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Siemens EQ.500 integral review

The “Classic” models have a milk tube that you plug directly into your milk carton. With the “Integral” models, you also get a milk container that you fill with milk and place in the refrigerator after preparation. A milk container looks more visually appealing. The milk tube, on the other hand, is more practical because you save yourself the additional cleaning of the milk container.

By the way, there is also an adapter* for the integral version to use the machine with milk tube only. For those who want to use a milk container now and then, we recommend the Classic version with external milk container*.

You can get the different models from the following vendors:

Because it is not already complicated enough, there are also models with the addition “extra class“. Only Siemens probably knows what exactly is behind this. Most often it is some little extras – for example, a cup heater. Quite practical in itself, however, our test showed that this only gets 40°C warm. Far too little to even notice a difference in the temperature of our drinks.

There are further differences in the color of the casing. You can either get it completely in black, in black-grey, in black-stainless steel (our test device) or white-stainless steel. The second color always explains the colour of the front and the first color the rest of the case.

Milk system

In the EQ.500 integral, the milk container is attached at the front on the left side. It has a volume of 700 milliliters and can be attached to the bean to cup coffee machine in one easy step. After covering it, you just pull it off and put it in the door of the fridge – it fits in there perfectly for us. The milk container makes a high-quality impression. Only the lid is unfortunately not completely airtight.

The preparation of the milk foam is quiet with an average of 62.3 dB – that would mean full points in our test. However, it hisses quite loudly once at the beginning (approx. 79 dB), so we deduct one point.

Bean compartment

On the top right of the bean to cup coffee machine you will find the bean compartment. It has a capacity of 270 grams and is easy to fill through the large opening. The lid is darkened and all around goes a rubber ring that seals the bean compartment tightly. And the lid also sits really tight and does not wobble. The beans are therefore protected from air and light – so the aroma is preserved for a long time.

Inside, a small grid ensures that the beans always well in the direction of the grinder slip And of course that no one can reach in during the grinding process. Directly in front of the bean compartment you will also find a coffee powder compartment, e.g. for decaffeinated coffee. You can even remove this small compartment completely for cleaning.

Grinder

Directly under the bean compartment comes the grinder. A high-quality ceramic disc mill is installed. The grinder is well shielded all around – therefore it is also very quiet in operation with an average of 62.7 dB. Other bean to cup coffee machines are usually noisy above 70 dB.

You can easily adjust the grinder setting via a control in the bean compartment. Unfortunately, there are only 3 levels to choose from – so you can’t experiment quite as much here. But the grinder setting at the finest level is nice and even and fine. We therefore only use the finest grinder setting in the Siemens EQ.500. In a test with a fine-mesh sieve, only individual somewhat larger pieces remain stuck.

Overall, the grinder has a good quality. To get full points, it would have to be able to grind a bit finer. However, it is very quiet and grinds very evenly.

Water tank

At the back left of the bean to cup coffee machine is the water tank. It has a volume of 1.7 liters, which is enough for about 10 drinks. When the tank is empty, a message appears on the display or in the app. You can simply lift the tank via the integrated handle and bring it forward to you. On the left side of the bean to cup coffee machine, a little space is needed to easily reach the tank and the milk container.

The opening of the water tank is very large. Also due to the round shape, it is easy to fill under the tap and also easy to wipe out. At the bottom of the tank is also the connection for the water filter. How to use it is explained in the section “Cleaning”. The tank is made of a bright plastic and definitely looks pretty sturdy.

Coffee spout

You can adjust the height of the milk & coffee spouts from 9 to 13 cm. With a small espresso cup, the distance to the coffee spouts is quite large. We also had a few splashes on the bean to cup coffee machine after drawing. At the same time, 13 cm is a bit low for a large latte macchiato glass. We had to hold the large IKEA glass at a slight angle so that it would fit underneath. This is not ideally solved.

There are two outlets each for coffee and milk. So you can prepare two cups of each drink at the same time. Even with milk drinks. Not many devices can do that. You can place the cups on the cup heater beforehand – this way you have 2-3 degrees more in the cup.

