KitchenAid KF2 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine

This is our first experience with a fully automatic espresso machine, having been used to pod type coffee machines. We have now been using this machine for a few weeks and whilst there are pros and cons with the machine, our overall experience has been very good. We have found that the choice of beans determines how good the output is, and the beans we have settled on when combined with the hot milk from the very good milk frother delivers a nice smooth cup of coffee.

Firstly, the machine impresses with its build quality, and it has nice clean lines and “easy on the eye” look, the colour is fine. For smaller work areas and kitchens, it has a relatively slim footprint on the benchtop - 19cm W x 36cm H x 47cm L. There is also a couple of built-in wheels on the bottom at rear of the machine aid with maneuvering into position which is very handy to pull out a little and access the water tank which slides out easily. The water tank is also hinged which is handy and can be filled with a jug without having to lift it out.

We have played around with some of the settings but there is not a lot of complicated settings to work through, there is not too many choices to consider for different drink types and there are no profiles, but as a basic coffee making machine for a basic cup of good coffee, the KF2 delivers very well.

The display screen is very good, has analogue controls with visual icons and no digital sequences to work through – we think this simplicity would appeal to a lot of users.

The bean hopper on top of the machine is easy to access. The hopper which is recessed into the top of the KF2 is large enough to hold 250g worth of coffee beans, which is accessed via a removable lid. There is no indicator to show beans level, but beans are kept airtight by the rubber seal in the lid, and away from light, which helps keep the beans fresh.

After turning the machine on, it goes through its warm up cycle which doesn’t take long (about 30 seconds) – after setting the coffee type, espresso or coffee, toggle through the “Dose” (single/double), strength is a scale of one to three (low/medium/high), from 7g (setting one) to 14g (setting three). If you want to change the temperature, hold down the dose and strength buttons for 3 seconds and you can scroll through and change the temperature. Dose lets you choose between one or two servings, either two cups under the dispenser or one for a double serving. Place a cup under the dispenser and adjust height of dispenser to match cup height. Press start and the machine will produce 2 cups of coffee.

Once set up and turned on with the water heated (little temperature icon displays to show machine ready) the whole coffee making process takes about 26 seconds to make the 2 cups of coffee. The KF2 does not emit a lot of noise, its actually fairly quiet and would not wake the household if used in the early morning. The machine is “Quiet mark” rated and rated at 70 dB during grinding and 60 dB during brewing.

The KF2 has a Pannarello style steam wand with an outer sleeve with a tiny air intake hole. This design automatically pulls in air to simplify the frothing process. Have found that this works very well and on the full froth mode (Top setting on the wand), the milk is very frothy and creamy – start with about a third full jug and it fills the jug easily. Keeping the wand “closed” (bottom setting) is good for milk for lattes that don’t require a high level of foam. One word of caution here, when you activate the start button for the milk frother, make sure that the wand is well into the milk, or it can spray milk all over the front of the machine, such is the force of the steam.

The KF 2 can also dispense hot water which is good if you don’t want milk coffee or need a top up. After use, the wand is easily removed after the coffee is made, the sleeve pulls off simply for the whole thing to be washed and cleaned.

When the machine has finished and you turn it off, the machine runs for a few seconds and pumps some hot water though the nozzles to clean them out – the water is captured in the bottom slide out “drip tray” which extends the full depth of the machine and also houses the spend coffee pods into a removal container within the tray. The tray has a moulded spout for pouring the contents more easily. The hopper holds about 4 cups of coffee worth, and the tray has a neat little gauge that pops up in the front when the tray is full of water.

One little trap we found with the water / hopper tray, is that beans can fall down the back of the machine and when you slide the tray back in, the beans keep the tray a couple of millimetres from being fully inserted, which deactivates the limit switch on the front left-hand side (looking at the machine) and the machine won’t turn on when you press the power button. The tray needs to fully inserted to activate the limit switch and turn the machine on.

Setting grind size – with the cup under the dispenser and the machine started, with the grinder running, open the service door and change the grind fineness by moving the slider located in the upper right corner (Left = finer, right = coarser)

Brewing with pre ground coffee can be done by removing the hopper lid and add one level scoop of ground coffee, then closing the door and bean hopper lid. There is a scoop supplied by KitchenAid for adding the ground coffee – the scoop also has a tool at the other end for fitting and removing the water filter. The filter simply turns clockwise to tighten and counterclockwise to remove and is easy to do. We haven’t put enough coffee through the machine to invoke any of the cleaning and descaling cycles, but the machine will light up the respective icons to show “descale” / “Brew unit” / “Filter”. The instruction manual is very clear about to how to perform each step of the cleaning cycles and how to do it: “Descale” (removes mineral build up); “frequency” (every 6 months); “Duration” 15 minutes; “Brew unit” (cleans oils deposited from beans); “frequency” (6-8 weeks); “Duration” 15 minutes; “Filter” (Filter needs to be replaced); “frequency” (every 2 months);

We have noted some people saying that if you use filtered water, which we do, that the filter can be changed every 6 months instead of every 2 months. The supplier also supplies 2 descale tablets, with tablets to be added to the water tank and the brew unit. The instructions for all the cleaning are simple to follow.

