Unfortunately, this way of thinking is misguided, as we must never forget that a fully automatic coffee machine and a filter coffee machine have two completely different preparation principles. One caveat, though, is that these machines are no longer in the category of ‘fully automatic coffee machines for individuals’ like the Melitta Caffeo Solo has been designed to serve. Cleaning the Melitta Caffeo Solo: You’ll Notice That Something Is Missing and Be Glad About It Let’s move on to one of the elephants in the room: the question of whether this light version of a fully automatic coffee machine can deliver excellent espresso in your cup? If it doesn’t, this category of machine makes no sense at all. Since the Solo is delightfully quality-loving in this respect, I really should stop my grumbling. Just know that the Melitta Purista brews coffee and espresso even better. Even a layman can taste the difference.

Generally speaking, an Americano is always a better idea with a fully automatic coffee machine as an extended espresso. However, you would then have to use an external kettle to get your hot water because, understandably, there’s no hot water nozzle on the Solo. Upon activating the 0 watt switch, the Solodisconnects from the mains. And of course, your personal settings are kept. This on/off feature is also programmable and the appliance can be set to disconnect from the mains at the desired time automatically.

Double Cup Mode

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. On top of that, the Melitta Caffeo Solo uses the same high-quality technology in the brew group, without any added costs, that you will find in older and posher versions of Melitta fully automatic coffee machines.

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. Melitta made a design choice about the placement of the lever to adjust the coarseness of the grinder on the Solo that’s a bit cumbersome. Instead of making the adjustment within the bean compartment itself, you have to remove the service panel to find it next to the brew group.

One great thing about the Melitta Caffeo Solo is that even beginners will have no problem getting great results out of the machine. Whereas other machines have to include a whole encyclopaedia to explain how to use them, the operating instructions for the Solo are user-friendly. An Overview Let’s face it: when it comes down to it, there really aren’t discontinued models in the fully automatic coffee machine world. 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. CBTL is an easy to use, single serve beverage system that combines the handcrafted taste and quality which is the hallmark of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf with the finest Italian technology and design perfected by the Caffitaly System. It couldn't be easier. 3. How long should a bean to cup coffee machine last? I did find it somewhat annoying to have to constantly empty, fill and clean the machine, even if it’s only designed for one person — max two — to use. If you drink a lot of coffee, you may be miffed by this as well. The Melitta Caffeo Solo: It’s Not Just the User Manual That’s Easy