Is The Terra Kaffe TK-02 The World’s Smartest Coffee Maker? – CoffeeTalk

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 is a coffee machine that automates the tedious parts of coffee brewing with intelligent sensors and extensive personalization. It offers a unique drink customization feature, an attractive design with front accessing and loading for all functionality, a quiet operation compared to the competition, a glorious 5-inch touchscreen and app interface with smarts, and a huge range of brewing options, including drip coffee.

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 is a mid-range machine at $1,599 or £999, double the $799 price tag of its predecessor, the TK-01. It is a better-built machine loaded with more features like app compatibility, drip coffee, and a precision metal milk frothing dial. Although not cheap, it is nowhere near as pricey as the $3,000 models, which still require you to control temperature and pressure. It comes in two matte colorways, either black or white.

Upon removing the TK-02 from the box, one can compare it to one of the best gaming PCs sitting in the office at any given time. Its rectangular computer tower-like body drops backward, complete with knobs, transparent hoppers, and a large 5-inch touchscreen. The minimalist, matte-white aesthetic looks premium, and the straightforward screen-based menu system and lack of excessive buttons, gauges, and knobs are welcoming to novices or someone who doesn’t want to fuss around for a specialty coffee.

The TK-02 is refreshingly compact compared to other bulky super-automatic machines on the market. It stands just under 17 inches tall and weighs about 29 pounds—not exactly portable but fitting comfortably on most counters without overwhelming your kitchen. The clean lines and intuitive touchscreen make it feel more like a piece of modern art than a coffee machine, but it’s way more than just a pretty face.

Every function and tray is accessible from the front and top of the machine, with each door being magnetic, so when you open the puck waste bin or water tank compartment, it closes securely. The clear plastic hoppers at the top are also magnetized to snap back into place to keep beans or grounds fresh. Only the power switch is located on the back so the TK-02 can be placed for the long run.

To get started, you just remove the tape, install the filter, and load up the hopper with beans or pre-ground coffee on the smaller tray in front of the bean hopper. The machine uses fresh beans for every brew, eliminating the need for single-use pods, which is a huge plus for anyone looking to reduce their waste. It also has an energy-saving mode, automatically switching to a clock face in standby when it’s not in use. You get a view of drink options from the built-in screen or the phone app, as well as brew status once it starts a job.

The TK-02 is a coffee machine that offers a simplified interface on the built-in touchscreen, allowing users to create an automated brew schedule and access maintenance stats. The app allows users to view waste pucks, tray fill levels, and alerts them to clean the system daily. The milk carafe for cream-based drinks also provides cleaning instructions.

The TK-02 is built sharp and easy to keep running clean for minimal effort. Users can select a drink, its strength, and the serving to get a perfectly brewed beverage without dialing in pressure or worrying about the grind. The customization options are impressive, though not overwhelming. For those who want a quick cup, the pre-set options are easily followed, but those who prefer to tweak every detail of their brew will appreciate the granular profile control this machine offers in the app.

The built-in grinder features five settings, with one being the finest and five being the coarsest. This comes up short compared to similar mid-range models like the eight options on the De’Longhi La Specialista Maestro. However, it covers a range of drinks from espresso to Americano. The grind consistency is solid, and the machine lets you adjust for single or double shots. Most of the process is dead silent at 15 decibels while dripping water and coffee. However, it gets as loud as 35 decibels when it grinds up the beans and puffs out the hot water, which isn’t noticeable from an adjacent room.

The TK-02 heats up unbelievably quickly, warming up from a cold start consistently in 45 seconds. Making Americanos, Lattes, and the like takes just under two minutes so you can have them on demand. The flavor is consistently rich, with a good balance of acidity and sweetness. The machine can create your own drinks complete with dosage and liquid volume adjustments.

As a hybrid brew unit, the TK-02 can switch between espresso-based drinks & drip coffee. Drip coffee (also used for the Iced Coffee mode) takes some time to make as the process is slower at around three and a half minutes on average. However, the flavor it extracts and infuses into your beverage is rich and makes for an especially bold iced coffee when brewed at lower temperatures.

While there are minor nitpicks, such as the tank draining quickly and the milk carafe being cumbersome, the TK-02 is a worthy investment for those who value both aesthetics and performance. It’s rare to find a fully automatic espresso machine that doesn’t sacrifice quality for convenience.

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