The coffee spouts make a very good impression in terms of quality. Everything is stable and also seems like it will last a long time. The bezel is made of stainless steel and the spout is easily adjustable in height. When you remove the bezel, you can completely remove the milk / coffee spouts. It is easy to clean, but more on that later.

Drip trays & coffee grounds trays

You can access the drip tray and coffee grounds tray via the large service hatch. On the right side is a small handle that you simply pull forward. Inside, you’ll see the brewing unit with its large red handle. Underneath is the coffee grounds tray in the collection tray. You can simply pull them out together towards the front.

The containers and the cup tray (stainless steel) are of very good quality – and everything can also be put in the dishwasher for cleaning. We like the cup tray with the plastic grid in the middle. This is really smart, because it prevents scratches and so everything looks like new for a long time.

brewing unit

In the interior above you can see the brewing unit. Lift the wine-red handle a little and then the brewing unit can be pulled out to the front. We directly notice the comparatively high weight here. Thick plastic is used, and some steel in important places like the stamp. Compared to some of the other brewing units we’ve seen, this one definitely seems very solid.

Display

The large touch buttons and the display are among the visual highlights of the EQ.500. This is also a big difference to the EQ.6 and EQ.9 models – these are set via rotary control. Here, everything works by touch.

The display is very legible from the front/top. It shows you in text form what you have just set or where you are in the menu. The individual drinks are displayed in large images and can be selected directly by touch. All other buttons are clearly labeled, large enough and react even if your fingers are a little wet.

What are the most important settings? The beverage quantity and coffee strength. Depending on the beverage, you can choose between 3-5 levels for the beverage quantity (via ml symbol). So you can quickly and easily adjust the drinks to your cup size. There are 4 levels of coffee strength – mild, normal, strong and very strong (coffee bean symbol).

The double cup option is activated via the double cup symbol, i.e. the machine brews 2 beverages simultaneously. Many other settings await you in the main menu.

In the main menu you can set the temperature of the drinks. There are three levels – normal, high and maximum. We have achieved the best results at the highest levels. For espresso beans, we definitely recommend the “max” level.

Because the display is self-explanatory, you only need the manual in “emergencies”, e.g. to start a larger cleaning program. But even that is actually explained step-by-step in the display. We have read the
operating instructions
nevertheless, we took a closer look at the manual. It is formulated in short, clear sentences and is easy to understand thanks to supplementary images and symbols.

Scope of delivery

In addition to the bean to cup coffee machine including water tank and milk container, we also received a Brita water filter, a descaling and cleaning tablet, instructions and a test strip for measuring water hardness. Also included is another milk tube. You can hang it directly in a milk carton, for example.

In order to compare the different bean to cup coffee machines in our test, we always use the same coffee beans. For the milk foam we always use organic UHT milk with 3.8% fat and we run the water through our table water filter. In this way, we ensure consistent and comparable conditions.

The grinder of the Siemens EQ.500 (unfortunately) only has three levels. We have achieved the best results with the finest grinder setting. Therefore, we have also carried out all tests in this way. Again, as a reminder, the coffee powder is ground evenly and finely. There are few levels, but the result is good for it.

The brewing temperature can also be adjusted in 3 levels – normal, high & maximum. We use the “maximum” level in our tests. However, the exact temperature is not specified.

After switching on , the bean to cup coffee machine is ready for operation in less than a minute. An automatic rinse cycle is performed and the unit preheats. Ex works, the bean to cup coffee machine goes into standby mode after 30 minutes. However, you can set the time yourself in the menu in 5 levels – from 15 minutes to 4 hours.

Espresso

The classic espresso is intense, aromatic and has a fine brown crema. That’s exactly what we want to taste and see in our test. Therefore, we set the aroma to the highest level “very strong”, the beverage quantity to 40 ml and the grinder setting to the finest level. So relatively little water will meet a lot of fine coffee powder. We set the brewing temperature to “max”.

