We have been making cappuccino at home for more than 30 years. With a machine in each of two homes, we have run through a fair number of them, as they generally last 5 to 7 years and usually repairs, if available, aren't worth the cost. This Saeco is very similar to the Starbucks Barrista machine, as Saeco made that machine for Starbucks when they sold it. The Starbucks machine was recommended to us years ago by a very good repair person who was unable to repair our Baby Gaggia for the second time, at a cost that made sense. She pointed out that the Barrista had a stainless steel boiler tank, an important dividing line in her estimation between machines that were more durable and those that were not. Starbucks no longer sells this model, although they do sell the Saeco Aroma under their house name. We initially bought a Saeco Aroma from Amazon, but returned it without using it because the plastic water reservoir was chipped in shipping. When we saw the machine we also concluded, however, that it was not like the Saeco Gran Crema machine we have in our other house and which we like but which Saeco has stopped making. The Aroma has a frothing wand that cannot be moved around and it is awkwardly placed. And it is pretty light, leaving me with the impression, unconfirmed, that it does not have a stainless steel boiler.We then tried a Cuisinart, which we bought locally, and you can see my review of that machine here on Amazon. Cheaper than this Saeco but despite appearances of solidity it has serious quality control problems. Ours was among those that did not work properly and we returned it. Then we got this.
As I say, this is similar to the old Starbucks Barrista, but it has been updated a bit. It is a very sold, heavy machine and feels like it will last forever. Like the Barrista, it has the frothing wand on the left, which is unusual but not a problem. More importantly, the frothing wand is on a ball swivel joint allowing one to position it conveniently both for use and then for dripping dry over the drip tray when you are done. And even more importantly, both the frothing wand and the coffee brewing work very very well. It's a powerful frother that lets you make the textured milk for a cappuccino reasonably fast, and its design lets even a novice produce a good texture. The coffee, of course the most important, is reliable and good, nice crema, good flavor. The water reservoir can be filled by pouring water into a hatch at the top of the machine, or by removing the reservoir altogether (after removing the drip tray) and bringing it to the water source. (Because we have this machine in our Phoenix home, where the tap water does not have a good flavor, and leaves a lot of minerals behind in any container it's been in (water heaters have short lives here), we never put tap water in our coffee makers.) The length of the power cord is adjustable--it unwinds from inside the machine, and you can push it back in to shorten it--a nice if minor convenience.
This machine does not have any automatic features but we have never had that. But having used it now for about two or three weeks, we know it works well, produces very nice coffee, and gives every indication of being very solidly built. We are very pleased with it.
I would avoid "super-automatic" machines that grind the beans. Grinders can be fussy, and it's better to have the grinder separate so that you don't have to replace your entire machine if the grinder goes. The grinders in super-automatics also generally inhospitable to beans with more oil--see, e.g., the website for Seattle Coffee Gear, which provides detailed information on most espresso machines; you are warned to avoid the heartier, more roasted beans with virtually all their super-automatics. And many of those machines make it difficult to change the bean you are using to make coffee, which is s problem if, for example, you want to make decaf at night and regular in the morning.
A few things Saeco got right on this machine:
Simplicity of design: There are not so many parts that the user will be overwhelmed, which is especially encouraging when it comes to cleaning and maintaining. Most units that have too many parts either stump the barista on which attachments to use, or how to clean the machine and its parts without ruining it. There is a plastic 2 tbsp scooper, that doubles as a packer (although a little flimsy), as well as two types of adapters that your coffee grinds sit in, one for regular coffee grounds and one for individual espresso pods (if you don't have a customizable grinder at home, you can buy pre-ground espresso in packets).
The other main benefit of using this machine, is that you can customize how much espresso you want to pour. If you are the type of person that gets a triple-shot latte in the morning to get your day started, you can pour three shots (or almost 3 shots) before the espresso is what I would call saturated, at which point it doesn't produce the same strength of espresso after a little more than 2 full one-ounce shots have poured. Of course, this might be a little flexible depending on the grind and quantity of grounds in the hopper. This is the advantage of having this be a 'manual machine' vs an automatic, where serving size is pre-determined.
A couple things I've been disappointed with in this machine are its inability to pour shots while steaming milk simultaneously. Furthermore, steaming milk is really going to be most frustrating for those who want frothy milk or foam (ie cappuccino, macchiato, latte) because of the lack of power behind the steam wand. If you're expecting to take drink orders from family/friends, don't expect to crank out 4 to 6 drinks in several minutes. The manual nature of this machine, along with the inability to steam milk while pouring shots slows down production significantly, once you move beyond your individual drink.
Bottom line: I got this machine for a great deal, combining a Starbucks holiday sale (look for it now on sale for $149, with my employee discount, I ended up paying close to $90. For that price, it has been more than satisfying. I have not cleaned it as much as a responsible owner should, but the parts are very well-made so I have suffered little consequence. If you want quality espresso with a little customizability thrown in, this is a great machine, but don't expect to crank out drink orders like they do in stores.
