Melitta E 950-103 Espresso Machine - Review 🏆

The Melitta E950-103 is an affordable home espresso machine designed to brew café-quality coffee drinks with ease. This semi-automatic machine features a sleek matte black design and compact footprint, making it well-suited for kitchen counters and office spaces.

With its 15-bar pump pressure and ThermoBlock heating system, the E950 aims to extract rich, aromatic espresso shots. It can also steam milk for making cappuccinos and lattes. The machine offers customizable brewing options and automation for one-touch drinks.

While it lacks some of the sophisticated technology of higher-end models, the Melitta E950 provides an accessible entry point for crafting espresso-based beverages at home. Its straightforward interface and removable parts make the cleaning process simple as well. For coffee lovers seeking an everyday semi-automatic espresso maker, the E950 is a budget-friendly choice to consider.

Design and Build Quality

The Melitta E 950-103 espresso machine features a durable stainless steel exterior with accents of black plastic. The metal construction gives it a sturdy, high-quality feel, while the matte black finish resists fingerprints and smudges.

At 11.4 x 8.3 x 12.2 inches, the E 950-103 has a compact footprint that doesn't take up too much space on your kitchen counter. It weighs a solid 13.4 pounds, giving it enough heft to stay put during operation without feeling overly bulky.

The materials used in the interior components are also designed for longevity. It has a ceramic conical grinder that can grind beans fresh for each shot. The stainless steel boiler allows for rapid heating and consistent brewing temperatures.

Overall, the choice of metal and plastic exterior materials paired with ceramic and stainless steel interior parts makes this a well-built machine that can hold up to daily use for many years. The dimensions are sized right for most home kitchens, with a weight that provides stability during brewing.

Features

The Melitta E950-103 espresso machine comes equipped with a range of useful features for brewing cafe-quality espresso drinks at home.

• It has a 15-bar pressure pump that allows you to extract rich, full-bodied espresso shots. The high pressure extraction brings out the oils and flavors from the ground coffee for a balanced taste.

• There is a manual steam wand that lets you froth and steam milk for making cappuccinos and lattes. The steam wand can be swiveled 360 degrees for convenience.

• The 35oz removable water tank has markings to show water levels and can be easily refilled from your tap. No need to constantly replenish water.

• It has a removable drip tray to catch any spills and overflows. The drip tray also has a "drip stop" feature to let you remove cups even while the machine is brewing.

• The portafilter has pressurized dual filters - one for pre-ground coffee and one for ESE pods. This allows you to use either fresh grounds or pods.

• There are 2 programmable cup size settings that let you customize shot volumes as per your preference.

Ease of Use

The Melitta E950-103 is designed to be easy and intuitive to use for beginners while still offering customization options for coffee aficionados. The control panel features an LCD display and a simple button interface to program your desired coffee strength, temperature, and cup size.

The buttons have clear icons and labels, making it easy to navigate through the different settings and options. There are dedicated buttons for 1 or 2 cups, espresso and coffee, and a rotary knob to adjust the coffee strength. The display clearly shows your selections and brewing progress.

The water tank and removable drip tray are easy to access, fill, and clean. The drip tray has an indicator to show when it needs emptying. The coffee spouts are height adjustable to accommodate different cup sizes. There is an automatic cleaning program to help maintain the machine.

Overall, the Melitta E950-103 combines simple operation with the ability to customize your coffee. The intuitive controls and programmable options make it easy for anyone to brew their ideal cup of espresso.

Coffee Customization

The Melitta E950-103 espresso machine allows you to customize your coffee to your exact preferences. One of the key features is the ability to adjust the grind size. The integrated conical burr grinder has 15 different grind size settings, from ultrafine for espresso to coarse for drip coffee. This allows you to achieve the optimal extraction and flavor from any roast of coffee beans.

You can also control the strength of the coffee by adjusting the amount of ground coffee in the filter. More coffee will produce a stronger, more intense espresso. The 1-cup and 2-cup buttons provide pre-programmed volumes, but you can override those to manually control the amount of coffee brewed.

Steaming milk for cappuccinos and lattes is easy with the E950-103's powerful steam wand. The steam pressure is strong enough to create creamy, frothy milk with microfoam. The wand has a special design that allows you to immerse it into the milk for efficient steaming. Just a minute or two is all it takes to go from cold to hot, frothed milk. The quantity of milk can also be adjusted as desired.

