Out of the BoxWilfa Performance
The Wilfa Performance still follows the now kind of dated practice of a shiny, heavily printed box for its products. I get it. It means more eyeballs on the store shelf. But As more and more companies are moving towards sustainable and 100% compostable packaging for their coffee brewers, espresso machines and grinders, Wilfa should consider the same.
To their credit, most of the packaging for the Performance is either recyclable, compostable, or both. The outer box is recyclable. The forms holding the machine safely inside are compostable. And the LDPE plastic is sort of recyclable.
That plastic, used to protect the machine from scratches during transport, is another area Wilfa could make an easy change, going to compostable “plastics” (not really plastic) for the last layer of protection.
All set up on the counter, the Wilfa Performance strikes a minimalist, all-business profile that still absolutely oozes design beauty. The low profile base has some serious heft to it. On the left side, (hidden slightly), is a power switch, which can be left always on if one prefers. The water tower easily, yet confidently snaps into and out of place on the left side of the machine. Wilfa got the whole removable water tower element absolutely right with this machine. In fact, it makes you wonder why more manufacturers don’t design auto drip coffee makers this way.
All the machine’s electronics, heating element and pump (yes, this brewer has a pump) are located under the water tower insert location and the middle part of the brewer’s base. Everything inside is low profile. I’ve seen a cutout photo of the internals, and it reminds me slightly of the inside of a MacBook Pro.
The water tower has water level markings (accurate too – we measured!) with a feature more auto drip coffee makers should have: suggested coffee doses in grams are right under each water level indicator. Being that this machine is for the USA market primarily, Lardera got Wilfa to change the water level indicators to US fluid ounces, instead of milliliters.
Centrally is the thin profile tower and arm that bring water up to the brewing chamber. A locking slot area on the right side of the vertical tower holds the removable filter assembly. The all metal construction of the tower and arm is slim, solid, and well built.
The Wilfa Performance has a rather narrow shower screen for dispersing brewing water over the bed of coffee. Normally this would be a negative, but other engineering designs within the machine overcome this apparent deficiency, which I’ll get to further on in this First Look.
The filter assembly is very easy to slot into place and remove; yet while it is in place, it sits very stable and securely. I’ve seen other reviewers complain it’s a bit “janky” to fit the filter assembly into place on the Performance, but I’ve had no such issues at all: it’s intuitive and always just seems to fit right without any fiddling. The filter assembly takes Melitta #4 (and possibly #6) conical filters. Most coffee experts believe the Melitta cone filter is the best design for most auto drip coffee makers that brew less than 1.3 litres of coffee.
The real genius of the Wilfa Performance can be found in the filter assembly’s base: there is an easy to turn clicky select dial that lets you set the flow rate for the filter holder. You can completely shut it off, or click through a range that works with small 8oz brews of coffee, up to the full volume amount. This turns out to be a major feature on this auto drip brewer.
The adjustable collar on the filter basket holder is one of many innovations and unique features of the Wilfa coffee brewers.
The Wilfa Performance carafe and carafe lid are another work of understated, minimalist beauty. The carafe on this model is all glass, including the handle. I had initial concerns about the longevity of the carafe given its all-glass nature, but it appears to be pretty solid and beefed up where it needs to be. I also asked Lardera about replacement carafes should you accidentally break yours, and Van Totenhove assured me Lardera would stock them and the price wouldn’t be outrageous.
The pour spout is, frankly, fantastic. I never had a single problem with drips or liquid not going where I wanted to, pouring with this carafe. The lid fits nicely and snugly on top, has a very low profile, but also has the Melitta / Technivorm invented (both invented this around the same time in the 1960s) mixing spout to bring all brewed coffee to the bottom of the carafe right away so it mixes up nicely. As a side note, I feel every auto drip coffee maker should have this feature – it makes a big difference if you’re someone who just grabs a cup and pours, without any agitation after the brewing is over.
Under the carafe is the dreaded heating plate. When we do the full review on this brewer, I will measure its temperatures and talk more about how hot plates degrade coffee quality; but for now, know that it keeps the coffee hot for 30 minutes. Personally I’m fine with a hot plate under fresh brewed coffee for maybe 10 minutes, enough to enjoy your first cups, and then get to the machine for the second cup 10-15 minutes later.
Lastly, on the right front side of the machine’s base is a soft-touch power button. It only serves one function: turning the machine on to brew, or turning it off at any time.
