Review of the Saeco Vienna Automatic Espresso Machine
Founded in 1981, from inception Saeco have always been at the forefront of coffee technology, being the first manufacturer to produce a two cup espresso machine. In 1999 Saeco acquired Gaggia and in doing so became took control of 65% of the domestic market, and 30% of the overall European market. This strength has allowed Saeco to have a head start over a lot of other espresso machine brands in the marketplace.
So where does the Saeco Vienna Espresso machine fit in to the domestic kitchen? Well, let’s start with the facts; it isn’t one of the cheapest entry level machines on the market, but it is one of the most feature rich and automated available and so justifies the premium price. Despite being a domestic device it is powered by a powerful 1250 watt element for fast heat up, and is made to automate the entire process of making an Espresso, Latte or even Cappuccino.
Equipped with a coffee bean hopper, with the push of a button the Saeco Vienna grinds coffee beans without burning them, tamps the ground coffee into the brew cup, forces water through the freshly ground coffee, brews a cup of espresso, and then dumps the spent grounds into a container, this entire process taking about 30 seconds from start to finish. This process uses the proprietary and revolutionary Saeco Brewing System (SBS), allowing the strength of the coffee to be adjusted using a simple thumbwheel, and maintaining a constant brewing pressure to ensure optimum aroma and that all important foam.
As previously intimated you are not restricted to just espresso’s, the Saeco Vienna can also make latte and cappuccino’s too. It is the Ideal choice for both lazy and demanding barista’s, an automatic Saeco espresso machine offering many advantages over manual machines in the consistency of the results – perfect espresso after perfect espresso. In this model Saeco have used many patented innovations which make a real difference on the final result.
For creating a cappuccino or latte, there’s a hot water and steam wand with a milk-frothing attachment. The Saeco Vienna has around a 35-second delay from brewing to steaming the milk, and conversely a 15 second delay from steaming to brewing. Keeping things simple, a button selects one or two cups, and a knob adjusts cup size right up to 10 ounces meaning that fresh coffee is a button press away.
If the machine runs out of beans or the water tank runs empty it will automatically shut off with control panel status lights indicating the specific cause. This means that there is no damage if things run dry. The machine measures 15 inches high, 13 inches wide, and 13 inches deep; weighs 19 pounds; and, with a tasteful anthracite marble-gray plastic exterior, looks great on the work surface.
The bean hopper holds about 12-1/2 ounces of coffee beans, while the removable see through water tank holds 57 ounces. As the fineness of the coffee grind is so important for best results it is good to note that the Saeco’s grinder adjusts from extra fine to coarse. The maintenance and cleaning on Saeco espresso machines is easy, the automatic machine is equipped with a removable brew group which is the heart of the Saeco technology system. Easily disassembled it can be quickly rinsed it with tap water to keep it fresh. The maintenance of this piece is essential to avoid altering the taste of the coffee over time.
Most other components remove easily for cleaning, and the design is well thought out to minimise mess and waste. The machine comes with exceptionally thorough instructions and carries a one-year warranty against defects, and the brew group having a 5 year warranty.
If like me you are a serious coffee drinker you will appreciate the ability to produce two doses of espresso at a time, and the ease of use puts most other Espresso machines in the shade. If you are looking for a great automated Espresso machine then you really must look at the Saeco Vienna, in fact, if you are looking for ANY espresso machine you should really put this on your shortlist.
Product Description & Dimensions
Colors: Anthracite (dark metallic gray). Power: 1250 watts – 120 volts. Size: 15. 5 H x 13. 5 W x 13. 5 D. Weight: 20 pounds.