Descale tablets and filters are available from KitchenAid (and after-market suppliers) and the water filters from various suppliers.

Summary:

Setting up the KF2 was easy, with virtually no assembly.

Operating the unit has proven to be very easy – first run through was interesting to find out all the settings and what the machine can and can’t do, but in the end, it was all very easy and it does what it does very well – it’s an entry level machine and if making basic espresso coffee automatically is your priority then this machine will do the job very nicely.

We found the KF2 to be a fairly quiet unit, and it’s not noisy by any measure. We have tried a few different brands / origins of coffee and have settled on one that is to our taste. Be prepared to experiment, the more times we use it, the better we get. From start up to finish with nicely frothed milk, the time to make 2 cups of coffee is reasonable.

The KF2 has nice form and function and competes on our kitchen bench space for a spot – with its relatively slim width and depth it fits in nicely with the rest of the machines. It looks nice too! If your bench space is not large, then suggest you check this machine out.

Even though we haven’t had to do any of the maintenance processes yet, the instruction manual is very clear, and the process all looks simple and not difficult. All in all, would recommend this machine to you if basic coffee making automatically without any hassles is what you are looking for!

I would rate this machine 4.5 stars but can’t input 4.5 stars, so 5 stars it will be with the qualifications below.

Pros (what is good about the KF2):

• Good build quality, well put together, lot of plastic but still well put together • Easy to operate – controls are easy and analogue which would suit a lot of people, very easy to make coffee • Footprint is relatively compact (19cm W x 36cm H x 47cm D) – good for small benchtops • Water tank lifts out vertically, don’t have to move machine too far to lift it out, but wheels on the rear of the machine make it easy to move forward to facilitate removal of tank. Also is hinged which can be filled with a jug without having to remove the tank. • Quiet operation, would suit early morning operation (Quiet mark rated) • Easy to load the beans into the hopper • With 2 shot selection can make 2 cups of coffee (or 2 shots into 1 cup if wanting stronger) • Milk frother is very good – does a very good job, is easy to remove and clean. Gives some control over milk texture (from flat to very frothy and creamy) • Indicator on the bottom water drip tray is good (to notify when needs emptying) • Maintenance – haven’t had to do the full maintenance yet, but the instructions are very clear and simple, and the process looks easy to do with easy-to-follow instructions • 3-year limited warranty and 10-year parts and service commitment. The 10-year commitment is not a warranty period, only guarantees parts will be available.

Cons (recommendations for improvements):

• Not supplied with milk jug – not a deal breaker, not expensive to buy a good jug • The water container is a bit small (1.8L, could be 2L or 2.5L) Doesn’t last long • Pod container perhaps a bit small – frequent emptying • A bit limited on selection of coffee choices compared to other entry level machines • Milk frother doesn’t work simultaneously whilst brewing the coffee, but it does work very well. Most entry level machines don’t work simultaneously either.

It is now becoming the normal for many people to have a coffee machine at home. I was given the opportunity to review the KitchenAid KF2 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine. I have been using the machine for a few weeks now and am enjoying becoming a home barista. There are both Pros & Cons with the KF2, but most importantly, the choice of beans does make a difference.

I will start with the - PROS: * Sleek/Slim * Basic * Water tank can be filled without removing, depending on counter space. ( I fortunately have a large counter) * Very easy setup * Awesome 3 yrs guarantee & 10 yrs parts * Clear and direct screen, simple push button on choice

CONS : * No milk jug provided, so if for the first time upon use be aware you will need a substitution jug. ( I used a takeaway thermo mug) * Small pod container - after 2 - 3 serves, needs emptying * You are limited on selection of coffee choices. Your standard coffee & expresso * Like all machines, made of hard plastic. The grate is stainless though * Making Cold brew you need to work on ratio of strength

Overall, the unpacking of the KF2 was easy as came out as 1 piece. It is a quiet unit as stated, the noise level is tolerable. Practice makes perfect if trying to recreate your baristas coffee. YouTube does have videos in showing how to create. As also stated, the choice of beans does make a difference. I tried a few different brands and personally did pay more for a better quality. This is best suited for a couple or for kitchens with less space. You won’t be disappointed on the KF2 but also feel like the cost is a little high for what it does.

Would I recommend - Yes, as a basic model. A simplified coffee machine that does what it is designed for and fits & looks good.