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Wilfa PerformanceDesign Concept
When you first spot a Wilfa auto drip coffee maker of any type, the natural reaction might be “it’s just a Technivorm rip-off”. Putting aside the fact that the Technivorm borrowed heavily from a design called the Wigomat coffee maker from 1954 (15 years before the first Technivorm Moccamaster was sold), auto drip coffee makers usually come in three configurations: reservoir on top (original Mr. Coffee machines), reservoir behind (most Braun and Krups brewers in the 1990s), or reservoir on the side (like a Technivorm or a Wilfa, or a Melitta for that matter (the Melitta Clarity)).
Where the Wilfa differs – very dramatically in fact – from the Technivorms is in two areas. First, the water reservoirs are fully removable, which adds an unprecedented level of convenience in operating their machines.
The fully removable reservoir on the Performance is brilliant and well engineered.
Second, Wilfa machines are pump driven, which is a rarity in the world of auto drip coffee makers. Both of these features are covered more below.
The Wilfa machines (all of them) have a third feature which absolutely trumps Techivorms and most other auto drip coffee makers: the flow rate out of the filter assemblies are fully customizable. You can go from total unimpeded flow rates (based on the maximum diameter of the exit spout on the filter assembly), right down to mere drips per second, really restricting flow rate. You can also shut it off entirely at the beginning of the brew, turning the brewing process into a full saturation method instead of a flow through, at least for a time.
This is the real reason why this brewer is so fun to use, and experiment with.
Wilfa machines also have another design concept in mind: simplicity of use. There’s no clocks, no timers, no count ups, no count downs, no delayed starts, no multiple brewing options (with a caveat – you create your own brew options by selecting what flow rate you want from the filter assembly). It’s simply press, brew, and the machine times out 30 minutes after the internal pump shuts off after all the water’s been used.
First UseWilfa Performance
As with every coffee making machine, you should always run through a few plain water cycles on the Wilfa Performance before brewing your first cup, so that’s what I did. The reservoir was filled to max, and the front power button was pressed, starting the water heating and coffee brewing process (sans coffee). I kept the adjustable flow rate valve at maximum too.
Doing this, I noticed that the machine is pretty fast overall. A blank full brew process took 4.5 minutes, start to finish; the pump was engaged for less time (4 minutes), and the machine continued to drain the heated water into the carafe for another 30 seconds – will be longer under a coffee load.
Before receiving the Wilfa Performance, I researched the machine, read (and watched) reviews by various European and British reviewers, and noted some of them had issues with how the filter assembly sat in the hook assembly on the machine. I had absolutely no problems with it: every time I placed it into its slot, it sat firmly and securely. Removing it is also extremely easy.
First Brews
Once the machine had a few cycles, my next tests were doing full brew batches on the machine, operating it as hands off as possible. Brewing time at maximum batch size is again, reasonably fast, at x minutes to the last drips coming out of the filter (the pump ran for the same length of time it did during my no-coffee operation of the machine.
Cup quality is… good at maximum brew size, hands off operating with the flow valve fully open. On my third test run, I also brewed a 350ml batch of the same coffee (the beautiful Costa Rica H3 Volcan Azul Honey finish coffee from Social Coffee Company) manually using a Hario V60 and Hario’s paper filters. In comparing the taste, the Hario brew was noticeably better, with more nuance and depth to the cup but the Wilfa’s full batch brew was by no means terrible. If I had to rate the two, the V60 would get an 8.5, and the Wilfa a 6.5-7.0 at full batch, hands off brewing. (I’m a very tough scorer – I rarely give anything above 9 points out of 10).
Cleanup is an absolute breeze with the Wilfa Performance machine. As mentioned repeatedly, the filter assembly removes quite easily, and it’s just a matter of dumping the spent filter and grounds into our compost bin, giving it (and the coffee carafe) a good rinse under the sink tap, and putting them back into place on the machine.
My next series of tests were doing smaller batch sizes with the Wilfa Performance; specifically, 24oz, 16oz, and even 8oz brews. The only change I made to the machine was adjusting the flow rate dial on the filter assembly to match my brew sizes. I won’t go into timings here, but I did compare the taste of each batch to the Hario V60 manual pourover 350ml batches I brewed alongside with the Wilfa.
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24oz Batch Brew
A lot closer in flavour profile and overall taste to the Hario V60, but the V60 still took the win here. Aromas were excellent, and the body in the cup was very pleasing.
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16oz Batch Brew
This was so close to the flavour of the Hario V60 brew that I could not spot a difference. It was so close, I repeated this test and got the same results: if anything, I would almost give the nod to the Wilfa.
