Melitta F85/0-102 Espresso Machine - Review 🏆

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Melitta F85/0-102 Espresso Machine - Review 🏆

Melitta F85/0-102 Espresso Machine - Review 🏆

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Price: £756.62
Brand: ‎Melitta
Colour: ‎Black
Item Weight: ‎10.6 kg
Model Number: ‎F85/0-102
Product Dimensions: ‎25.9 x 46.7 x 37.2 cm; 10.6 kg
Special Features: ‎Integrated Coffee Grinder, Removable Tank
Voltage: ‎220
Volume Capacity: ‎1.8 litres
Coffee Maker Type: Espresso Machine
Colour: Black
Special Feature: Integrated Coffee Grinder, Removable Tank
Product Dimensions: 25.9D x 46.7W x 37.2H centimetres
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Review and analysis

Melitta is a well-known German brand that has been manufacturing coffee filters and coffee brewing equipment since 1908. Founded by Melitta Bentz in Dresden, Germany, the company pioneered the first drip brew coffee filter and was granted a patent for the filter in 1908.

Over the past century, Melitta has become synonymous with high-quality coffee filters and machines, expanding from its early filter innovations to produce a wide range of manual and automatic coffee makers. Melitta entered the espresso machine market relatively recently compared to its long history of drip coffee innovation. However, its espresso machines demonstrate the same German engineering and quality craftsmanship that Melitta is known for.

The Melitta F85/0-102 Barista TS is one of the brand's semi-automatic espresso machine models aimed at the home barista market. As a German engineered appliance, it promises commercial-grade performance combined with ease of use for home settings.

Overview

The Melitta F85/0-102 is a semi-automatic espresso machine designed for home use. Key features highlighted by Melitta include:

  • 15 bar pump pressure for rich espresso flavor
  • Thermoblock heating system for quick warm up time
  • Manual milk frother for making cappuccinos and lattes
  • Removable 1.8 liter water tank for easy filling
  • Cup warming tray on top of the machine
  • Easy to use control panel with one-touch buttons
  • Built-in coffee grinder with 17 grind settings
  • Stainless steel housing for durability
  • Energy-saving mode to conserve electricity

The F85/0-102 aims to provide cafe-quality espresso and milk drinks in a relatively compact and affordable home machine. It's marketed as an "espresso barista" for people who want more control over their coffee than a capsule machine can provide.

Another excellent option for home espresso enthusiasts is the De'Longhi ‎ESAM4200, which features a patented cappuccino system, a built-in burr grinder, and customizable settings to suit your taste preferences. With its sleek design and user-friendly interface, the ESAM4200 is perfect for those who value both style and functionality. Additionally, its energy-saving mode helps reduce electricity consumption while delivering consistently delicious coffee every time. This machine is an excellent complement to the Melitta, offering even more versatility for coffee lovers.

Design

The Melitta F85/0-102 Barista TS SM Espresso Machine features an attractive and compact design that will look great on any kitchen countertop. The machine is made primarily of stainless steel and plastic materials. The stainless steel not only gives it a sleek, modern look but also makes it easy to keep clean and hygienic.

With dimensions of 28 x 38 x 32 cm, the Melitta Barista TS takes up minimal counter space but still has a substantial footprint. The machine has a solid and sturdy feel to it, weighing in at 4.5 kg. The stainless steel panels and accents give it an elegant style that would complement contemporary, urban, or minimalist kitchen decors.

The machine comes in an appealing black and stainless steel color scheme. The black plastic housing contrasts nicely with the polished stainless steel front panel, steam wand, portafilter, and cup tray. The color combination looks upscale and sophisticated.

Overall, the Melitta F85/0-102 Barista TS SM Espresso Machine features a compact, durable, and aesthetically pleasing design. Its combination of stainless steel and black plastic gives it a modern yet timeless look. The dimensions and weight make it ideal for small kitchens, apartments, offices, or anywhere a full-featured espresso machine is desired without taking up too much precious counter real estate.

