The KitchenAid Fully Automatic KF4 is a premium bean-to-cup coffee machine that does most of the work for you, from grinding to brewing, and can produce drinks like flat whites and iced coffee that are hard to master at home. Priced at £899, it sits at the premium end of the market, but it can pay for itself over time if you regularly buy cafe coffees.
Design and convenience
The machine has a sleek, premium appearance typical of KitchenAid, yet it doesn't look excessively complicated on the kitchen worktop. It is designed with convenience in mind: rather than weighing coffee, grinding beans separately, tamping grounds into a portafilter and working out espresso extraction, the KF4 does most of the work for you.
It features an integrated burr grinder and KitchenAid's IntelliGrind Technology, which adjusts grinding and dosing based on the beans and roast. It also has an iced coffee and iced espresso function, brewing these at a lower temperature to retain balanced flavour when poured over ice.
Easy touchscreen operation
The touchscreen makes the process straightforward. You choose the drink, adjust strength, size or temperature, and let the machine work. KitchenAid allows saving personalised settings to one of four user profiles, handy in households where people prefer different strengths and temperatures.
It has more than 20 pre-programmed hot and iced recipe options, including basics like espresso, milk-based drinks and iced options. The dedicated iced settings are particularly useful because pouring hot espresso straight over ice can result in watery coffee.
Milk container and bean flexibility
The KF4 comes with a milk container, lid and hose. You fill the container with your chosen milk and connect the hose when you want a milk-based drink. The container can be kept in the fridge between uses.
One slight issue is that if household members drink different kinds of milk—such as oat and dairy—you have to switch between milks or guess how much each will use. It isn't difficult, but it makes the process less seamless than with a separate milk frother.
The machine is also best for those who stick to one bean for a while. If you want regular decaf one day, a dark roast the next and a different bean at the weekend, this machine isn't suitable. However, if you stick to the same bag, it's not an issue.
Performance and maintenance
The coffee produced is consistently good, thanks to the machine handling grinding and dosing, which is useful when in a rush. It provides prompts for cleaning cycles, including milk rinsing, and can guide you through deeper cleaning when required. It's easier to maintain than other machines that leave coffee grounds everywhere.
It's rated 4.4 stars on the KitchenAid website with over 70 reviews. One review said: "An incredibly good coffee machine—sleek and stylish, yet very easy to use from start to finish." Another read: "A truly amazing coffee-making experience at home delivered by this machine. Flawless in all departments, from an espresso that's both flavourful and tasty to milk and coffee options delivered instantly and perfectly, with an overall user experience that's super intuitive. So happy with this choice, never going back to other brands." However, one review noted the water tank arrived damaged, and another said the iced coffee function doesn't "live up to expectations".
KitchenAid lists the KF4 at £899, and it is also available from John Lewis at the same price. For those who buy a coffee from a cafe every day, the machine can eventually pay for itself, but it is an incredibly expensive machine. Cheaper alternatives include the De'Longhi Magnifica Start at £320 on Argos, the Sage Barista Express Impress currently reduced to £599.95 from £729.95 on the Sage website, and the Nespresso Vertuo Next reduced to £79 from £149 on the Nespresso website.
