A 20 cm wide machine for black coffee: espresso and café crème at a touch, a removable brew unit and a steel grinder, but no milk system at all.
Updated
- None Milk system
- 1.2 L Water tank
- 33.4 cm Height
- 2 years Warranty
Pros
- Only 20 cm wide and 33.4 cm tall
- Brewing unit pulls out for a weekly rinse under the tap
- With Pro Aqua filters changed on time, Melitta expects about one descale a year
- Twin spout makes two cups at once
Cons
- No milk frother or steam wand, and no hot water outlet
- Small 1.2 litre tank and 125 g bean container
- Only two one-touch drinks: espresso and café crème
- Best for
- Espresso and black coffee drinkers with a narrow gap on the worktop.
- Not for
- Anyone who drinks milk coffees or wants hot water for tea from the same machine.
Our verdict
The Purista does one job: fresh-ground black coffee from a very small footprint. It is the narrowest bean-to-cup machine we list and the lowest, so it fits gaps most rivals won’t. It makes espresso and café crème at a touch, one or two cups at a time, with three strengths and three brewing temperatures, and the brewing unit pulls out for a weekly rinse. Upkeep is light if you use Melitta’s water filter, which stretches the time between descales a long way.
The compromises are just as clear. There is no milk system, no steam wand and no hot water outlet, and the small tank and bean container need frequent top-ups. It is also deep for its width, so check the depth of your worktop as well as the width of the gap. For black coffee in a tight space it is our pick; for milk drinks, look elsewhere.
Cleaning and running costs
Melitta’s manual gives a clear rhythm. Pull out and rinse the brewing unit weekly with the machine off, and let it drip dry before refitting it. Run the cleaning programme every two months with a Melitta Perfect Clean tablet (about 15 minutes), and descale every three months, or when the light asks, with half a litre of Melitta Anti Calc solution (Melitta UK article 6788302-uk; about 25 minutes). A Pro Aqua filter (6784658-uk), changed every two months, cuts descaling right down: Melitta says one descale a year is enough at two cups a day with six filter changes a year. Take the filter out before descaling and keep it in a glass of tap water. Without a filter, set the water hardness: the machine then asks to descale after anything from 150 litres (soft water) to 30 litres (very hard).
Owner reports
Only two usable owner reviews were open to us, on Melitta’s UK site, which is too few to judge the machine by. One liked the coffee and the two-cup button but found the tank and bean container small, which matches the specs. The other found the brew-unit handle came off the first time it was removed, and that beans left in the grinder spoiled the first cups after changing beans. Treat both as single reports.
Who should look elsewhere
If you want milk in a small space, the De’Longhi Magnifica S is only 3 cm wider and has a steam wand, and the JURA E8 is a low premium machine with one-touch milk. Compare it with every bean-to-cup machine we track, see it among compact machines that fit under kitchen cupboards, or read how to descale in a hard-water area.
Melitta Purista specs
- None Milk system
- 1.2 L Water tank
- 33.4 cm Height
- 2 years Warranty
Milk
| Milk system | None |
|---|
Drinks
| One-touch drinks | 2 |
|---|
Size
| Water tank | 1.2 L |
|---|---|
| Bean hopper | 125 g |
| Height | 33.4 cm |
| Width | 20 cm |
| Depth | 45.9 cm |
| Weight | 7.2 kg |
Cleaning
| Removable brew unit | Yes |
|---|---|
| Takes a water filter | Yes |
Ownership
| Warranty | 2 years |
|---|
Coffee
| Grind settings | 5 |
|---|---|
| Pump pressure | 15 bar |
Features
| App control | not listed |
|---|---|
| Power | 1,450 W |
Manufacturer figures, checked 2 Nov 2026. — means not listed.
Where to buy the Melitta Purista
- Melitta£399.99Go to Melitta (opens in a new tab)
Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.
Melitta Purista questions
Can the Melitta Purista make cappuccino or froth milk?
No. Melitta lists no milk foam system and no hot water outlet on the Purista. Its one-touch drinks are espresso and café crème, one or two cups at a time, with three strengths and three brewing temperatures. If you want milk drinks, you would need a separate frother, or a machine with a steam wand or a milk system.
How often should I descale a Melitta Purista?
Every three months, or when the descale light comes on. The programme takes about 25 minutes and uses 0.5 litres of Melitta Anti Calc solution, diluted as the bottle says. With a Pro Aqua filter changed six times a year, Melitta says one descale a year is enough at two cups a day. Take the filter out before descaling and keep it in a glass of tap water.
How do I clean the brew unit on a Melitta Purista?
Pull it out and rinse it weekly. With the machine off, hold the red lever, turn the handle and draw the brewing unit out, rinse it under running water, let it drip dry and refit it the same way. If it won’t go back in, press the Coffee key and the two-cup button together for two seconds to reset the drive. Every two months, also run the cleaning programme with a Perfect Clean tablet.
Which water filter fits the Melitta Purista?
Melitta’s Pro Aqua filter cartridge, Melitta UK article 6784658-uk. Change it every two months or when the filter light asks. The water hardness can’t be set while a filter is fitted. Without one, set the hardness from soft, which asks for a descale after 150 litres, to very hard, which asks after 30 litres.
How wide is the Melitta Purista?
20 cm wide, the narrowest bean-to-cup machine we list. Melitta gives it as 33.4 cm tall and 45.9 cm deep, so it is low but deep: measure the depth of your worktop as well as the width of the gap, and leave room to refill the bean container and pull out the brewing unit for its weekly rinse.