| 71131 | 71131 | B002PI82P0 | A22LFANACXF9PT | RJ "Strategy is Better Than Strength" | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1338336000 | Great Machine for the Money | I looked to this machine after I purchased and returned a Saeco machine costing more than 50% more than this one. Sure, it had lots of sensors, bells and whistles and a complicated milk frother, but guess what? It was dead on arrival. The machine couldn't hold its water--literally--and as it heated up water ran out the back and all over my countertop. I took it as a bad sign.
Trust me, the more bells and whistles, the more things that can go wrong. This Vienna machine, on the other hand, hits a sweet spot. Just enough controls--grind, coffee dose, serving size, single or double shot)--and one fault sensor. The brew group (the inner assembly that makes the coffee) seems solid and is easy to remove and clean. The unit's lower cost seem to come from a cheapo-looking plastic housing they use; it's totally uninspired. Can't say it is flimsy in that I've had no probs with it so far. Besides, the coffee tastes very good, and you can't drink the housing anyway.
I am sure there are all-metal authentico machines with big boilers and electronic controls that make a somewhat better cup, so I can't give it 5 stars. But are you a professional coffee taster? I can say that four months since purchase it has worked flawlessly and consistently. I like its coffee and the wonderful crema. Foams milk quickly as well. To keep your beverage hot, do microwave water in your half-filled cup until hot in advance of brewing (discard the water once hot unless you are going Americano).
The critics are right when they say this unit wont pump hot water thru the finest grind settings, nor can you get true cafe Americano simply by choosing a large serving size. So stay south of the halfway mark on the serving-size dial. To go American use the micro as I suggested above and add a couple of espresso shots.
Hard-core coffee geeks will say you can do better than this machine but I say it isn't worth it. I have been to Italy and done many shots from the "bars" there and I still say get this one. Save money by buying this one so you can go to Italy and study up on becoming an espresso snob!
Oh and a warning: you will drink a lot more coffee, but you will also add a lot more bright-eyed joy to your life! |
| 71132 | 71132 | B002PI82P0 | AMZCZBK1EF1PV | Michael D | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1309305600 | Grinder failed after 21 months. Assume a lifetime of 1-2 years. | I edited this review in October 2012, after my machine broke.
I bought the Saeco Vienna Plus 21 months ago to replace a much-loved and much-used Solis Master 5000. My understanding was that the Vienna Plus had basically the same internal components as my old Solis. I got over 8000 coffees out of the old Solis over the course of 8 years, before its boiler gave out. (The Solis had a digital coffee counter). I loved the Solis.
The machine had some minor problems, for example, it seems to leak water into the drip tray (I read somewhere that's a feature, not a bug), a plastic knob broke (fixed with glue), and the dosage dials stopped adjusting. A few weeks ago, however, the machine began to smell like burnt machine gears, and as it worsened, the stench now contaminates the coffee. The cost for repair would be $150 labor, plus $225 for a new grinder ($350 total). Less for a used grinder. I'm 9 months out of the 12-month warranty. We make an average of 3 espressos daily.
I would *not* have bought this machine had I known the experience I would have. I have lowered by rating from 5 stars, to 1 star. I agree with the sentiment of some other reviewers that this superautomatic machine makes most sense if you don't expect longevity. Assume a lifetime of 1-2 years.
Another point of interest, if you follow the Solis/Saeco product line, is that there is no water-level detector. The machine just runs, and if the water runs out, it times out (it does not overheat). You just refill the water tank, re-prime (e.g., run the water wand for a few seconds) and make the coffee again.
I'm replacing it with a Breville Barista Express BES860XL Machine with Grinder, which requires an extra step when making an espresso, but after watching several videos, I think the BES860XL will taste much better, and be a convenient part of my morning espresso. |
| 71133 | 71133 | B002PI82P0 | AKZTPKUF24X6M | Picky picky picky | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1312156800 | Espresso in a hurry | Update #1, I've owned it for over 1 year and make 6 shots per day. It makes excellent espresso and has worked perfectly. I have upgraded it from 4 to 5 stars. It's still a bit noisy and inexpensive looking, but it works great.
