A beverage maker (1) comprises a chamber (8) for receiving at least one member containing at least one beverage ingredient. During operation of the beverage maker (1), fluid is conducted through the member for the purpose of making a beverage. In order to be capable of determining suitable parameters for processing the member, the beverage maker comprises means (12) for detecting at least one characteristic of a flow which is obtained when a flow of fluid is realized. Furthermore, the beverage maker (1) comprises controller means (10) for processing the detected characteristic, and memory means (11) in which predetermined values of the characteristic are stored, wherein each predetermined value is associated with a specific type of member and at least one suitable parameter for processing the member. By finding the predetermined characteristic which is closest to the detected characteristic, a suitable parameter for processing the member which is actually present in the beverage maker (1) is selected.