Review: Bosch Tassimo Finesse Coffee Machine

Introduction

Priced at €89.99, the Bosch Tassimo Finesse is a compact capsule coffee maker designed for simplicity and ease of use. While it doesn’t introduce groundbreaking innovations compared to previous models, it offers an intensity selector called “IntensityBoost” to customize the coffee’s aroma. The Tassimo Finesse maintains Bosch’s signature barcode system, which communicates with T-Disc pods to determine the precise water quantity required for each drink. It’s important to note that this coffee maker operates at a pressure of 3.3 bars, which falls short of the standards for crafting true espressos.

TECHNICAL SHEET / CHARACTERISTICS

User-Friendly Design

The Bosch Tassimo Finesse excels in its compact form factor, measuring just 15 cm wide, 36.6 cm deep, and 26.5 cm high. Weighing a mere 2.2 kg, it’s exceptionally lightweight and can effortlessly fit into even the most cramped kitchen spaces or be stored on a shelf. The design follows the familiar lines of its predecessors, featuring a functional and straightforward appearance dominated by plastic components. While the plastic doesn’t feel flimsy, it lacks premium touches like stainless steel accents that could elevate its aesthetics.

The coffee maker’s control panel is refreshingly minimalist, featuring a single physical button used to initiate the brewing process. Pressing and holding this button for three seconds activates the intensity adjustment function, allowing users to enhance the coffee’s flavor. Additionally, two small LEDs provide notifications for refilling the water tank and descaling the machine.

The Tassimo Finesse adopts the well-regarded T-Discs system, which automates drink preparation by adjusting water quantity based on the inserted capsule’s barcode. This system simplifies operation but sacrifices the ability to customize drink sizes, as each preparation varies slightly in volume. However, users can manually extend drink size by pressing the button once the brewing process completes.

Unlike some competing brands like Nespresso, this model lacks a used capsule collector. Users are responsible for removing pods after extraction, similar to the Dolce Gusto system.

The water tank mirrors the coffee maker’s slim profile. With a capacity of 0.7 liters, it necessitates frequent refilling, which could become tedious over time. Unfortunately, it lacks a handle for easy removal and repositioning.

In terms of safety, the machine intelligently blocks brewing when the water tank runs low, preventing unnecessary capsule waste—a commendable feature compared to certain competitors that can sacrifice capsules when faced with insufficient water.

The adjustable cup rest enhances user experience by accommodating various cup sizes, preventing splashes during preparation. It offers two height levels—one for mugs and another for smaller cups.

Maintenance Made Easy

Maintenance of the Tassimo Finesse is straightforward. The indicator lights are clear and easy to interpret. The primary challenge lies in the frequent need to refill the water tank, as previously mentioned.

All removable components can be effortlessly detached and are dishwasher-safe. However, they are made of plastic, so repeated dishwasher use may risk damage or clouding of the material. To ensure durability, handwashing with a sponge is recommended.

One notable drawback is the coffee maker’s tendency to drip after brewing, a common issue with the brand’s machines. The dispensing nozzle continuously leaks drops until the capsule is ejected from its slot.

On the positive side, the steam nozzle undergoes automatic cleaning after each drink preparation, ensuring hygiene and preventing flavor contamination when switching between different capsule types. While this feature is common in automatic machines with grinders, it remains a rarity among pod machines.

Brewing Speed

The Bosch Tassimo Finesse takes approximately 50 seconds to brew the first espresso of the day, split into 27 seconds of preheating and 23 seconds of extraction. The second coffee is ready just 47 seconds later. While this coffee maker isn’t the fastest on the market, its slightly extended preparation time can be attributed to the time spent scanning and deciphering the capsule’s QR code, as well as the post-preparation steam nozzle rinse, which adds to the process duration.

Power Efficiency and Noise Level

During standby, the Tassimo Finesse consumes a mere 0.2 W of power. While this is relatively low, it’s still noteworthy that the machine continues to consume energy when idle.

The most energy-intensive phase of coffee preparation, preheating, draws a peak of 1430 W. Although this exceeds the average consumption of most machines during preheating (typically around 1334 W), it’s likely related to the coffee maker’s relatively rapid 27-second preheating time.

In terms of noise, the Tassimo Finesse remains remarkably discreet, emitting just 40 dB(A) during preheating with slight clicking sounds and a brief peak of 50 dB(A) when the steam cleans the dispensing nozzle. This noise level poses minimal disturbance and is unlikely to wake those who are sleeping during brewing.

Capsule Variety and Pricing

While the Tassimo Finesse doesn’t support third-party capsules, it offers notable advantages, including a wide array of drinks with diverse flavors and the convenience of purchasing capsules in supermarkets. Unlike Nespresso capsules, which often require online or specialty store orders, T-Discs are readily available at local stores. However, users must stick with T-Discs due to the machine’s limitations.

Tassimo’s capsule variety encompasses chocolate (in collaboration with Milka), coffee (brands like Grand’Mère and Carte Noire), tea (Twinings), various milk-based drinks, and even branded options like Carambar, Oreo, and Suchard. In this regard, the Tassimo is more of a versatile multi-drink machine rather than exclusively a coffee maker.

Pricing for T-Discs starts at €0.21 per coffee capsule (e.g., Grand’Mère, sold in packs of 16 T-Discs). This cost falls below that of Nespresso coffee capsules (starting from €0.36) but is slightly higher than Senseo pods (beginning at €0.15). Milk-based drinks, such as cappuccinos or latte macchiatos, require the use of two capsules per cup (one for coffee and one for milk), resulting in a slightly higher cost at €0.56 per drink.

Conclusion

In summary, the Bosch Tassimo Finesse embraces simplicity as its core philosophy, offering a no-frills coffee maker that prioritizes convenience. While its functionality is limited, allowing users only to adjust the coffee’s aroma intensity, it excels in terms of compactness, quiet operation, and a diverse catalog of beverages. The Tassimo Finesse should have no trouble appealing to those seeking straightforward and hassle-free coffee preparation. However, individuals with a preference for espresso or stronger coffee varieties may find it more prudent to explore models better suited for these preferences, such as Nespresso or Dolce Gusto machines.

STRONG POINTS

• Small footprint.
• Ease of use.
• T-Disc system with optical barcode reading for automatic configuration.
• Drinks catalog.

WEAK POINTS

• Just one cup at a time.
• Not the fastest.
• The dispensing nozzle leaks if the capsule is not ejected.
• Preheat between each preparation, even consecutively.
• No compatible capsules.