The KitchenAid KF4 brews a beautifully balanced espresso thanks to its Intelligrind system, but its iced drink menu left me cold

Date:
Sat, 13 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Description:
KitchenAid's latest fully automatic coffee maker is extra compact and makes
an excellent espresso, though its 'iced' drinks leave something to be desired.

FULL STORY ======================================================================KitchenA id KF4: two-minute review The KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF4 is a new addition to the companys lineup, and though it looks very similar to earlier models like the KF3 and KF6, its considerably smaller and a great choice for compact kitchens. It also offers particularly good noise
shielding, and during my tests it proved quieter than its siblings when grinding and brewing.

It has the same Intelligrind system as KitchenAids larger machines, making it easy to achieve the correct dosage for your chosen coffee. With just a few manual tweaks of the grinder (which can be adjusted via a dial), youll soon
be enjoying consistently delicious, well-extracted espresso.

The KF4s automatic milk system lets you use that espresso in delicious lattes and cappuccinos, and while its optimized for dairy, it worked perfectly well with barista-style oat milk as well, producing foam that was almost as thick and creamy, and just the right temperature. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: The KF4 brews a mean macchiato and works well with plant milk despite not having a dedicated mode for it (Image credit: Future) Its a
shame, then, that the KF4s iced espresso and coffee options didnt deliver the results Id hoped. Many espresso machines offer cold extraction, which takes longer to brew but delivers a drink with a mellow flavor thats easily turned into an iced latte or enjoyed on its own. The KF4 brews its iced drinks at a lower temperature than usual, but the resulting coffee is still hot enough to melt ice within a minute or two, leaving you with a drink thats diluted and lukewarm. KitchenAid KF4 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with Iced Coffee (Black) at Amazon for 898.95 Otherwise, this is an excellent mid-range automatic espresso machine thats solidly made, easy to use, and simple to
keep clean. Its components arent dishwasher-safe, but its excellent set of maintenance programs means keeping everything hygienic (including the milk system) is a piece of cake. KitchenAid KF4: specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally

Name

KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF4

Type

Bean-to-cup

Dimensions (W x H x D)

7.68 x 6.3 x 18.7 inches / 195 x 160 x 475mm

Weight

19.8lbs / 9kg

Water reservoir capacity

1.9 quarts / 1.8 liters

Milk frother

Yes (automatic, dairy only)

Bars of pressure

15

Noise level

72dB grinding, 60dB brewing

User profiles

4 KitchenAid KF4: price and availability Launched April 2026 Available in US and UK List price $1,299.99 / 899 (about AU$1,850) The KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF4 launched in April 2026 with a list price of $1,299.99 / 899, putting it in the middle of KitchenAids range of automatic coffee makers. Thats about AU$1,850, but the KF4 isnt yet available in Australia.

If you like the look of the KF4 but your budget wont quite stretch that far, take a look at the KitchenAid KF3. It's very similar to the KF4 but has a slightly smaller range of drinks and no milk carafe. Instead, you place the end of the milk tube in a glass or cup, which is a less elegant solution, but one that cuts the price to $999.99 / 749 (about AU$1,420). Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

For comparison, KitchenAids top-end fully automatic espresso machine, the
KF8, is priced at $1,999.99 / 1,899 / AU$2,599, while the lower-specced KF2
is $799.99 / 699 (about AU$1,140). Value score: 4/5 KitchenAid KF4: design Smaller than previous KitchenAid automatic espresso machines Milk system is easy to use and clean No components are dishwasher-safe The KF4 looks very much like KitchenAids previous automatic coffee makers, but with one significant difference: its much more compact. The KF6 measures 10.2 x 14.3 x 18.6 inches / 260 x 363 x 473mm, while the new KF4 is 7.68 x 6.3 x 18.7
inches / 195 x 160 x 475mm (H x W x D). This allows it to slide into a much narrower space, making it a great option for bijou kitchens.

Otherwise, the KF4 follows the same design language as other KitchenAid machines with its boxy shape and rounded corners, and a choice of porcelain white or matt black finishes. However, the company has made a few thoughtful tweaks here. The brushed stainless steel at the top of earlier models has
been replaced with plastic, for example, and the metal around the edge of the drip tray has a satin finish. The overall look is sleeker and more modern,
and the area surrounding the display is no longer susceptible to gathering unsightly fingerprints. The water tank is robust, and the KF4 is supplied
with a filter (Image credit: Future) The 3.5 inch / 8.8cm color touchscreen
is supplemented by six buttons: four that provide quick access to the menu, profiles, rinsing cycles, and machine settings; one that initiates brewing; and one that cancels the current drink. The screen has a noticeably lower resolution than other espresso machines Ive tested recently, such as the Philips Caf Aromis, but its clear and responsive.

