Siemens EQ7

The basics

High-end kitchen gear seems to come in one of two design flavours: either super-futuristic, or with retro touches. The Siemens EQ7 is very much in the former camp, with its two-tone piano black and brushed silver finish combining with the cool blue LEDs with ultra-modern effect.

As you'd expect from a machine costing upwards of £1,000, it makes just about any kind of coffee under the sun, including cappuccino, latte, espresso, Americano and caffe crema.

The good

The EQ7 looks great, and that's particularly important given how much kitchen real estate this formidable machine takes up. But crucially for a machine offering so many features, it's also extremely simple to use. The high-quality graphical display combines with the single bank of buttons and small dial superbly to make any job a simple matter of following directions step by step.

The EQ7 does its part of the job quickly and efficiently, whether it's making an old-fashioned cup of white coffee or a super-smooth and creamy cappuccino. Features like the milk for the EQ7 coming in sealed containers you can keep in the fridge up until use are a nice touch.

The bad

The price may be hard to live with for most people, and its size too – this isn't a machine you'll keep under the counter just to pull it out for occasional use. And that bulk makes cleaning the EQ7 more of a chore than it needs to be. Cleaning the drip tray, which involves removing the base of the machine, becomes quite a job on a machine so big to begin with.

The bottom line

If the price tag isn't enough to put you off, then we wholeheartedly recommend the excellent Siemens EQ7. It looks how a high-end piece of kitchen equipment should, and handles any job you choose to give it with the same blend of speed and capable efficiency.