It’s not rare for the first thing I think about in the morning to be a freshly brewed cup of coffee. I’ve always been a fan of that deeply satisfying cup, but never more so than after having twins. But finding the right coffee maker that satisfies the needs of my family and our many guests has been nothing short of a struggle. That is, until the Terra Kaffe was graciously sent to my door. 

When the pitch came in about Jennifer Aniston’s favorite coffee machine, I wasn’t exactly swayed. Hair products from Jennifer Aniston are a no-brainer, but what does she know about making a good cup of coffee? Apparently, more than I expected.

Here’s what I’ve learned from one year of testing my now-favorite coffee maker that I tell everyone to buy.  

A person’s coffee order says a lot about their personality. Stand in line at any coffee shop, and you’ll get a good sense of how particular someone is simply based on the length of their coffee request. Extra shots, temperature preferences, milk types, and quantities — all of these nuances can be adjusted to form someone’s perfect cup of coffee. And this is where the Terra Kaffe shines, allowing you to adjust all of these to your exact measurements, all with the simple touch of a button. 

I didn’t know this when I first agreed to test the machine. In fact, I was simply looking for something to replace my one-cup Cuisinart, which ground fresh coffee into a reusable single-serve K-cup resembling pod, but gave up the ghost only a year after purchasing. Since freshly ground coffee is a must in our house, but the time and volume at which my husband and I drink coffee varies dramatically, the Cuisinart had satisfied our coffee-drinking needs for a while but didn’t have the longevity we desired.

We went back to our old Cuisinart drip coffee maker with an insulated carafe and the Cuisinart burr grinder. Still, we found we never could brew the right amount of coffee for both of us, and generally, we ended up tossing half a pot at the end of the day. Those two appliances also took up real estate on our counter, and when we had the electric kettle next to it, the counter started to resemble the test kitchens I’ve spent a large portion of my professional life in. 

Just when my mom was selling the benefits of her enormous Jura, I received the pitch from Terra Kaffe about their new model, the TK-02. Would I like to try it? Yes, I’m in.

What I Love About the TK-02

I received the black TK-02 in its svelte packaging along with a heavy, curved diner-style mug, some cleaning supplies, and 12 ounces of their coffee beans. The TK-02 replaced the drip coffee pot, a burr grinder, and an electric kettle because it’s one machine that can do all three tasks. But even more exciting is that it can also make espresso drinks. A regular espresso, latte, flat white, cappuccino, hot chocolate, and more are all available at the touch of a button using a milk canister with simple tubing that hooks directly up to the machine. 

The TK-02 fits neatly under the top cabinet and sticks out slightly but doesn’t come close to the end of the countertop. It’s not small, but it’s not big, especially considering all it can do.

Another great benefit is how efficient the machine is at creating an incredibly good cup of coffee using less coffee and thereby producing less coffee waste. As a farmer who is mildly obsessed with food waste, this huge benefit of the machine means we’re dumping our compost half as much as we used to, thanks to the compact, tiny coffee ground pucks that accumulate post coffee-making. My husband remarked on this, so we did a side-by-side comparison of how many coffee beans we were using prior to switching to the TK-02. The result was almost half. That means we spend almost $30 less a month on coffee beans, which, after 12 months, amounts to $360. Just in the coffee beans savings, the machine pays for itself in a few years.

The TK-02 comes in white or black. Considering I can’t wear a white shirt without getting a stain on it, I went with the black, but the white would look very nice in a white kitchen, and it’s very easy to wipe down.

Setting Up and Cleaning the TK-02

Immediately, the digital panel started walking me through the setup process. Within minutes, we adjusted the grind strength, ounces of coffee, temperature, and ounces of steamed milk to our tastes in making coffee. The technology reminds you of being walked through an iPhone setup, with the instructions being so easy to follow that it’s almost impossible to mess it up. Does it need more water? It tells you. Do the spent grounds need to be emptied? It lets you know that as well. Anything the machine needs, it tells you, and even better, it tells you how to do it, so you never need to pull out an instruction manual. For this tired twin mom, having your coffee machine hold your hand is nothing short of a miracle. 

But that’s not where the love of this machine stops. Along with a top hopper for fresh beans, there’s also a small section on top where you can add ground coffee. Since we are here for the caffeine, we keep the beans container filled with regular coffee and reserve the small section for decaf (though I’ll admit, we’ve never used it).

Cleaning is also a breeze thanks to all of the reminders from the machine and the smart, easy-to-navigate design where there are no nooks and crannies that harbor old coffee grounds. When the machine needs to be descaled, it not only tells you when, it shows you how, and gives you a countdown for how long it will take. 

The Verdict

Are there cons to the machine? Yes, it’s expensive. At $1695, it’s certainly an investment in an appliance. But if I hadn’t been given the machine, would I have bought it? Absolutely. It’s so easy to use that my 4-year-old knows what two buttons he needs to push to make my coffee in the morning. He can’t even read, but he knows that DRIP is what he needs to push to make mom or dad a coffee. (To be fair, he also knows how to push HOT CHOCOLATE to make himself a cup, too.) A coffee machine that makes your kid into a barista? Get one now.

There’s no denying that this is my favorite high-end coffee maker of all time. I’ve convinced two of my super coffee nerd, former chef friends to buy them, and they, too, have had the same response. It’s intuitive to use, easily adjusts to your preferences, reduces the number of coffee beans you have to buy, and makes an incredibly good cup of coffee. Is it expensive, yes? But that first sip every morning is worth it. 

Our Expertise

Breana Lai Killeen, is a food editor, recipe developer, farmer, and dietitian who has worked in all facets of the food world. She has more than 20 years of experience cooking professionally, pouring wine, and creating editorial and digital content for Food & Wine, EatingWell, AllRecipes, and many more. Her newest venture includes sustainably farming 20 acres with her husband, where they grow Asian vegetables and raise beef and chickens for poultry and eggs at Killeen Crossroads Farm. For this piece, Killeen delivered her first-hand insights of using the Terra Kaffe TK-02 in her own kitchen for the past year.