The Solis Barista Perfetta Plus is on our test bench. At around €450/550 francs, it's no longer among the cheapest Espressomaschinen machines we've tested, but it's still nowhere near the range of classic Italian lever 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, from shot to shot?
- What is the milk froth quality?
And of course there are numerous sub-questions to consider. We'll cover those in this test report.
A conclusion upfront: when it comes to milk froth quality, no other espresso machine comes close to the Solis Barista Perfetta Plus. We produced perfectly creamy milk froth and poured latte art patterns. Unfortunately, the espresso quality can't quite match the milk froth quality.
As always: we purchased the Solis Barista Perfetta Plus ourselves and this test is independent. We've set ourselves the task as coffee professionals to explore the entire espresso machine market to help and advise you with your purchasing decision.
If you'd like to support us in testing further machines, you can do so by purchasing the Solis Barista Perfetta through the following Provisionslink on Amazon. It doesn't cost you any more, but we get a cut and invest it in more tests.
Dream Froth and No Fake Froth!
We start with the machine's absolute strength. "That's amazing!" Michel says in the Solis Barista Perfetta test video on YouTube. And the man should know – he's been awarded the best cappuccino several times at Swiss barista championships.
The machine looks small – but the steam power hidden inside is really fun. The Solis Barista Perfetta Plus effortlessly steams a large 0.6-liter pitcher. With smaller espresso machines, we often recommend: only froth for one cappuccino and use the 0.35-liter pitcher. Not with the Solis. It hums along without complaint. Stretching phase, rolling phase – the result is perfect milk froth, with which you can create any latte art pattern.
Practical for beginners. The machine has plenty of power, but the milk froth temperature isn't very hot. This allows "lengthy" frothing without issues. In gastronomy, this would be a disadvantage, but for those learning to froth milk, it's an advantage. You can work through the phases and tips of our Latte art videos step by step, without any stress.
Impressive Equipment and Compact Punch
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 just 5.7 kg. It's 37.2 cm tall, 18.7 cm wide, and has a depth of 32.1 cm. The 1.7L water tank is easy to remove for filling, and there's a mount for a small Brita water filter.
In addition to the espresso machine, the package includes a variety of more or less important tools. A total of five baskets are included. As serious coffee enthusiasts, though, you'll only use the double espresso basket, and possibly the single basket in rare cases. Also included:
- a pod basket. But really now. Anyone spending 450 euros on an espresso machine won't be putting pods in the portafilter. At most for an emergency entkoffeinierten coffee, but even then there are much better methods available these days.
- two pressurized baskets. With these baskets, the espresso is first pressed through numerous "normal" basket holes, then has to pass through a second barrier. This consists of a single hole. Enormous pressure builds up at this hole, which creates crema. Crema on espresso indicates that the coffee beans used are fresh and the grind is set correctly. The pressurized basket simulates crema formation through increased pressure. We do get crema on the espresso, but also with old or pre-ground coffees. The eye thinks: oh delicious. The mouth says: that doesn't taste right.
We recommend working with the "normal and professional" baskets in general. Only with these can you properly dial in the espresso and achieve the perfect taste.
We really like the tamper materials. This stainless steel tool weighs around 350 grams and costs around 50 euros when bought separately. A good tamper is an important tool. So: well done, Solis.
The milk pitcher is also solid and could actually be a bit larger. But it's perfect for a cappuccino and the "nose," which is often crooked on many cheap pitchers, sits here at a clean angle to the center of the pitcher.
Die drip tray has a small float that appears as soon as a marginal amount of water has been collected.
Espresso Quality – Unfortunately Just So-So
If good espresso accompanied the grandiose milk froth, the Solis Barista Perfetta Plus would be worth significantly more than 500 euros. But unfortunately it disappoints us on this core task.
The shots are consistent, the pressure buildup seems similar from extraction to extraction – but the espresso can't reach its potential despite fine-tuning the grinder. It shows the typical characteristics of uneven extraction caused by temperature drop: on one hand it tastes bitter, and on the other hand sour and somewhat hollow.
Our measurement of brew temperature unfortunately confirms this suspicion. While the machine has temperature control and can be set to three different base temperatures, we chose the highest temperature to get adequate brew temperature at all. The machine does start at 98 degrees, but drops significantly within seconds and settles at temperatures around 82 degrees.
We measured temperatures without coffee in the basket. When coffee is present as back pressure, the flow rate reduces and the temperature is slightly higher. Nonetheless, the brew temperature is far too low (and too high). Desirable would be consistent temperatures in the range of 90-94 degrees.
With these low temperatures, the machine is less suitable for complex, high-quality coffees that are lighter roasted. These are often fruitier and only balanced and sweet at high temperatures.
For darker roasts, the low temperatures are also too low, but they deliver decent results.
Manometer of the Solis Barista Perfetta. The machine also has PID control but can't convince in terms of brew temperature.
Conclusion and Who the Solis Barista Perfetta is Suitable For
The Solis Barista Perfetta Plus is like a winger who beautifully sets up the chance with a perfect one-two pass and then misses the ball standing in front of goal.
The one-two pass in this analogy is the milk froth. Rarely have we praised an espresso machine in this price range as much for its steam power as the Solis Barista Perfetta Plus.
The missed chance is the espresso and its quality. The PID control is built in, which turns a thermoblock into a competitive heating unit. The Decent espresso machine does exactly that – in a different price segment and with many more temperature sensors – beforehand.
The days of large stainless steel boilers are over. Who still wants to heat up 1.5 liters to drink an espresso?! Thermoblock machines with proper temperature control are already rolling through the market and will shake it up more and more. The implementation in the small Solis Barista Perfetta Plus is unfortunately not yet optimal. And so it's not suitable for everyone.
You'll enjoy this machine if milk froth is more important to you than espresso and if you prefer darker roasts. However, there's still a risk that coffees may have a sour tendency due to the low brew temperatures.
