For years, my morning routine felt incomplete, a constant struggle to achieve that perfect café-quality coffee without the hassle. I used to rely on a simpler, pod-based machine, which, while convenient, simply couldn’t deliver the depth of flavour or the satisfaction of freshly ground beans. The lack of customisation meant every cup was the same, and I often found myself longing for the rich crema and nuanced aromas that only a truly fresh brew can offer. This ongoing desire for a superior coffee experience in my own home became a daily frustration, knowing that if I didn’t solve it, I’d forever be settling for mediocrity or spending a fortune at coffee shops. A proper bean-to-cup solution was clearly what I needed, something that would revolutionise my daily ritual.
Key Considerations for Your Next Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine Purchase
When delving into the world of bean-to-cup coffee machines, one quickly realises they’re designed to solve a fundamental problem: the desire for café-quality coffee at home, without the barista skills or the constant clean-up associated with more manual methods. People seek these machines for convenience, consistency, and the sheer pleasure of a fresh, aromatic brew. The ideal customer for such a device is someone who values fresh coffee, enjoys experimenting with different beans and recipes, and appreciates automation in their daily routine. They might be a busy professional who needs a quick, high-quality coffee before heading out, a family who all enjoy different coffee specialities, or simply a discerning coffee lover looking to elevate their home brewing.
Conversely, this kind of advanced bean-to-cup coffee machine might not be for everyone. If you’re content with instant coffee, prefer the simplicity of a basic filter machine, or rarely drink coffee, then the investment and features of a high-end model would likely be overkill. Similarly, those with very limited kitchen counter space might find larger bean-to-cup machines cumbersome. For such individuals, a compact pod machine or a simple drip filter might be a more suitable and cost-effective choice.
Before making a purchase, it’s crucial to consider several factors: your budget, the variety of coffee drinks you typically consume (do you need milk frothing?), the amount of counter space available, how much noise you’re willing to tolerate from a grinder, and your comfort level with technology, especially if “smart” features are involved. Cleaning and maintenance requirements are also paramount; a machine that’s easy to clean will undoubtedly be used more often. Lastly, think about the capacity of the water tank and bean hoppers, especially if you have a busy household or entertain guests frequently. These considerations will help you narrow down the vast array of options and find a machine that perfectly suits your lifestyle.
Introducing the Melitta TS SMART F85/0-101: A Closer Look
The Melitta Integrated Bean to Cup Coffee Machine, TS SMART Model F85/0-101, is a sleek, silver appliance designed to bring the coffee shop experience directly into your kitchen. It promises an unparalleled variety of coffee specialities, crafted with precision and ease. Upon purchase, you receive the machine itself, a removable milk container, and a welcome-pack cleaning kit, ensuring you can start brewing and maintaining it right away. Compared to many market leaders, the Melitta TS SMART stands out with its extensive pre-set coffee menu and advanced customisation options, often surpassing the variety offered by similarly priced competitors. Its predecessor models from Melitta were already well-regarded for their coffee quality, but the TS SMART takes it a step further with enhanced connectivity and user profiles.
This particular machine is ideal for the enthusiastic coffee connoisseur, someone who demands variety, control over their brew, and appreciates the integration of smart technology into their home. It’s also perfect for larger households or small offices where multiple people have distinct coffee preferences, thanks to its “My Coffee Memory” feature. However, it might not be the best fit for those who prefer extreme simplicity, rarely drink coffee, or are on a very tight budget, as its advanced features come with a premium price tag.
Here’s a quick overview of its strengths and weaknesses:
Pros:
* Offers an impressive 21 pre-set coffee specialities, catering to diverse tastes.
* “My Coffee Memory” saves preferences for up to 8 users, making customisation effortless.
* The “Whisper Grinder” operates remarkably quietly, a significant plus for morning brews.
* Automatic cleaning and descaling features simplify maintenance.
* Dual bean compartments allow for easy switching between different coffee beans.
Cons:
* Bluetooth connectivity for the Melitta Connect App can be inconsistent and limited in range.
* Initial coffee temperature might be lukewarm on default settings, requiring adjustment.
* The machine’s footprint is quite substantial, demanding ample counter space.
* The design, particularly the high-gloss finish, can be a magnet for dust and fingerprints.
* Some users found the milk dispenser hose to be sub-optimal, potentially affecting froth consistency.