Original review... My impression upon unpacking is that there's a lot of plastic used everywhere visible. In fact the only metal visible is on the frothing wand. At the price point I don't object, but be ready for it. The plastic used is similar to that used in model cars and planes, rigid, but possible breakable. It is, however, reassuringly thick and I expect it to be durable.
The Vienna Plus has a "form follows function" look as opposed to "styled". To my eye it's sort of an R2D2 look. Another reviewer said VW Beetle looking...I can see that too.
My hand fits into a recess in the back of the water tank perfectly making it a cinch to remove and carry. Frothing the milk is very easy. Depress the steam button, wait for the green light and twist the steam valve knob on the right hand side until the water spurts stop and only steam comes out. Twist the knob the other way to stop the steam, submerge the tip of the wand in your cold milk and reopen the steam valve. That's it. You don't have to do anything else because the "Panarello" wand draws air in from the top. That means you don't have to keep the tip just at the milk's surface, submerged works just fine.
After you froth the milk it takes quite a while to cool the boiler enough to make espresso. If you "un-depress" the steam button, open the steam valve and run some water through the wand it will cool the boiler enough to stop the blinking "too hot" lights in a few seconds.
Both the grind and quantity of ground coffee can be adjusted whilst it's grinding. Mine remains at the mid range factory settings. The espresso comes out hot and rich with lots of crema. It does make noise during the pre-brew, brew and grounds expelling process. For maintenance, removing the brew unit to rinse under hot water is very easy. I'm impressed with the ease of use, maintenance and the flavor of the espresso. |
| 71134 | 71134 | B002PI82P0 | A299RL1MN9S024 | Rosalinda | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1303257600 | Saeco Vienna Espresso Maker | I received this espresso maker as a gift. Although I like the look and style of the machine and how easy it is to make a quick espresso what I don't like is that the espresso is never hot. I always have to preheat the cups in the microwave for 30 seconds in order for the coffee to retain its' warmth while I drink it. |
| 71135 | 71135 | B002PI82P0 | A25O9GH8MSJO77 | D. Frederick | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1298764800 | Saeco Vienna Plus A Worthy Successor To 8-Year-Old Vienna Deluxe | I recently purchased a Saeco Vienna Plus to replace a Vienna Deluxe model that provided great service for eight years. We make about 24 shots of espresso a week, on average, so over the eight years the old machine pumped out about 10,000 shots. I felt we got our money's worth from that machine and was eager to replace it with another Vienna Deluxe.
When I went to do my research, however, I found that Saeco had discontinued the Vienna Deluxe model. The Vienna Plus appears to be the only current model in the old Deluxe form factor. I initially was tempted to buy up into one of the pricier "Giro" machines, mostly for the more stylish design. But after talking to a couple of Odea and Talea Giro owners, and reading lots of online reviews, I decided these more expensive machines also might be a little more temperamental. So, I chose the Vienna Plus.
It's only been about three weeks, but so far the Vienna Plus is meeting my expectations. The main difference between the old Vienna Deluxe and the new Vienna Plus is in the boiler. I assume the Deluxe model had two boilers, one for coffee and one for steam. (I think Saeco is now calling this feature "Rapid Steam".) I assume that because there was no wait time between steaming and brewing, or brewing and steaming. I always steam my milk first, and the Plus model makes me cool down the boiler from steaming temperature to brewing temperature before brewing the espresso. That's easy: you just disengage the "steam" button and open the steam control to run hot water through the wand. After less than a shot's worth of water comes out, the "brew" light comes on and you can brew your coffee. The wait time for this is under five seconds.
