Melitta AromaFresh II review: beans to a jug of filter coffee, on a timer

This Melitta AromaFresh II review is for anyone who likes the idea of freshly ground filter coffee but doesn’t want a separate grinder on the worktop. The AromaFresh II grinds whole beans and brews them into a glass jug in one machine, and it can do it on a timer. I haven’t tested this in person. My verdict is based on the specs Currys and Melitta UK list, dated UK prices, Currys owner reviews and the published tests I name and link below.

Melitta AromaFresh II review: the short answer

Buy the AromaFresh II if you drink filter coffee most days, you’d like to buy whole beans, and the thought of coffee being ready when you come downstairs appeals. It combines a grinder, a timer and adjustable keep-warm, and both published tests I read were positive about it.

Who it isn’t for: anyone with a small kitchen or low wall cupboards. At 46.3cm tall, according to Currys and Melitta, it won’t slide under every cupboard, so measure first.

Skip it if you usually make just one or two mugs. Trusted Reviews found it brews the whole tank each time, so smaller amounts mean measuring the water yourself.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants a quiet morning routine above all, as Ideal Home found the grinding a little noisy. If you already own a grinder and want something simpler that’s made to be repaired, my Moccamaster KBG Select review is worth reading, though it costs more.

What it costs right now

Make sure you’re looking at the AromaFresh II (article number 6776769), not the AromaFresh Pro, Therm Pro or Pro X, which are different machines. Melitta UK sells it simply as “AromaFresh”.

• Melitta AromaFresh II, black: £150.00 at Currys, price at time of research (28 Sep 2026), in stock with no was-price shown. See the AromaFresh II at Currys
• Melitta UK: £249.99, price at time of research (28 Sep 2026), in stock. See the AromaFresh at Melitta UK
• Amazon, Argos and John Lewis: I couldn’t confirm prices at any of them, so check current price there if you usually shop with them.

Currys is well below Melitta’s own price, but it doesn’t present it as a reduction, so I’d just call it the cheaper place to buy on the day I looked.

What you get: specs and what’s in the box

The headline feature is the built-in ceramic grinder, which Currys lists with 11 grind settings and three strength settings. You can also skip the grinder and use pre-ground coffee, which Ideal Home points out. The water tank holds 1.25 litres, or 10 cups, and it’s fixed rather than removable, with a cup scale so you can see how much you’ve added.

The coffee brews through a swing-out filter into a glass jug on a warming plate. Melitta lists keep-warm settings of 20, 40 or 60 minutes. There’s a programmable start timer, an LCD display, auto-off, a drip-stop and a signal when brewing ends. Currys also lists an integrated water filter, and there’s a descaling programme and a water-hardness setting. Melitta says the jug, its lid and the filter insert can go in the dishwasher.

Currys gives the size as 463mm high, 268mm wide and 252mm deep, with a weight of 3.7kg and power of 1,080W. Neither Melitta nor Currys publishes a brew temperature, brew time or bean hopper size, so I can’t give you those.

As for the box, Currys lists just the machine. Melitta mentions a cleaning brush among its features, and Ideal Home says its box came with five paper filters, so what’s included may vary.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants to tweak brew temperature or see exact numbers on the spec sheet. The published details are about features, not brewing figures.

Running costs

It takes size 1x4 paper filters, according to Melitta. Melitta UK sells its own 1x4 papers at £2.99 for 80, price at time of research (28 Sep 2026), which works out at under 4p a filter. See filter papers at Melitta UK

Beyond that, you’ll need beans and descaler. The machine has its own descaling programme, but I couldn’t find a recommended descaler or its price. I also couldn’t confirm the model or price of the water-filter cartridge, so budget a little for that and check before you buy.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants every running cost pinned down before buying. The filters are cheap, but the water filter and descaler costs are unknown.

What reviewers and owners say

Trusted Reviews (31 Jul 2023) found it easy to use, rated the coffee highly and liked that you can set it on a timer. Its main complaint is that it always brews a full tank.

Ideal Home (2 Jul 2023) liked the build quality, the choice of beans or ground coffee, the keep-warm of up to an hour and the handy timer. It marks it down for its size, a slightly high price and a grinder that’s a little noisy.

Both tests are from 2023. The article number 6776769 matches on Currys and Melitta UK, which suggests it’s the same machine, but it’s worth a quick check on the listing.

Currys owners give it 4.6 out of 5 across 124 reviews (checked 28 Sep 2026), which is a decent number of reviews. Melitta UK’s page showed no reviews.

Who it isn’t for: light sleepers in open-plan homes. Ideal Home found the grinding a little noisy, which is worth bearing in mind if you set the timer for early.

Warranty: check which applies

This is the one thing that doesn’t add up. Currys lists a three-year manufacturer’s guarantee, while Melitta UK’s website shows a two-year warranty. It might be a retailer-specific offer or an extension that needs registering, but I couldn’t confirm which, so check the terms with the retailer before you buy.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants a long warranty guaranteed up front. The Moccamaster KBG Select comes with five years, according to Moccamaster and Currys.

AromaFresh II vs Moccamaster KBG Select

• Price: the AromaFresh II is £150.00 at Currys and the KBG Select is £264.00 at Currys in stone grey, both price at time of research (28 Sep 2026).
• Grinding: the Melitta grinds beans for you; the Moccamaster needs ground coffee.
• Timer: the Melitta has one; the Moccamaster doesn’t.
• Keep-warm: up to 60 minutes on the Melitta; 40 minutes on the Moccamaster.
• Height: 46.3cm for the Melitta against 36cm for the Moccamaster.

If you want convenience and fresh grinding for less money, the Melitta is the better fit. If you already grind your own and want something simple with a long warranty, look at the Moccamaster.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who’d rather choose their own grinder and upgrade it separately later.

Downsides

• Size. Ideal Home found it big, and at 46.3cm tall it needs cupboard clearance.
• Full-tank brewing. Trusted Reviews says it always uses the whole tank, so small batches take some measuring.
• Grinder noise. Ideal Home describes grinding as a little noisy.
• No thermal jug. It’s a glass jug on a warming plate, so the coffee relies on keep-warm.
• Warranty confusion. Currys says three years, Melitta says two.

Where to go next

For beans to feed it, see my best coffee subscriptions. If you’d like espresso-style drinks from whole beans instead of filter, my best bean-to-cup machines under £500 guide is the place to start. To measure water and coffee for smaller batches, my best coffee scales guide can help. And for a simpler filter machine without a grinder, read my Moccamaster KBG Select review.

FAQ

Can the Melitta AromaFresh II use pre-ground coffee? Yes. Ideal Home points out that it takes pre-ground coffee as well as whole beans.

Does the AromaFresh II have a timer? Yes. It has a programmable start timer, so coffee can be ready at a set time.

How long does it keep coffee warm? Melitta lists keep-warm settings of 20, 40 or 60 minutes.

What filters does it take? Size 1x4 paper filters, according to Melitta. Melitta UK sells 80 for £2.99, price at time of research (28 Sep 2026).

Is the AromaFresh II the same as the AromaFresh Pro? No. The Pro, Therm Pro and Pro X are different models. The AromaFresh II’s article number is 6776769.