Customer reviews from Kitchen Aid
KitchenAid - Semi Automatic Espresso Machine with Burr Grinder, KES6551 - Stainless Steel
Average customer rating
4.5
(379 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 379 reviews
5 Stars
279
4 Stars
60
3 Stars
12
2 Stars
2
1 Star
26
65%of customers recommend this product.
(
47 out of
72)
Customer Reviews for KitchenAid - Semi Automatic Espresso Machine with Burr Grinder, KES6551 - Stainless Steel
Customer Rating
3
Works, but…
on January 12, 2025
Posted by: Philaowl
from Philadelphia, PA
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I’ve had this machine for about a month. It can make a consistent espresso, however it does take more effort than other machines to dial in. It is also very easy to not have the water tank seated properly in which case it will leak all over your counter. The overflow tank also fills very quickly and needs to be emptied every 4 or 5 uses. The water tank is comparatively large at 2.5 liters, however the machine will shut down for low water supply while still about 1/4 full which essentially negates the capacity.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from Kitchen AidBy KA Review Team, January 15, 2025
Dear Philaowl,
Thank you for your review. We are sorry to learn of the concern you expressed regarding your KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine with Burr Grinder. We would like to inquire further about your review with you. Please respond to this email address kitchenaid_receipts_usa@kitchenaid.com, with your name, user ID# 287555922 used for the review, phone number, street address, zip code, model & serial number on the appliance, and date of purchase. We look forward to your reply. Thank you.
Review Team
Thank you for your review. We are sorry to learn of the concern you expressed regarding your KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine with Burr Grinder. We would like to inquire further about your review with you. Please respond to this email address kitchenaid_receipts_usa@kitchenaid.com, with your name, user ID# 287555922 used for the review, phone number, street address, zip code, model & serial number on the appliance, and date of purchase. We look forward to your reply. Thank you.
Review Team
Written by a customer while visiting Kitchen Aid
Customer Rating
5
Love the color, Juniper and unit is compact.
on January 8, 2025
Posted by: bsh94
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Love it. Makes great lattes and froths the milk quickly.
Written by a customer while visiting Kitchen Aid
Customer Rating
4
Pleased that we branched out!
on January 16, 2025
Posted by: Cribfam
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] We bought this to replace our decade old breville barista express. This machine is very comparable to our old machine and we love it.
The KitchenAid takes about about the same amount of space over all but gives a little more workable counter space to the front and sides. This machine pulls great, consistent shots with mine being on the lower end of espresso range and my husband's being on the higher end of espresso range. The wand makes great micro foam and heats milk faster than our old machine.
We love that it has adjustable brewing temperature and the drip tray is well designed keeping the dropped grounds from turning into a sludgy mess inside the drip tray like in our old machine. I can grind beans at 5 am before work without waking the whole house.
We don't love that the drip tray needs to be emptied more frequently. We also don't love having a single button to have to press to choose different functions, but it is not awful, just not our workflow preference.
We have yet to have to do a clean cycle, but it appears to be easy, and the user manual does a great job of explaining daily, weekly, and larger maintenance tasks.
The KitchenAid takes about about the same amount of space over all but gives a little more workable counter space to the front and sides. This machine pulls great, consistent shots with mine being on the lower end of espresso range and my husband's being on the higher end of espresso range. The wand makes great micro foam and heats milk faster than our old machine.
We love that it has adjustable brewing temperature and the drip tray is well designed keeping the dropped grounds from turning into a sludgy mess inside the drip tray like in our old machine. I can grind beans at 5 am before work without waking the whole house.
We don't love that the drip tray needs to be emptied more frequently. We also don't love having a single button to have to press to choose different functions, but it is not awful, just not our workflow preference.
