Is this the quietest coffee machine I've ever tested? My KitchenAid KF6 review

If you’ve been dreaming of an automatic espresso maker that blends seamlessly into your kitchen design and busy lifestyle, you should definitely get acquainted with the KitchenAid KF6.

KitchenAid make fully automatic espresso machines, I hear you ask? Well, they do now. The brand has been a household name for decades, known for producing some of the sturdiest, most powerful, and best stand mixers on the market. Now, with the launch of their first, fully automatic coffee machine range, they’ve brought that same design flair to the world of bean-to-cup brewing – and I was excited to see how they’d measure up.

After testing the KitchenAid KF6 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine for a week, I was impressed by the signature KitchenAid craftsmanship. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of more luxury coffee specialists, but it's certainly a reliable, quiet and sleek machine. Plus, the espresso was delicious. Here are all the pros and cons I uncovered in my expert tests.

Specifications

First Impressions

Right out of the box, the machine radiates KitchenAid's signature quality: a solidly built structure, clean lines, and a professional-grade aesthetic. It's clear to see why this model was a Red Dot Design Winner in 2024. Setting it up was straightforward; the 2.4-inch color display screen that walks you through the process.

A small but thoughtful touch is the set of hidden wheels at the back of the unit, making it surprisingly easy to move around the countertop – a detail anyone with limited counter space will appreciate.

I tested the Porcelain White colorway, but it's also available Cast Iron Black and my personal favorite, Stainless Steel.

What's it like to use?

While the display screen is clear and colorful, it’s not touchscreen. You need to cycle through options with the arrows on either side of the screen. This feels a tad dated, especially for a machine at this price point.

Once you get used to the navigation, you can brew a range of drinks at the touch of a few buttons. The menu includes espresso, cappuccino, americano and latte macchiato. You won't find flat whites or specialty drinks, but it caters to most coffee preferences. You can customize your coffee strength, boldness, and temperature – which is my favorite feature, as I'm very particular about my coffee being piping hot. Temperature control isn't a feature on many coffee machines I've tested, but the KF6 delivers.

The quiet operation is another highlight. The KF6 is Quiet Mark-certified, which means acoustic experts have measured the noise during every step of the coffee-making process, from grinding the beans to resetting for the next cup. After comparing hundreds of appliances, Quiet Mark identifies the quietest options out there – and KitchenAid's range is at the top. So, rest assured, you can brew your morning cup without waking the household.

The ambient halo light is a very charming detail, creating a soft glow that’s easy on the eyes – and ideal for those 6am caffeine fixes in the dark days of Winter.

The water tank is well-designed. At first, I thought it was a 'lift out' mechanism – which I don't like, since it's not suited to low countertops. But you actually only need to lift it a little, then it slides out horizontally. That said, the omission of a milk container feels stingy, particularly given the price point. For those who enjoy lattes and cappuccinos regularly, you'll need to purchase the milk container separately, or just use your own jug.

I was also impressed by the removable bean hopper, which also has an Auto Purge feature. This clears out any leftover grounds in the grinder between batches, so you can easily switch to decaf or swap in a new roast. I think this is a genius addition that I haven't seen before.

Taste test

Espresso: Rich, smooth, and full-bodied with a lovely crema on top. The shot is noticeably stronger compared to some competitors, making it a winner for espresso purists.

Americano: While pleasant, the flavor felt a bit thin and watery. I prefer a stronger Americano with less liquid.

Latte: The milk was a good temperature and a nice texture, the coffee had some good depth and boldness. I certainly felt awake after drinking it.

Clean-up, storage & maintenance

Maintenance on the KF6 is blissfully straightforward. The self-cleaning function for the milk tube is a small but mighty feature that makes a big difference for daily use.

For deeper cleaning, there’s a host of built-in features – from deep milk cleaning, discaling and bean purging – which keep the machine in top condition with minimal fuss.

How does it compare?

While the KF6 is an excellent entry into the world of the best coffee makers, it has stiff competition. If you’re in the market for a world-class automatic coffee machine, you’ll probably browse our guide to the best espresso machines and see the 5-star rated De'Longhi Eletta Explore at the top of that page. It won't be getting knocked out of place by the KitchenAid KF6. This premium machine offers 50 coffee options and we think it's the best money can buy, but it does cost $2000 (double the price of the KitchenAid).

KitchenAid do offer some more sophisticated machines in their fully automatic range, such as the KF7 and KF8. I'm yet to test these, but they have bigger screens, an included milk container and tonnes more coffee options on the menu – at a higher price point, of course.

If you're looking for something around the $1000 mark, you might like the De’Longhi Magnifica. It offers a more extensive drinks menu and it's the easiest coffee machine I've ever used, thanks to the intuitive touchscreen. However, the KitchenAid KF6 wins points for its temperature control and much sleeker, attractive design. It's really a matter of personal taste.

What do the customer reviews say?

The KitchenAid KF6 averages 4.3 stars on Amazon. Most reviewers loved how easy it is to clean and use. They appreciate the sleek, modern design. In the review pictures, you can see how well the KF6 blends into various styles of kitchen design. In terms of taste, reviewers admitted they weren't experts in coffee, but they appreciated the ease and strong taste of the espresso.

Should you buy it?

If you’re after a solid, reliable machine that brews excellent espresso and looks stunning on your counter, the KitchenAid KF6 is a strong contender. There's plenty to love: strong espresso shots with excellent crema, customizable temperature and strength settings, and soft, ambient lighting that enhances your kitchen's atmosphere. The uniquely quiet operation and removable bean hopper are features that you won't see on other brands.

However, the drinks menu is more limited than competitors at the price point, the display panel feels dated without touchscreen functionality, and the absence of a milk container at this price point felt disappointing. But if those aren't deal breakers for you, then absolutely go for it.

How we test

At Homes & Gardens, we have a rigorous testing process for all of our coffee makers. This enables us to score coffee makers both individually and against other models on the market.

We start with our research. As H&G’s kitchen appliance expert, I’m always on the lookout for the best coffee makers on the market. Once I’ve found one that I think you, our readers, will like, I order it to my home kitchen. I like to test at home, as it means I can use the appliance in my regular routine for around a month. This helps me uncover advantages (or most likely, pain points) I would never discover with a one hour session in the test kitchen.

Once I have the coffee maker in my hands, I’ll get testing. The first thing I make with any espresso machine is an espresso. This is a way of testing how good a coffee maker is at the basics. A good espresso should be between 1.25-2 oz. It should be 190-205 degrees and full of flavor. A big giveaway is the crema on top: that should be thick with a hazelnut hue.

Then, I'll test other brews: including americano, latte, cappuccino and anything else the coffee maker has to offer. After brewing and tasting, I make notes on the clean-up process as well as how I would recommend storing and maintaining the coffee maker.

After a month of testing and evaluating, I round up my notes. Then, I take a look at all of our other coffee makers to see how they compare. I also look at online reviews to see what other experts and real-life customers thought, so that I could bring you more insight.

If you’re interested and want to find out more, you can read all about the process in our how we test coffee makers page.