Trade fair premiere: Bosch's first portafilter machine with a built-in grinder
At IFA, Bosch is announcing its entry into the growing market for portafilter espresso machines. The machine is aimed at anyone who wants to experience a bit of a barista feeling at home without having to put in a lot of effort.
Semi-automatic portafilter machines with built-in grinders are currently in high demand. The advantage of this class of appliance is that they save space in the kitchen and eliminate the need to purchase a separate grinder.
However, this is exactly what espresso enthusiasts criticize. In practice, customers often have to compromise on either the coffee machine or the grinder. Whether Bosch finds a good balance here remains to be seen in practical tests. The key specifications of this new trade fair product, however, sound ambitious.
From espresso to cold brew at the touch of a button
As a semi-automatic machine, the «HomeCafé Series 4» offers espresso, lungo, americano, «cold brew», or simply hot water via direct selection buttons. For milk-based drinks, a steam wand with the frothing aid typical of Bosch appliances is available. It assists in the preparation of warm milk and milk foam.
Professional-format portafilter
For the portafilter, Bosch has opted for the 58-millimeter format common in professional machines. Single-wall and double-wall filter baskets for single or double shots are included. Thanks to the standard format, filters or accessories such as tampers from other manufacturers will also fit the Bosch machine.
Integrated grinder with anti-static function
The built-in grinder offers 30 grind settings as well as five preset levels for the grind amount. The bean hopper holds 250 grams of beans and is removable. A filling aid is designed to prevent coffee grounds from ending up outside the portafilter.
Source: Bosch
A tamper for compressing the coffee grounds is also included. Bosch does not consider a tamping mat necessary. A rubber attachment is integrated into the bottom of the portafilter, which is intended to take over the function of the mat.
PID control and 15 bar pump pressure
The «HomeCafé Series 4» features a thermoblock system with PID temperature control, which allows for several settings between 90 and 96 degrees. The pump operates at a pressure of 15 bar. A pressure gauge helps with monitoring and invites experimentation with grind size and tamping until the value is correct.
Price and availability
The 33.8 x 34.7 x 41 centimeter machine with a stainless steel housing comes with an integrated cleaning and descaling program. For cleaning the steam wand and the shower screen, Bosch provides accessories that can be stored directly in the machine.
The recommended retail price is 1149 euros. The street price is likely to be half that. The machines are expected to hit the market this month.
Hamburg local, bookworm, and ice hockey fan. Dad and granddad. Constantly tinkering around with my smart home setup. I love DIY, the outdoors, fashion, and cosmetics.
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