The bean hopper is generously sized, and unlike many other brands,
KitchenAids designers have opted for an opaque lid with a silicone seal. This means you cant check how many beans are left at a glance, but ensures that your coffee isnt exposed to unnecessary light and air, thereby keeping it fresh longer. The lid is fully removable rather than hinged, which makes the hopper easier to access if you keep your coffee maker underneath a wall cabinet, and it has a chute for a scoop of pre-ground coffee if you want to mix things up. A suitably-sized scoop is provided with the machine. Image 1
of 2 The drip tray is large and deep, helping avoid spills (Image credit: Future) The bean hopper has a chute for adding a scoop of pre-ground coffee (Image credit: Future) The drip tray is deep, helping prevent spills, and has a large spout at the back for easy emptying. Used coffee grounds drop into a removable bin in the center, and during testing I was pleased to see that
this was a very tidy process. Some espresso machines manage to spread wet grounds all over the drip tray and the interior of the case, but not the KF4.

The water tank is large too, and feels very sturdy. It has a hinged lid and a recessed handle, making it easy to remove, carry, and slide back into place without spilling. The KF4 is also supplied with a water-testing strip and water filter. The tank is quite narrow, so reaching inside to fit the filter can be tricky, but this doesnt need to be done too often. You can keep the milk carafe in the fridge between uses (Image credit: Future) The KF4s milk system is the same as that of the KF8, with a lidded carafe that connects to the machine via a silicone tube. Lift a small cover on the side of the KF4s coffee dispenser to reveal a socket, push one end of the hose into place,
then attach the other to the carafe. Its not as neat as the Philips LatteGo system, where the milk carafes are made from three simple pieces of hard plastic, but the KF4s rinsing and cleaning programs help keep everything hygienic. The milk carafe can be stored in the fridge between uses, but none of the removable parts including the milk system, drip tray, and grounds container are dishwasher-safe.

The height of the dispenser can be adjusted to accommodate different-sized cups, with a good range of movement that suits everything from an espresso
cup to a 350ml coffee mug. The movement isnt as smooth as with the latest machines from Philips and DeLonghi, which is a shame, but that's a minor quibble. Design score: 4.5/5 KitchenAid KF4: performance Consistently well-extracted espresso Good milk foaming, despite lack of dedicated plant milk mode Four user profiles, which can store four custom drinks each Iced drinks are brewed at a lower temperature, but are still ho t Most
importantly, the KitchenAid KF4 brews an excellent espresso. Its Intelligrind system selects the best dose for your coffee beans, and its easy to tweak the grind size for the optimum extraction. It produced very consistent results during my tests, and once Id dialled in the best grind size for each type of coffee, I could be confident that it would always taste great.

Milk-foaming is great as well. Although theres no option specifically for foaming plant milk, as there is with the KF8, I found it performed perfectly well using barista-style oat milk. I got the thickest, silkiest foam when using full-fat dairy milk, but plant and semi-skimmed milk were both fine as alternatives. However, its worth knowing that, unlike some other coffee
makers Ive tested recently (including the DeLonghi Primadonna Aromatic and Philips Caf Aromis), the KitchenAid KF4 can only produce hot milk foam, so iced lattes and cappuccinos are off the menu. Image 1 of 3 Once you've
dialled in the grind size, you can be confident you'll get consistent results (Image credit: Future) The large touchscreen makes it easy to browse the menu (Image credit: Future) You can adjust the brew settings and save a preset to your profile (Image credit: Future) There are four user profiles, which will be plenty for most households. The downside is that each profile can only store four custom drinks. I found that the default volumes of espresso and milk were quite small, so I would have preferred to be able to create a lot more bespoke presets for quick access.