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8oz Batch Brew
This was not as good as the Hario V60 brew, and was slightly underextracted and thin. It was still a good cup of coffee (my notes say I gave it a 7.0 rating) and extremely fast to get a cup. I felt if I had fully restricted the brew for the first 30-45 seconds (shutting off the adjustable flow rate entirely) it would have been much better.
Other First Impressions
After using the Wilfa Performance for the first week, I’ve come away with some thoughts on what are the best and worst features of the machine.
Best Features
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The overall look is stunning. I think this is the most beautiful auto drip coffee maker I’ve ever tested. It just suits the kind of minimalist elegance ethos I appreciate in Scandinavian design.
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The water temperature is spot on. I’ll have more detailed analysis in our full review, but initial testing shows it is very centre within SCA Gold Cup specs, and is very steady over the brew cycle.
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That removable water tank is a fantastic feature and I can’t help but wonder why other companies don’t do this with their auto drip machines.
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The markings for suggested coffee doses on the water reservoir are not only brilliant, but I can say they’re very close to the standard ratios we’ve used in the CoffeeGeek testing lab for well over a decade. We follow the SCA Gold Ratio Standard with small modifications.
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Love the soft touch, single touch operating button.
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I can’t get enough of that adjustable flow rate dial on the filter assembly. Brilliant.
Worst Features
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Still has pump noise, something we normally don’t associate with auto drip coffee makers
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I am worried about the long term fragility of the carafe, even though it seems durably constructed. At least replacement carafes should be available (I’d almost buy one as a backup just in case 10 years from now it breaks and this model is no longer being made).
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Relatively poor water distribution via the very small water dispersion screen, if you’re operating the machine at full flow rates and hands off. But there’s a big caveat to this, covered in the next major section.
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The gorgeous surface picks up fingerprints, water spots easy.
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Yeah, it's got a hot plate.
Longer Term UseWilfa Performance
Right at the introduction to this First Look, I stated the Wilfa Performance has some serious hands on ability to deliver a custom brewing process. I’ve also stated that the Wilfa is super simple to use, without a lot of technological bells and whistles. Are these at odds with each other? Not at all. You can operate this machine completely hands off, letting its automated processes work to brew a pleasing cup of coffee.
But you can also go hands on with this machine – quite easily – giving you the ability to tweak and refine how it brews coffee. It has to do with two things: first, the mechanically adjustable flow rate dial on the filter assembly; and second, the brewing area is quite accessible if you leave the filter assembly’s cap off.
Hands On with the Flow Rate
The easiest way to tweak and fine tune your brews on the Wilfa Performance is to adjust the flow rate dial on the filter assembly a few times during your brewing cycle. I found that if I’m doing under 24oz of coffee with the machine, closing the flow valve entirely for the first 15-45 seconds of the brew (depending on how small your brewing volume is) can result in a much better cup: even better than a manual pour over devices like a Hario V60. How is this possible?
Because for a short time, you’re converting this machine to a full saturation brewing device. Pour Overs are flow-through devices, no matter how well you saturate the bed of coffee. Ditto for auto drip coffee makers. This is why big honkin’ dispersion screens in most other auto drip machines are important: the more fully they saturate the bed of coffee in their automated flow through (auto-drip – get it?) brewers, the better your overall extraction is.
With the Wilfa, you can pretty much bypass the need for a big dispersion screen (which it does not have), and create a full saturation brew that leads to better overall extraction. If you’re brewing 16oz, leave the valve closed for 30 seconds after the pump starts, then dial it to the 16oz position for flow rate. Try up to 45 seconds for the 8-10oz brews.
You can also adjust the flow rate continuously during the brew cycle for further custom results. When doing more than 24oz brews, try leaving the flow rate at a lower volume (like the 16oz position) for the first minute of the brewing cycle, then gradually open it up to whatever volume you’re brewing during that particular batch. This slows down the initial pass through rate, giving better earlier extraction and more even saturation of the grounds.
One thing to note though: for all these hands on changes in the flow rate, be very careful not to overflow the filter. You can see how much is in the filter by peeking through the hole in the filter’s lid. And speaking about that lid…
The Wilfa allows you to adjust the flow rate of the brewer, including setting it for full drip stop mode, or full immersion brews. Just be careful not to overflow the filter basket.
Stirring the Slurry
One thing I discovered early on with the Wilfa Performance is that, because the brewing area is so easily accessible (unlike most auto drip coffee makers) during operation, you should consider leaving the filter assembly lid off for the start of the brew. Why would you do that?
