Happy Wednesday friends! I’m so excited to finally be sharing today’s Terra Kaffe review with you. And if your DMs and questions on Instagram are any indication, you’ve been waiting for this one as well. I spent MONTHS looking at espresso machines before finally pulling the trigger. I looked at Philips, Siaco, Jura and so many other brands. But inevitably, I took the plunge and I’m so glad I did. As always, I have lots to share. So grab your mocha, put up your feet and let’s get started!
Which Model Did I Get?
I have the original Terra Kaffe – the TK-01. I got it in white.
Why Did I Pick The Terra Kaffe over other espresso machines?
When I started looking at automatic coffee machines, I was really looking at how I could streamline our kitchen. We had a variation of ALL the coffee options: Keurig, Nespresso, Chemex, French Press, etc. And having SO much clutter was driving me a bit mental. So I knew that when investing in an espresso machine, it needed to cover all the bases.
It’s also needed to be aesthetically pleasing and SUPER simple to work. While I don’t mind learning to use new machines and all the quirks they might have, MS won’t. And TBH I didn’t think I could convince her to want or even try to use something along the more traditional lines like the Breville one.
HOW EASY IS IT TO USE?
It’s literally the tap of a screen. Maybe two taps if your screen is asleep. But it’s beyond simple. The only bit that took me a minute/reading the manual to figure out was how to use the pre-ground function.
HOW EASY IS IT TO CLEAN?
Again, this is fairly easy as well. The machine prompts you to clean it whether it’s cleaning, descaling, emptying the coffee bin, or cleaning the milk frother. The only thing it won’t tell you, but you’ll notice, is when you need to clean out the side where the coffee bin is emptied. After a while, little bits of grounds tend to buildup on the inside next to the bin which prevents you from being able to properly shut the door.
The only thing that is a slight pain to clean is the drip tray. You definitely need to pull it out regularly and clean it. The machine won’t tell you to do this but you’ll see it building up. If you don’t, you’ll end up with mold as this is where overflow water and espresso go.
I will also note – be sure you remove your filter when you run a cleaning cycle with a tablet. If you don’t, the cycle will run via your filter and change the taste of your coffee.
Does The Terra Kaffe Get Moldy?
So along with the drip tray potentially getting mold if you don’t clean it every few days, I recently noticed another spot. Inside the right part of the machine, you’ll find the coffee bin and the espresso compactor. Idk if that’s the technical term but you’ll know it when you see it.
You’ll also need to clean this as well as behind it. Again, grounds tend to end up not exclusively in the bin which means moisture and coffee build up in the back.
The actual espresso compressor is a bit awkward to clean. But it will mold if you don’t so be sure you check it.
CAN YOU USE GROUND COFFEE WITH IT?
Yes, you can. It has a bypass valve. I had ZERO clue this was a thing when I was looking at espresso machines originally. But if you’re anything like us, constantly swapping between regular & decaf, this is very necessary.
Can you use non-dairy milk with the frother?
After getting a couple of questions on this, I decided to do further testing. I noted in my original review that not all non-dairy milks work with it. Elmhurst, Good Mylk & homemade options tend to struggle as they separate too easily. Without a binding agent like guar gum or sunflower lecithin, it’s hard to steam the simpler milks.
However, I have been testing Califia’s Barista Oat Milk & Unsweetened Vanilla. Both will steam via the frother. But if you want true froth, like Cappucino thick, I’d still recommend a Breville frother hands down.
TERRA KAFFE PROS?
There are SO many. But it’s beyond easy to use. Your coffee tastes great. It’s easy to adjust to your preferences if you want a strong cup, hotter water, or anything else that you’d prefer. You can do everything with it: americano, espresso, latte, hot water, cappuccino, etc. Plus, the bit of the machine where the coffee comes out can be moved up and down to accommodate a larger coffee cup.
