Terra Kaffe TK-02 Review

Introduction

I like options, and I have an entire kitchen cabinet shelf filled with bags of coffee beans and bags of ground coffee. And when I’m not testing new items, I usually have a coffee maker (that uses ground coffee) on one counter, and an espresso machine (that uses coffee beans) either right next to it, or on another counter. 

With the Terra Kaffe TK-02, I can use coffee beans or ground coffee in the same machine, and I can also make espresso-based drinks and drip coffee. I don’t take this level of convenience lightly — I consider it game changing. If you’re in the market for a high-end espresso machine that has all of the bells of whistles, or you live in a household with coffee drinkers who don’t always agree on drip versus espresso drinks, this could be the machine for your needs. 

Design and features

• Coffee bean hopper/grinder and pre-ground chute
• Milk carafe for frothing and steaming milk 
• User-friendly interface and also app-enabled 

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 arrived in a branded cardboard box. The box was moderately beat-up around the edges, but the contents were securely wrapped in Styrofoam, along with individual boxes and heavy plastic.

In addition to the machine, the box’s contents include a detachable power cord, milk carafe, milk hose, water filter, descaler, brewer cleaner, and manual. 

Photo: mug and coffee

I also received a Terra Kaffe mug and a bag of Classico Coffee Co Dark Roast House Blend.

Parts of the machine include the 16-ounce bean hopper and the grinder settings can be adjusted. There’s also a pre-ground coffee chute, and a removable drip tray. 

The front of the machine has magnetic parts to easily access and remove the water tank and the waste bin.  I can also view the water tank without opening the door.

The hi-res 5-inch capacitive display is best described as foolproof. I can choose between drink settings, espresso profile, settings, cleaning, and sleep. The display also reveals such information as how many pucks are in the waste bin, as well as the status of the water level or drip tray (so I’ll know if it’s time to empty them), and the WiFi status.

Connecting to the app provides remote access to this information and controls. I can choose the drink type, and set an auto wake time. I can also customize my beverages. For example, I can create Terri’s Latte or Terri’s Drip, and then customize the dose (amount of coffee), volume, temperature, and grind size (coarser or finer). Since this information is also available on the touchscreen, it’s just easier for me to do it there. 

Maintenance is also rather foolproof. The display panel (and the app) shows color-coded dots to note the cleaning status: green means no action is required, yellow means action is needed soon, and red means critical action is needed before brewing. 

Performance

• Grinds well
• Brews a variety of beverages easily and quickly
• Frothing is spot-on

Photo: hopper and grinder

The bean hopper is 16 ounces. On the left back side of the hopper is the separate pre-ground coffee chute. I never drink non-decaf coffee more than two days in row (to avoid caffeine headaches). The separate hopper and chute allow me to switch to decaffeinated ground coffee – and try new flavors – without having to removing the existing beans from the hopper.

After filling the water tank, I ground some coffee beans and selected an espresso drink from the display panel. The machine heats up quickly and easily produced a rich-tasting drink with a foamy crema that was thick and delicious.

Next, I wanted to try out the steam function, so I attached the milk carafe and milk hose to make a latte. This is one of the first espresso machines I’ve tested that has an attached hose, and I thought it would be tedious to use. While it was initially weird, the process was quite simple. There’s a Hot Milk setting and a Froth Milk setting. After selecting Froth Milk, the system started and quickly heated and frothed the milk – which was delicious. 

In my next test, I made an Americano drink. I was curious to see how the TK-02 would handle a larger, lighter coffee beverage, but it turned out well and was flavorful with a perfect crema layer as well. 

In my final test, I made a regular cup of drip coffee using pre-ground coffee. It was delicious, as well. However, I had a small (and insignificant) problem in this area. While the chute is an adequate size, if I’m not paying attention, the coffee in the scooper would spill on the perimeter and I’d have to try to wipe/push it into the chute. 

I used the TK-02’s presets for all of the drinks, since they didn’t disappoint.  However, it’s good to know that the drinks can be customized as desired. 

Maintenance and cleaning are relatively simple. The display prompts help greatly. For example, the Emptying Waste Bin prompt explains that the waste bin can be accessed from behind the left door (and recommends disposing of the coffee pucks in a compost or garden). Another alert comes on to clean the milk spout.

Should you buy it?

FAQs