Customer Reviews

Saeco 30013 Aroma Traditional Espresso Machine, Black

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After conducting research for a few weeks, visiting Amazon, as well as other coffee aficionado sites, I finally purchased the Saeco Aroma espresso maker and have been using it for going on two weeks. Although this machine may not be as glitzy in appearance compared to some machines, it does make a great espresso. Say for instance, if the Francis Francis is the sexy Ferrari of espresso machines, then the Aroma would be a Volvo--boxy (perhaps considered bland in appearance to some) but solid, reliable, and a well-built machine for the price. Once I got the hang of using the pressurized portafilter, which has to be put on tightly to obtain the correct seal/pressure, I was treated to rich, flavorful espresso with lots of crema.

I am pleased with the ease of using the machine, however, the instructions are not very detailed and I found technical support to be slow. Initially I placed a phone call to -- where I did not reach a live person--but left a message. Never received a call back, but called again the next day at which time I did get a live person. To be honest, she seemed ambivalent and downright unhelpful, blaming my problem on the coffee I was using (despite my best efforts to explain the problem). The issue was that after priming the machine and installing the portafilter, the pump would run and run, but no espresso would come out. I ended up tightening the three little screws on the bottom of the portafilter, which seemed to help make it fit more snugly and achieve a pressurized seal. Voila! Perfect espresso. If I had one complaint about this machine, it would be that the portafilter is not very substantial, and is made mostly of plastic.

The Aroma's steam wand works REALLY well for frothing milk. Almost too well, as I ended up with a lot of foam, but the second time using it, I backed off on the pressure a bit, and got just the right balance of milk and foam. Overall I am pleased with the performance of this machine.

It's hard to find a decent machine for under $300. But I would consider this machine to be a mid-level machine for an entry-level price, especially with 15 bars of pressure. (I had started out thinking I would buy the Starbucks Barista machine which was almost $400, but after seeing a live demo at a Starbucks store, realized it did not perform well at only 8-12 bars of pressure. Very little crema). A good espresso machine should offer a minimum of 14 bars.

Two side notes: I urge anyone who purchases an espresso machine to consider a conical burr grinder (I bought the Capresso 560.01 Infinity Burr Grinder from Amazon). It's crucial to have a fine grind for brewing espresso. You'll know when you have just the right grind because after brewing the portafilter basket will contain a compacted "cake" of espresso, rather than a soupy mixture of water and grinds.

I did not purchase my Saeco from Amazon, but opted instead to get it from Costco's website where it was $249 (for members or add 5% - or $12.45 - for nonmembers), including shipping and handling. Plus it could be returned to any Costco warehouse within 30 days, no questions asked, if not satisfied.

I did quite a bit of research before buying this machine. The Aroma delivers in the areas that were of most importance to me. It is easy to use, easy to clean and makes a wonderful cappuccino. There's very little warm-up time; it's ready in only a minute or two to begin making espresso with beautiful crema. The steam tube is easy to use and heats the milk while creating a nice thick froth. You can make one or many easily.

I believe the instructions could be a little more comprehensive. I left a message at Saeco for some clarification on the initial priming that needs to be done before using the machine for the first time or if the machine hasn't been used for a long period (priming is only necessary at these times). My call was returned within one day (although I had already worked through the priming; the VERY first cup of espresso took a very long time for the water to begin to drip and flow). The machine did NOT come with the ESE pod adaptor and special filter as stated in the description. Dealt with that on the return call and Saeco is sending the adaptor, so I've only had experience using this machine with ground coffee.

Overall, I'm enjoying the ease of the machine and the delicious cappuccino that tastes better than what I can buy at the coffee house. I spent a little more than what I originally planned but this machine has the features I wanted (powerful pump, water tank that is easy to fill at the counter or sink, pod adaptable, not sensitive to how your ground coffee is prepared (very forgiving), cup warming surface, works well when it's just me or a houseful of guests) and is proving to be well worth the price.

Enjoy!

This is a great espresso machine -- better than any I've had before. It's very forgiving (you don't have to be extra-careful about what grind you use -- though burr #3 seems to work best for me), and it makes amazing crema every time because of the pressurized portafilter. (Hint: make sure you attach the portafilter before you turn on the machine, since the Aroma releases hot water before you brew the espresso, so that the grounds will expand. So if you turn it on before you've attached the portafilter, it will start to drip hot water.) The espresso is rich and incredibly flavorful (I use Porto Rico Importing Co.'s Italian espresso), and the pannarello works perfectly for frothing milk. Altogether a really great machine.