Buy Philips Saeco Via Venezia Espresso Machine Now
It would probably be prudent to offer some background information on my 'espresso credentials' prior to getting to the bulk of my review. Knowing nothing about espresso preparation, I received a steam-driven espresso machine (Mr. Coffee ECM160) as a gift about a year ago. It was a great gift that introduced me to home espresso, although even upon first use I knew that it wasn't making 'true' espresso, I just didn't yet understand the underlying mechanics behind proper espresso extraction. A little research revealed the obvious difference between steam and pump driven machines. My desire to occasionally enjoy a straight shot of crema-topped espresso, in addition to various espresso-based drinks, pushed me to begin researching pump driven machines.I hadn't come across this machine in my research, but instead I was introduced to Saeco's Via Venezia while visiting a friend's house. Seeing an appliance like this in action, and tasting the resultant espresso, is about as good a test drive as you'll get.
The made-in-Italy Via Venezia is a single stainless-steel boiler machine, driven by a 15-bar pump and features a pressurized portafilter which ostensibly provides extraction that is less dependent upon grind size/consistency and tamping force. From my experience, the forgiving pressurized portafiliter lives up to its billing. Some home baristas dislike that it takes the user's control out of shot characteristics but I appreciate its ability to provide great espresso without requiring every detail to be perfect I get rich crema on every pull. With a single boiler, brewing and frothing must be carried out independently. I'm still able to prepare drinks at a decent clip as the machine reaches optimal temperature quickly.
The machine is simple to use with indicator lights on the brew and steam selector buttons that specify when the machine is ready for each mode. The steam wand (panarello) swivels with a good range of motion to accommodate various frothing pitcher sizes so far I've been happy with the milk frothing results and the panarello is easy to clean. I've been able to use my 20 oz frothing pitcher without any awkward clearance issues with other parts of the machine. The design is well thought out for ease of use.
Beyond the impressive espresso results, I was also immediately impressed with the Via Venezia's build quality. The entire outer case is metal, with minor plastic used for the drip tray and accessory tray. This provides a sturdy, substantial feel befitting the price tag. The generous water reservoir (68 oz) can be filled either by removing the reservoir container (by sliding out the drip tray assembly) or by flipping open an access hatch on top of the machine. Saeco also provides a ESE pod-adapter for the portafilter, which accepts espresso pods. I have yet to use this feature as I prefer to grind my beans prior to brewing, but it is nice to have the additional capability.
There are myriad choices in the semi-auto home espresso machine market. While the Via Venezia may not be the most cost competitive, its impressively sturdy build quality elevates it above plasticky machines of questionable durability. The Via Venezia is highly recommended for the budding espresso enthusiast.
Read Best Reviews of Philips Saeco Via Venezia Espresso Machine Here
Saeco manufactured this model for Starbucks for several years (or a close variation -I think the Starbucks version may have had the temperature control adjusted to brew their custom blend at an optimal temperature). In any case, it's a basic, good machine from Saeco, with one odd customization of the frothing wand being on the left side rather than the right. It also rotates on a ball joint, which is convenient.Want Philips Saeco Via Venezia Espresso Machine Discount?
I originally purchased this machine for my mother, liked it so much I purchased one for myself when it went on sale. Eight months into owning the thing my mother's breaks down. Okay we are a coffee drinking family, and this little guy did get a three cup per day workout. We sent it Saeco to get repaired. Ten weeks later we get it back working but now sounding like a freight train. Morning coffee takes on a whole new meaning when the noise of the machine wakes up everyone in the house. Sent it back ($80 shipping cost each time), and again worked for a bit and the noise came back. We gave up sending it back.My Saeco worked a bit a longer. The first time mine went in for repair it was 1.5 years old. Now while I have a daily coffee, it didn't work as hard as my mom's unit. Came back from repair, this time a different repair facility and was working great.
Cut to: A half year later, and the thing just dies midway through pulling a shot.
My lovely repair shop is no longer open. Call Saeco customer service, and they tell me to take it to one of the recommend repair places. The first guy tells me to try fixing myself first. The second guy tells me to bring it over, and then isn't there. I leave 4 messages over the course of the next couple of weeks he never calls back. I go to the third place after a call with Saeco only to find out after driving 45 miles away from home, that they don't fix this particular machine.
Call Saeco back, and preface the conversation with "I'm sorry if I'm snappy but at this point I'm pissed" The lady was amazing sent me shipping labels and said they would pay for the repairs of both machines because of inconvenience.
Six weeks later, I finally get a call from Saeco telling me the machines are too rusted to fix. WHAT? HOW THE HECK DOES A MACHINE THAT IS BUILT TO HANDLE WATER AND STEAM BECOME TOO RUSTY TO FIX? The thing has only been broken for a couple of months. My mom lives in Las Vegas. I live in Southern California... inland... it's not like we live in New Orleans where it's humid. The customer service lady was awesome, but unfortunately she could only do so much. I would have even been happy had they offered to let me purchase a new one at wholesale pricing or give me a discount, not that I would have actually bought another of their pieces of $%^&, but they don't care they already got my money, so all I can do is warn others.
Summary:
Purchase Price: $400 (mom's) $300 (mine)
Repair: $160 (mom's) $80 (mine)
Shipping for repairs: $200
Lesson learned about purchasing a Saeco machine: Definitely not priceless more like $1140
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