccino or latte. And it’s markedly better than what you’d get out of a capsule-based espresso machine. The freshness of the beans is a huge factor in this – this is where the “semi-automatic” aspect comes in. The machine does an outstanding job at removing the work associated with grinding, and the hopper holds plenty of beans so you’re not constantly replenishing it. Just put the portafilter in the holder, select your grind, dial in your amount, and press the button. We’ve found that the finer grind (with the lever pegged to the right) produces the best results, but you have a huge range to select from to fine-tune according to your taste. For the rest of the process, you have to select your temperature and cup size (single or double pull), but the machine does the rest for you. And it heats up pretty quickly.Granted, do not be misled by the “automatic” portion of the title. There is still plenty of manual labor required, and it’s a pretty steep learning curve. It took us the better part of a week of experimenting to get to consistent and outstanding results. So don’t be dismayed if your first cup isn’t great! Things like how full the portafilter is, how fine the grind is, how hard you tamp, etc. all contribute to the quality of the pull and getting good crema out of the machine. Once you get past that, the user interface is intuitive, the adjustments are easy, and you can iterate until you find the perfect settings for your individual palate. The buttons and dials provide enough room for customization while not being overly complex.The machine comes with everything you need, including double and single filters and a milk frother. The milk frothing also works very well – it’s maneuverable, easy to manipulate with a nice rubberized handle, and heats up very quickly to a piping hot temp. The water reservoir in back is easy to get to and holds a lot. Also, the spill catcher is deeper than you think – it even has a little floating “full” indicator to let you know when it needs to be dumped!Aesthetically, it’s gorgeous. We got the white version, which looks outstanding when set up against white cabinets. But it still has several stainless steel elements that fit in pretty well with other kitchen appliances and décor. We had to move it from our white cabinet kitchen to another room with oak cabinets and it still looks great.As far as negatives, there are a few things to note. It does take up a good amount of space, so pay attention to the dimensions before you buy. It’s a little bigger than your standard coffee maker. Also, I do wish it had a function to swap beans out easily. You pretty much have to grind whatever you have in there or pull most of it out with a spoon or something. Also, it does tend to get messy. To get the right amount of coffee you usually spill a bit during the grinding and tamping process. And to keep the machine functioning smoothly, the frothing wand needs to be cleaned every time you use it (typically this can be done with a quick wipe from a wet rag). Aside from those, the only other drawback is the learning curve.Despite those few flaws, this espresso machine is head and shoulders above other in-home solutions that I’ve had in the past. If you can devote a bit of time to learning it and have a bit of flex in your budget, in my opinion, it’s well worth it.

 

First Impressions:- KitchenAid brand is known for high quality appliances.- Includes a burr grinder so you can have freshly ground beans.- Fairly heavy at approx. 30lbs.- Includes a cardboard lift out handles to make removing the device from the box easier. This is a good attention to detail, but because it’s cardboard I was concerned that it may rip while I had the machine in the air. A plastic grommet around the handle holes would have provided better stability/tear resistance and peace of mind when lifting the expense appliance from the box.- Portafilter is a flat base and is not bottomless, but the recessed spouts allow it to be placed flat on a table/counter for proper tamping.- Comes with almost everything you need right out of the box, except for a package of beans to get you started.- Comes with a stainless-steel milk frothing pitcher.Pros:- High build quality that looks and feels premium.- Beautiful design and porcelain white colour that should fit into any kitchen.- Fairly easy to use, but I’d recommend watching some videos to maximize the usability.- Large 2.5L removable water reservoir provides more than enough water without refilling.- Includes a burr grinder with grind adjustments for fine to coarse grinds and is not as loud as expected during operation.- The grinder produces the proper grind size depending on setting and the perfect amount.- Steam nozzle to create proper froth for your milk as well as a hot water nozzle.- Includes pretty much everything you need, including a tamper & milk frothing pitcher.- Creates good clean crema (but after multiple uses, break-in needed?)- Max mug/cup height of 13cm, so it should work with any cup (if you don’t have an espresso cup).Cons:- It’s exceptionally tall at 39.5cm and may not fit under all cabinets (I would recommend 44cm clearance to allow you to be able to remove the hopper).- Doesn’t include a knock box or beans.- Includes only one hopper, so if you want to quickly swap your beans, you’ll need to purchase another. I would have liked it to have included another hopper for this purpose.- The cradle that holds the portafilter under the grinder is made of plastic and uncertain of its durability, not sure if this is common or if it’s normally metal.- The small filter basket that slides out with the drip tray was poorly designed as it doesn’t always hook onto the tray, and you need to fish it out.Final Impression:Overall, the KitchenAid KES6551PL Semi-Auto Espresso Machine w/Burr Grinder is an excellent machine to make your daily espressos. It has a high-quality build and premium features to make your espressos easily. You may need some practice but should be good for a beginner as well. There’s not a lot of cons for this device but is a bit taller than expected and may not fit under all cabinets, so measure before buying or figure out a good open location to place the machine.At the time of this review, the espresso machine is normally priced at $999.99 but was on sale for $699.99.

I’m thoroughly impressed by this espresso machine! I’ll highlight some pros and cons below, but if you’re looking for your first semi-automatic espresso machine and have little experience using them, this is a great one to consider. It’s easy to operate, and comes with everything you need to get started making cafe-quality espresso in minutes!Pros:- Quiet grinder (compared to my old Breville Barista Express, this one is much more quiet!)- Easy to adjust grind size and amount for dosing (if this is your first semi-automatic espresso machine, be patient. It takes a few times to find your perfect extraction)- Comes with all 4 basket types (single, double shot in both single- and double-wall)- Milk frother makes beautiful micro-foam- Adjust water temperature! You can choose how hot to make your espresso (this blew my mind!)- Bean hopper is easy to install and refill.- Water tank holds a lot (2.5L), so you’re not having to refill as often.- Comes with a 2-year warranty- It’s gorgeous! It looks so lovely on our kitchen counter.Cons:- Doesn’t come with descaling or cleaning tablets