I was disappointed with the KF4s two iced drink options (iced coffee and iced espresso). Many modern coffee makers from the budget-friendly DeLonghi
Dedica Duo through to the prosumer Jura J10 offer cold-extracted espresso. This uses ambient temperature water direct from the tank and produces a drink with a more mellow flavor than hot espresso, which is ideal for iced drinks with or without milk. Making an 'iced' coffee involves pouring warm espresso onto ice, which melts rapidly (Image credit: Future) The KF4, on the other hand, takes the same approach as the Philips LatteGo 5500 Series by asking
you to add a handful of ice to your cup and then pouring a shot of hot espresso over the top. KitchenAid says that the iced espresso and coffee are brewed at a lower temperature than usual, but during my tests they were still hot enough to quickly melt the ice in my cup, leaving me with a diluted, lukewarm drink. Ive come to expect better results from KitchenAids machines, and it was disappointing.

These two iced options occupy two spots in the KF4s menu that could be used for other drinks. The KF4 doesnt have a preset for brewing a cortado, for example, which is a shame since its a favorite of mine. The ''evaporate' option purges all water from the machine (Image credit: Future) Theres better news when it comes to noise shielding. KitchenAids fully automatic coffee makers are some of the quietest on the market, and the KF4 is no exception.
In fact, its one of the quietest machines Ive ever used, averaging 72dB while grinding and 60dB while brewing.

Maintenance is refreshingly simple and thorough as well, with a choice of quick and deep cleaning options. The machine rinses itself upon startup and shutdown, prompts you to empty the drip tray and grounds container regularly, and asks you to rinse the milk system after each use. When its time for a
more intensive clean, open the settings menu, and youll find options for washing the milk system and brewing unit with special cleaners. The KF4 is supplied with cleaning tablets for the brew unit, though youll need to buy descaler and milk system cleaner separately. Theres also an option for evaporating all the water in the machine, which is a brilliant feature I wish all automatic coffee machines had. It makes it easy to keep everything hygienically dry, and is particularly helpful if youre going to be storing or shipping it. Performance score: 4/5 Should you buy the KitchenAid KF4? Swipe to scroll horizontally KitchenAid KF4 score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

One of KitchenAid's more affordable options.

4/5

Design

More compact than the brand's earlier auto machines, but just as smart-looking.

4.5/5

Performance

Excellent espresso and milk, but 'iced' options are disappointing and it can only store four custom drinks per user.

4/5 Buy it if You want delicious espresso, quickly

The KitchenAid KF4 does its core job very well, brewing consistently
delicious espresso quickly and quietly. It has relatively few frills compared to some other coffee makers Ive tested recently, and thats no bad thing. You dont want to pay over the odds

Automatic coffee makers are never cheap, but the KF4 is very reasonably
priced for such a capable machine from a premium brand. The top-end KF8 costs twice as much. Youre short of space

This is one of the most compact fully-automatic espresso machines on the market, and its slim case slides neatly into small spaces. Don't buy it if
You want authentic-tasting cold-brewed coffee

The KF4s iced coffee options are brewed at a lower temperature than usual,
but are still hot enough to melt ice and leave you with a diluted, lukewarm drink. You want to tinker with lots of custom drinks

There are four user profiles, but the machine can only store four bespoke drinks for each one. KitchenAid KF4: also consider If you're not sure whether the KitchenAid KF8 is the right espresso machine for you, here are two other options to keep in mind. KitchenAid KF8

KitchenAid's premium automatic espresso machine has dedicated modes for different plant milks, a more extensive drinks menu, more grind sizes, a much larger screen, and a higher price tag than the KF4.

Read our full KitchenAid KF8 review Philips Cafe Aromis

This machine is about the same price as the KF4, but managed to outperform
it. The Cafe Aromis has a better screen, brews proper cold-extracted coffee, can foam cold milk, and has a genuinely useful app.

Read my full Philips Cafe Aromis review View Deal KitchenAid KF4: how I tested I used the KitchenAid KF4 for two weeks, in place of my usual espresso machine. I used it to prepare a wide range of drinks with and without milk, using two different types of coffee to see how the machine would adapt, and how easy it was to dial in the grinder. I tested the milk system with barista-style oat milk, and both semi-skimmed and whole dairy milk. I ran the machine's cleaning programs as directed after each use, and used the brew
unit cleaning and evaporation cycles at the end of testing.

First reviewed June 2026 KitchenAid KF4 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with Iced Coffee: Price Comparison 898.95 View 898.95 View 898.95 View 898.95 View Low Stock 898.95 View Show more We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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