Other than that small difference, I'm finding the Vienna Plus comparable to the Vienna Deluxe in terms of both the quality of the coffee it produces and convenience. Who knows how long the new machine will last, but if it comes anywhere near the eight years I got from the Vienna Deluxe I'll be delighted with the investment. Speaking of investment, while the list price on the Vienna Plus is similar to what I paid for the old Deluxe model, the street price on the Plus model is quite a lot lower. I was able to get the Vienna Plus from a local warehouse store for $380 including business delivery. California sales tax ran the total to about $416, but even so I paid about $200 less for the Vienna Plus than I paid for the Vienna Deluxe eight years ago. |
| 71136 | 71136 | B002PI82P0 | ADLZRP567PR7R | CapeCod | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1286064000 | Great Cup. Form Follows Function. | We bought an Incanto Sirius at twice the price. It looked Marvelous with it's stainless and digital exterior. It cleaned it's self and did interesting tricks with the display. Then on the third day it went bizerk and consumed a full hopper of Lavazza Oro without delivering a single cup of coffee. The seizure was fatal and the machine could not deliver another cup. Oh did it hurt being coffeeless after those three days of pleasure with the cost of a short vacation.
Returning the Incanto Sirius to the store, I came home with the Viena Plus. It is a little plasticy looking and the tray does not click into place the way the Incanto did. There is a blinking green light to indicate that the machine is warming instead of an LCD temperature indicator. There is only one boiler that has to be shared for seam and brewing. It is somewhat Spartan in fact.
The coffee brewed by the Viena Plus is excellent. The crema is thick and rich. Frothed milk climbs vertically out of the cup. The dreggs pucks are firm and lightly moist. There is no leaking and very little spillage from the brew group which is easy to remove and clean. This machine might not be the expensive, flashy, big show, high maintenance beauty queen, but it does deliver at about half the price. |
| 71137 | 71137 | B002PI82P0 | A155MJHCVAWN77 | JulesH | 10 | 13 | 1 | 1300838400 | you get what you pay for | As with most Saeco products the life expectancy is less than 2 years, and then the price to fix the broken pump or the leaky insides cost more than the machine itself. I have been through 2 in less than two years and the warranty requires you to pay for the shipping (heavy machine) and they won't guarantee that they will fix it, and then you have to pay to have it sent back. I regret ever looking at the machine - next time a Breville - my daughter has had hers for 5 years with no issues, ever. |
| 71138 | 71138 | B002PI82P0 | A16MERDK3W9YLZ | Giacfoli | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1326412800 | Great value, great coffee. | I grew up in Italy where I owned and operated a cafe' with my family. Needless to say I am very picky about proper espresso making. Although the Vienna has a plastic-like appearance, it is a very good machine overall. The crema is consistent, the frother works very well.
It will take some time to learn the proper combo of grinding size, dose,type of water and beans,but your espresso will turn out to the best of your expectation. If the machine is on sale, don't hesitate to buy it. Two friends of mine have had it for 7 years, and the quality of the coffee is still excellent.
My only complaint is the temperature of the coffee; it could be a bit higher, and I wish it had a cup warmer at the top. |
| 71144 | 71144 | B002PI82P0 | A35J7TSBAIOIPH | BradyBunch | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1343692800 | Great Price for a Super Automatic | This is my second Super Automatic Espresso Maker. It's the lowest priced model available and is pretty good considering the price. The lack of extra features is not a problem. However there are some issues you might like to know before buying. Overall, it makes a decent espresso at the touch of a button. It's easy to clean and maintain and for that alone it's worth it since it saves you so much time.
The quality of the espresso is decent - not bad, but not great either. It's far superior to drip coffee and easier than grinding your own beans. It took about a week to get the dosage and grinder settings to where I was satisfied. The defaults didn't use enough beans and the grind was too course which made the espresso quite bitter. You don't want run too much water through the grinds once the initial flavor is extracted.
The temperature of the espresso is a little low. It's fine if you drink it right away or don't add cold milk. The only other little issue is the frother dispenses quite a bit of water before the actual steam. Therefore you have to use a second cup and run it for a few seconds until the steam flows consistently, then switch to your milk so you don't dilute it. Not a big deal but my last machine didn't require this step.
