testit's KitchenAid KF4 Review

The KitchenAid KF4 features an elegant, slim, and less bulky design compared to typical automatic coffee makers, making it look like a design object.

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The KF4 has a robust and solid build quality with high-quality plastic and no rattling parts, meeting KitchenAid's expected standards and demonstrating top-tier processing quality.

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The rear placement of the water tank in the KF4 can make it difficult to access, and inserting the water filter is fiddly, although a special tool is provided to help.

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The KitchenAid KF4 offers only five grind settings, which is relatively few compared to other automatic coffee machines in its price class.

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The KF4's small touchscreen and sensor buttons provide intuitive operation, but it lacks swipe gestures, requiring users to click through the drink selection.

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The KF4 has a limited selection of 12 drinks and lacks advanced features like app control, assistance functions, or true cold brew, unlike many competitors in its price range.

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The KF4 produces a full-bodied, balanced espresso with a thick crema, even if it runs through quickly, exceeding expectations.

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The Kaffee Crema from the KF4 is surprisingly good, and the brewed coffee temperature is adequately hot at around 80°C.

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The KF4 produces wonderfully fine-pored and creamy milk foam, though its temperature (69°C) is slightly too hot, potentially affecting milk sweetness, and limits the size of larger milk drinks.

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The KF4's narrow design leads to a small drip tray that needs frequent emptying, and neither the milk container nor drip trays are dishwasher safe, requiring manual cleaning.

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The KitchenAid KF4 is priced highly (around 900 EUR), with its cost largely driven by its distinctive design, superior build quality, and brand name rather than an extensive feature set.

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Elegant and slim design

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The KF4 is described as narrow and tall, giving it an elegant appearance that is less bulky than most other automatic coffee makers and makes it look like a design object.

Robust and high-quality build

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The reviewer notes the machine feels extremely robust and solid, despite being made of high-quality plastic, with no rattling or wobbling parts, indicating top-tier processing quality expected from KitchenAid.

Water tank placement and filter insertion

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Due to its slim design, the water tank is at the back, potentially hard to reach. Inserting the water filter is fiddly, but a special tool on the coffee spoon assists with this task.

Limited grind settings

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The KF4 offers only five grind settings, which is considered relatively few when compared to other automatic coffee makers in its class.

Touchscreen operation with limitations

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The KF4 features an intuitive small touchscreen and sensor buttons for operation, but a drawback is the lack of swipe gestures, forcing users to click through the drink menu.

Limited drink selection and smart features

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The machine offers only 12 drinks and lacks app control or assistance functions, significantly fewer features than premium competitors which often boast 50+ drinks and smart connectivity.

Excellent espresso quality

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Despite a fast flow, the espresso delivered by the KF4 is full-bodied, balanced, and features a beautiful thick crema, exceeding reviewer expectations.

Surprisingly good Kaffee Crema

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The reviewer, usually not a fan, found the KF4's Kaffee Crema to be remarkably tasty, indicating excellent coffee quality.

Coffee temperature measurement

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The coffee temperature was measured at approximately 80°C in the cup, confirming it is adequately hot for consumption.

Grinder noise level

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The grinder operates at approximately 75 dB, which is considered loud and could be disruptive early in the morning.

Milk foam quality and temperature

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The KF4 produces wonderfully fine-pored and creamy milk foam, though its measured temperature of 69°C is considered too hot, potentially impacting the milk's natural sweetness.

Limited latte macchiato size

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Even when set to the largest size, a Latte Macchiato glass does not fully fill, which means users who prefer larger milk beverages might find the drink sizes restrictive.

No Cold Brew; 'Iced Coffee' is hot

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The KitchenAid KF4 lacks true Cold Brew; its 'Iced Coffee' is simply hot coffee, measured at 70°C, served over ice, contrasting with machines that brew genuinely cold beverages.

Cleaning and maintenance inconveniences

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While the brewing group is easily removable and rinses clean, the narrow design means a small drip tray requiring frequent emptying, and neither the milk container nor trays are dishwasher safe.

High price for design and brand

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Priced at approximately 900 EUR, the KF4's cost is attributed by the reviewer to its distinctive design, superior processing quality, and brand name, rather than a broad range of features.

How does the KitchenAid KF4 look and feel in terms of build quality?

The KitchenAid KF4 stands out with its elegant, narrow, and tall design, making it appear less bulky and more like a design object than most automatic coffee makers. Its construction feels extremely robust and solid, using high-quality plastic with no rattling parts, aligning with KitchenAid's reputation for quality.

What are the usability aspects and limitations of the KF4's controls and features?

The KF4 is operated via an intuitive small touchscreen and sensor buttons, though it lacks swipe gestures, requiring users to click through the menu. It offers only five grind settings and a limited selection of 12 drinks. Unlike many competitors, it also lacks app control and other advanced assistance functions.

How good is the coffee and espresso from the KitchenAid KF4?

The espresso, despite a quick extraction time, is full-bodied, balanced, and topped with a thick crema. The reviewer was particularly impressed by the surprisingly good taste of the Kaffee Crema. Coffee temperature was measured at a hot 80°C in the cup.

Does the KF4 make good milk foam, and are there any issues?

The KF4 creates wonderfully fine-pored and creamy milk foam. However, the milk foam temperature reaches around 69°C, which is considered too hot and can diminish the milk's natural sweetness. Additionally, even on the largest setting, larger glasses for drinks like latte macchiato do not get completely full, limiting drink sizes.

Does the KitchenAid KF4 offer Cold Brew or other cold coffee specialties?

The KitchenAid KF4 does not have a Cold Brew function. The "Iced Coffee" option available is simply normal hot coffee (measured at 70°C) that is dispensed over ice, differing significantly from machines like the De'Longhi Eletta Explore which brews cold drinks under 50°C.

How easy is the KF4 to clean and maintain?

Cleaning the brewing group is straightforward as it's removable and can be rinsed under running water. However, the slim design means the drip tray is small and requires frequent emptying. A notable drawback for this price point is that neither the milk container nor the drip trays are dishwasher safe, necessitating manual cleaning for all components.

What is the value proposition of the KitchenAid KF4 given its price?

Priced around 900 EUR, the KF4 is considered expensive given its limited feature set compared to competitors. The reviewer states that the cost primarily reflects its outstanding design, superior processing quality, and the KitchenAid brand name. It's recommended for those who prioritize aesthetics and excellent basic coffee functions over advanced features and smart connectivity.