A fully automatic coffee machine cannot make filtered coffee, and a regular coffee machine cannot make espresso. Not only because of the pressure required but also because of ‘incidental’ things like filters. In other words, the Melitta Caffeo Solo and a modern Moccamaster cannot effectively replace one another. In case you are unaware: Melitta is big in the football business and is also the ‘official coffee partner’ of Borussia Dortmund. That’s why the Melitta Caffeo Solo is perfect for individuals who live alone or who simply don’t need the luxury of frothed milk. People have been poking fun at how this fully automatic coffee machine doesn’t have a milk frother on board, and I see why. When it entered the market in 2014, this was a sign of pronounced self-confidence. After all, customers wanted everything in a fully automatic coffee machine — even if they didn’t use it.

So, if you happen to come across a Melitta Caffeo Solo at a good price in a factory outlet, for example, it’s just as good today as when it first launched. Just keep in perspective that the Melitta Purista really does deliver better results. Though I’m sure we’ll be saying similar things about the Purista’ss successor when it hits the market as well. Unfortunately, I don’t have any viable statistics at hand on whether milk or coffee residue is responsible for the majority of all error messages or filthy coffee machines. Though one nice thing about the Caffeo Solo is that at least we don’t have to worry about rancid milk. Of course, I also know that these subtle nuances really only matter for me during testing. In everyday life, coffee doesn’t always have to be a full-bodied sensation. It should simply taste good. You can also adjust the amount of coffee you get up to 220ml, and with the option of brewing two cups at the same time. You can fill a large mug How Big is the Melitta Caffeo Solo?When I look at the volume of comments that appear under a review, it’s a pretty good indication to me of whether you are really interested in a machine or not.

However, its successor, the Purista, shows that a ‘dedicated’ brew group is a better choice for the ultra-compact class of coffee machines. In this case, the Solo is reaching a bit, which, in turn, produces somewhat of an inferior coffee.Yes the Melitta Caffeo Solo is great value for money. While true it may not have all the features of the tp machines, it is only a fraction of the cost. And it produces great espresso. Can I use mugs?

The coffee bean lid is a bit dodgy, very much like the water tank lid I previously mentioned. Here, you can definitely see that costs had to be cut in the manufacturing process to achieve the low price. That said, it’s best to be gentle with these lids when cleaning. Espresso & Coffee From the Melitta Caffeo Solo: A Better Version of the ‘Coffee Machine’? Concentrating on the basics – that's Solo. Minimalistic design, smallest dimensions and easy to operate. For supreme coffee indulgence from whole beans and a soft, velvety crema that melts on the tongue. Melitta is a name you can trust, in fact they’ve been making high quality domestic machinery, with an emphasis on coffee, since 1908, so that’s more than a century of helping householders get the coffee that they love, when they want it. The Melitta Caffeo Solo brews nice coffee and has a functional, space-saving design. Sure, you could, of course, still buy a ‘complete’ machine. However, the question is: do you really want that? Like I mentioned before, there are ‘special’ cleaning tablets that Melitta sells under the name ‘Perfect Clean’. Still, my opinion on this remains unchanged: as long as the composition is right, you can clean your coffee machine with whatever you like. The same applies to the descaler you want to use. Alternatives to the Caffeo Solo: Which Other Fully Automatic Coffee Machines Are Cheap and Good?Adjustable Coffee Strength, Adjustable Water Quantity, Adjustable Coffee Temperature, Adjustable Cup Quantity Melitta Caffeo Solo & Milk (E953-102) : This is the same as above, but has the addition of a manual steam wand, to allow you make milk based coffees, such as Cappuccino. That said, the Solo’s variations of 87, 90 and 93 degrees Celsius (187, 194 and 199 degrees Fahrenheit) for coffee and espresso are completely ridiculous anyway. This issue has been corrected in the Purista, in my opinion. I find that the Purista’s coffees are even a tad bit hotter and have fuller body.