With the slim 600 series, WMF is expanding its fully automatic coffee machine portfolio. SamaGame tested the top model Perfection 680.
Table of contents
- Is it all cold coffee?
- A lot in a smaller format
- Good touchscreen
- Espresso happiness at second glance
- Cleans itself
- WMF Perfection 600 series: prices and models
- WMF Perfection 680 in the test: conclusion
In addition to the large format models Perfection 740L and 880L WMF now offers this Fully automatic coffee machines the 600 series. They come with a more compact design and a new cleaning system for the milk system. The WMF Perfection 680 also prepares cool refreshments. We tested the top model in detail and revealed whether the new fully automatic machine is worth it.
Is it all cold coffee?
As the first WMF fully automatic coffee machine, the Perfection 680 also offers three programs for cold coffee drinks. Unlike, for example, DeLonghi Eletta Explore Cold Brew, in which the eponymous cold brew drinks are prepared with water at room temperature, the WMF machine always comes out with hot coffee. However, that’s not as bad as that Krups Intuition Experience+ EA877D has already proven. The models from WMF and Krups are virtually identical or at least similar in construction, as both brands belong to the SEB Group and therefore use the same or similar technology.
The two programs “Chilled Coffee” and “Iced Latte” are basically nothing special. You fill ice cubes into a glass, start the preparation and coffee or coffee and milk are served hot and then cooled down by the ice cubes in the glass. The most interesting of the cold coffee drinks is “Nitro Coffee”. To do this, put a handful or more ice cubes into a large glass (around 400 ml), but also put the milk lance with the hose connected in and start the preparation. Everything then works as usual: the WMF machine dispenses hot coffee, which is cooled down by the ice cubes in the glass.
After a short break, the brew is drawn again via the milk hose through the cappuccinatore in the central spout. This gives the drink a fine head of foam that is reminiscent of beer foam. The WMF version – analogous to the Krups version – has little in common with the original recipe for a Nitro Coffee. Previously prepared cold brew coffee is drawn through a dispensing system with nitrogen. But the taste verdict for Nitro Coffee à la WMF is: very tasty and a nice change.
A lot in a smaller format
With dimensions (height x width x depth) of 37.1x25x41 centimeters (cm), the WMF Perfection 680 is significantly slimmer than its fully automatic siblings 740L and 880L (each 39.5×28.5×48 cm). Despite the compact design, the newcomer’s features don’t have to hide from the larger models. It starts with the bean container on the top, which holds almost 250 grams of coffee beans. To ensure that the beans stay fresh for longer, the compartment has a flap with a rubber seal. The bean container also contains the rotary control for the stainless steel conical grinder, which can be adjusted to five grinding levels. By the way, there is no shaft for ground coffee.
The tank on the back holds up to 3 liters of water. The cool water is pumped through the machine at a pressure of up to 15 bar. If necessary, the included Claris water filter can be installed in the tank. This will prevent the device from becoming excessively calcified. You also have to descale the machine less often. You can set the water hardness level using the settings menu on the display.
Like the other WMF machines, you can also use the Perfection 680 to prepare milk coffee drinks. The well-known milk system is available for this, consisting of a rubber hose, stainless steel lance and glass carafe (here: 600 instead of 1,000 milliliters). The hose is attached to the central spout on the right and the milk is frothed using a cappuccinatore. Thanks to the double thermoblock technology, coffee and milk are heated independently, meaning that all ingredients reach the cups at the optimal temperature.
Good touchscreen
The WMF Perfection 680 offers an approximately 3.6 inch (9.2 cm) color touch display for operation. This is framed on the left and right by four sensor buttons for switching on and off, the main menu, the hot water output and the settings as well as four different profiles. The control works smoothly with the proven operating concept: all inputs are implemented quickly, the display is large enough, bright and clearly visible.
In the settings menu you can make all sorts of adjustments for the start screen, display brightness, etc. When you select a drink, you can set the coffee strength and total fill quantity on the next screen. For black coffee drinks there are milliliter values here, for milk coffees only the T-shirt sizes M, L and XL. The three dots at the top right take you to the extended drink parameters. In addition to the brewing temperature and pre-brewing time, the amount of coffee and milk foam intensity can also be adjusted here. The amount of milk can only be changed using the total quantity setting – we already know this from the big WMF brothers. After making the adjustments, you can save up to eight individualized drinks in up to eight profiles. By the way, you can also connect the WMF machine to your home WiFi so that the device can always get the latest operating software. This can be particularly interesting if it means you get additional coffee programs over time.