You can choose from a total of four levels (mild – normal – strong – very strong) for the aroma. You can set the beverage quantity in 5 levels from 30 to 50 ml. So there is plenty of room for experimentation.

The preparation takes just under a minute. Immediately after drawing, we measured a temperature of 72°C. The crema is beautifully fine and shimmers light brown. She could still have a could be a bit darker – but that’s complaining on a high level.

In the taste test, the espresso from the EQ.500 convinces with clear aromas and strong intensity. The espresso already comes very close to the top score. Only a few models from our
bean to cup coffee machine test
can keep up.

Caffe Crema

A Caffe Crema from the bean to cup coffee machine also has a thin crema compared to filter coffee. With some bean to cup coffee machines, however, the coffee was too bitter for us. However, Siemens has a good and useful function with the “Doubleshot” that prevents exactly that. In the Doubleshot, two coffee pucks are ground and extracted only briefly each. In this way, as few bitter substances as possible are dissolved, because they arise during a long extraction.

You can choose from four levels of aroma, plus the aforementioned “doubleshot”. You can also set the amount of drink in four levels (80-120-160-200 ml). We select 200 ml, the aroma level “normal” and set the grinder setting back to the finest level. Double cup option is also available to prepare two cups at the same time.

What unfortunately does not work: Doubleshot with the double cup option – a pity. Then the bean to cup coffee machine would have to perform a total of four grinding processes – which probably takes SIEMENS too long.

Drawing Caffe Crema takes a relatively long time at around 1:20 minutes. This is faster with other bean to cup coffee machines. In return, the coffee convinces with an aromatic taste. A little bitterness still comes through, though. The crema shimmers light brown and at up to 84°C, the coffee is decently hot.

Americano

A very good alternative to the Caffe Crema is the Americano. An Americano is an espresso that is extended with hot water. By comparison, all the water is forced through the coffee puck in Caffe Crema. In Americano, an espresso is extracted and then hot water is added to the cup past the coffee puck.

Our testers liked the Americano of the Siemens EQ.500 very much. The espresso flavors come through nicely and hardly any bitterness ends up in the cup. And this is how we set the bean to cup coffee machine – beverage quantity to 160 ml (highest level) and coffee strength “normal”. We leave the grinder setting at the finest level and the brewing temperature at the highest level.

Tip: If you want a large cup of Americano, simply set 120 ml and double cup option. In our test, a typical coffee mug gets almost full.

A cup of 160 ml is ready in a good one and a half minutes – that already takes a relatively long time. Other bean to cup coffee machines are faster. But the taste is convincing all along the line. It’s worth the wait. With the temperature, we also always measured at least 72°C. One small thing bothers us a bit – with the Americano, you have to confirm every time that the milk container has been removed.

Cappuccino

The drinks with milk foam are for many the main argument for a bean to cup coffee machine. And this is exactly where the strength of the Siemens EQ.500 lies. A cappuccino consists of one-third espresso and two-thirds milk foam .The milk foam is conveniently prepared at the touch of a button.

Let’s get to the settings first. There are 5 levels of beverage quantity to choose from, from 120 to 200 ml. We choose exactly the middle with 160 ml. There are 4 levels available for the aroma. We take level 2 of 4 – “normal”. There is also the “Doubleshot” option for a particularly intense cappuccino with little bitterness. However, even with cappuccino, this only works with one cup. We start a double cup option.

Milk foam is ideally between 65 to 70°C hot. Here we measured 66°C – ideal. In the end, the finished cappuccino reaches a temperature of 74°C. The reference took about 2:50 min for 2 cups. For one cup, the machine needs about 90 seconds – that’s pretty fast.

Our test subjects were enthusiastic throughout. The flavors of the espresso come out well and the milk foam is very creamy and fine-pored. Due to the pressure during frothing, only a few larger bubbles are formed. The cappuccino easily passes the spoon check: It sticks well to the spoon, which indicates a good consistency.