We have yet to have to do a clean cycle, but it appears to be easy, and the user manual does a great job of explaining daily, weekly, and larger maintenance tasks.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Kitchen Aid
Customer Rating
2
Average.
on November 22, 2024
Posted by: joonthego
from Hancock, MI
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I was looking for a new espresso machine to keep up with the demand of 4 coffee snobs in the house. This machine is too finicky. I have had it for almost 4 months and we still have not found the perfect bean/amount/grind. It uses way more beans than the other common brands. The grounds fly all over when they are being dispensed. The bottom tray fills with water so fast it needs changing daily. It does look beautiful and feels like high quality parts.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from Kitchen AidBy KitchenAid Reviews, KitchenAid Brand, November 22, 2024
Dear joonthego,
Thank you for your review. We are sorry to learn of the concern you expressed regarding your KitchenAid Espresso Maker. We would like to inquire further about your review with you. Please respond to this email address kitchenaid_receipts_usa@kitchenaid.com, with your name, user ID# 286241087 used for the review, phone number, street address, zip code, model & serial number on the appliance, and date of purchase. We look forward to your reply. Thank you.
Review Team
Thank you for your review. We are sorry to learn of the concern you expressed regarding your KitchenAid Espresso Maker. We would like to inquire further about your review with you. Please respond to this email address kitchenaid_receipts_usa@kitchenaid.com, with your name, user ID# 286241087 used for the review, phone number, street address, zip code, model & serial number on the appliance, and date of purchase. We look forward to your reply. Thank you.
Review Team
Written by a customer while visiting Kitchen Aid
Customer Rating
5
Quiet and delicious
on March 31, 2025
Posted by: Leanne123
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This machine is awesome! Quiet is an understatement. I can whip up a quick americano without fear of waking up the kids during nap! It's also super user friendly. I am no barista but can pull a great shot out of this. Our first machine had a broken pressure gauge, but it was quickly replaced without hassle. Highly recommend.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Kitchen Aid
Customer Rating
5
Great machine
on January 6, 2025
Posted by: Megry1
from NJ
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] We had a breville barista for about 4 years and had so much trouble with the pump breaking. We bought a new breville and got 2 lemons in a row so decided to give the kitchen aid a try. It’s so much more user friendly to get the proper shot pour and it’s much more compact. Love that you can get a white machine with the grinder. Very hard to find! Only thing I don’t love is the porta filter being plastic and having a flat bottom. But maybe down the line I can find a standard porta filter replacement for it. Overall great machine
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Kitchen Aid
Customer Rating
4
Tricky Set-Up, Excellent Results
on March 18, 2025
Posted by: Kat35
from Saint Joseph, Michigan
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] My husband and I have been having so much fun with our new Kitchenaid Automatic Espresso Machine! Set up was a little tricky; the instructions weren't accurate and we ended up having to figure out set up on our own. Now that we have everything up and running, we've been making delicious espresso, lattes and more with our machine. It is a great addition to our kitchen. Highly recommend.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Kitchen Aid
Customer Rating
5
MY DREAM ESPRESSO MACHINE
on March 31, 2024
Posted by: Veb76
from Chicago, IL
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I’ve had this semi-automatic espresso machine for about a month now. It comes with a burr grinder, a hot water spout, AND a steam wand. It also comes with a porta filter, 4 filter baskets, a commercial-grade tamper, and a stainless steal milk pitcher. The water tank is XL (2.5L), and comes with a handle for easy removal/carrying to the sink for refills. Similarly, the bean hopper is easy to remove to refill with fresh beans. It is clear that this machine was designed for easy cleaning and maintanance.
It is a good-performing machine. Water temperature can be adjusted to 3 different settings, as well as 2 settings for volume. Grind size can be adjusted from coarse to fine, depending on your preference. At first, I was nervous to trust the smart-dosing technology and I would always intervene and manually stop the grinder, but it works! So just trust that the machine will stop grinding when it needs to.
Now, the pressure gauge was difficult to please at first as I found myself in the under extraction range over and over. I’m not sure if this is due to my lack of knowledge in espresso-making. But I just make sure to play around with the machine until I hit the “sweet spot” and leave the settings as they are.
Overall, this machine makes great-tasting coffee. The semi-automatic settings are great for coffee aficionados (and for those who want to learn more about it.) KitchenAid is an amazing brand and I’m sure that with proper care, I’ll keep this machine for many years.
Buy your favorite espresso beans, make sure to play around with the grind size and the dosage, and your coffee will taste amazing!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Kitchen Aid