I tend to use hot water, americano, and espresso the most. It also does hot water immediately. So I never have to wait for my kettle to boil when I’ve watched too much Bridgerton and now want to drink my body weight in decaf English Breakfast tea.
I’m also a big fan of how easy it is to customize the strength of my coffee depending on what feels right for my body throughout the day. I can add some more decaf espresso if I want a stronger flavor or a bit of hot water if I need a little less all with the push of a button.
TERRA KAFFE CONS?
None of today’s cons are really major nos for me when it comes to the TK-01. But for you, they might be so let’s discuss:
cleaning – as noted before, you have to be diligent in cleaning your machine every few months beyond the machine prompts otherwise you’ll get mold
using ground coffee – it’s easy to do but a bit messy. You also need to make sure you’re doing it with the right grind to get the best flavor
frothing is messy – if you want to avoid having foam sprayed all over, make sure you lower the espresso spout (again, idk on the proper name). Otherwise, you will have milk all over
IS IT WORTH THE MONEY?
100%, yes.
WOULD I BUY IT AGAIN?
Yes.
ANYTHING ELSE?
Clearly, I love our Terra Kaffe. I go through so much coffee now because I can press a button. 😂 I do think at some point down the road I’ll upgrade again to a machine that has two bean options. I keep decaf in our machine as it’s what I drink. But MS doesn’t tend to want to fuss with grinding and making her own. However, seeing as I was the one who really wanted the machine (as well as our Vitamix, food processor, and air fryer), it works out because it gets used regularly.
Overall, I’m super happy with my choice. It’s far more aesthetically pleasing than other choices. I use it MULTIPLE times a day. I’m currently sipping on a paleo caramel latte as I write today’s post. So I would highly recommend it. Also, be sure to google before buying for a discount code. There is the occasional sale but they don’t tend to do lots of marketing about it. But I managed to find a $100 coupon with a quick search.
2 Year Update
After over 2 years of ownership, daily use and reading your reviews in the comments, I wanted to add a few new bits. I still love our machine and use it daily. I do find their are quirks you learn over time. I.e. exactly how much ground coffee you need to get the right shot of espresso in the bypass doser (more than once scoop), making sure to clean under the machine for water spillage that might happen if you fill the water jar without fully removing it, etc.
You do need to be mindful about cleaning your machine regularly as it can mold. The section that presses the espresso pucks needs to be pulled out and cleaned at least every other month or so. I also find myself having to clean behind the discard bin every few weeks. I use my small vacuum to make this easier.
I will say I’ve seen the experience of people having issues with the machine. As with any product, things do happen. However, I can say that with the except of a lack frother, we’ve truly loved ours. The ease of use (a high priority for my 68 year old mother) and the significantly reduction in our need for pods (my top priority) were only the beginning of our love for this luxury coffee machine. And 2.5 years later, I would still buy it again.
If you end up joining the Terra Kaffe gang, I’d love to know! Let us know in the comments below or come find me on Instagram. And if you have any questions I didn’t get to today, leave those as well. For now, I’m sending you a virtual cheers with my latte! Until next time. Xoxo, Savvy
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Hi! Thanks for the review! Question: does the foamer not work well with all plant-based milks, or just the ones you mentioned (which all — I think — don’t have any emulsifiers like seed oil)? Thanks!
Hi Rebecca! I tend to avoid guar gum. So I can’t speak to any plant-based milks with that or the oat milks. But if you have a particular one you’re curious about, I’m happy to test it out for you!
Hi, great review! Are you still happy with it now that you’ve had it for a couple of months?
Hi Sheen! 100%. There are a few things I’d add to the review though:
Make sure to take out the filter when you do the cleaning cycle because the tablets will alter the flavor. But the filter does make a major difference.
Keep an eye on the coffee disposal side. You’ll need to remove everything and clean it out to prevent any mold. But get in with a flashlight because it can be easy to miss coffee grounds.
You said you were able to find a coupon! Would you be able to share that? Please and thank you!