This is a fantastic espresso maker, period. I fell in love with the espresso made so easily in every bar in Italy, France and Spain, and I wanted the same taste at home. After extensive research, I bought a Starbucks Barista several years ago at the sale price of $299. The Barista is made for Starbucks by Saeco. I felt the Barista was better looking than the Saeco Aroma, so I thought I was settled. Weirdly, it seems that Starbucks may have customized their version with somewhat higher heat to accomodate their own grind; I found that every other espresso brand (Illy etc.) brewed in the Barista came out with slightly burned, brown crema and a mildly burned taste -- only Starbucks' espresso came out unburned, but I don't like the bitterness of Starbucks coffees. So I finally splurged and bought the Saeco, and am delighted. This is the real deal: a simple, no-nonsense, extremely well made espresso maker that delivers the same quality you will find throughout Europe. The main reason this (and the Barista) are better than most is that they're manufactured in Italy by a longtime and well-known manufacturer of coffee machines. Most other brands have outsourced manufacturing to China, and the quality of those machines, no matter the high price, doesn't stand up to simple Italian craftsmanship. Krups used to be made in Switzerland, but no longer. The fact that you can get a well-made Italian machine like this at this price is actually quite spectacular. My advice, if you want quality espresso, is to buy this machine.

UPDATE: 2 years later, and the machine is still working perfectly. Great, fast, perfect espresso every morning, not a single problem. GREAT PRODUCT!

I like my coffee strong and black. After years with an inferior machine my wife and I sprung for this unit. It does not have all the bells and whistles that more expensive machines have. If you just want an honest espresso with a thick crema than this is the machine for you.
Pros... It does not take up much counter space. The cam action of the portafilter packs the grounds as you twist it closed, so all you have to do is screed the grounds with the handy hardwood block that comes with the machine. The reservoir is nice because you do not have to add water whenever you use the machine. There is no scalding steam off gassing and you can remove the portafilter immediately after you use it for the next brew. You can heat your cup with the steam outlet but I prefer to use a microwave to preheat the cup. The machine is engineered typically Italian with very close tolerances so everything fits snug. If you prepack the portafilter then it will not engage the cam. This is a very fine machine that is built to last.

Cons... Like all coffee routines it is a messy process. The "portafilter" dribbles on the way to the sink. I use a clean dishcloth to hold the portafilter and clean the undersurface of the dispenser. The machine uses a lot of electricity so you should not leave it on or your power bill will go up dramatically. Luckily the machine heats up in under 2 minutes so you can shut it off and on as you need it to save energy.

I bought this because of Alton Brown from the show "Good Eats" (The Esspresso Episode) He didn't name it, but I did a bit of research to find the brand. I am glad I did! This thing works flawlessly, heats up VERY quickly, and makes a perfect essresso every time!
Easy to clean, large tank, warming tray on top.. What more could you ask for?
I have had it for about a month now, and use it daily for my wife and I.

I received my my wifes machine from Amazon and was excited to open it. I brewed the first batches with failure until I got the knack of it. A big problem was the steamer. It was made so low that the machine had to be pulled to the edge of the counter so that a small coffee cup could be tilted under neigh. The valve for the steamer would leak water/steam even when turned off. I didn't know if it was the bad valve or the machine was just not capable of heating the milk.
I called the manufacturer to give them a try. They had large notes everywhere that said "DO NOT RETURN TO SELLER". The manufacturers said that it was indeed a bad valve and that they would repair it and have my wife's Christmas gift back by mid March. I asked if there was something else they could do since I would have a "repaired" machine back just in time for my wife's birthday. Their only response was that I could not return to the seller. I sent it back to Amazon for free the next day with a full refund. Amazon customer service was great.

