One of the smallest fully automatic bean-to-cup machines on the market does espresso, cappuccino and latte without asking for more counter space
When choosing a coffee machine, most people measure the counter first. There are plenty of good machines. The problem is finding somewhere to put them.
The Melitta Avanza is 20 centimetres wide. Among fully automatic bean-to-cup machines currently available, that puts it among the smallest on the market. Inside those 20 centimetres sits a steel conical burr grinder, a 1.5-litre water tank, a 250g bean hopper, and an automatic milk frother.
Small does not mean compromised. It means the machine was designed small from the start.
It Starts With the Grinder
The Avanza is a fully automatic bean-to-cup machine. Beans go in, coffee comes out. The integrated steel conical burr grinder offers five grinding settings. It is also quiet. Melitta makes a particular point of this, and it holds up: making coffee in the morning does not have to wake anyone else in the house.
Before each extraction, a pre-infusion function briefly wets the freshly ground coffee before the actual brewing begins. This optimises contact time between water and grounds, allowing flavour to develop more fully. It is a feature commonly absent from machines at this price point.
Two Cups at Once
The double cup function lets you brew two cups simultaneously, or fill one larger cup with double the volume. The height-adjustable outlet reaches up to 135mm, accommodating tall mugs and glasses without issue.
Four menu options: espresso, café crème, latte macchiato, cappuccino. Espresso and café crème have dedicated direct-access buttons. Coffee strength adjusts across three levels, grind fineness across five. Temperature and volume are both customisable and can be adjusted mid-pour.
The Milk System
The Easy Cappuccinatore works in two steps. Insert the tube into any milk carton or container, froth the milk, then dispense the coffee. No dedicated milk container is required. Any vessel works.
The honest limitation: it is not a single-touch milk system. Frothing and brewing are two separate steps. This becomes second nature quickly, but it is worth knowing before purchase. Anyone expecting a fully integrated one-button latte will need to adjust expectations slightly.
Maintenance Is How You Keep It
The brewing unit is fully removable for direct cleaning. A service button runs the automatic cleaning and descaling programme. Melitta’s Pro Aqua water filter, inserted into the tank, reduces descaling to once a year while also improving coffee flavour by filtering water at every extraction.
Energy-saving mode and auto-off timing are both programmable. A 0-watt switch cuts power completely. The Melitta Companion App covers step-by-step maintenance guidance and machine diagnostics, though every function works without the app as well.
The Honest Case For It
At this size, the Avanza has few genuine rivals in the bean-to-cup category. Competing fully automatic machines from De’Longhi, Philips, and Jura typically run 25 to 30 centimetres wide or more. The Avanza gives up very little in functionality to achieve that difference in footprint.
The milk system requires two steps instead of one. That is the trade-off. For people who mostly drink black coffee and occasionally want a milk-based option, it is not a meaningful compromise. For people who drink latte every morning, the decision deserves more thought.
Editor’s Note
When a daily object is well-designed, a lot gets forgiven.
The Avanza is 20cm. In a category where most machines take up considerably more space, that number is the entire pitch. The features are all present. Only the footprint is smaller. For the right kitchen and the right person, it is one of the most considered choices currently available in home coffee.
Melitta Avanza Series 600 | melitta.com
Dimensions: H35.3 x W20 x D45.5cm | Weight: approx. 7.5kg | Power: 1,450W
Water tank: 1.5L | Bean hopper: 250g | Grind settings: 5 | Strength settings: 3
Menu: Espresso / Café Crème / Latte Macchiato / Cappuccino
Milk system: Easy Cappuccinatore (2-step, compatible with any milk container)
Outlet height: adjustable up to 135mm | Double cup function
Colours: Mystic Titan / Brushed Aluminium
App: Melitta Companion App (iOS / Android)
