What is the Melitta Caffeo Barista TS Smart?
The Melitta Caffeo Barista TS is one of my favorite coffee with milk machines of all time, so I was excited to receive the updated model, the Melitta Caffeo Barista TS Smart.
Retaining the flexibility of the original, with its double smart hopper that accepts two different types of bean, the & # 39; Smart & # 39; Add smartphone control to the mix.
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Melitta Caffeo Barista TS Smart – Design and construction
Following with the plastic casing of the original, the Melitta Caffeo Barista TS Smart still looks great and is a high-tech machine spectrum. Impressively, this coffee machine retains its slim structure (372 x 259 x 467), and you can easily place it on a standard kitchen countertop.
The touch sensitive buttons of the original remain, but it feels as though they have had a general overhaul and are now a bit more responsive and easy to use; With the old machine, the occasional tap was not recognized.
Melitta has continued with its impressive attention to detail. To begin with, the steam tube that connects to the milk jug can be mounted on both sides of the spout. In addition, the drip tray has two connectors, one on each side, to take the tube when it is not connected to the jar.
The beak slides up and down, providing enough space for everything from a cup of espresso coffee to a tall glass of coffee with milk. You should find that virtually all cups and glasses fit comfortably under this coffee machine.
Melitta Caffeo Barista TS Smart – Features
I love the dual bean hopper of the original, and it's great to see this performance on this machine. It provides great flexibility. By default, Melitta expects the hopper on the left (number 1) to be used for espresso and milk drinks with darker grains; Hopper 2 is designed for a lighter roast for coffee cream and more subtle drinks.
That's just a guide, though; You are free to set up the coffee machine in the way that suits you best. For example, you can look for decaffeinated beans in a hopper.
The upper part of the coffee machine has specific buttons for different types of beverages, including a short drink (espresso), long (doppio cream coffee), short milk (cappuccino) and long milk (coffee with milk macchiato), More buttons to dispense hot milk or hot water only. There is also a 2x button, so you can dispense two drinks of the same type at the same time. Surprisingly, the Caffeo Barista TS Smart can even dispense two milk drinks at the same time, a feature that is not available on all bean-to-cup machines.
Neither is it necessary to be a slave of the recipes, since the tactile controls on the front allow you to cancel the bean hopper, the volume and the intensity of your drinks on the fly.
There are eight profiles on the machine, allowing different people in your home to configure their own beverage recipes, bypassing the direct access buttons on the front. Melitta has 21 amazing recipes, ranging from ristretto to flat whites, and you can individually adjust the strength, temperature and volume of each one. It's a lot of customization on offer, so be prepared to spend some time configuring everything the way you want it.
While you can configure settings through the menu system, it is much easier to use the smartphone application. By connecting to Caffeo Barista TS Smart via Bluetooth, the application allows you to configure and configure profiles and recipes. You can also dispense drinks, although this method is a bit slower than with touch controls.
Melitta Caffeo Barista TS Smart: quality of espresso coffee
You get good results from the box, but it's worth playing with the settings to get the coffee the way you want it. I discovered that by using a finer grind (there is a control inside the back panel), adjusting the force to normal, and raising the temperature to hot, I was very active.
Once again, Melitta impressed with the quality of its espresso, and it is very close to the best you can get with a superior manual machine. A rich, full-bodied and oily cream sits on top of the drink, lasting a few minutes.
Delivered at 63ºC, the coffee stood out. It retained the finest notes of my test beans, providing pronounced acidity and a strong body. There is also an IntenseAroma mode, which changes the brewing process to offer a richer and possibly more authentic espresso.
Melitta Caffeo Barista TS Smart – Milk-based drink quality
Milk foam is usually the only area in which coffee machines are not as impressive, but this is not the case with the Caffeo Barista TS Smart Just plug the milk tube into the jar and the TS Smart will heat, sprinkle and pour your drink for you.
You will have to adjust your recipes to fit the size of your cup (you can make adjustments on the fly, with the coffee machine retaining the correct proportions), and once this is done you will get a place -in results every time.
Trying on a cappuccino, I got almost perfect results, with a cup full of rich coffee covered with microfoam. As with all bean-to-cup machines, there is some separation in coffee and milk, but this is nothing that a good agitation does not solve. Yes, you can get better results manually, but this machine is able to offer the best automatic results without problems.
Melitta Caffeo Barista TS Smart – Maintenance
Bean machines need to be serviced to ensure that they remain in optimum condition. Melitta makes it easy, with on-screen prompts to tell her what to do.
Turning the machine on or off rinses automatically. And, when you finish preparing a milk drink, you will be instructed to run the cleaning cycle, running the steam through the milk tube and into the drip tray.
When making coffee, you will hear a high-pitched hum, as if the grinder is empty; this is how the Caffeo Barista TS Smart closes the hoppers and superspirations, so that the flavor is not contaminated when switching between the beans.
As with the original, an IR sensor will notify when a hopper is empty, but can warn you when there are still enough beans to make a drink. Covering the sensor with a finger will trick the Caffeo Barista TS Smart to continue. I recommend doing this and having a drink when you are empty, just to wash the remaining beans before refilling them.
Clear instructions on the LCD screen will guide you through all other cleaning routines when necessary, from the use of espresso cleaning tablets to descaling (you can adjust the hardness of the water by changing the frequency with which you receive a warning).
Once again, emptying the drip tray and the used coffee tray a bit is tricky. The long and shallow drip tray is cumbersome and difficult to transport without spills.
It is also possible to remove the processing unit on the side of the machine so that you can clean it regularly. The only other job you have to do is fill the 1.8 liter water tank and replace the water filter when requested. The level of water hardness you set will determine how often it will be necessary to do so.
Why buy the Melitta Caffeo Barista TS Smart?
If you want flexibility and an excellent coffee, the Melitta Caffeo Barista TS Smart is one of the main bean-to-cup machines. AromaIntense and smart phone control add a lot to the original Caffeo Barista TS, which makes a great machine even better.
Verdict
An excellent coffee maker with excellent configuration options for all tastes.