Finally, the last issue has to do with the horrible packaging. The main box is contained in an outer box that's almost twice its size. The problem is there was NO PADDING whatsoever in the outer box, so the inner one is left to get slammed around throughout its entire shipping journey. My machine become separated along the main seam that runs all the way around the unit so it didn't even close properly until I pushed it back into place - there's still a small crack on one of the plastic pieces. Also, some of the buttons popped off. I would have returned it but it's kind of a hassle to ship something so large and it still works okay, so not a big deal, but wouldn't order one from here again.
The bottom line is Super Automatic Espresso makers are an amazing convenience for those who appreciate fresh coffee. The quality is much better than the pod makers and far easier than grinding your own beans and making a whole pot at a time. The espresso isn't as good as a manual machine and this model doesn't have any fancy features, but still an amazing value for the price. |
| 71145 | 71145 | B002PI82P0 | AGKOX5GG5ZQ9N | R. Garber | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1339891200 | It's just ok. | This coffee maker is just ok. My husband wanted it so we got it but it's not that great. It has good features, but when it comes down to the coffee, it doesn't make a full cup and it's not very hot and it's really loud. I don't think it was worth the money but my husband loves it. Now we have two coffee makers on the counter. |
| 71146 | 71146 | B002PI82P0 | A3NS8IYQNXBSIU | David Ritter | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1337904000 | Not reliable | Didn't last 2 years. Saeco wanted me to ship it to/from an authorized dealer and pay for the repairs. I can't figure out why I want to throw good money after bad. |
| 71147 | 71147 | B002PI82P0 | A1EV9QOJR3Y154 | dad the project man | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1335571200 | Fantastic espresso machine! | I admit it, I am a espresso snob. It's either Americanos or straight up espresso shots for me so I can really taste the quality of the espresso shots that the machine makes. I have found that Saeco Vienna machines make the best espresso. The reason why I just bought this particular machine is because my old Saeco Vienna (which I loved immensely) died yesterday. I bought the old one in either 2004 or 2005. I have used it everyday (3-5 shots per day) for the last 7+ years! To me it is amazing that any kitchen appliance could last that long in this day and age. Very good product! It is super easy to "clean" and maintain. My form of cleaning is to pull the main mechanism out (very easy) about 2 times a month and rinse the whole thing in the sink and set it out to air dry for the day. Probably not even close to the amount of cleaning the manufacturer recommends, but it's just that easy and like I said...7+ years! |
| 71148 | 71148 | B002PI82P0 | A32VE3HAS9NF8T | Maggie | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1335052800 | Great espresso! | This machine makes great espresso! Very easy to use and once you regulate the grind to your preferance, it's an easy push of a button and you get to enjoy a great coffee! I highly recommend this product. |
| 71149 | 71149 | B002PI82P0 | A2KC0H1MB1BVFJ | Cribz@USAEUR | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1331078400 | 2 star | This machine has been fantastic for the first 2 months. However, out of no where it has jammed up and has been quite difficult to get repaired under warranty. with this said i regularly clean it as prescribed. You would think a great product that produces outstanding brew would be repaired and/or replaced at the price paid. No such luck. I must say the machine is a top notch pick.......but not when reliability is calculated. |
| 71150 | 71150 | B002PI82P0 | A1W2FT62N16TR3 | Della | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1327017600 | Saeco Vienna worth it if you love coffee! | Our sister has had this espresso maker (in black) for a while, and when visiting her recently on vacation, we decided to purchase this machine upon our return after using it at her place for a week. We paid 399.99 for it Saeco 4038 Vienna Plus 15-Bar-Pump Super-Automatic Espresso Machine, Graphite, wouldn't pay more, though. We bought the silver-colored machine and was actually surprised that it was ALL plastic except for the grinder inside and the small silver arm-part thingie at the top of the milk frother (I discovered it was metal when I grabbed it to push it back after using it...ouch).