Overall, the Melitta E950-103 gives you excellent control over every aspect of the brewing process. You can truly craft your ideal espresso-based drink with the right coffee flavor, strength, and milk texture.

Brewing Performance

The E950-103 brews espresso with excellent extraction and crema quality. The 15-bar pump provides ample pressure for forcing hot water through finely ground coffee to extract bold, rich flavor.

The thermoblock heating system maintains a consistent brewing temperature between 192-194°F, hot enough to extract the oils and flavors without burning the coffee. Some users note the crema produced is thick and persistent, indicating good extraction.

The pre-infusion function wets the grounds first before full pressure, helping provide an even extraction. With a fast 25-30 second heat up time, you can brew shot after shot quickly. The rapid one-touch operation makes it easy to pull espresso in under a minute.

Overall, the brewing performance produces traditional Italian-style espresso with thick crema and robust, well-balanced flavor. The automation and consistent temperature control result in reliably great tasting espresso.

Automation

The Melitta E 950-103 espresso machine offers several automated features for convenience. It has programmable settings to adjust the temperature, volume, and strength of the espresso. You can program two user profiles to save customized settings. The machine will remember your preferences for future use.

An auto-off feature turns the machine off after 30 minutes of inactivity to save energy. This prevents the machine from being left on accidentally.

The E 950-103 also has an automated descaling reminder. After 200 coffees have been brewed, the machine will indicate it's time to run a descaling cycle. Descaling removes mineral buildup from the internal components to maintain optimal performance. The automated alert ensures you descale regularly without having to keep track of usage.

Overall, the automation provides personalized brewing, added safety, and maintenance prompts for a fuss-free user experience.

Accessories

The E950-103 comes with a few handy accessories to help you get the most out of the machine. It includes a plastic tamper for compressing the coffee grounds, which is lightweight yet sturdy. There's also a measuring scoop so you can portion out the right amount of grounds for 1 or 2 shots.

For brewing, the machine utilizes both single and double shot filter baskets. The single shot filter makes it easy to brew a standard espresso. For larger drinks like cappuccinos, the double filter allows you to extract two shots simultaneously. Both filters are made from stainless steel and fit securely into the portafilter.

To keep things clean, Melitta provides a cleaning pin that can be inserted into the group head to clear any blockages. There's also a cleaning brush for scrubbing the portafilter and filters. These accessories make it simple to maintain the E950-103 for optimal flavor extraction.

Overall, the included accessories provide everything you need to brew cafe-quality espresso drinks at home. From tamping to cleaning, the accessories enhance the entire coffee making process.

Pros and Cons

The Melitta E950-103 espresso machine offers a lot of convenience and customization options in an affordable package, but lacks some of the premium features of higher-end models.

Pros:

• Compact, durable stainless steel design takes up minimal counter space
• Simple interface and controls are easy to use, even for beginners
• Thermoblock heating provides consistent water temperature for good extraction
• Adjustable spout accommodates different cup sizes
• Can customize volume, strength and temperature for individual taste preferences
• 15 bar pressure pump provides the pressure needed for rich, flavorful crema
• Removable water tank and drip tray make cleaning and maintenance straightforward
• Comes with tamper, measuring scoop, and single and double shot filters
• Very budget-friendly price point compared to other espresso machines

Cons:

• Lacks automatic milk frothing capabilities
• No digital display or pressure gauge to monitor extraction
• Small water tank may require frequent refilling
• Brewing speed is slower than some higher-end machines
• Durability and longevity is questionable for heavy daily use
• Limited customization compared to prosumer and commercial espresso machines
• May not achieve the same quality and consistency as more expensive models

Conclusion

The Melitta E950-103 is an excellent entry-level super-automatic espresso machine that delivers consistent, high-quality espresso drinks at the push of a button. It's easy to use and maintain, with a simple control panel and self-cleaning features. While it lacks some customization options of higher-end models, it excels at brewing rich, aromatic espresso and espresso-based drinks like cappuccinos and lattes. The compact size and quiet operation also make it ideal for home use.

If you're seeking an affordable, no-fuss super-automatic for brewing cafe-quality espresso drinks at home, the Melitta E950-103 is a great choice. It takes care of the entire brewing process for you while still allowing some customization of drink strength and volume. The end result is delicious espresso that rivals your favorite coffee shop. For an automatic machine under £500, you'd be hard-pressed to find better value and performance than the Melitta E950-103.