In addition, the Philips EP2220/10 is another excellent option, offering a sleek, user-friendly design. It boasts a touch panel for easy operation and allows customization of coffee strength and quantity. The compact size makes it suitable for small spaces, while its elegant finish adds a touch of sophistication. You can learn more about this model by visiting the link: Philips EP2220/10.

Ease of Use

Setting up the Melitta F85/0-102 Barista TS is straightforward thanks to the detailed user manual. The machine comes with the portafilter, tamper, and water filter already attached, so you just need to fill the water tank and plug it in.

The control panel is neatly laid out with buttons for espresso, coffee, steam, and hot water. There are also buttons to adjust the volume of coffee or espresso dispensed. The text display shows you which function is selected. Programming the volume is easy - just hold down the coffee or espresso button until the desired volume is reached.

The Melitta has extensive programming options accessed by holding down the menu button. You can adjust the coffee temperature, pre-infusion time, descaling reminders, auto-off time, and more. The ability to finely tune the various brewing parameters makes it easy to dial in your preferred espresso or coffee.

Overall, the intuitive control panel and programming options on the F85/0-102 allow both beginner and expert users to easily operate the machine. The detailed user manual is also a helpful reference if needed.

Brewing Performance

The Melitta F85/0-102 Barista TS provides excellent brewing performance for an affordable super-automatic espresso machine.

  • Speed - It can brew a shot of espresso in under a minute, which is quite fast for home espresso machines in this price range. The thermoblock heating allows it to heat up in just a few minutes.

  • Temperature - The thermoblock heating system maintains a consistent brewing temperature around 200°F (93°C), which is ideal for extracting espresso.

  • Pressure - It can generate 15 bars of pressure, which allows for proper espresso extraction. The pump provides consistent pressure throughout the brewing process.

  • Consistency - Each shot pulled has a similar flavor profile thanks to the consistent temperature, pressure, and brewing process controlled by the machine. The volumetric dosing also helps ensure consistent shot amounts.

Overall, the F85/0-102 provides reliable performance for brewing good tasting espresso at home. The speed, temperature, pressure, and shot consistency allow you to continually pull well-extracted espresso shots.

Espresso Quality

The Melitta F85 produces espresso with an excellent, bold taste and a rich, caramel-colored crema. The 15-bar pump provides enough pressure for proper extraction, resulting in a balanced espresso with notes of chocolate and slight acidity.

The espresso has a smooth, silky mouthfeel and leaves behind a pleasant aftertaste without any bitterness. Each shot tastes consistently good, with the right texture and body you expect from quality espresso.

You have some customization options to tailor the espresso to your preferences. The grind size is adjustable, so you can experiment to achieve your ideal flavor. The machine also allows you to program the shot volume between 20-240 ml. This gives you control over the strength and concentration of the espresso. Overall, the F85 delivers customizable espresso with great aroma, flavor, and crema every time.

Milk Frothing

The Melitta F85 has a powerful steam wand that heats and froths milk quickly and evenly. The steam is dry, consistent, and on demand, allowing you to texture milk to the desired temperature and consistency.

The steam wand creates silky, velvety microfoam that is ideal for latte art. The texture is smooth with no large bubbles. It's easy to achieve the right consistency for cappuccinos as well. The consistency and texture makes it satisfying and enjoyable to manually texture milk with the F85 steam wand.

With some practice, the steam wand and frother allow you to create latte art like rosettas and tulips. The microfoam holds its shape nicely when poured and allows for etching crisp, clear patterns. The steam power provides enough aeration for contrast between the foam and liquid milk. Overall, the F85 steam wand performance makes it easy for home baristas to create cafe-quality, artisan milk drinks.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The F85/0-102 has several features that make cleaning and maintenance relatively easy. It has an automatic cleaning program that can be run after steaming milk to flush the lines and keep things clean. The brew group is removable which allows access to the interior for manual cleaning as needed.

Descaling does need to be done periodically to keep the machine operating well. Melitta recommends descaling every 2-3 months depending on usage and water hardness. The process itself is straightforward by running a descaling solution through the grouphead.

Overall, the cleaning requirements are reasonable for a semi-automatic espresso machine in this class. The self-cleaning features reduce manual cleaning needs between uses. And the removable brew group gives access for deeper cleaning when required. While descaling is essential, the process is easy enough to stay on top of.