I bought this machine largely influenced by its appearance on Alton Brown's Good Eats and the uniformly positive reviews on this website. Although I normally buy everything on Amazon, I was able to the get stainless steel version of this item for far less at Costco.com where the UPS shipping was included in the price as well. I have been very impressed with the item. Combined with the use of the Capresso Infinity Grinder and a Vanelli stainless tamper (got the heaviest one directly from the Vanelli website - keep in mind that the ones on Amazon are too big for this unit!!) as well as freshly ground beans from my IRoast, I find myself making better coffee than I was getting at the local Starbucks. The item only gets 4 stars though due to its relatively "just ok" appearance. Compared to the FrancisFrancis, this thing is pretty boxy. And the clear plastic back looks weird if you can't put it against the wall. Within a week of buying the machine, the Saeco company even called to make sure I got the machine and that I was happy with the product. Pretty good service for a relatively cheap product.

After conducting research for a few weeks, visiting Amazon, as well as other coffee aficionado sites, I finally purchased the Saeco Aroma espresso maker and have been using it for going on two weeks. Although this machine may not be as glitzy in appearance compared to some machines, it does make a great espresso. Say for instance, if the Francis Francis is the sexy Ferrari of espresso machines, then the Aroma would be a Volvo--boxy (perhaps considered bland in appearance to some) but solid, reliable, and a well-built machine for the price. Once I got the hang of using the pressurized portafilter, which has to be put on tightly to obtain the correct seal/pressure, I was treated to rich, flavorful espresso with lots of crema.

I am pleased with the ease of using the machine, however, the instructions are not very detailed and I found technical support to be slow. Initially I placed a phone call to -- where I did not reach a live person--but left a message. Never received a call back, but called again the next day at which time I did get a live person. To be honest, she seemed ambivalent and downright unhelpful, blaming my problem on the coffee I was using (despite my best efforts to explain the problem). The issue was that after priming the machine and installing the portafilter, the pump would run and run, but no espresso would come out. I ended up tightening the three little screws on the bottom of the portafilter, which seemed to help make it fit more snugly and achieve a pressurized seal. Voila! Perfect espresso. If I had one complaint about this machine, it would be that the portafilter is not very substantial, and is made mostly of plastic.

The Aroma's steam wand works REALLY well for frothing milk. Almost too well, as I ended up with a lot of foam, but the second time using it, I backed off on the pressure a bit, and got just the right balance of milk and foam. Overall I am pleased with the performance of this machine.

It's hard to find a decent machine for under $300. But I would consider this machine to be a mid-level machine for an entry-level price, especially with 15 bars of pressure. (I had started out thinking I would buy the Starbucks Barista machine which was almost $400, but after seeing a live demo at a Starbucks store, realized it did not perform well at only 8-12 bars of pressure. Very little crema). A good espresso machine should offer a minimum of 14 bars.

Two side notes: I urge anyone who purchases an espresso machine to consider a conical burr grinder (I bought the Capresso 560.01 Infinity Burr Grinder from Amazon). It's crucial to have a fine grind for brewing espresso. You'll know when you have just the right grind because after brewing the portafilter basket will contain a compacted "cake" of espresso, rather than a soupy mixture of water and grinds.

I did not purchase my Saeco from Amazon, but opted instead to get it from Costco's website where it was $249 (for members or add 5% - or $12.45 - for nonmembers), including shipping and handling. Plus it could be returned to any Costco warehouse within 30 days, no questions asked, if not satisfied.

Yes, this product is that good. I'm a coffee hound, tasted coffee worldwide while traveling. Nothing beats a good creamy espresso. This machine makes Italian Cafe' style creamy espresso just like the Palazzo Cafe's al fresco.
It uses a pump instead of steam pressure to pressurize the coffee chamber therefore the coffee doesn't burn resulting in that full coffee nutty flavor you get with thousand dollar machines. No bitterness, it tastes like chocolate. MMMMMMGOOD!
This machine is simple, no chips just good old switches. ON/OFF. Nothing to go wrong except the gaskets and pump in about a decade. Cleaning is minimal if you wait a minute or two for the coffee chamber to cool down, if not, you get some grinds in the grip chamber. No problem, just wipe with a damp paper towel and you're done.
I really like the fact that I don't have to hunt for water. I pour in good store bought water in the rear tank and make coffee for the whole week.
The process is quick, it literally takes 2 minutes to get two cups of rich creamy espresso.... (slobbering on keyboard).... I think I'll go have another cup... CIAO'

PS: I use Pilon coffee (that's to my taste), Bustelo is also good.