Miele CM5300 Review – Is This Coffee Machine a Good Buy?

Miele CM5300 Review – My Ratings & Top Features

Who Should Buy The Miele CM5300?

The Miele CM5300 is perfect for households who love cafe-quality coffee in the comforts of their home without learning how to pull an espresso properly.

It's a fully automatic espresso machine with a OneTouch for Two feature, allowing you to prepare two beverages simultaneously with a touch of a button.

It's also ideal for those who need more time to get ready to go all-in on their espresso journey. As a bean-to-cup coffee machine, it contains everything you need to brew the perfect cup of coffee.

Why I Decided To Review The Miele CM5300 Espresso Machine

If there's one thing I've learned on my coffee-loving journey, there's always a new coffee machine waiting around the corner, ready to surprise you.

That's how I stumbled upon the Miele CM5300. I've had my fair share of super-automatic espresso machines, and their convenience is really game-changing.

However, not every machine offers the same performance and espresso quality. At a glance, the Miele CM5300 is packed with advanced features, but can it actually make good coffee drinks?

Here's how I checked its performance:

What’s It Like To Live With The Miele CM5300

I’ve lived with a couple of fully automatic espresso machines before, and I can confidently say I’ve had more time on my hands, especially in the morning.

The same with the Miele CM5300; its automated features made my morning easy and breezy.

Instead of focusing my time on ensuring that every step of my espresso brewing is done correctly, I let this machine do the work while I sit back and do something else.

On top of that, I get to make two cups at once! What a treat.

What’s In The Box?

If you love the convenience of online shopping, you'll appreciate that Miele ensures safe delivery to your residence and meticulously considers the packaging.

The machine is securely packed and completely well-cushioned.

Inside the box, you’ll find:

It doesn't come with accessories, but it does come with everything you need. The components are already installed in the machine with few removable parts.

This makes it easy to clean and maintain, but we'll get into that in the succeeding sections.

The installation was straightforward since it had only a few removable parts. Just place it on your countertop, and you’re ready to brew.

Pulling My First Espresso Shot

With a super-automatic machine, you don’t really pull a shot. That’s why it’s best suited for coffee lovers without time to learn the intricacies of brewing espresso.

So, how does this coffee maker pull a shot? Let’s start with the basics.

Initial Set Up

Like most coffee machines, the CM5300 requires an initial setup before you can use it.

This includes you cleaning the removable parts and ensuring that there's water in the tank and coffee beans in the grinder. It was pretty straightforward and won't take too much of your time.

As soon as you fire up this coffee maker, you’ll be prompted to set it up. I was impressed with the wide range of languages available for display selection--29 to be exact.

So, if you prefer to use another language for your coffee, you can do so.

There's one thing that disappointed me when I was getting this machine set up. It didn't come with a free water hardness test kit like the Gaggia Cadorna Prestige I recently reviewed.

Now, this little kit is a gem--it lets you test how hard your water is so you can tweak your machine just right.

When you program the water hardness level correctly, the brewer will be able to notify you when descaling is needed correctly.

While it doesn't come with a test kit, you can still program your water hardness level.

However, you need to ask your local water authority about the hardness of your area's water or test it yourself.

After that, you're ready to brew. Simply add coffee beans to the bean hopper and water to the water reservoir, and start a brew cycle.

However, you should note that since most of its crucial parts can't be externally cleaned, the machine's first two brews are essentially useless.

Their role is to eliminate any potential coffee residues from factory testing within the brewing system.

Grinding The Beans

The Miele CM5300 comes equipped with a built-in grinder, a feature I've grown to appreciate in super-automatic espresso machines.

It offers the convenience of grinding your fresh coffee beans directly before brewing, ensuring you get the maximum flavor and aroma from your beans every single time.

The built-in grinder is a high-quality conical burr type known to provide consistent grinds. It comes with a 5-grinder setting, which you can adjust on the right side of the machine.

Remember, a finer grind usually yields a bold, full-bodied espresso, while a coarser one results in a milder, softer flavor.

However, this result can also vary depending on the coffee beans you use, so experiment until you find the right grind setting.

