On our test bench is the Solis Barista Perfetta Plus. At around €450 / 550 Swiss Francs, it is no longer among the cheapest espresso machines we have tested, but it is also far from the category of classic Italian portafilter machines, which usually cost 1000 euros or more.
As a coffee school and roastery, we look at the following points when testing a machine:
- Is the espresso quality good?
- Does the machine deliver consistently, i.e., from shot to shot?
- How is the milk foam quality?
And of course, there are numerous sub-questions that one can and must address. We do this in this review.
A conclusion in advance: when it comes to milk foam quality, no other espresso machine can touch the Solis Barista Perfetta Plus. We frothed perfect, creamy milk foam and poured latte art patterns. Unfortunately, the espresso cannot quite keep up with the milk foam quality.
As always: we bought the Solis Barista Perfetta Plus and this test is independent. We at Kaffeemacher have set out to explore the entire market of espresso machines in order to provide you with help and advice in your purchasing decision.
If you would like to support us in testing more machines, you can do so by purchasing the Solis Barista Perfetta via the following affiliate link on Amazon. It won't cost you more, but we get a slice of the cake, which we put towards further tests.
Dreamy foam, not industrial foam!
We start with the machine's absolute strength. "This is awesome!" says Michel in the video and review of the Solis Barista Perfetta on YouTube. And the man should know, having been awarded best cappuccino at Swiss barista championships several times.
The machine seems small – but the steam power hidden inside is really fun. The Solis Barista Perfetta Plus easily gets a large 0.6l pitcher bubbling. With smaller espresso machines, we often advise: only froth for one cappuccino and use the 0.35l pitcher. Not so with the Solis. It hums along without a complaint. Stretching phase, texturing phase – the result is perfect milk foam with which you can conjure up any latte art pattern.
Practical for beginners: The machine has a lot of power, but the temperature of the milk foam is not very hot. This means you can froth for a "long" time without any issues. In the catering industry, that would be a disadvantage, but for those learning to froth milk, it's an advantage. Step by step, you can go through the phases and tips from our latte art videos without any stress.
Powerful equipment and crisp, compact design
The Solis Barista Perfetta has its price. In return, you get a really well-made machine with a stainless steel housing. The compact machine weighs around 5.7 kg. It is 37.2 cm high, 18.7 cm wide, and has a depth of 32.1 cm. The 1.7l water tank is easy to remove for filling, and an attachment for a small Brita water filter is provided.
In addition to the espresso machine, there is also a jumble of more or less important tools included. A total of five baskets are in the package. As a serious coffee enthusiast, however, you will only use the double espresso basket, and perhaps the single basket in a few situations. Also included:
- a pod basket. But really. Who spends 450 euros on an espresso machine and will definitely not put pods in the portafilter? At most for a decaffeinated coffee, but there are so many better methods for that now, too.
- two double-walled "fake" baskets. With these baskets, the espresso is first pressed through numerous "normal" filter holes before having to pass through a second barrier. This consists of a single hole. An immense pressure builds up at this hole, which ensures that crema is created. Crema on espresso indicates that the coffee beans used are fresh and the grind size is set correctly. The fake basket simulates the creation of crema through increased pressure. We do get crema on the espresso, but also with old or pre-ground coffee. The eye thinks: oh, tasty. The mouth says: that doesn't taste like much.
We generally recommend working with the "normal and professional" baskets. Only with these can the espresso be adjusted properly and the perfect taste achieved.
We really like the material of the tamper. This stainless steel beast weighs around 350 grams and can easily cost 50 euros if bought separately. A good tamper is an important tool. So: well done Solis.
The milk pitcher is also solid, although it could be slightly larger. But for a cappuccino, it is perfect, and the "spout," which is not straight on so many cheap pitchers, is at a clean angle to the center of the pitcher here.
The drip tray has a small float that appears as soon as a borderline amount of water has been collected.
Espresso quality – unfortunately just okay
If good espresso were to join the magnificent milk foam, the Solis Barista Perfetta Plus would be worth significantly more than €500. But unfortunately, it disappoints us in this core task.
The shots are consistent, and the pressure build-up seems similar from extraction to extraction – but despite fine-tuning the grinder, the espresso cannot reach its full potential. It shows the typical characteristics of uneven extraction caused by temperature drop: it tastes bitter on the one hand and sour and somewhat hollow on the other.
When measuring the brewing temperature, this exact suspicion is unfortunately confirmed. Although the machine has temperature control and can be set to three different base temperatures, we chose the highest temperature just to get an adequate brewing temperature. The machine then starts at 98 degrees, but drops massively within a few seconds and levels off at temperatures of 82 degrees.
We measured the temperatures without coffee in the basket. If coffee is present as backpressure, the flow rate is reduced, and the temperature is slightly higher. Nevertheless, the brewing temperature is far too low (and too high). Desirable would be constant temperatures in the range of 90 – 94 degrees.
With these low temperatures, the machine is less suitable for complex, high-quality coffees that are roasted lighter. These are often fruitier and only balanced and sweet at high temperatures.
For rather darker roasts, the low temperatures are also too low, but provide decent results.
Manometer of the Solis Barista Perfetta. The machine also has a PID controller, yet it cannot convince in terms of brewing temperature.
Conclusion and who the Solis Barista Perfetta is suitable for
The Solis Barista Perfetta Plus is like a winger who sets up the chance with beautiful one-twos and then misses while standing open in front of the goal.
The one-two in this example is the milk foam. Rarely have we celebrated an espresso machine in this price segment for its steam pressure as much as the Solis Barista Perfetta Plus.
The missed chance is the espresso and its quality. A PID controller is installed, which turns a thermoblock into a competitive heating unit. The Decent espresso machine demonstrates exactly this – in a different price segment and with many more temperature sensors.
The days of large stainless steel boilers are over. Who wants to heat up 1.5 liters just to drink one espresso?! Thermoblock machines with clean temperature control are already shaking up the market and will rock the market more and more. The implementation in the small Solis Barista Perfetta Plus is unfortunately not yet optimal. And so it is not suitable for everyone.
You will enjoy the machine if milk foam is more important to you than espresso and if you prefer darker roasts. The risk that the coffees might still have a sour tendency remains, however, due to the low brewing temperatures.
