Melitta launches Cafina CT8plus, high-capacity machine for custom coffee drinks

The real test for a fully automatic machine is not whether it can pour an espresso, but whether it can keep up when a menu runs from cappuccino to pistachio latte without slowing the line. Melitta Professional’s Cafina CT8plus is aimed squarely at that problem, with a May 2026 launch that lets operators process up to four bean varieties and up to four milk or plant-based alternatives fresh, while storing recipes and preparation profiles in standardized form for touch-control selection.

Melitta is positioning the CT8plus as the top model in its CT series, and the spec sheet leans hard into consistency at volume. The machine comes with up to four high-performance grinders, a stainless-steel brew group, ACS automatic quality control, TopFoam Plus for stable milk foam, and two separate milk systems to keep dairy and non-dairy drinks apart. Fully automatic cleaning is another selling point: Melitta says it requires only cleaner and no manual removal, a clear nod to the labor pressure that hits travel hubs, bakeries, hotels, restaurants and self-service counters first.

The broader menu strategy is just as important as the hardware. Melitta says classics such as café crème, espresso, cappuccino and latte macchiato still need to land with consistently high quality, but the drinks driving attention now include pistachio latte, protein cold brew and strawberry matcha latte. The optional Low Pressure Brew function extends the machine beyond espresso into filter-coffee-style drinks without crema, which gives operators another lane for guests who want a lighter cup without adding another brewer to the bar.

Melitta Professional is tying the launch to Internorga 2026 in Hamburg under the banner “Explore Coffee Variety,” where it plans to show the CT8plus alongside the CT6 and digital payment solutions. The company said the trade-fair concept is being tailored to different segments for the first time, with quick-service restaurants, self-service fuel-station concepts, bakeries, hotels, restaurants and cafés each getting their own angle. For operators, the message is simple: beverage variety is no longer a side feature, it is part of the core equipment spec. For guests, that means the fully automatic machine is getting close enough to barista-style customization that the difference increasingly comes down to speed, consistency and whether the cup tastes good enough to order again.