KitchenAid
KitchenAid KES6551
KitchenAid's answer to the Barista Express: a 15-bar semi-automatic with a built-in conical burr grinder (15 settings, Smart Dosing for one or two shots), a 58 mm flat-base portafilter and a multi-angle steam wand. For beginners who want one appliance on the counter and KitchenAid's finish options.
Price and availability on KitchenAid's site may differ.
Specifications
Features
Pros
- ✓58 mm flat-base portafilter stands level for tamping, where the Barista Express uses a 54 mm basket
- ✓Smart Dosing grinds a measured single or double dose, and an ion generator cuts static clumping
- ✓Single-wall and double-wall baskets both in the box, so you can start pressurized and graduate
- ✓Two-year warranty, double the Barista Express's one year
Cons
- ✗Only three brew temperature settings (low, medium, high) - no 1-degree PID like the Barista Express
- ✗15 grind settings is coarse-stepped for dialing in espresso
- ✗No adjustable pre-infusion and no shot timer - you time shots yourself
- ✗$200 more than the Barista Express, which reviewers rate as the more adjustable machine
- ✗Portafilter spouts are plastic/silicone; reviewers suggest a bottomless replacement
Compare the KitchenAid KES6551
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