Other than the plastic issue, we love this machine. Love that we can select how much coffee we want, how strong we want it, and when we want it within minutes. Would definately recommend this espresso maker for home use. |
| 71151 | 71151 | B002PI82P0 | A367S17ZNKMOK3 | Gregory M. Lawler | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1326844800 | Vienna Plus Automatic Espresso Machine by Saeco | The Vienna Plus Automatic Espresso Machine by Saeco is by far the best Coffee Maker that I have ever owned!...It is so simple to use and makes amazing Expresso and Cappuccino!....The machine grinds the beans automatically and it is very simple to change the grind to your tastes...The machine is very simple to take apart and clean...The steaming mechanism froths the milk very quickly and is also very easy to clean....For the price, this is the best coffee machine on the market....I have cut my Starbucks Credit card into 50 pieces because of this machine...Thanks to Saeco for making a truly affordable machine that makes "Coffee House" quality drinks! |
| 71152 | 71152 | B002PI82P0 | AOQI3WJOSZXJU | Floyd Mann | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1325116800 | 2nd time with Saeco Vienna | Our first Saeco lasted a good 5 years, still works, but the pump is going out. We decided to replace with another Saeco and Amazon had the best price. We never had a problem during the warrenty period, had great coffee several times a day. Definitly would recommend Saeco and Amazon. |
| 71153 | 71153 | B002PI82P0 | A2YQRHZPW1E30B | H. Brings | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1323475200 | Great machine when it works, amazon service is excellent | Had it for 4 weeks making 1-3 cups per day. Works really well. I did not have to tweak the factory settings, they suit my taste perfectly. I use Lavazza beans in the machine and the taste is great. Easy to clean. I have to admit that the buttons and the finish overall seem cheap, but I care more about the quality of the coffee and THAT is wonderful. One more observation: i have seen the price of this machine bounce from under $400 to over $500 in 4 weeks on amazon.
Edit after 4 months: machine works flawlessly, easy to clean, I now adjusted the bean quantity and the result is immediate and predictable. Good buy.
Edit after 7 months: machine worked well until yesterday when it quit pulling in water. I tried everything to get the water into the unit but it just quit. Amazon will let me return it. |
| 71139 | 71139 | B002PI82P0 | A3HYOFZFDR4C7T | Aynur | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1281916800 | Great machine | This is my first automatic machine, I had bought a manual one before this one but it was a pain to use. It may not look as fancy as some other ones, but it does an excellent job. It's relatively easy to clean, and Saeco's customer service is excellent if you have any issues. I had contacted them about the panarello (frothing wand) that I was having issues with and they sent me a new one under the 1-year warranty within 3 days! I use it mainly for making lattes, mochas, and caramel machiattos. All of which turn out even better than Starbucks, even though I use their beans, mocha powder, vanilla syrup, and caramel sauce. All in all, I give this machine a 4, not because of how it works but only because it is a little plastic-looking. |
| 71140 | 71140 | B002PI82P0 | A7AX9AMW2OS1T | Alexandra | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1290211200 | Would buy it over and over again... | This is the 3rd machine I got (bought the 1st one in 1999 in Germany) and it has constantly been the same quality. It usually needs to be repaired after roundabout 4 1/2 years. If you like a good coffee with no what we call 'SchnickSchnack' (that means no Cappuccino, no Latte etc., just Coffee) go for this one. My new machine is - compared to the 2 I had before - actually a little bit noisier, which doesn't bother me as long as the coffee tastes good. Depending on the coffee beans you use, you will have excellent coffee. It's a good price, actually it's gotten cheaper througout the years. Anyways, you cannot compare a SAECO to a JURA (which, in my opinion is too expensive). If you want good coffee for a reasonable price, buy this one. |
| 71141 | 71141 | B002PI82P0 | AFU75NX4Y9WA8 | wh | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1344816000 | So far, great experience | I tried a De'Longhi BAR32 pump driven espresso machine, and was very disappointed. I've returned that unit. It was simply ineffective. Boiler capacity too small, can't make doubles, too cold, can't froth any reasonable amount. Just not good. I had a Saeco/Starbucks pump driven espresso machine previously, which finally failed after 12 years of service. The Saeco/Starbucks was a pretty good machine that performed well - fully manual. However, it finally bit the dust.