Hi Rebecca, I think it was a holiday one. I only found it by googling but there isn’t a current one.
Lastshot gets you $75 off your order 🙂
When making hot milk or a latte does your milk get sufficiently heated? Mine is warmer than room temp but I would not call it a “hot drink”.
I am enjoying my TK otherwise!
I tend to pull it from the fridge on the rare occasion I use the frother but it’s definitely not as hot as a plain americano.
Can you make a full cup of coffee with this machine?
Hi Abbey, the closest thing to a traditional cup of coffee would be the americano. It’s a bit stronger but you can absolutely make a full cup.
A full cup of regular coffee can be made…. From Madison at TerraKaffe “ Here are our settings for the drip coffee workaround: Change grinder dial to 4 for a coarser grind Adjust espresso settings by tapping MENU > SETTINGS > ESPRESSO Espresso amount: 1.7 fl oz / 50 ml Temperature: 203 °F / 95 °C Coffee bean amount/dose: 0.42 oz / 12 g Pressure: low bar Run shot(s) of espresso Run hot water Enjoy! To summarize, going back and forth between espresso and drip coffee is really just a matter of changing the pressure to low bar and the… Read more »
I tried Breville it was good for about a couple of years Grinders suck like most of these machines after almost have a degree in I don’t have the money to keep pulling around with these things
And if the pressure isn’t just write the 30 or 40% of the time that it works the coffee is either bitter 50 or 60% of the time when it does work it has great coffee but I don’t have weeks I pulled one out of the box yesterday and now I have to take it back I’m very unhappy
How do i use the link to get the discount?
Hey Amanda, it looks like they changed the program again. Before using the link gave you the automatic discount. But now I don’t see that option on the backend.
Wanted to love this machine in the worst way because on paper it had everything going for it. It almost had me at unboxing, as the process was a dream (I wish more companies spent this much thought into making unboxing such a pleasurable experience). Alas, it’s always about the quality of the coffee and TK (no, not Tavis Kalanick) underwhelmed and underwhelmed consistently. Espressos were a weak and tasteless mess–no matter which settings I tried on the grinder, on the coffee amount and on the water. Even a 3X espresso turned into an Americano barely had taste. On top… Read more »
Bummer it didn’t work for you. I’ve had mine for more than 18 months now and no issues with messy wet pucks. TK has some instructions on changing your settings if that’s an issue!
Would love to try one but the reviews on this unit makes me think different. Dang
My brother got one of these and unfortunately it stopped working after two years – right after the warranty ran out. It was over $200 to get it fixed. Would not recommend
Firstly, I was never paid for this review. Nor have I made any money from those who have purchased via my links – TerraKaffe doesn’t have an affiliate program. I respect everyone has a right to their opinion, your need to bash me because you disagree with my experience is not welcomed. I understand that not everyone has had the best experience with this product. However, other than a few hiccups, ours is still going strong almost 2 years in. In the future, please consider your words and choose kindness with regards to how you share your opinion.
If you are using regular cow milk 3% are you going to get true cappuccino foam? Or did you suggest Breville just for the plant based milk?
tbh I haven’t consumed dairy milk in quite a while so I’m not 100% on this one. I get incredible foam from the Breville frother because it’s not adding water to my already watered mix. But I’ll snag a small thing oof milk this week and test this for you!
Will you try the new TK-02 and what is the new improvement changes to the TK-01?
Good question! My machine is still going strong so probably not unless the brand decides to gift me one. I’d hope that the integration of using non-dairy milk is easier with the one. But I haven’t looked too much into it to be honest.
I was one of the first people to purchase this machine – unfortunately. I had to send the first one back. But the second one was not really any better. It does make good coffee and is easy to use in that regard which is a big thing but the design flaws make it so difficult to clean and it has to be cleaned way too often. The coffee bin full light has no sensor, it just counts how many times you have made coffee so if you empty if regularly it comes on unnecessarily. The door on the brewer… Read more »