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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.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Saeco Via Venezia Traditional Pump Driven Espresso Machine, Black
Product Description
The Via Venezia is a durable, high performance, traditional pump espresso machine with an art-deco styling. It features a patented pressurized brew filter that makes great espresso without requiring the skills of an expert. The result is an excellent tasting espresso topped with great crema. It has a large, transparent water tank that can be filled through an opening in the cup warming surface, or by removing and filling at the faucet. The drip tray is also easily removed when the tray needs to be emptied or cleaned.
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