So, I tried the Saeco Vienna Plus. Sure, it's a lot more money, however it does a lot more and (though I've only used it for 2 days) it has performed very well. No problems on capacity. It can make double, or quadruple shots with ease. It heats up very quickly, and has very good capacity. I never thought I'd like a "super automatic" but now I'm loving it. Frother works perfectly fine. About the only thing I can say I wish it did were one thing. That would be an easier way to swap out coffee beans in the hopper so I could do Decaf later in the day.
Instructions are simple - maybe a little too simple. I'm still not clear on instructions to clean the brew assembly.
Setup was very easy and straightforward. The unit worked perfectly out of the box. Espresso can be dialed in great, and quality is excellent. Frankly, it makes brewing an espresso or capuccino so easy and fast and so good that I'll be making WAY more. So long as my experience stays consistent with the past two days, I'm very happy. |
| 71142 | 71142 | B002PI82P0 | A30ZTBKDAA8B1V | Dennis Charlebois | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1310428800 | Good Value for the Money | I had been looking for a combo grinder, espresso, cappuccino machine for a while. I've seen Saeco units before and find them to be adequate for the "less than $1,000" purchase.
Pros - Great coffee, easy to set up, a little quirky on operation but once you get used to it is wonderful
Cons- Too many plastic parts...worried about thinks breaking. Also, sometimes when you add new water you have to "prime" the water circuit...seems odd. Also after using the steam, you have to vent the steam line to go back to using the grinder. Not sure why this has to be done...seems odd |
| 71143 | 71143 | B002PI82P0 | A3GM4KUYEQ7BJ7 | David Conrad | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1344211200 | Excellent Super Automatic Espresso Machine | This machine is for the serious coffee connoisseur. It has an adjustable conical burr grinder that creates the perfect grind for a premium espresso. Not only can you change the fineness of the grinds and the amount of water used but also the amount of ground coffee used to make each individual cup from 6 to 9 grams.
I've tried it with my favorite gourmet coffee, Caffe Bomrad Torino from Italy ( Caffe Bomrad Torino, Whole Bean Coffee, 2.2 Lb/1 Kg Bag ) and needless to say, the result was amazingly superb! A divinely perfect espresso with a crema so thick the sugar cube floats!!! |
| 71154 | 71154 | B002PI82P0 | A19VMTQEKKZDVX | Angelica | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1317772800 | Overall Pretty Nice | I'm enjoying my first machine very much! My only complaints are the plastics that don't line up and the small water container.
My best friend bought the Starbucks machine and was jealous of my ViennaPlus, because it gives better shots and is automatic for hundreds of dollars less!
I love this machine, and I would recommend it to everyone. :) |
| 71155 | 71155 | B002PI82P0 | ARR3OWG1PPMJI | golfnut | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1317600000 | 20000 shots and counting.... | I don't usually leave reviews, but felt I should say something about this wonderful machine. We bought the Vienna Deluxe in 2002, averaging about 6 cups of coffee a day between my wife and myself. I understand the Vienna Deluxe and Plus are very similar, most importantly it shares the same brew group design and grinder.
Its 9 years of service includes 4 years in a foreign country hooked to a 110/220 1500W transformer (on spotty voltage, I might add, based on occasional flickering/dimming of lights in the house), and surviving being shipped back and forth. During the outgoing journey, the plastic water container broke, probably through rough handling of the box, but the Vienna itself was fine once we got the replacement water container.
5 years in USA was using soft water, filtered through a reverse osmosis system. 4 years in a foreign country was hard tap water. I don't believe I've descaled it more than 3 times ever. I usually clean the brew group once every couple of months. Yep, we're not good models of consistent maintenance, and it's a tribute to the Vienna that it has stood up to years of abuse without ever breaking down.
We used a variety of beans, including oily Starbucks, Lavazza, Illy, Malabar Gold Espresso (my personal favourite) and a handful of other varieties, although recently we've largely been using the cheap Starbucks large packs at Costco. We're not coffee fanatics, but do have pretty high expectations, and the Vienna does not disappoint. However, coffee is a personal taste, and your mileage will probably vary.