Latte Macchiato

Along with cappuccino, latte macchiato is one of the milk foam classics. You can set the beverage quantity in 5 levels from 200 to 360 ml. To make the glass nicely full, we select level 4, i.e. 320 ml. You can adjust the aroma in 4 levels or choose the “Doubleshot” option. A Doubleshot (2 coffee pucks) increases the intensity and reduces the bitterness. With this setting, however, a double cup option is again not possible.

The reference takes an average of just under 2 minutes (1:52 min.). In taste, the latte macchiato is logically milder than the cappuccino. Nevertheless, the espresso flavors still come through easily and are not overpowered by the milk. Just as it should be. The milk foam is again very fine-pored with a few larger bubbles at the very top. The typical three layers are clearly visible after a short time.

In our test, the latte macchiato reaches65°C – the perfect temperature. However, we must note here that the device was already well pointed out after all our references. When we first prepared the latte macchiato (after switching it on for the first time), we just measured 59 °C. That is a little too little. To ensure that the first latte macchiato is really hot, you can prepare hot water beforehand. This causes the lines to heat up again well. It is best to place the latte macchiato glass under the spout. This way you warm up the glass at the same time. With this trick, we still reached 64°C after the first switch-on for latte macchiato.

More drinks

Besides the classics like cappuccino and latte macchiato, the EQ.500 also offers other coffee specialties. These include, for example, the Flat White and the Espresso Macchiato.

Flat White is an Australian cappuccino variation with a light brown milk foam cap. In taste, the Flat White is stronger than a cappuccino and perfect if you like the typical espresso taste. Here, the espresso even goes into the glass first (as would actually be the case with a cappuccino).

Those who like it even stronger should try the Espresso Macchiato. This is an espresso with a small milk foam cap. Ideal for those who find the classic espresso too intense and strong.

You can get many more drinks from the models with app support. Here you will also find the popular milk coffee (Cafè con Leche) – consisting of half coffee and half frothed milk. There are many more drinks available to you via the Home Connect app. We have summarized what these are and what is behind them in the following table:

Now we will go into all the options that the EQ.500 offers you to adjust the drinks to your personal taste. For example, the beverage quantity, the aroma, the grinder setting or the brewing temperature. We’ll also take a closer look at the app and explain whether you can also create your own recipes or profiles.

Adjust beverage quantity and aroma

The beverage quantity and the coffee strength (aroma) are among the most important settings. Depending on the beverage, you can choose from 3-5 levels with exact milliliter specifications for the beverage quantity. So you can quickly and easily adjust the drinks to your cup size. For large cups you can also activate the double cup option. For example, we often pull 2×120 ml of Americano to get a large cup. Some models even offer a “coffee pot” function with which you can prepare just under 500 ml. However, this corresponds to a very small jug at most. 😉

The aroma has 4 levels: mild, normal, strong and very strong. The higher the level, the more coffee powder is used. For Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato and Caffe Crema, there is still the option “Doubleshot”. If you enable this option, the machine will use two coffee pucks per drink. Then two short extractions take place. This is because the longer an extraction takes, the more bitter substances are released from the coffee bean.

So with the “Doubleshot” you get an intense drink with less bitterness. The difference is definitely noticeable in the taste. The disadvantage: the preparation takes a little longer due to the second grinding and brewing process. This is probably also the reason why this function is not available with the double cup option.

The following table gives you an overview of the possible settings for the beverage quantity:

Adjust grinder setting

These two settings also have a direct influence on the taste. For the grinder setting, there are (unfortunately) only three levels available. However, the coffee powder is ground quite small on the finest level. The finest grinder setting is therefore ideally suited for espresso and all beverages that have espresso as their base. If you drink mostly caffe crema or latte, the medium grinder setting is the best.

Adjust brewing temperature

You can set the brewing temperature, i.e. how hot the water is when it hits the coffee puck, in 3 levels – normal, high and max. We have achieved the best results at the highest levels. Unfortunately, an exact degree number is not specified. You can set the temperature in the menu for all drinks together. In the app, there is even the option to set the temperature for each drink individually.

