For coffee lovers, a good bean-to-cup machine means that the first cup of the day is going to be just as good as the last. The drawback is often that to get all the great functionality you want, you need plenty of worktop space. Melitta believes it has the perfect solution – the Avanza – which it describes as one of the’smallest fully automatic coffee machines on the market.’ We put it to the test to see if it really is small and mighty.
What’s Hot:
+ Slimline profile looks sleek and stylish
+ Tamping of ground coffee and emptying of used grounds is automatic
+ Simple to use with no complicated programming
What’s Not:
– No temperature adjustment for the coffee pours
– No option for dispensing just hot water
– No guidance for making different types of drinks, so not ideal for coffee novices
What is the Melitta Avanza?
Melitta has a range of bean-to-cup machines, some of which are more comprehensive than others, but along with complexity comes a high price tag. Avanza balances functionality and price pretty well at £450, sitting at the more budget end of Melitta’s range.
As the label “bean-to-cup” suggests, Avanza grinds the beans, tamps the coffee and then brews it to the strength you want at the touch of a button or two. Unlike some bean-to-cup machines, Avanza has a narrow footprint, although it is still fairly deep. Measuring 35cm tall, it fits under most wall-mounted kitchen units, leaving enough space to refill the beans and water when needed. The sleek-looking front is just 20cm wide, but at just over 40cm deep, it still makes its presence felt on the worktop.
Setting up the machine is a relatively painless process. Melitta includes a water-testing kit with each machine so you can determine your water hardness. Taking a few minutes to complete this means you can set the machine up with the right information, and it can let you know when to descale it to keep it in good working order.
Filling the water tank and coffee bean hopper are both very easy, as they are accessible from the top of the machine, and with those sorted, you’re ready to make your first cup of coffee.
Does it make more than just coffee?
The Avanza can make several different types of coffee, including espresso, cafe crema, cappuccino and latte macchiato. The Cappuccinatore – which makes the hot milk foam – has a pipe that can be suspended in the milk you want to use. It’s then drawn up, heated and dispensed for you to blend with your coffee shot to make your latte or cappuccino.
The dial on the left of the machine controls the quantity of coffee you make, from 25ml to 220ml. For a larger cup, turn the dial to the right, and for a smaller cup (such as espresso) dial it to the left.
All of these adjustments are easily made with button presses or dial turns, but in order to make the perfect drink, you will need a bit of coffee knowledge. Melitta doesn’t give any recipe advice to help you understand the right milk-to-coffee ratio in a latte macchiato or the difference between an espresso and a cafe creme, which is a bit of a disappointment. For coffee novices, it really will be a case of having all the gear but no idea.
Does it make good coffee?
While it might take a few tries to find the perfect blend and ratio for your own personal tastes, Avanza does make a good coffee. Each time you switch on the machine, it does a cleaning flush, so don’t be too hasty in getting your cup under the spout. Once it’s done that, though, select the amount of coffee and the strength you want, and before long you’ll have a steaming, hot cup of coffee in your hand.
The grinder is surprisingly quiet, and everything, including tamping the ground coffee and emptying the spent coffee puck, is done for you.
Everything coffee-based happens within the machine, but if you’re creating a milk-based drink, that all happens externally. The good news with that is you can simply dangle the milk tube into your milk carton and, once you’re finished, remove it. That way, no milk is wasted, and there’s no extra washing up required.
Placement of the pipe can be a bit fiddly, as it needs to be suspended in the milk to ensure a continuous flow through the pipe without it touching the bottom of the tub or carton. Once you’ve got that sorted, it works well, and you can dispense as much or as little hot milk as you need using the control dial.
During our testing, we used Blue Turaco
Robusta coffee beans, and Avanza did them justice, brewing a rich, full-bodied coffee that brought out the beans’ bold flavours beautifully.
Melitta Avanza automatic coffee machine: The verdict
There’s lots to like about the Avanza. It’s quiet and effective, making morning coffee a calm, easy process. In terms of sizing, it is slimline, even if it is still quite deep, but tuck it into the corner of a countertop, and it doesn’t feel as intrusive.
The more compact nature of the coffee machine means the water tank is smaller than those found in some rivals. That isn’t too much of a hardship, though, as it is easy to remove and refill. The bean hopper is integrated into the machine, which does add to the depth but doesn’t add to the height, which is great if it’s positioned under wall cabinets.
Melitta Avanza is a capable, reasonably compact, stylish-looking automatic coffee machine. The high-gloss plastic sides seem to attract dust almost immediately, which is a little frustrating, but it is easy to wipe down.
What the Avanza doesn’t offer is great versatility. You can make a handful of different brews if you have some coffee knowledge, but for just a little uplift in price, options are available from rivals which, although slightly less automatic, can make a great range of drinks.
For anyone looking for an uncomplicated bean-to-cup machine that delivers consistently good coffee without dominating the kitchen worktop, the Avanza is an appealing option. However, if you want a wider menu of easily accessible café-style beverages, you might find better value elsewhere.
What is it: Melitta Avanza Automatic Coffee Machine
How much: £450
Average Joes Rating: ★★★★☆
