The espresso was also reasonably underwhelming, and Cozens admitted that “none of the espressos are perfect, but the TK-02 has a good balance, and pleasant taste, but lacks intensity and feels a little weak.” Hunt seconded this: “I just haven’t got enough strength or flavor coming through on it. I haven’t got the bitterness, it’s just not really doing much in terms of flavor and as such is bottom of my list.”
Jura E8
Despite premium pricing, impressive features, and reputation, the Jura out of the box did not find favor with our professional tasters. Hunt was quick to point out that the “milk tasted too hot, and so has almost ruined the espresso. There’s too much foam on top to be a latte, too—it’s more of a cappuccino.” Cozens appreciated the look of the milk and the layering of the espresso, but was also quick to mention the milk’s high temperature, which felt “hotter than the 65 to 66 degrees Celcius needed by a barista.”
Both Cozens and Hunt were also surprised to discover their least favorite espresso came from the Jura E8. “This is a classic under‑extraction,” Cozens says. “It’s quite a salty, sour taste that’s often described in the industry as tasting a bit seaweedy.” Hunt also called out the espresso’s acidity and thought it was also “on the under‑extracted side, for sure.”
De’Longhi Eletta Explore
The De’Longhi latte was by far the prettiest of the four, and the milk made a good impression on both Cozens and Hunt. “It’s quite hot [like the Jura], but I think the microfoam is the best, helping to give the latte a little more of that signature sweetness,” Cozens says, while Hunt noted the “milk is the best we’ve had, although there’s more foam than I’d usually expect out of a latte.”
When considering the flavor, Cozens was pleased he could taste “a little bit more of the chocolatey flavor coming through, which I’d expect from the Brazilian Forest Blend. It’s got a good nutty flavor, but, because of the amount of milk, it is a little sweeter than the others [Terra Kaffe and Philips].”
The espresso tasting was more polarizing for our pros, with Cozens disliking it and Hunt enjoying the extraction. “There’s a reasonable amount of coffee flavor coming through,” Cozens says, “but it’s got a sharpness to it, which you shouldn’t experience with the Forest Blend. It’s a little sour.” Contrary to his boss, Hunt enjoyed the shot. “I can really taste the nuttiness of our beans on this, and while it’s a close call [with Philips], if I were buying on espresso alone, this is the one I’d choose.”
Philips Café Aromis 8000
Despite not being a brand typically associated with coffee, Philips’ Café Aromis came out on top with both the latte and espresso. This is especially impressive considering it has the lowest MSRP of the lot and given how “different” the latte looked, with, as Hunt noted, “a brown foam on top that suggests the milk was poured differently” than the rest. But when it came to the taste, he was impressed. “I have the chocolate-nutty taste I’m looking for in here, and there’s a bit more coffee coming through, with the right level of sweetness. It’s an enjoyable latte, with the coffee and milk blended really nicely.”
Cozens wasn’t quite as effusive, but he did appreciate the “coffee-forward” nature of the drink, although there was a little bitterness. “I’ve enjoyed latte C [De’Longhi] the most, but D [Philips] has more coffee flavor.”
