In T3’s Siemens EQ900 review, I tried the fully automatic coffee machine for a full month to see how it compared to other bean-to-cup coffee machines. While it has many impressive features and makes delicious coffee, it lacks in the finer details.
The best bean to cup coffee machines are no longer reserved for fancy coffee shops. While many models still come with a hefty price tag, bean-to-cups are becoming more accessible and far easier to use than ever before. Case in point: the Siemens EQ900 which launched earlier this year.
Designed to elevate your brewing experience and bring barista-style coffee into your home, Siemens has pushed the boat out with the EQ900 with its many hot drink options, user modes, bean hoppers and more. But how does it perform? Is it geared towards beginners or experts? And is it worth the money? Keep reading for my full Siemens EQ900 review.
Siemens EQ900 review: Unboxing and set-up
The Siemens EQ900 arrived in a large cardboard box and a huge amount of packing and attachments. While the Siemens EQ900 arrives as a whole, it also comes with different components that you need to attach yourself, like the drip tray. After getting it out of the box, I went about removing all the sticky tabs before inserting the water filter into the water tank. To do this, you need to first test your water pressure and hardness levels so the Siemens EQ900 makes the best quality coffee using your local water.
The easiest part of setting up the Siemens EQ900 was via the machine’s screen. The written instructions could have been clearer but the instructions given by the coffee machine were much more straightforward. It talked you through inserting the filter, removing the drip and setting up the milk jug. If you hadn’t done something properly, the machine told you, so you can’t go wrong when putting it together.
Overall, I found the set-up process a little longer and trickier than expected. But once it was set up, the Siemens EQ900 talked you through how the machine works which I found incredibly helpful.
Siemens EQ900 review: Design and features
The Siemens EQ900 is a fully automatic bean to cup coffee machine that combines coffee extraction technology with smart home controls. The touchscreen display is the best way to control and customise the machine, as you can easily scroll through, switch modes, view your settings and make changes to your coffee maker. The screen is wide, clear and shows lifestyle images of drinks, including details of the drink and the recommended settings to make the best quality drinks.
If you want more control and options, the Siemens EQ900 connects to the Home Connect app. The entire Siemens EQ900 machine can be controlled from the app via smartphones, tablets and Alexa, and when it’s in use, the app will show your coffee settings and your drinks’ progress. So, if you want your coffee to be ready before you get downstairs, the Siemens EQ900 can take care of this for you!
Measuring 392 x 315 x 470 mm, the Siemens EQ900 is a fairly chunky piece of kit. It has a dualBean system with two separate containers and grinders, so you can switch between two different types of beans. A fun feature, the ability to choose between two hoppers means you can store different types, strengths and flavours of beans. The ceramDrive grinder will then grind your beans to an even precise consistency to allow the flavours to develop better during the brewing process.
When making coffee, the Siemens EQ900 uses an iAroma system and SensoFlow heater that delivers the ideal temperature, water flow and grind size for each cup of coffee. The Siemens EQ900 also has a double spout so you can make two different drinks at the same time.
The Siemens EQ900 has a wide variety of coffees and hot beverages to choose from – 54 to be exact (you can also download more on the Home Connect app). Depending on your skill level, the Siemens EQ900 lets you choose between comfortMode and baristaMode, with the latter being geared towards experts who want to change their preferences, like strength, temperature, volume, brewing speed and coffee-to-milk ratio.
Siemens EQ900 review: Performance
After setting it up, I was excited to get started with the Siemens EQ900. After multiple uses, I’ve concluded that the touchscreen display is my favourite part of the machine. I can see why people would download the Home Connect app, but I personally preferred to use the screen which is easy to scroll and customise. I liked switching between the different modes and tailoring and customising my drinks to my tastes via baristaMode. Similarly, when I was in a rush or feeling sleepy, I enjoyed asking the Siemens EQ900 to decide for me with the comfortMode.
The two bean dispensers is a clever feature, but I found that it was wasted on me as I tended to use the same beans and the same hopper for my drinks. But, I liked that I had the option to further customise my drinks, and think people who like to switch to decaf in the afternoon will love this feature. The amount of coffee options on the Siemens EQ900 was also impressive, and I liked being able to see the recommended settings for each beverage and learn about different drinks – as a German company, there were lots of German coffees available!
So, how did it taste? The Siemens EQ900 delivered delicious coffee every time. I personally liked the lattes, espressos and café crema the best and found them to come out perfectly each time. As someone who can be lazy when it comes to cleaning her coffee machine, I very much appreciated how the Siemens EQ900 would automatically clean itself after each use (although it’ll alert you when it needs a proper cleaning).
I found a few negatives about the Siemens EQ900 during my month of testing. Firstly, the Siemens EQ900 is a big piece of equipment and takes up a surprising amount of room. It’s pretty chunky and the drip tray and screen really protrude from the machine so it might not be ideal for some countertop spaces. After using another coffee machine for a while, the Siemens EQ900 took me a while to get used to and I found it to be a slightly longer process.
The size and speed of the Siemens EQ900 is something I can get over but a couple things I wasn’t thrilled by were the milk jug and water tank. The milk jug sits on the side of the machine and I found it was slightly difficult to get working with the tubes. Compared to the rest of the stainless steel machine, the milk jug is plastic and feels and looks pretty low quality. The water tank is hidden on the other side, and isn’t the easiest thing to remove and reattach. Considering the price of the Siemens EQ900 and the other smart and professional features it has, the milk and water containers felt like afterthoughts.
Siemens EQ900 review: Price
The Siemens EQ900 is £1,799. Compared to other bean to cup options on the market, this price is extremely premium, although it’s not as expensive as the Sage Oracle Touch.
It’s available to buy at Siemens and select retailers like Amazon, Currys, John Lewis, AO.com and Argos.
Siemens EQ900 review: Verdict
The Siemens EQ900 has some incredible features but it does lack in some areas. In terms of quality coffee making, the Siemens EQ900 is exceptional and the touchscreen and app gives you full control over your drinks. I loved the amount of options you could choose from and how you could completely customise every aspect of your beverage. I would say that the Siemens EQ900 is probably more geared towards coffee aficionados, but beginners aren’t forgotten about, thanks to the comfortMode.
In general, the Siemens EQ900 looks good, performs well and makes delicious-tasting coffees. In some areas, it looks like the Siemens EQ900 has nailed the brief, but with things like the milk jug and the shape and size of the machine, it feels like stronger attention to detail is needed.
Siemens EQ900 review: Alternatives to consider
A good alternative to the Siemens EQ900 is the Sage Barista Touch Impress. Another new release from 2023, the Sage Barista Touch Impress is an outstanding bean to cup coffee machine that feels and looks professional and premium. It’s easy to use, can be customised and while it doesn’t have an extensive range of drinks to choose from like the Siemens EQ900, it’s less expensive and holds top spot in T3’s best bean to cup guide.