There is no possibility to adjust the temperature for the milk foam. So here’s another tip for hotter milk foam. We know that for some of you it can’t be hot enough. Preheat the lines properly by preparing some hot water first. The hot water and the steam for frothing the milk run through the same pipes. This gave us an additional 3 degrees in the test.

Control via Home Connect app

The app allows you to make all drink settings directly from your smartphone. Select a beverage, adjust the beverage quantity, aroma and brewing temperature – all possible. You can even start the brewing process. In the app are another 7 drink recipes that you can send to the bean to cup coffee machine and have it prepare. Your smartphone simply sends the recipe to the bean to cup coffee machine via Wi-Fi. However, these additional recipes are not stored on the bean to cup coffee machine. You always need your smartphone to start the reference. How exactly the app works you can see in our
video
see. Here we prepare some drinks, such as cappuccino, latte macchiato and latte exclusively with the app.

You can also access a digital version of the manual via the app. You can also contact customer service and view various statistics (e.g., how many drinks have already been prepared). As you can see, the app offers several advantages. Nevertheless, you always have to be nearby to fill the milk container or water tank, for example. Unfortunately, the dream of “controlling the bean to cup coffee machine directly from bed in the morning” does not come true either. This is because the device always carries out a rinsing process after being switched on. This way, the rinse water ends up directly in your cup, which you placed so nicely under the coffee spout the day before.

Nevertheless, the setting via smartphone is a bit more convenient and of course cooler. We would still prefer it if the additional drinks were stored directly on the bean to cup coffee machine – then you wouldn’t necessarily always have to rely on your smartphone. 😉

Create recipes & profiles

Here we come to a difference compared to the EQ.6 and EQ.9. Unfortunately, it is not possible to create multiple profiles on the Siemens EQ.500. However, the bean to cup coffee machine remembers your settings for different beverages.

The missing profiles are only annoying when several people want to drink the same beverage regularly and set it differently. If person A drinks only espresso and cappuccino and person B only caffe crema and latte macchiato, there’s no problem. Nevertheless, we deduct a few points in our test for the missing profiles.

Unfortunately, it is also not possible to create your own recipes. You can only change the milk content of the cappuccino via the beverage quantity, but you cannot program it freely. However, the bean to cup coffee machine offers a wide selection of different coffee specialties. If cappuccino is not strong enough for you, you can choose a Flat White (more espresso). We even like the fact that the bean to cup coffee machine stays true to the original recipes.

Other settings in the menu

In the menu you can make some other settings. For example, you can set the stand-by time in 5 levels between 15 minutes and 4 hours. You can also change the language, activate the key tones or completely reset the bean to cup coffee machine to factory settings.

The menu also allows you to set the water hardness and activate your filter, if you use one. Setting the correct water hardness is important so that the bean to cup coffee machine can tell you when it needs to be descaled.

Only a clean bean to cup coffee machine can prepare an intense espresso and fine milk foam. Regular cleaning is therefore very important. You should pay particular attention to the milk system, the brewing unit and the collection trays. All in all, cleaning and maintaining your Siemens EQ.500 takes about 20 minutes per week.

In addition, you will need to descale approximately every 1-3 months, depending on how hard your water is and how many beverages you prepare. The
Decalcification
takes about 30 minutes in total and for you the active effort is 5-10 minutes.

We have told you about the
most important cleaning agents
the original and a cheaper alternative.

Clean milk system

In the Siemens EQ.500, the milk system consists of a milk adapter and a thin hose through which the milk is sucked in. Models with “integral” in the name come with a milk container. The “classic” models are supplied without a milk container.

What we really like – all parts of the milk system are dishwasher safe. In addition, a short burst of hot steam is passed through the milk spout after each milk foam is drawn (autoMilk clean). In our test, this usually worked well, but sometimes a drop of milk remains at the milk spout.

Milk adapter and milk container may be placed in the dishwasher

In addition, there is a short program to flush the milk spout at the touch of a button. However, with the “integral” this only works when the milk container is empty, because water also runs into the container. With the “classic” you can start this program at any time and hang the milk tube in an empty cup. We therefore like the “classic” better in this respect.