However, one potential drawback is that the grinder might struggle a bit with oilier dark roast beans, which could lead to clogs over time.

For that reason, I recommend sticking to medium roast beans with this machine, or if you use a dark roast, clean the grinder regularly to prevent any potential issues.

If you prefer pre-ground coffee or a decaf option, the machine provides that option too. It has a bypass doser that allows you to use pre-ground coffee directly without going through the grinder.

One last thing, it's quite noisy when it starts grinding the beans. If you make coffee while everyone is still asleep in your home, I recommend using pre-ground coffee instead of whole ones.

The shot may slightly have less quality, but at least you won't disturb anyone's sleep.

Pulling The Actual Shot

With the Miele CM5300, pulling the actual shot is pretty much a breeze. As a super-automatic machine, it takes care of most of the process for you, with minimal input required on your part.

However, don't let this simplicity make you think it's less capable. There's a lot of technical wizardry happening in this coffee system that I found genuinely impressive.

First up, let's talk about the adjustable pre-infusion stage. If you're a coffee machine geek like me, you know that pre-infusing those beans can really pump up the flavor of your espresso.

However, only some people are into that super-strong kick.

If that's you, you'll love this machine coffee system’s option of being able to tweak the length of the pre-infusion stage. You can shorten it to adjust the richness of the flavor.

You can even turn it off if the flavor is too powerful.

Following pre-infusion, the machine shifts into the main extraction phase. Here, the machine employs a high-pressure extraction process using a powerful 15-bar pump.

During this phase, the flavor-rich espresso is extracted from your coffee grounds.

It's worth noting that the Miele CM5300 employs a standard 9-bar pressure during extraction, which is widely considered optimal for espresso brewing.[1]

On top of this, it is also equipped with Miele’s Aromatic System, which ensures coffee aroma and flavor is preserved during the brew cycle.

Talking about shot quality, my first few tries were kind of a letdown.

As I mentioned earlier, those first two brews are for cleaning this coffee maker and should be thrown anyway, but even if they didn't give you the heads up, trust me, you'd want to toss those.

No crema, just bland espresso shots.

However, after a few cycles, things really turn around. The espresso shots start coming out rich, perfectly balanced, and bursting with complex flavors. The crema? Smooth as silk, shot after shot.

First Time Frothing Milk

For my first milk frothing experience with the Miele CM5300 coffee system, I was pleasantly surprised.

If you've spent any time working with a manual steam wand, you'll appreciate the automatic frother feature of this machine.

Simply fill the stainless steel milk flask with cold milk, attach it to the machine, and select your preferred drink from the user-friendly touch panel.

The machine automatically froths milk directly into your cup with just one touch and then adds the espresso shot.

This is a major advantage, especially for first-time users who might find manual frothing daunting.

Do note that the milk flask is a separate accessory for Miele coffee machines, but if you don’t want to purchase it, don’t worry.[2]

I usually just put the milk pipe into the milk carton, and it works just fine. If you have a milk carafe, you can also use that.

The resulting milk froth was velvety and creamy on my first try.

While I've had better milk froth, I think its quality is good enough for an automatic milk frother--nothing special, but it'll get the job done.

Another feature that won my heart is the machine's self-cleaning function for the milk system.

Cleaning milk frothers can be quite a chore, especially if you enjoy your lattes and cappuccinos regularly.

However, with the CM5300 coffee system, a short rinse cycle is initiated after every milk-based drink, which greatly helps maintain hygiene and prolongs the machine's lifespan.

One potential downside is that there's no control over the milk temperature or froth density. The machine does it all automatically.

If you like to have more control over these variables, this may be a minor issue.

However, for most users, especially those who value convenience and ease of use, this automatic frother feature is a real winner.

How Much Control Do You Have Over The Coffee Experience?

When it comes to controlling your coffee experience with the Miele CM5300, this coffee maker does a great job of balancing automation with personalization.

While it may not offer the level of control provided by semi-automatic espresso machines, it still allows you to fine-tune your coffee according to your preferences.

This coffee machine allows you to control variables like pre-infusion time, brewing temperature, amount of milk froth, milk, water quantity, and grind size.