Espresso happiness at second glance
With the WMF Perfection 680 you can choose between 17 different coffee programs that are installed on the device ex works. The cold drinks mentioned above are of course accompanied by some coffee variations without milk, including Ristretto, Lungo, Americano, Caffè crema and Espresso. The latter has to prove itself in the taste test and does so – but only on the second attempt. Because the first batches were a bit of a failure: too weak, too watery and rather average in taste. After a day’s break, the WMF Perfection 680 suddenly delivered really good espressos and hasn’t disappointed since. The sweet notes of the coffee beans come through well, the espresso is full-bodied, hot and strong without being overpowering. Why did it only work at second glance? We ask ourselves that too. In the end, we just want to say: espresso good, everything is good. The “Breakfast Coffee” program also receives extra praise: like Long Coffee from DeLonghi machines, it is prepared using a surge brewing process and is reminiscent of delicious filter coffee with a balanced, gentle aroma.
In addition to cold drinks and black coffee, you can also get different types of milk coffee from the WMF Perfection 680. Unlike the Perfection 880L and analogous to the 740L, the milk foam has an ideal temperature and comes out of the machine nice and creamy. The latte programs include cappuccino, latte macchiato, caffè latte, espresso macchiato, flat white and Italian cappuccino. The new WMF machine also offers hot water for three different types of tea, which is dispensed via a separate nozzle to the right of the central spout. You can find more delicious coffee recipes here.
Cleans itself
Like the other WMF fully automatic machines and the Krups counterparts, the Perfection 680 has a permanently installed metal brewing group. The advantage here: The brewing unit regularly rinses itself and is automatically and thoroughly cleaned using the integrated self-cleaning program and a cleaning tablet. Some coffee fans prefer a removable brewing group. For more comfortable coffee drinkers, the permanently installed version is a nice simplification in terms of care. In addition to self-cleaning, there are also programs for rinsing the coffee circuit, the tea circuit and for automatic descaling.
There is also a program to choose from for cleaning the milk system: To do this, insert the rubber hose into the cappuccinatore in the central spout and the other end without the stainless steel lance into the hot water nozzle to the right of it. Then place a container under the central spout and start the washing program. Hot water and steam are then passed through the hose and the cappuccinatore to remove any milk residue. After a few seconds the program has run through and the machine is ready for use again. The cappuccinatore can be removed by hand from the central spout and dismantled into four parts for thorough cleaning.
Thanks to its slim design without many corners and edges, the surface of the WMF Perfection 680 can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth. The front part of the case is made of the manufacturer’s own Cromargan stainless steel, the rest is made of plastic. You can put the drip tray, including the cover and stainless steel grid, in the dishwasher. You must wash the water tank and the pulp container by hand. To do this, use gentle dishwashing liquid and a dish and/or bottle brush. You can find further tips and tricks for caring for and using your fully automatic coffee machine here.
WMF Perfection 600 series: prices and models
In addition to the Perfection 680, another WMF fully automatic coffee machine belongs to the 600 series. You can’t get the Perfection 660 in Germany yet, but the device is already available in Austria. Here is a brief overview of the Perfection 600 series:
Test results
WMF Perfection 680
Manufacturer information
Furnishing
(30%)
Service &
The taste
(40%)
cleaning
(15%)
Technical tests
(15%)
Test results
WMF Perfection 680 in the test: conclusion
With the top model from the Perfection 600 series, WMF delivers a good fully automatic coffee machine with an elegant design. The cappuccino, espresso (with some warm-up time) etc. taste delicious, the cold coffee drinks are a tasty alternative for everyday life. Added to this is the extremely easy cleaning concept with a permanently installed metal brewing group and the new “Click & Clean” program for the milk system and the simple operation via touch display. On the other hand, there is the comparatively high power consumption when preparing espresso and the somewhat loud grinder. The price of just under 1,300 euros is also quite high if you consider that the similar Krups Intuition Experience+ is available for significantly cheaper and performed better in our test.