You should fill the milk container completely once, consume the milk quickly and clean everything thoroughly after 2-3 days. In between, put the milk container in the refrigerator.

Our tip for cleaning: Rinse the milk container thoroughly as soon as it is empty and then start the automatic “Clean milk system” program. Then remove the coffee spouts cover and pull out the milk adapter using the small white lever. Now rinse everything thoroughly or simply put all the individual parts, including the milk container, in the dishwasher.

automatic cleaning program for the milk tubes

In total, you should allow about 12 minutes per week for cleaning the milk system in the EQ.500 integral and about 7 minutes per week in the EQ.500 classic . For these estimates, we assumed you prepare about 20 drinks a week.

Cleaning programs

Besides the cleaning program for the milk system, there are two other programs. Once for descaling (30 minutes) and another for degreasing the brewing chamber (10 minutes).

For both programs there is a respective special cleaning tablet We have selected the original and a cheaper alternative for you. During the warranty, we always use the original products, but that is of course up to you.

Before both programs, the brewing unit should be rinsed warm. So that you do not have to do this twice, there is also the option to run both programs together. This large cleaning program is called “calc’n Clean” and takes about 45 minutes.

Everything is explained to you step-by-step via the display. So you don’t need to look for the instructions. The overall effort is comparatively low and is effectively 10 minutes for this detailed program.

Cleaning the brewing unit

You can easily remove the brewing unit of the Siemens EQ.500. To do this, first switch off the bean to cup coffee machine, then open the service lid and you can unlock and pull out the brewing unit using the wine-red lever.

Rinse brewing unit once a week with clean water

We recommend that you rinse the brewing unit thoroughly with clean, warm water once a week. For small corners you can still use a cleaning brush or a brush. Please do not use any grease-dissolving agents, as brewing units are lightly greased. This is the only way to keep them running “like clockwork”.

Cleaning guide

We found slightly more coffee residue on the brewing unit itself than on other bean to cup coffee machines. Since it is also relatively large and bulky, there are in our
bean to cup coffee machine test
unfortunately not the full score.

Overall, the effort required to clean the brewing unit, including degreasing the brewing chamber every 200 cups, is about 5 minutes per week.

Drip tray & coffee grounds container

Just like the brewing unit, you can reach the collection trays via the front service flap. You can simply pull out the two containers to the front. When the coffee grounds tray is full, a message appears on the display and the blue float of the drip tray peeks through the cup grate.

Note in the display – Empty drip tray

Unfortunately, the containers are relatively small and therefore have to be emptied after 6-7 drinks. We always empty the coffee grounds tray directly into the organic waste. The drip tray has a small “ramp” that makes emptying easier. Once a week you should rinse everything thoroughly by hand or put the containers in the dishwasher.

Clean container by hand or in dishwasher

In Compared to the EQ.300 the coffee pucks here are well pressed and also relatively dry. However, some coffee grounds always end up in the drip tray, since the coffee grounds tray is quite small. This works better with other bean to cup coffee machines.

quite small coffee grounds tray and full drip tray

Since everything is dishwasher safe, cleaning the collection trays only takes about 3 minutes per week.

Siemens EQ.500 descale

How often you need to descale depends on how hard the water is and whether you use a water filter. If you have hard water, you need to descale about once a month. With soft water, you need to descale about every 3 months. If you always use a water filter, you can add another 2-3 months.

It is important that you use the enclosed test strip and set the water hardness on the bean to cup coffee machine. Only then will you be reminded to descale in good time. If you do not change anything, the bean to cup coffee machine will assume that the water is very hard and may ask you to descale unnecessarily early.

The program takes about 30 minutes in total, while the effective effort for you is about 10 minutes. It is best to combine it with the program for degreasing the brewing chamber, then you will save yourself the double execution of some steps. Compared with other bean to cup coffee machines, the effort is then relatively low.

You still have a question yourself or tips for other users about this device? Then feel free to leave us a comment.