At the end of the day, it depends on what you're looking for. If you want pretty designs with shiny stainless steel, you'll have to pay more, and not necessarily for better coffee or better reliability. Avoiding complex electronics and touchscreens in a damp environment sounds like a smart thing for me. I like simple, reliable designs that performs consistently, and would look for another Vienna when mine eventually dies.
About the only thing that I wish for, is an alternate way to feed in a different coffee powder so we can occasionally have some variety. |
| 71156 | 71156 | B002PI82P0 | A2JCK7U4BEDLBN | Scott Ullrich | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1316563200 | Great machine for the cost! | After my aging Saeco Incanto Sirius decided to stop working I needed to find a replacement and fast! Initially I was a bit surprised how much cheaper this model was vs the others but after receiving the unit and giving it a trial run I am super impressed! Machine warms up much faster than the Incanto. Spent coffee material is in a nice compact circle shape making it much less messy than the previous machine.
Overall I am quite surprised that this model works so well for the money! If you are on the fence go for it! |
| 71157 | 71157 | B002PI82P0 | AREESECQL30H3 | Jack Schreur | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1314403200 | Fantastic for the $$ | This is my first super automatic machine, after two Saeco automatic espresso machines. The build quality of this machine isn't great--it is a big hunk of plastic. But that helps keep the price down to a rational level and it is a trade I'm willing to make. Care and maintenance is easy but important to do--I suspect that most folks who have issues are letting that slide. The quality of the coffee is quite good and it is very easy to make everything from a ristretto to a lungo or americano. It may take a few days to get the adjustments set correctly for your tastes--but it isn't difficult to do. Steaming is simple once you understand that after steaming you need to turn off the steam button and release the pressure before making coffee again. the machine heats up very quickly and is ready within a minute or so from powering on. The only real negative is the water reservoir capacity is a little on the small side and you will fill it often. The bean capacity on the other hand is quite large. If you drink lots of coffee or regularly frequent espresso shops this machine may save you money over time as it clearly costs less to make at home vs a shop and we don't throw out any leftover pots of coffee anymore. Overall the machine is a good value and Saeco is a respected name in Italian espresso manufacturers. I don't expect it to last forever, the plastic structure will prevent that. If I get three years of use from it I will consider myself money ahead. |
| 71158 | 71158 | B002PI82P0 | AYRG49WSFB84D | M. Wieg "Picky consumer" | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1310428800 | Build quality poor | I was excited to receive my machine yesterday, but disappointed when I opened it. The case is made of flimsy plastic and was off center. My husband was able to snap it pretty much back in to place. But the door was loose, and the panarello was loose and flimsy. I made some espresso and cappuccino with it, and it turned out OK. But I'm returning it because I just can't live with the build quality. I'm really surprised that no one mentioned the build quality in the reviews I read. It was much lower quality than the previous Saeco Incanto Rondo that it was replacing, which gave me years of good service. I'm going to try another brand. I ordered a DeLonghi ESAM 3300 Magnifica instead. I'll see how that one does. |
| 71159 | 71159 | B002PI82P0 | A1YWQX1I31SMIT | Scott T | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1309651200 | Saeco Vienna Plus - Winning | We had a Barista model for ~12 years that wore out.
After a trip to Italy, we wanted to get another machine.
Our original machine had a burr grinder built in, but everything else was manual.
It might seem lazy, but I wanted a machine that was easy to use and this model had good reviews and the price was lower than many other automatic espresso machines.
The espresso comes out at the right temperature and the nozzle for steaming milk does the job without having to play around with the milk. For foam on our original machine you had to move the nozzle to the top of the milk.
It is easy to use, quick enough to be used all the time and the cappucino tastes as good as the stuff we were drinking in Venice.
We have had the machine for ~1 month now and I'm really satisfied with the Vienna Plus! |
| 71160 | 71160 | B002PI82P0 | A360D64OUHLDR1 | Tanya | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1309651200 | Perfect Espresso Machine | We had a previous generation of this machine for 8 years and never had one problem with it, so when the time came to look for another, we looked nowhere else. This machine is even better: quieter, better adjustments are provided. Love it, love it, love it! |