The Pro Line Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine is a shining example of KitchenAid’s new professional quality line of appliances. Its modern rounded design houses some of the finest professional features you can find in a home espresso machine today. For starters, it has a double-boiler system so you can not only brew and steam at the same time, but do so without any temperature fluctuation – critical in espresso creation. The Pro Line also has a commercial caliber brew group and 58mm portafilter – both of chrome plated brass – to further ensure temperature consistency. And like many pro-sumer machines, the Pro Line has the 3-way solenoid valve, which instantly depressurizes the machine after brewing to eliminate dripping and wait time between shots. At the rear of the machine is a large, removable 2-liter reservoir so you can brew a lot of coffee without running dry. Put all this together, and power it with a strong vibration pump, and you are on your way to fantastic espresso.
Something else you’ll find on the Pro Line are the dual pressure gauges – one to monitor brewing temperature and one to monitor steaming temperature. Brewing is as easy as locking the portafilter in place and pressing the brew button. Steam and hot water are dispensed from the same free-swinging. stainless steel wand. The Pro Line also comes with a pannarello wand, which easily slides on and off so you can froth like a pro.
Going back to the aesthetics, the Pro Line is very easy on the eyes. Atop its rounded exterior is the passive cup warmer, encased with a stainless steel cup rail. The surface is solid metal to conduct heat and painted black to match the drip tray base. In the base sits the removable drip tray, complete with water-level sensor to prevent overflow. Atop of it sits a removable drip tray cover of stainless steel which compliments the other chrome and stainless features. The chrome and stainless steel, along with the black buttons, are accentuated by the Pro Line’s beautiful pearlized metallic gray finish. All in all, a beautiful machine.
Completing the package are the accessories: a single shot filter basket, a double-shot filter basket, an 8 1/2-ounce stainless steel frothing pitcher, tamper, 7-gram coffee scoop and shower screen brush. In addition, you will receive an easy to follow manual and an instructional CD if you prefer your lessons visually.
The Pro Line comes with an amazing 2-year hassle-free replacement warranty, which means KitchenAid simply replaces the machine if something goes wrong. A little more assurance in an already quality-packed product.
Features & Benefits: Brewing
Commercial Size and Style Portafilter
A portafilter is made up of two parts, the handle and the filter holder. On the Pro Line, the handle is made of high-quality, light-weight plastic. Attached to it is the heavy, chrome-plated brass dual-spouted filter holder, which keeps the temperature stable throughout the entire brewing process, for a quality cup of espresso. It has a standard commercial-sized diameter of 58mm, so that the water is distributed evenly over a wide surface area.
Commercial Brew Group
Brewing perfect espresso starts with a brew group that can not only brew upon request, but that can hold the heat with consistency and stability throughout the entire process every time. That sums up the Pro Line brew group. Constructed of solid chrome-plated brass, this brew group is similar to the ones you’ll find in professional machines and guarantees you’ll brew at the right temperature for delicious-tasting espresso cup after cup after cup.
3-Way Solenoid Valve
The Pro Line has a heavy-duty, high-performance vibration pump system that delivers uniform and constant pump pressure of 9 bars to pressure brew the espresso. It operates off an electrical 3-way solenoid valve. Press the brew button on the front, and the valve switches on, allowing the pressure brewing process to begin. Switch the brew button off, and the valve then releases the water and excess steam into the drip tray. This makes the puck (used coffee grounds) drier and easier to knock out of the portafilter because the excess water has been sucked out. It also immediately depressurizes the brew group so you don’t have any wait time between shots.
Double Boiler System
The Pro Line has a double boiler system – a rare find in a home machine. Each aluminum boiler has a capacity of 3.2 ounces – plenty big to allow for lots of espresso and steam. The beauty of the double boiler is 2-fold. Obviously, you can steam and brew at the same time. But more importantly, you never have to deal with temperature fluctuation that naturally occurs when you have to switch back and forth between brewing and steaming. Both boilers are protected by a high limit safety switch, which will automatically shut the boilers down if it senses they are overheating.
Pumping the water through the boilers, into the brew group and down through the coffee in the portafilter is a powerful, self-priming vibration pump that easily delivers the necessary 9 BAR pressure needed to brew espresso to perfection.
Simple, Stately Controls
The Pro Line is very easy to use, with its straightforward, streamlined controls. Facing the machine, on the rounded brew station that houses the brew group, you will notice two round black push buttons. The top is the on/off switch, complete with power on indicator light. Below it sits the brew button. Just push this button to start brewing your drink, and press it off when you’ve got the amount of coffee or espresso you want.
Twin temperature gauges are located in the middle of the machine. The top one monitors the brewing boiler, and the bottom monitors the steam boiler’s temperature.
Balancing the machine to the right is another round black button and the steam dial. These two controls sit prominently above the steam and hot water station.
Cup Warmer with Rail
Covering the entire top of the machine is the passive cup warmer which comfortably holds 6 espresso cups. The surface is warmed by the heat from the boilers. Its solid metal is a natural heat conductor so doesn’t require its own separate heating element. Rimming the cup warmer is a stainless steel rail to protect the cups from falling off should the machine get bumped or jostled.
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Features & Benefits: Frothing and Hot Water
Frothing
The Pro Line offers you a lot of room to work. The steaming station is separate from the brewing station so you steam or froth while someone else is brewing or if you yourself are multitasking. The steam wand is stainless steel and mounted on a ball joint so it can move any which way to accommodate any size container or to really move the milk when frothing.
Speaking of which, the Pro Line comes with a pannarello wand, which easily attaches to the steam wand/hot water wand so you can froth like a pro. You just slip it on, dip it into your milk and let the frothing begin. While you can steam with the Pro Line, it is really designed for frothing thanks to the panarello wand. This wand is specially designed to aerate the milk with less work on your part.
And the Pro Line even comes with its own 8 1/2-ounce stainless steel frothing pitcher, so you don’t have to pick one up separately.
Hot Water Dispenser
The hot water is dispensed from the same wand as the steam for frothing. It’s very easy to use, and you can do it with or without the pannarello wand in place. Simply press and hold the hot water button and turn the steam dial. Once you’ve got the amount of hot water you want, release the hot water button, and turn the steam dial off. It’s important to note that if you don’t hold the hot water button down while dispensing hot water, you’ll just get steam. Great for a facial, but not if you’re trying to make a cup of tea or an Americano.
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Features & Benefits: Care, Maintenance & Other
Water Reservoir
The large removable 2-liter (67-ounce) reservoir sits at the back of the Pro Line. It is made of durable smoked plastic so it blends seamlessly into the design. While it is easily removable for refilling, you do have to unplug and turn the machine around in order to do so. The easiest way to refill it is to simply slide the reservoir about 3 inches to the left and refill it with a pitcher. You can do this while the machine is operating, although it’s better that you’re not using it at the time.
Pod Capable
If you prefer not to grind your own beans, or even use pre-ground coffee, you can use pods with the Pro Line. It is ESE pod capable – which just means the standard industry sized pod available anywhere including your grocery store. Just use the single shot filter basket if you’re going to use a pod, because that allows the pod to sit high enough against the shower screen for the water to run through it instead of around it.
Housing Construction
The Pro Line is encased in a die-cast metal housing painted in a pearlized, metallic gray that is as handsome as it is durable. It’s also easy to wipe down and use resistant, so it always looks shiny and ready to go when called on.
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