Customer Reviews

Saeco 4045 Vienna Plus 15-Bar-Pump Super-Automatic Espresso Machine, Silver

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I recently purchased a Vienna Superautomatica as an inexpensive second espresso maker. The first thing I noticed is that it is Italian made like many of the great espresso machines. The body of the Vienna is "graphite" plastic, and while it does not feel first class, it somehow has a pretty sturdy feel to it. I also like that the footprint is pretty small thus taking up little counter space.

I opened the manual, which is not particularly clear, but need not be on account of very simple operation. The Vienna has three buttons--on/off, coffee, and steam. It also has a steamer control knob and a water volume knob.

I turned on the machine after filling the coffee and water tanks. The buttons feel Italian--you'll know what I mean if you've owned an Alfa Romeo. They are a bit clunky next to my old Capresso C1000, but they work well (for now).

The Vienna takes a couple of minutes to warm up--I don't mind this for reasons I'll reveal in a minute. The coffee spout is adjustable up and down to accommodate a large variety of cups and mugs. Once it's ready, the coffee light stops blinking. I push the button and it begins to grind the coffee. The noise level of the machine is louder than my Capresso, but not too bad. You might wake up the house with it in the morning, but my child stayed asleep. Once the coffee finishes the grind, the Vienna immediately begins making espresso.

My first impression was that I saw a lot more steam coming from the coffee than my Capresso. I am hopeful. The coffee also looked a bit thicker than the Capresso. After the Vienna finished I observed the cup: nice crema, plenty hot, and smells like the genuine article. I gave it a taste--wow, step aside Capresso, this espresso is richer, hotter, and a lot closer to coffee bar espresso. Next I took a sip. Ah yes, the cup holds rich chocolatey espresso. If you are sort of a coffee snob, you'll like what you taste. The coffee is much richer than the Capresso, which I attribute to hotter water and fuller extraction.

I'm sure that the Vienna will not make good enough espresso for some folks, but to me, it still tastes better than Starbucks. It was more than $100 cheaper than my Capresso and frankly makes better espresso. I cannot yet speak to the durability of the machine, but the Vienna is now my favorite inexpensive espresso maker.

Vienna Plus is my third fully automatic machine. I loved my first, Saeco original Vienna, hated the second, Saeco Incanto classic. The original Vienna worked for 3 years every day, making consistently good espresso before the pump gave. I should have paid for repair, but I succumbed to that stainless steel twinkle and went for Saeco Incanto classic. More expensive for sure. Worse, better said inconsistent, coffee quality, constant small problems relating to built quality concerning the brew group, the grinder and the steamer wand. After a year of irritation a pump seal has failed while making espresso, nothing like a small explosion in the kitchen in the morning, I tell ya. Well, gone back to the trusted Vienna, now with the plus in the name. Good old days are here again .... Compared to previous- it is a lot quieter, when both grinding and steaming, it is also a lot quicker to warm up then before, steam is ready a mere 15 seconds after pushing the button. Espresso has a beautiful rich crema right out of the box, I didn't have to experiment with grind setting at all. The steaming wand (Panarello) has been redesigned and is now foolproof maker of perfect frothed foam. For the newbie I would like to add that I spent a lot of effort to find the right roast - tasted more than a few before I settled on one (Peerless Coffee Espressp Perfection) that I buy now in 5 lb. bags and keep in the freezer. I should for fairness add that I never want any other coffee through the machine like some decaf or flavored stuff, so I don't miss the alternate ground coffee option that Incanto had. My priority has always been flavor and consistency and that the Vienna Plus delivers. My friends drive miles to "see me" and, by the way, get a cup of espresso, praising each one as "this is the best espresso in the world". If that is what you desire, don't get mesmerized by stainless steel shine or computerized display magic and save yourself some money by getting this machine. You won't regret it. And I am unanimous in that. ;)

Overall, I cannot recommend this machine.

The machine made excellent espresso for the first few weeks we had it. Once it was broken in, the espresso was average, and the crema was more of a large-bubbled foam. The grinder is able to create a fine grind, but unfortunately the machine can't pass any water through it, so you have to use a mid-level fine grind. The machine is able to adjust the amount of water used per shot, but anything more than the smallest available setting creates, well, coffee. Not even an Americano, just coffee.