Deep Dive into Capabilities and Advantages
Extensive Coffee Specialities and Personalisation
One of the most compelling aspects of the Melitta Barista TS Smart is its incredible range of 21 pre-set coffee specialities. From your classic espresso and cappuccino to more adventurous options like flat white, ristretto, americano, and espresso doppio, there’s truly a drink for every mood and palate. This versatility means you can explore new flavours without needing to master complex barista techniques. The machine comes with four pre-programmed classics (Espresso, Café Crème, Cappuccino, Latte macchiato) directly accessible, and the “recipe book” function on the touch display or via the Melitta Connect App unlocks the other 17.
Beyond the sheer number of options, the ability to customise each drink is what truly elevates the experience. You can adjust coffee strength across five settings, alter the volume of coffee (from 25 ml to 220 ml), and fine-tune milk and foam quantities. This level of granular control is fantastic, allowing me to tailor each cup precisely to my preferences or to the specific needs of guests. The benefit here is immense: no more settling for a standard brew. Every cup can be a masterpiece, perfectly suited to the drinker, which is a massive step up from simpler machines.
My Coffee Memory: A Game-Changer for Households
For anyone living in a multi-person household, the “My Coffee Memory” feature is an absolute godsend. This brilliant function allows the Melitta TS SMART F85/0-101 to save the personalised coffee preferences of up to eight different users. Before this machine, if my wife wanted a different strength latte than mine, we’d have to manually adjust settings every single time. Now, we simply select our profile, and the machine remembers our preferred strength, volume, and milk settings. It streamlines the morning routine considerably, eliminating fiddly adjustments and ensuring everyone gets their ideal cup with just a touch. This feature isn’t just about convenience; it fosters a sense of effortless luxury, transforming a potentially complicated process into a smooth, personalised experience.
Best Aroma System Plus and Intense Aroma Feature
The core of any great coffee machine is, naturally, the taste of the coffee. The Melitta TS SMART excels here, thanks to its “Best Aroma System Plus” and “Intense Aroma” features. These technologies are designed to ensure genuine fresh coffee enjoyment, cup after cup. The “Intense Aroma” function, in particular, adds a boost during the brewing process, drawing out even more flavour and aroma from the beans. This results in a noticeably richer and more aromatic coffee, a significant improvement over machines that don’t optimise extraction to this degree. I’ve found that with good quality beans, the difference is profound – the coffee tastes vibrant, full-bodied, and truly fresh. It solves the fundamental problem of wanting café-quality taste at home, delivering a consistently excellent brew.
Whisper Grinder and Dual Bean Hoppers
Noise is often a significant concern with bean-to-cup machines, especially early in the morning. The Melitta TS SMART addresses this with its “Whisper Grinder,” which has even earned a Quiet Mark certification. It’s genuinely much quieter than any previous machine I’ve owned, allowing for a peaceful start to the day without waking the entire household. This seemingly small feature has a huge impact on daily enjoyment.
Furthermore, the machine boasts “Automatic Bean Select” with two airtight grain compartments. This is another feature I absolutely love. It means I can keep two different types of coffee beans – perhaps a dark roast for my strong morning espresso and a lighter, more aromatic bean for my afternoon latte – and switch between them seamlessly. The machine even has a complete empty-run feature for the grinder, ensuring no ‘old beans’ are mixed, so you get the pure taste of your selected bean. There’s also a ground coffee chute, which is perfect for decaf or if you want to use a specific pre-ground coffee for a guest. This flexibility in bean choice directly contributes to solving the problem of varied coffee preferences, ensuring everyone gets exactly what they want.
Melitta Connect App and Smart Features
The “smart” aspect of the Melitta Integrated Bean to Cup Coffee Machine, enabled by Bluetooth connectivity and the Melitta Connect App, offers both exciting possibilities and a few frustrations. The idea of remotely steering coffee preparation and managing appliance settings from my smartphone is appealing. I can create and save personal “My Coffee Profiles” within the app, and it even provides practical tutorials for cleaning and maintenance. The highlight for me is the ability to create truly unique coffee specialities that aren’t even on the pre-set menu, giving an unparalleled level of creative control.
However, and this is where a minor disadvantage comes in, the Bluetooth connection can be a bit temperamental. The range is somewhat limited, and I’ve experienced occasional disconnections, which can be frustrating when you’re trying to brew from another room. Some users, including myself, have found a workaround by turning off the automatic bean selection, which oddly seems to improve stability. While the app is generally decent, a Wi-Fi connection with Alexa skill integration would truly make this machine “smart” rather than just “pseudo-smart,” offering greater reliability and range. Despite this, when it works, it’s incredibly convenient, especially for fine-tuning recipes without constantly touching the machine’s display.
Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance
Maintaining a sophisticated coffee machine can often be a chore, but Melitta has clearly prioritised ease of cleaning with the TS SMART. The machine features automatic cleaning and descaling programs, which are crucial for longevity and taste. The removable brewing unit is a fantastic design choice; it can be easily taken out and rinsed under the tap, ensuring no coffee residue builds up inside. This is a critical factor in preventing issues like mould and maintaining hygiene, a concern some users have raised with inaccessible internal components in other machines. The milk system also has an “Easy Clean” function that takes mere seconds to run after each milky drink, preventing blockages and sour milk build-up. The removable milk container is also very practical, easily fitting into the fridge. While the high-gloss finish can show fingerprints, the crucial internal components are remarkably easy to keep spotless, directly addressing the common problem of coffee machine hygiene. The welcome-pack cleaning kit is a nice touch, providing all the initial tools you need.
Intuitive Touch Display and Double-Cup Mode
The touch display on the Melitta TS SMART Model F85/0-101 is simple and intuitive, allowing for straightforward selection of hot water, milk, foam, coffee type, and volume. This ease of use ensures that even without the app, navigating the machine’s many options is a breeze. The ability to make on-the-fly adjustments to milk or coffee volume during the brewing process is also a thoughtful addition. Furthermore, the double-cup mode is incredibly practical for entertaining or for couples who both enjoy a fresh brew, as it allows two coffees to be prepared simultaneously, even milk-based drinks. The height-adjustable spout also accommodates various cup sizes, from small espresso cups to tall latte glasses, though some very tall glasses might still be a snug fit.
What Others Are Saying: User Experiences with the TS SMART
Having scoured numerous online forums and reviews, it’s clear that many users share a largely positive experience with the Melitta TS SMART, echoing many of my own observations. Many express delight with the exceptional taste of the coffee, often noting the outstanding milk froth and crema produced. The “Whisper Grinder” is frequently highlighted as a standout feature, praised for its quiet operation. Users appreciate the vast selection of coffee specialities and the convenience of the “My Coffee Memory” for personalising drinks for different family members.
However, some common points of contention also emerge. The Bluetooth connectivity is a recurring theme; several users find the app connection flaky and its range limited, sometimes preferring to use the machine’s direct controls. Another frequent comment concerns the default temperature of milky drinks, with many suggesting that an initial hot water rinse or adjusting the temperature settings in the menu is necessary to achieve a piping hot beverage. The physical size of the machine is also mentioned as a consideration for kitchen counter space. While the cleaning process is generally lauded for its simplicity, some detailed observations point to specific areas, like the high-gloss exterior or the milk dispenser hose, that might require more frequent attention or an aftermarket solution. Despite these minor criticisms, the general consensus reinforces the Melitta TS SMART as a high-quality, feature-rich bean-to-cup machine that offers excellent coffee.
Final Thoughts: Is the Melitta TS SMART the Right Choice for Your Kitchen?
Ultimately, the Melitta Integrated Bean to Cup Coffee Machine, TS SMART Model F85/0-101, masterfully solves the problem of desiring café-quality coffee at home without the fuss. It eliminates the complications of inconsistent brewing, limited choices, and time-consuming manual preparation, transforming a daily necessity into a genuine pleasure. Without a dedicated machine like this, one might forever be subjected to lacklustre brews, enduring the significant cost and inconvenience of daily coffee shop visits, or grappling with messy, complicated semi-automatic setups.
There are several compelling reasons why this particular machine is an excellent fit. Firstly, its unparalleled variety of 21 coffee specialities, coupled with extensive customisation options and the “My Coffee Memory” feature, ensures that every single person can enjoy their perfect cup, exactly as they like it. Secondly, the “Best Aroma System Plus” and “Intense Aroma” features, combined with the “Whisper Grinder” and dual bean hoppers, consistently deliver truly fresh, flavourful, and aromatic coffee in a surprisingly quiet manner. Lastly, the smart design, including the removable brewing unit and automatic cleaning programs, makes maintenance a breeze, ensuring hygiene and longevity. Despite minor quirks with the Bluetooth and initial temperature settings, these are easily managed. For a comprehensive look at the features and to make it your own, Click here to check the product out.