You can also control the amount of coffee the built-in grinder will use, giving you full control to make the perfect coffee.

Oh, did I mention that it also has an adjustable coffee spout?

This means it can accommodate cups of different sizes, allowing you to enjoy coffee in your favorite mug or brew directly into a tall latte glass.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer user profiles like its other super-automatic machines, such as the Gaggia Cardona Prestige.

Despite the lack of user profiles, it does feature a OneTouch for Two mode. This enables you to brew two cups of coffee simultaneously at the simple touch of a button. 

So even if your house is buzzing with guests, you can keep the coffee flowing without breaking a sweat!

How Does It Handle Different Roasts?

The Miele CM5300’s coffee system is designed to handle different roasts skillfully, primarily through the trio of adjustable settings–brewing temperature, grind size, and pre-brewing time.

These key features allow for optimal taste extraction from a variety of coffee bean roasts.

For light roasts, you can use a finer grind size, higher brewing temperature, and longer pre-brewing time to fully extract complex flavors.

Dark roasts benefit from a coarser grind size and lower brewing temperature to prevent a bitter taste. Medium roasts can be catered to by adjusting these settings to a balanced midpoint.

Look, Feel, and Size Of The Machine

When I first saw the Miele CM5300, I was drawn to its minimalist design. Its sleek, all-black exterior blends well with any kitchen decor. If you don’t like this color, don’t worry.

You can also get this coffee maker in graphite gray. However, be prepared to make some space on your counter as it measures 9.5 inches in width, 14.25 inches in height, and 18.2 inches in depth.

The machine is cleverly designed, with all the key components conveniently placed. However, I did notice a couple of design flaws.

The removable drip tray had a tendency to leak when I tried to empty it, which was a bit frustrating.

On top of that, the water tank seemed small, which meant frequent refills for my busy home. The tank holds 44 ounces, so if you're the only person using this machine, it likely won't bother you.

All in all, the Miele CM5300 has a pretty solid, stylish design. Sure, those little issues did put a bit of a damper on my overall coffee-making journey.

Despite those minor drawbacks, the overall value and quality offered by this coffee system far outweigh them.

What Drinks Can It Make?

The CM5300 is a pretty versatile coffee maker that boasts an impressive array of drink options.

This is why it’s an excellent countertop coffee machine for any household who enjoys variety in their morning cup.

It can make both single and double servings of:

This coffee maker also offers a coffee pot option.[3] I found this feature especially useful when hosting brunches, as it allowed me to serve more coffee at once.

It just lacks one thing; it doesn’t dispense hot water, so if you're an Americano fan, you may need to boil hot water separately or choose long coffee.

They both have espresso and hot water; the only difference is when the espresso is poured.

How Easy Is It To Use?

The Miele CM5300 coffee system is delightfully straightforward to operate.

The One-Touch function was a standout feature for me, making it a breeze to brew my favorite drinks at the touch of a button.

You can also make two drinks simultaneously at a touch of a button.

I found the alert system very handy–the machine notified me when the water level was low or needed descaling.

This prevented me from running out of water mid-brew or overlooking essential maintenance, keeping my coffee experiences smooth and uninterrupted.

Although the initial setup required a glance through the manual, the ease of use post-setup more than made up for it.

Whether I was in the mood for a single espresso or a pot of coffee, the CM5300 delivered consistently excellent results with minimal effort from my end.

How Long Does It Take? (From Heat Up To First Sip)

The Miele CM5300 impresses when it comes to heat-up time.

From the moment you switch it on, it takes approximately 45 seconds to warm up and is ready to pull your first shot of espresso or any other drink of your choice.

Once the machine is heated up, pulling a shot of espresso takes around 15-20 seconds.

If you're brewing a milk-based drink, allow 30-40 seconds for the automatic frother to do its job. 

So, in under 3 and half minutes, you have your favorite coffee ready.

Does It Have A Water Filtration System?

Yes, it does. Like all Miele coffee makers, this coffee system has a reusable water filter under the reservoir.

Since it is reusable, you need to clean it once a month to ensure that it continues to work well. I find this convenient and budget-friendly as I don’t incur extra cost for replacement.

How Hard Is It To Clean and Descale?