After three months the grinder broke. When I opened up the machine's door a broken part flew out. Amazon sent me a new one. One month in on the new one, the brewgroup jammed. I thought it was broken, but after four days, the machine was able to pry itself loose. Ground coffee was all over the brewgroup, as if it had exploded. We'll see how it works out.

A bright spot--Amazon was astoundingly helpful and gracious. They replaced the first one, postage payed, express delivery, with no questions at all. They offered to refund the original purchase price on the second one, until it broke loose and started working again. I cannot complement them highly enough!

In about 3 minutes, this machine grinds the beans (no separate appliance needed for that!),
tamps down the grind (no separate tool for that!)and produces foamy hot espresso. Plus, the
steam is strong enough to foam up 2% milk! Everything cleans up in a flash...second cup, no
long wait. If you like strong coffee set the grind about four clicks from the maximum setting
and the setting for amount of coffee for each use at the max. Lovely.

We had a Saeco Vienna Deluxe for several years. The machine finally died on us. In searching for a new machine, I saw the Saeco Vienna Plus and knew this would be the next machine. It is very similar to our previous model. It is much cheaper than when we had purchased our first unit. I feel there is value in what we are getting. It saves us a fortune from having to run to the more expensive coffee shop chains to pick up a mocha when it can easily made at home. At the touch of a button or two, the coffee is ready to go. The ease of use is amazing. Clean up is easy. I would definitely recommend this machine for those who want to be able to make espresso with ease.

Easy to use machine that works well making espresso or just an single cup of coffee. The only complaint I have is if you are using a large cup for regular coffee you have to angle putting in and removing the cup since the bottom of the drip spouts are not high enough even when adjusting the pull-down or push-up spout that is provided. This is a well priced unit for what it provides you. You can adjust the grind of the beans but it comes manufacturer set for a medium grind. It comes with lights that once turn solid green let you know that you are ready to use whatever function you choose and dial for adjusting espresso to a full cup of coffee is clearly marked and easy to read. Steam is provided when pressing the 3rd button on - when it is off you get very hot water dispensed. The area for grinding the beans handles a lot so if you like switching types of coffee then you have to keep only the amount for what you are using in the grinder since there is no way of easily switching coffee beans once the container is full. Overall I would recommend it for anyone who likes to prepare their own coffee because of it's price and ease of use.

We owned a Saeco Vienna Deluxe since January 2004, but decided to purchase a newer model in September 2010. The Vienna Deluxe served us well for six and a half years, but was beginning to show its age. The Saeco Vienna Plus is the updated version of the Vienna Deluxe.

Saeco's Vienna Plus super-automatic espresso machine is simple to use. Add up to 57 oz filtered cold water to the reservoir, up to 12 oz beans in the hopper, and then turn the machine on. While warming up, adjust the volume dial for a 1 to 6 oz pour. Once ready, press the coffee button once to make an espresso or twice for a double shot or two espressos. If a latte is desired, press the steam button after the espresso has finished brewing and turn the steam knob to activate the pannarello to steam the milk. Turning the steam knob without pressing the steam button will produce hot water from the pannarello instead.

The perfect espresso may require adjusting a couple dials in the hopper. A strength dial controls the amount of grounds used per cup. A second knob controls the grind's coarseness. These settings are typically adjusted once then left alone if you chose to alter the factory setting. The factory settings work well for us, so we didn't adjust these controls.

Maintaining and cleaning the Vienna Plus espresso machine is just as simple. Cleaning consists of a weekly (or after every 15 pucks) wipe down of the machine, rinsing off the brew group with warm water, and emptying and washing the drip tray and grounds drawer. Incidentally, the used coffee grounds are beneficial to soil when spread out in the gardens or lawn. Once every three months, running descaler through the boiler keeps the inner workings in good condition.

A common complaint about Saeco Vienna espresso machines is the outer plastic cabinet. The durable plastic cabinet was not a problem for us on the old machine, as it didn't chip, crack, or break with normal use. The Veinna Plus uses the same plastic material for the outer cabinet, and is probably used to keep the cost down. The internal workings, like the stainless steel boiler, are hidden from view and use more expensive materials.

Another complaint I've read about is the grinder getting clogged. Our local coffee shop advised us not to purchase oily beans like many flavored coffees. If you enjoy flavored coffee, add syrup to the cup instead. Choosing the right beans, and regular cleanings has kept us from experiencing this problem.

Compared to the Vienna Deluxe, the Vienna Plus super-automatic espresso machine has an updated look, but operates the same and is similarly sized. However the Vienna plus is quieter, and the pannarello has been improved for easier and more consistent frothing.

Ultimately, the Vienna Plus super-automatic espresso machine is simple to use and maintain; plus produces a great tasting espresso and Americano. If you're looking for a fully automatic espresso machine, this one is definitely worth considering.

PROS:
Fresh quality coffee made at the press of a button
Makes consistently great tasting coffee/espresso
Simple to use
Easy to clean/maintain
Biodegradable waste is great for the garden

CONS:
This espresso machine is sure to spoil its owners
Cannot handle large quantities quickly

I am from Italy and own a machine from this brand there. The machine over there works. The one I bought here in the USA broke after 8 months. I had to pay all the shipping costs for them to fix it, and they sent it back and it worked for a few more months. But now it broke again and it is no longer under warranty! There is not anyone in the entire state that services it, so I am stuck with a broken $500 machine. Not worth it at ALL!!! Don't buy it, the customer service is awful and the machine is not built to last.

We've owned this machine for 11 months and therefore can provide a longer term review. Please note we bought this on sale at Costco for $350, but it's worth more.

Ease of use: while this is a superautomatic, don't assume you can brew a perfect cup of coffee/espresso with no experimentation. This isn't a Keurig. The advantage of superautomatics is ease of use and consistency once you've optimized brewing. Similar to semi-automatic espresso machines, you do have control over your final product. You still have to find the correct coffee grind setting/amount, etc. You still need to aim for a 25 second extraction time. Once you do, though, you'll have great results each and every time.

Maintenance: this machine requires minimal daily maintenance. The water reservoir is small so have a water pitcher handy. Fresh water is ideal for brewing anyway. Ditto for the coffee bean hopper. But again, who wants beans sitting out going stale? Weekly maintenance involves cleaning the brew group. This is easy. Every 2-3 months the machine should be descaled. This does require time.

Taste: we are big fans of french press coffee for its richness of flavor. This is the first "coffee machine" that can best a french press with less effort, less cleanup, and more consistency. The coffee is makes is excellent (termed coffee crema as it retains crema on the top), and I find it difficult to drink coffee outside the home now. The espresso it makes is equally excellent. It surpasses Starbuck's with ease, and is equivalent to espresso you'll get from most cafes. However, it's not as good as you'll find at an Intelligentsia, or similar quality cafe. But it's quite consistent. Don't forget that beans are an important variable. Try black cat espresso from Intelligentsia, preferably roasted only a few weeks in advance.

Milk frothing: anywhere from adequate to very good. Definitely depends on type of milk and skill. I can usually make quite good foam, but it can't do true microfoam.

Quality/workmanship: plastic outer casing and plastic brew group. Looks flimsy, but has held up over the past year. It makes a strange high pitched noise while brewing, probably from the where the coffee comes out (likely just our machine) but we've otherwise not had problems. Also, it's the same brew group used in their other machines, so taste should be equivalent to more expensive machines.

Features: this is bare bone. No timer, no computer presets. But this is also why the price point is so good. You get a great espresso maker and decent grinder for a relatively low price.

Speed: warms up from turn on in 2-3 minutes. Then takes (with grinding) from about 35-40 sec for espresso to a bit longer for a cup of coffee (can make a full american sized cup). Warm up for steaming is quick. To then brew after steaming takes only about 15 seconds as long as you purge hot water. So getting to know how the machine works is important.

Summary: fantastic consistent coffee, excellent espresso with nice crema, and very good steaming at a great price. A great barista with a high end grinder and high end semi-automatic can probably make better espresso, but this is great for the rest of us. And early in the morning this is what you want.

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.