Pros and Cons

The Melitta F85/0-102 Espresso Machine has both advantages and disadvantages that are worth considering.

Pros

  • Sleek, compact design takes up minimal counter space
  • Easy to use control panel and steam wand
  • Makes good quality espresso with thick crema
  • Separate hot water dispenser is convenient
  • Easy to disassemble and clean

Cons

  • Plastic exterior feels a bit flimsy and cheap
  • Small water reservoir needs frequent refilling
  • Steam wand doesn't get hot enough for expert microfoam
  • No preset options or customization for espresso
  • Not as fast or high-powered as pricier models

Overall, the Melitta is a reasonably priced espresso machine that produces good home espresso and froths milk well. It's simple to operate and easy to maintain. However, it lacks some of the power, customization, and premium build quality of more expensive espresso machines. For an entry-level semi-automatic model, it's a solid choice, but may leave expert baristas wanting more options and control.

Conclusion

Overall, the Melitta F85/0-102 Barista TS is a high-quality espresso machine with many great features that make it a solid choice for home use. The sleek stainless steel design and intuitive controls allow you to make cafe-style espresso drinks at home with ease.

The 15-bar pump provides excellent pressure for rich, flavorful espresso shots. The ThermoCup warming tray helps keep cups heated for the best results. The frothing arm makes it simple to create creamy, microfoam milk for cappuccinos and lattes.

While the learning curve may be steep for beginners, this machine rewards practice and patience with exceptional espresso and milk drinks once mastered. The ease of use, consistency, and reliability of this model make it an excellent option in its price range.

For anyone looking for an affordable, mid-range super-automatic espresso machine that can produce authentic espresso and milk drinks, the Melitta F85/0-102 Barista TS is highly recommended. It provides an ideal balance of features, performance and value that make it a great choice for home baristas.

More Information

Features of Melitta F85/0-102 Barista TS Smart Coffee Machine, 1450 W, 1.8 liters, Black
Price£756.62
Brand‎Melitta
Colour‎Black
Item Weight‎10.6 kg
Model Number‎F85/0-102
Product Dimensions‎25.9 x 46.7 x 37.2 cm; 10.6 kg
Special Features‎Integrated Coffee Grinder, Removable Tank
Voltage‎220
Volume Capacity‎1.8 litres
Coffee Maker TypeEspresso Machine
ColourBlack
Special FeatureIntegrated Coffee Grinder, Removable Tank
Product Dimensions25.9D x 46.7W x 37.2H centimetres

Сomparison table

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ModelMelitta F85/0-102Smeg ‎CGF01De'Longhi Nespresso EN560.W‎Sage ‎BCG820BSSUKOXO 8718800
Brand‎Melitta‎Smeg‎Nespresso‎Sage‎OXO
ColourBlackPastel BlueWhiteBrushed Stainless SteelBlack
Item Weight‎10.6 kg‎4.42 kg‎2.04 kg‎4 kg‎4.67 kg
Model Number‎F85/0-102‎CGF01‎EN 560.W‎BCG820BSSUK‎8718800
Product Dimensions25.9D x 46.7W x 37.2H centimetres-17D x 32W x 25.8H centimetres20L x 27.5W x 47H centimetres-
Special Features‎Integrated Coffee Grinder, Removable Tank-‎Warm up time (Class:touchscreen:25 s), Water tank capacity (0.9 L), Cord storage, Automatic shutdown:Y, Milk tank-‎Thermal,Auto Clean Function
Voltage‎220‎240 Volts‎220‎240 Volts‎120 Volts
Volume Capacity‎1.8 litres-‎0.35 litres‎450 litres-
Coffee Maker TypeEspresso MachineEspresso MachineDrip Coffee Machine
Special FeatureIntegrated Coffee Grinder, Removable TankWarm up time (Class:touchscreen:25 s), Water tank capacity (0.9 L), Cord storage, Automatic shutdown:Y, Milk tank See moreThermal,Auto Clean Function
Filter Type--Paper
Price£756.62£357.1£333.34£180.82£228.6

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