Combined with closing the flow valve completely, you can give the growing slurry of brewing coffee a gentle stir using a spoon or wooden stir stick to further increase the overall saturation and extraction levels of the coffee.
I found this particularly useful for batch sizes from 24oz down to 8oz brews. Just a few gentle stirs to mix up the ground coffee with the initial hot water delivered, then I would put the filter cap back on (it retains heat in the brewing area), open the flow rate valve to whatever batch size I was brewing, and the result were cups of coffee that easily beat a manual pour over brew using the same coffee.
This is quite hands on, and requires trial and error on your part (lots of tasting, lots of changing how you stir, how long you leave the flow rate valve closed, lots of experimenting with coffee doses, etc) but just having this ability in an auto drip coffee maker literally makes this machine exciting to use.
I’m still learning methods for getting the best possible cup of coffee out of the Wilfa Performance, and when we publish our formal review, I’ll have some more concrete “recipes” to show the step by step process to elevate an already good cup of coffee from this machine into an exceptional one. But for now, I’m having a lot of fun doing it.
vs. the Wilfa Precision
I covered the history of the Wilfa Precision in a blog post recently, so it won’t be rehashed here. What we will do is compare the old Precision to this new Performance model, and talk about what has changed and improved.
Fixed and Improved
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The Performance brewer uses a DC powered motor, which is much more reliable than the Precision’s AC powered motor.
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The Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) have been re-engineered and redesigned to be more simple and less prone to errors, which was a problem on the old Precision brewer.
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All the aluminum tubing found on the Precision model has been replaced by stainless steel tubing in the Performance brewer. This will lead to less clogging issues, and much longer durability.
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Aluminum housing on the Precision, which had cosmetic issues, replaced with a high end hybrid plastic housing that makes the machine lighter, but maintains its aesthetic qualities better.
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Internal construction was simplified and better organized, with less glue used; the result is the machine is much easier to service if it needs it.
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Coffee carafe completely re-designed and now an all glass model; on the Precision, the carafe poured poorly, and was prone to falling apart (plastic parts glued to glass).
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Water tank has better lock-in mechanism, making it both more secure but also easier to detach.
In addition to these fixes and improvements, the Performance is different from the Precision model in other ways:
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ConclusionWilfa Performance
This is easily the longest first look we’ve ever published on CoffeeGeek, (and we’ve published some long ones!) The reason is, I hope, very clear: I’m very excited about the Wilfa Performance, and I never thought an auto drip machine would get me so excited to brew coffee.
Let’s face some facts: Wilfa’s reputation in the USA isn’t the greatest, because of how poorly the old Precision model — the only auto drip brewer they’ve imported into the USA until now — did. Some seven years later, this small appliance maker, partnering up with Lardera Coffee, is re-entering the market and it appears the company wants to correct previous mistakes.
The Wilfa Performance is designed to be minimalistic, easy to approach, and easy to use. It is all that, but it also offers the serious Coffee Geek the ability to fool around. Go hands on. Stir things up: literally. Everything wrong with the old Precision brewer has been fixed in this model. Other things that were fine in the Precision model were improved in this Performance brewer. And most importantly, the Performance model maintains all the best elements of Wilfa’s older auto drip coffee makers, including the dial-a-flow-rate filter assembly, the removable water tank, and the pump driving water through the machine.
I plan on testing this machine very long term: at least six months of daily use. I want to really test the durability and reliability of the Wilfa Performance so I can (hopefully) give an honest and very tested opinion on it down the road in a full review, complete with scores, ratings, and comparisons to other auto drip coffee makers.
But after nearly a month of using the machine daily, with well over 25 bags of coffee put through it, I feel very comfortable saying this is one of the best auto drip coffee makers I’ve ever used. Is it perfect? Not at all. For instance, while the small dispersion screen was not an issue for me in most of my brews because I manipulated the coffee slurry or did a partial full immersion brew, for many people using this brewer 100% hands off, the chances of under extracted and over extracted coffee is higher. The small dispersion screen is a trade off for the easily accessible filter area for hands on brewing.
Lardera Coffee will have the Wilfa Performance for sale this early fall for $249. They will also be handling all the warranty service in the USA.
We use Social Coffee exclusively while testing all coffee and espresso brewing equipment. For the purposes of testing the Performance, we used three grinders: a Baratza Vario+, an Orphan Espresso Apex Grinder, and a Timemore Chestnut C2 grinder.
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