Loewe unveils aura.matic, a £5,000 espresso machine that hides its screen behind black glass

The machine is designed to be hidden when idle. A black glass door closes over the front, leaving the face completely plain, and the case combines black aluminium with a wooden frame. TechRadar described it as looking more like a piece of the company's audio equipment than a kitchen appliance.

Behind that door sit a seven-inch colour display, a drip tray fitted with a cup-detection sensor and an illuminated dispenser.

The aura.matic carries twin bean hoppers, which let the user switch between two different coffees without emptying the container currently in use. TechRadar noted that the feature is rare in home machines, with the Siemens EQ900 Plus among the few other examples. Two separately adjustable grinders sit below the hoppers and can be dialled in independently, and the two coffees can also be mixed into a single blend.

The water tank is tucked out of sight beside the dispenser, and the milk system uses a carafe hidden behind a door on the side, both measures intended to keep the exterior uncluttered. A menu of 18 drinks can be customised, and six user profiles allow owners to store their own recipes.

TechRadar's Homes Editor wrote that the twin-hopper arrangement addresses a frequent inconvenience, since switching from regular to decaf coffee in a single-hopper machine normally means using up the beans already loaded and adjusting the grinder again.

Loewe already produces high-end coffee makers alongside its televisions and speakers. At £5,000, the aura.matic is priced well above most home espresso machines. The company says it will be available direct from Loewe later this year.