In partnership with Terra Kaffe.
There's not being a morning person, and then there's not being a morning person. I can function beautifully at all hours of the night, but it feels like I'm coming out of a coma every time the alarm goes off. As such, I need my caffeine delivery system to be as streamlined as possible.
Yet despite my need for efficiency, I can't get behind the pods. Keurig, Nespresso, what have you: pod coffee not only tastes stale but its environmental impact is pretty hard to stomach. I had assumed the convenience and speed of a pod-based machine wasn't available to us fresh coffee lovers — until I heard about Terra Kaffe.
Terra Kaffe's flagship product, the TK-01 ($895), is an automatic espresso machine that combines push-button technology with the freshness of whole-bean coffee. In fact it's a brand that's defined in many ways by being two things at once: European by origin but American at heart (having originated in Berlin before moving over to Brooklyn;) an ode to classic espresso with the bells and whistles of modern technology. The TK-01 comes equipped with tons of settings and accessories, but at its core is a super intuitive, user-friendly machine.
Take it from someone who's operating at 10% capacity when he turns it on every morning.
We like
- Sleek, modern design with an easy-to-use touchscreen
- Within the one-touch drink menu, tons of opportunities to customize
- Incredibly easy unboxing and set-up process
We don't like
- Height and depth means it won't be compatible with every countertop
A GREENER WAY TO ENJOY ESPRESSO
Terra Kaffe's founder Sahand Dilmaghani knows the importance of starting your day off right. In fact, his goal in designing the TK-01 was to deliver not just premium-quality coffee, but a user experience that made each morning enjoyable. He dove deep into the latest research on coffee consumption habits and found that with each passing year, more Americans preferred espresso drinks to the black coffee you'd get from a standard coffee machine. What the market was missing was a machine that allowed you to customize your own drink with fresh coffee, one that could make your ideal americano, espresso, cappuccino or latte with the beans of your choosing.
In sticking to the idea that "great coffee isn't grown in pods," TK-01 sales have prevented an estimated one million un-recyclable pods from crowding up landfills — and that's not the only waste they're curtailing. It's also an investment that pays itself off over time, saving you substantial cash by making even your Starbucks faves at home. Don't believe me? They've got TK-01 recipes for Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espressos and Oleato Iced Olive Oil & Honey Breves on their site.
SIMPLE SET-UP
Let's break it down from start to finish. When unboxing the TK-01, the best surprise (aside from the savvy packaging that holds things in place without packing peanuts) is that the machine is already fully assembled. It can go directly from the box to your countertop, with only the additional step of filling up the included water filter. The TK-01 is small but mighty, weighing in at 23 lbs but compact and not unwieldy.
Once there's water inside, you can make espresso and/or americano by adding coffee to the top compartment. While I prefer to add whole beans and marvel at the machine's ability to instantly grind the right amount, there's a chute for pre-ground coffee as well — and though espresso is traditionally made from darker beans you can use any roast level you like.
For lattes and cappuccinos, you'll attach the milk carafe, which looks like a standalone thermos with a small, translucent hose. That hose transports the milk directly to the TK-01's spout, where you can also dispense steamed milk sans coffee if you're in the mood for a top-off. Plant-based readers, or anyone who's off the cow-milk train in general, will be delighted to know that the built-in frother works with all non-dairy milks as well. Whether you're Team Almond, Soy, Oat, or even Hazelnut, the frother dial gives full aeration control and can produce foamy or silky milk per your preferences.
PICK YOUR POISON
Speaking of preferences, the TK-01's settings are endlessly customizable. Within each one-touch drink, you have the option to control several different factors: espresso extraction volume, temperature, coffee dosage, and a few others that vary by drink (hot water volume, bar pressure, and milk frothing duration.) If none of this matters to you, or in fact sounds overwhelming, then know that each drink comes pre-loaded with recommended settings.
If you're like me, though, and you can't help but fiddle, it's a blast coming up with your own presets. I've been adding an extra shot of espresso to my americanos, ignoring the golden ratio of one part espresso to two parts water, because that's the beauty of prerogative. I've also dialed in the amount of milk frothing on the latte, since the default 45 seconds made the drink a little milk-forward for my personal liking. After playing around, I loved being able to save those settings as default, so next time I want either drink I'm back to a one-touch experience.
And though the machine benefits from regular cleaning, certain aspects of that are just as automatic. For example, when it's time to clean the milk system after making a milk-based drink, simply connect the milk hose to the drip tray and start the rinse cycle on-screen. The TK-01 uses its own hot water to rinse out the milk hose for you. Larger units like the carafe and the right-side waste chamber should be washed by hand weekly, but just to remove excess milk or grounds. No heavy stains to worry about.
THE MVP, DAY OR NIGHT
If it wasn't clear already, the TK-01 has become a beloved part of my day — and it's not always off-duty when night falls either. Having thrown a dinner party recently, it was such a treat being able to offer espresso after dinner, and you better believe it's helped me out with more than one espresso martini. I've been using beans I already knew and loved, but am intrigued by Terra Kaffe's Classico House Blend ($15) for future cycles, as well as the others they've curated like Small Planes Coffee's Arboretum ($19) or the World's Best Espresso from Klatch Coffee ($22).
Whatever you're brewing, the TK-01 is here to make the experience both low-lift and high-reward. It's hard to think of a better way to start the day than interacting with a beautiful, reliable, cutting-edge life hack. Even for this night owl, mornings just got a lot less painful.
Shop the TK-01 here!
