Customer Reviews

Saeco Classico in Black Espresso and Cappuccino Machine

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first Saeco Classico that I received was defective. The brew head would only produce a few dribbles of water (it took 60 seconds to get 1 ounce of water directly from the brew head when the brew switch was engaged). Dispite this bad first impression, I went ahead and gave a second machine a try. Mostly due to the fact that a good Italian friend of mine has had a Classico for several years and it has proven to be a steady, reliable performer under daily use. I am happy to say that the replacement arrived quickly and performed beautifully!

It heats up quickly, the espresso is just the right temperature, and it produces plenty of steam from the frothing attachment. Almost straight out of the box, it produced shots of espresso that were half crema! It seems to perform best with a finer grind of coffee.

I was a bit leary about the "Rapid Steam" feature. I don't understand how this machine can go instantly from steam to brewing and not burn the coffee with water that is at too high of a temperaturefor proper brewing. So, I actually put an instant read thermometer in the cup and discovered that the coffee actually comes out at just the right temp...

I am very happy with this espresso machine, which I received as a gift. It is sturdy, aesthetically attractive, easy to use and maintain, and makes heavenly coffee, with a thick, rich crema and not a hint of bitterness. It heats up fairly quickly, and is ready to use within one minute of turning it on. It comes with a video and instruction book which are quite helpful for getting started. I can highly recommend this machine to anyone looking for good value and quality in an Italian espresso machine.

About three years ago I purchased a Krups Novo espresso maching and I've been dissapointed with it's operation almost from the first day. Early on it took about 15 to 20 minutes to foam a picture of milk for two cups. There were times that steam stopped and, what I believed happened, a vapor lock developed and I had to prime the system before the steam started again. This may happen two or three times during foaming. About a year later nothing seem to work properly and I took it to an approved/official Krup service shop. I found that the heater and both thermostats had failed. It took four months for the service shop to get the necessary parts. The service personnel said that this was typical for Krups. After repairs the machine worked for a while but, again, it was slow. Then it started leaking which were repaired. After about eight months the heater failed again. I wrote to the CEO of Krups with my complaints but never received an acknownedgment of my letter. Subsequently I junked the Krups machine and bought the Saeco 30054 Classio machine. At the very beginning I was surprised how fast it foamed the milk, about three minutes, and how much the coffee flavor had improved over the Krups. So far after about two weeks of service I'm very pleased. My only complaint, although minor, it that the water reservoir is awkward to replace after filling. I've resorted to filling the reservoir with a pitcher without removing it.

I purchased my Saeco Classico in April of 2001 after getting hooked on espresso on a trip to Europe. I chose to buy a pump driven machine because of a bad experience with a cheap pumpless electric model. Since then, I have had consistently high quality espresso daily for three years and counting. This is a well built machine from a leading manufacturer that I recommend most highly.

The steam (while not as powerful as commercial machine) is more than adequate for home use and allows you to go straight from steam to espresso. It really works as advertised. This machine is also built in a semi commercial fashion in that each part is replaceable and Saeco USA will send you any part you need. (I have not needed any to date.)

This machine also does very well with espresso pods. You may be a die-hard coffee grinder and if so ignore, but I strongly recommend pods (made from high quality espresso of course) if you are into daily use. They are tamped perfectly, are mess free, are packaged to stay fresh for along time, and give you a highly consistent draw each and every time. This machine, with Segafredo or Lavazza pods, has consistently produced espresso shots with a rich crema and mellow roasted flavor that is much better than most professional products I have had in the past three years. If you buy pods in bulk they are currently only about $.35 each.

When this machine finally gives out, I will definitely buy another if it is still available. It's a BIG bang for the buck.

We had the machine for seven years now. It has brewed about 5000 cups of cappuccino without any maintenance problems!

I received this machine as a gift and have been a thrilled addict from the first day it entered my kitchen. It is easy to use and hard to make a bad cup of espresso! The built-in steam wand is really fun to use and produces lots of foamed milk in about a minute, delivering fabulous cappucinos every time. The video and instruction manual are direct and simple to follow, great for a machine clutz like myself. Clean up is a snap,too, with just a damp cloth for the machine itself and warm soapy soak and rinse for the parts.

My husband and I love it and highly recommend it to anyone wanting to produce a cup better than any Starbucks but in the comfort of your own home. Become your own barista and enjoy!!!

I have had the SAECO Classico for nearly a year and can reccommend this fine machine to anyone who would like to make the most of their quality coffee purchases. If espresso is your goal,you can do no better.Should you prefer a full-cup coffee,be prepared to use much less sugar & cream,as this baby produces a drink that is frothy & really flavourful.It is solidly built, operates simply & guests are always coming over "just for coffee," & it's made in the land of espresso...ITALY !!! You cannot go wrong. ...DAP

If this is your first real espresso machine you can't do much better for the price. Sure it's not a perfect machine. The portafilter is cheap plastic and the wand drips a bit. Aesthetically it's nothing to die for and after 15 years of use the bottom has begun to rust out. But seriously, for $250 bucks and 15 years of multi-use daily I'm blown away how this thing has never stopped working. I've been dying for it to break for years so I could go a little higher end but the damn thing just keeps working perfectly.

Not having an Espresso machine in my office wasn't an option (I am European after all, but I don't smoke - so what other breaks but espresso breaks can I take? Wine breaks?). But a Rancilio or an Isomac (we have that at home) was overkill, also price-wise. And despite what coffeegeek.com and every other aficionado says, the Gaggia Classico and I do not get along. At all.

Turns out the Saeco Classico with a bit of an aftermarket tune-up is the little locomotive that could. Stock, it comes with a terrible contraption: a cheap and lightweight (aluminum?) pressurized portafilter that you can't even use to hammer a nail into a drywall. It (supposedly) guarantees Crema for Dummies, and that's how it tastes too. Espresso for Dummies. Yuck.

So I took the stock pressurized PF apart and gutted it - still no comparison. Save yourself the effort.

But as soon as you equip the Saeco with a naked heavy portafilter (non-pressurized, chrome-plated heavy brass), the results take a 180° degree turn from mediocre to excellent. Just don't ask me why. Probably fitting are Solis PFs as well as Nemox PFs. Amazon may sell it; Saeco did at some point, as well as cerinicoffee.com or espressoparts.com. I bought mine from kaffeegenuss24.com for 19 Euros and brought it with me to the US.

Otherwise the machine is great: small footprint, simply built, good solid switches, large drip pan, large water reservoir which is easy to check (are you listening, Isomac?), good pressure. The only I can't judge are steaming qualities, since I never made any Lattes etc. with it.

With the stock PF, I'd rate the machine ***, certainly no more. With a non-pressurized heavy PF, it deserves ******.

We have this cappuccino machine for 7.5 years, still working nothing broken, we are using it twice a day. Very good product. Using LAVAZZA coffee brand and foam+taste is excellent.