Cleaning the Miele CM5300 requires some effort, but thankfully, the machine comes with a self-cleaning function.

Whenever I'd finish brewing a drink and switch it off, the machine would rinse the main dispenser.

If I used the milk function, it prompted me to position the milk pipework into the drip tray for a thorough cleaning.

There are several parts to wash regularly - the drip tray, drip tray cover, coffee grounds container, and water container.

These are dishwasher-safe, making my life easier. However, the brew group unit, drip tray cover, bean container lid, and lower panel needed a more hands-on approach.

The brew unit and the main dispenser also require weekly cleaning with the included cleaning tablets. The process was involved but doable, thanks to the manual's detailed instructions.

Despite the self-cleaning convenience, the CM5300 is somewhat high-maintenance due to the extra weekly cleaning tasks.

Nevertheless, cleanliness contributes to the machine's longevity and performance.

My Favorite Parts About The Miele CM5300 Coffee Maker

My experience with the Miele CM5300 coffee system is indeed enjoyable. Here are the things I enjoyed the most:

My Least Favorite Parts About The Miele CM5300

While there are numerous features to admire about the Miele CM5300, a few aspects left me wanting more.

Despite these shortcomings, I still recommend the Miele CM5300 for its superior brewing capabilities, especially if the user values a simple, streamlined coffee-making experience.

Miele CM5300 Vs Similar Machines

CM5300 Vs 5310

The CM5300 and CM5310 Miele models are excellent super-automatic coffee machines from the same manufacturer, with the CM5310 being slightly upgraded.

The CM5310 offers a couple of enhancements, such as a cup warmer, a slightly larger water tank, and an improved grinder. On top of that, the CM5310 is known as the "Silence."

I haven't tried it myself, so I can't say how much quieter it is.

However, the overall functionality and quality of coffee produced by both machines are very similar. If budget isn't a concern, you may prefer the minor improvements of the CM5310.

The CM5310 is typically about $400 more than the CM5300.

CM5300 Vs 5500

Comparing the CM5300 to the CM5500, the latter is a higher-end model offering more advanced features like a hot water spout and creating user profiles to save custom drinks.

The CM5500 also boasts an eco-mode for energy efficiency.

In contrast, the CM5300 is a more budget-friendly option but still delivers excellent espresso and is suitable for those who value simplicity over added features.

CM5300 Vs Gaggia Cardona Prestige

The Gaggia Cadorna Prestige and the Miele CM5300 are fully automated machines with a built-in grinder, auto frother, and even auto cleaning, making them very easy to use.

However, Cadorna Prestige provides more customization options, including the ability to save up to four user profiles.

In comparison, the CM5300 is a bit more compact, making it a better choice for those with limited counter space.

CM5300 Vs Delonghi Dinamica Plus

The Miele CM5300 and Delonghi Dinamica Plus are similar in many respects.

However, the Dinamica Plus includes several extra features like an iced coffee function and the ability to use a smartphone app for remote control and access to additional recipes.

The CM5300 lacks these features but may be preferable for those who prefer a simpler, more straightforward operation without needing tech connectivity.

FAQs

Conclusion - Is The Miele CM5300 Worth Your Money?

After weeks of putting the Miele CM5300 to the test, I can say that it is value for money, particularly for those who prioritize convenience yet still desire a degree of control over the coffee preparation process.

Not only can you tweak several variables on how the machine will brew the coffee, but it also comes with the OneTouch features that allow you to brew a cup or two of your favorite drink with just a touch of a button.

However, it's important to note that the CM5300 may not be the best choice for those who want a more hands-on coffee brewing experience.

If that's what you're looking for, a semi-automatic espresso machine like the Breville Barista Touch or Nuova Simonelli Oscar II better suits your needs.

References: 

1.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7317132_Influence_of_Water_Pressure_on_the_Final_Quality_of_Arabica_Espresso_Coffee_Application_of_Multivariate_Analysis
2. https://www.mieleusa.com/e/milk-container-made-of-glass-mb-cm-g-11574240-p
3. https://www.mieleusa.com/e/toptherm-coffee-pot-cj-jug-1-0l-10694310-p