The Kitchen Aid KF4 brews a beautifully balanced espresso thanks to its Intelligrind system, but its iced drink menu left me cold | Tech Radar

Overview

News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets

Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more

Details

Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.

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

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Kitchen Aid's latest fully automatic espresso machine is more compact than its predecessors, but just as smart-looking and easy to use. It brews consistently great espresso and foams milk well (even plant milk, which it's not adapted for), but its 'iced' drinks are disappointing. Although they are brewed cooler than usual, they're still hot enough to melt ice, giving you a lukewarm, diluted drink.

-'Iced' coffee is brewed at a lower temperature, but is still hot

'Iced' coffee is brewed at a lower temperature, but is still hot

-User profiles only support four custom drinks each

The best espresso machine 2026: home coffee makers tested by experts

The best coffee maker 2026: espresso and filter made easy

The best bean-to-cup coffee maker 2026: quick and convenient espresso machines tested

We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you're buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

The Kitchen Aid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF4 is a new addition to the company’s lineup, and though it looks very similar to earlier models like the KF3 and KF6, it’s 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 Kitchen Aid’s 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), you’ll soon be enjoying consistently delicious, well-extracted espresso.

The KF4’s automatic milk system lets you use that espresso in delicious lattes and cappuccinos, and while it’s 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.

The KF4 brews a mean macchiato and works well with plant milk despite not having a dedicated mode for it (Image credit: Future)

It’s a shame, then, that the KF4’s ‘iced’ espresso and coffee options didn’t deliver the results I’d hoped. Many espresso machines offer cold extraction, which takes longer to brew but delivers a drink with a mellow flavor that’s 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 that’s diluted and lukewarm.

Kitchen Aid KF4 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with Iced Coffee (Black) at Kitchen Aid for $1,299.99

Otherwise, this is an excellent mid-range automatic espresso machine that’s solidly made, easy to use, and simple to keep clean. Its components aren’t dishwasher-safe, but its excellent set of maintenance programs means keeping everything hygienic (including the milk system) is a piece of cake.

The Kitchen Aid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF4 launched in April 2026 with a list price of

If you like the look of the KF4 but your budget won’t quite stretch that far, take a look at the Kitchen Aid 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

For comparison, Kitchen Aid’s top-end fully automatic espresso machine, the KF8, is priced at

Smaller than previous Kitchen Aid automatic espresso machines

The KF4 looks very much like Kitchen Aid’s previous automatic coffee makers, but with one significant difference: it’s 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 Kitchen Aid 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 I’ve tested recently, such as the Philips Café Aromis, but it’s clear and responsive.

The bean hopper is generously sized, and unlike many other brands, Kitchen Aid’s designers have opted for an opaque lid with a silicone seal. This means you can’t check how many beans are left at a glance, but ensures that your coffee isn’t 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.

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 doesn’t need to be done too often.

You can keep the milk carafe in the fridge between uses (Image credit: Future)

The KF4’s 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 KF4’s coffee dispenser to reveal a socket, push one end of the hose into place, then attach the other to the carafe. It’s not as neat as the Philips Latte Go system, where the milk carafes are made from three simple pieces of hard plastic, but the KF4’s 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 isn’t as smooth as with the latest machines from Philips and De’Longhi, which is a shame, but that's a minor quibble.

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 hot

Most importantly, the Kitchen Aid KF4 brews an excellent espresso. Its Intelligrind system selects the best dose for your coffee beans, and it’s easy to tweak the grind size for the optimum extraction. It produced very consistent results during my tests, and once I’d 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 there’s 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, it’s worth knowing that, unlike some other coffee makers I’ve tested recently (including the De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic and Philips Café Aromis), the Kitchen Aid KF4 can only produce hot milk foam, so iced lattes and cappuccinos are off the menu.

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 KF4’s two iced drink options (iced coffee and iced espresso). Many modern coffee makers — from the budget-friendly De’Longhi 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 Latte Go 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. Kitchen Aid 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. I’ve come to expect better results from Kitchen Aid’s machines, and it was disappointing.

These two ‘iced’ options occupy two spots in the KF4’s menu that could be used for other drinks. The KF4 doesn’t have a preset for brewing a cortado, for example, which is a shame since it’s a favorite of mine.

The ''evaporate' option purges all water from the machine (Image credit: Future)

There’s better news when it comes to noise shielding. Kitchen Aid’s fully automatic coffee makers are some of the quietest on the market, and the KF4 is no exception. In fact, it’s one of the quietest machines I’ve ever used, averaging 72d B while grinding and 60d B 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 it’s time for a more intensive clean, open the settings menu, and you’ll 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 you’ll need to buy descaler and milk system cleaner separately. There’s 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 you’re going to be storing or shipping it.

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

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

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

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

The Kitchen Aid 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 I’ve tested recently, and that’s no bad thing.

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.

This is one of the most compact fully-automatic espresso machines on the market, and its slim case slides neatly into small spaces.

The KF4’s ‘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.

There are four user profiles, but the machine can only store four bespoke drinks for each one.

If you're not sure whether the Kitchen Aid KF8 is the right espresso machine for you, here are two other options to keep in mind.

Kitchen Aid'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.

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.

I used the Kitchen Aid 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.

Cat is Tech Radar's Homes Editor, covering smart home tech, kitchen appliances, vacuums, haircare and more. She's been a tech journalist for 15 years, having worked on print magazines including PC Plus and PC Format, and is a Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) certified barista. Whether you want to invest in some smart lights, find your ideal hair styler, or pick the espresso machine of your dreams, she's the right person to help.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

1 The Kitchen Aid KF4 brews a mean macchiato and barely makes a sound doing it

2 The thing I dislike most about AI is exactly what some users love

3 Majority Move M4 review: an underwhelming JBL Xtreme competitor

4 Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x features one of the 'best-looking OLED displays we've ever used' — and it's on sale right now

5 The Boox Tappy is the cutest ereader page turner I've seen — and it does more than just turn pages

Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Key Takeaways

• News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets

• Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more

• Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards

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

• When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission