GETTING STARTED:
, First and foremost, the water tank and the bean hopper is refilled. The former seems a bit small at first glance, but holds more than 1.3 liters. It is not visible from the outside and is located at an upward-opening flap on the left side of the machine. Herausklappbarem means, quite narrow and thus somewhat flexible plastic strap can be removed the tank and fill. The onset is very fit, perhaps you have even slightly reprints. The coffee container is not removable.
Then, the machine may be connected to the current. The cable is approximately 73 cm length unfortunately surprisingly short, unlike I know it from other machines. On the back there is the on / off switch hinged, on the front of a standby permanently rotblinkender on / off pushbutton. Unfortunately, when you first switch on the first warning symbol appears already directly on the display, which indicates that the drip tray and used the service door to be closed. Both are undoubtedly takes place, even after removal, reinserted and closing the door appears the warning. I note, after several attempts, that in pressure from the front on the plastic cover of the drip tray, the warning disappears and reappears when released. Finally, I put under some cardboard and the machine heats up. In subsequent operation the next few days the warning appeared from time to time. Thus, a bit irritating and annoying the first (and subsequent) impression.
The first device with all wash cycles takes about ten minutes. The operations are carried out only partially automatically, the thoroughly illustrated manual guides the user easily but through the establishment.
OPERATION:
The user interface of the automaton is kept quite simple and understandable: There is a button on the left side of the espresso machine and a key for the coffee-related. There is also a button for the Aroma setting. The currently set appears on the right aroma permanently in the form of five beans that are depending on the strength either filled or unfilled on the beautiful, green-lit display. On the right side buttons are for Cappuccino (more to this soon), hot water and for the menu.
It is notable directly that the keys are cumbersome to press. That would go easier in my opinion.
The menu is unfortunately explained in the manual in any way. It is easy to understand, but one would certainly go into it, because the menu is based on symbols. Anyway, the configuration options are quite manageable. The following parameters can be set here: Coffee temperature (Min, Med, Max), Time Machine to. Off (15, 30, 60, 80 min.), Display brightness, water hardness (1-4), filters used (yes / no), descaling and reset. Navigating the menu is self-explanatory. In addition, you can manually adjust the supplied teaspoon while coffee is being brewed the grinder, but first should not be necessary.
Coffee brewing:
The purchase of coffee or espresso is very simple, for this there is, as mentioned above one-touch keys. There is no key for the terms of a double dose or different size, it must be pressed twice. Hold down the respective button can save a lot of desire. Unfortunately an accurate indication how big the portion is does not exist. The adjustment of an amount in ml is not possible. Who wants to set an exact amount of coffee, must assume a measuring cup when programming consequently.
Now the Cappuccino button: This is of course marked misleading because it only triggers dispensing milk foam, which must then be stopped again with the Espresso button. This of course is a bit misleading, because the key of course suggests a cappuccino-One Touch respect. But in the product table also is that this machine does not have such a function. Nevertheless, one might reconsider the labeling of the button.
Milk frother:
The machine has a cappuccino maker with hose. The apparatus must first be attached, but this is not a problem. Etc. For Making cappuccino the desired coffee has to be filled first, then the hose can, in a filled with milk vessel and the Cappuccino button are pressed. The appliance heats up briefly, then takes place the filling of the milk froth. The production of the foam was almost deafening in the first period of use. The tone was biting and forcing almost to covering your ears. Meanwhile, this stinging tone, however, is strangely enough disappeared.
Again, no amount can be adjusted or stored in ml, of the termination of the reference is always made manually by pressing a key. After each reference of frothers and hose must be cleaned. To this end, the hose must be immersed in water and the same process will be initiated as the foam generation. In my opinion, a bit awkward. In addition, the hose hangs freely around after use without Verstauungsmöglichkeit.
Nevertheless, for the better: The foam has a perfect consistency and he has a good temperature. Absolutely nichtszu complain.
In addition, even (without hose) hot Wassert related.
COFFEE PRODUCT:
Now it has been given in detail on the operation of the device information. The most important aspect of a Coffee Automats is of course the edited product and this know absolutely convincing. Has been tested with Eduscho Gala Variazione espresso and coffee quantity was independent always extremely tasty. It is a wonderful Crema after a few references generated the temperature on "Med" could not be warm enough for one or the other, I find very pleasant. On "Max" but can also produce really hot coffee. Coupled with the excellent consistency of the milk foam allows the machine definitely generating a wonderful cappuccino or other coffee specialties.
CLEANING:
First, one must unfortunately realize disappointed that no cleaning products are included. Since I am used to from other manufacturers Other. So there is no water filter (but the obligatory test strips), descaling or Milchaufschäumereinigungsmittel.
The unit should, as usual, entkalt every 30 days. For this purpose there are the descaling mode, which automatically runs according to instructions after appropriate filling for 30 minutes.
Also every 30 days must be cleaned with a special detergent that milk frothing. There are several wash cycles, plus a complete disassembly and cleaning of separate Milchaufschäumapparatur is necessary. This consists of several parts, so easily disassemble and reassemble is not too complicated, but it could well be less hakelig.
In addition, the brewing unit must be cleaned regularly. Every week they must be removed and washed, greased every month (a small tube of grease supplied) and be cleaned with detergent. As the latter more and the latter is to take place, unfortunately I could not refer to the manual, it is simply not described. The weekly maintenance is, however, described in detail. Removing (and replacing) the brewing unit, I feel again unfortunately as something hakelig that I know of other machines also elegant.
In addition to the rinsing of the brewing unit of the coffee dispenser must be cleaned in addition to the bar of the supplied coffee spoon by the fact rumstochert principle, so fall out coffee residue. The underlying coffee collecting tank must be removed and washed. In some places the brewing beyond different things have to be checked.
In short. The maintenance of this Saeco Coffee Automats is the most extensive to date for me personally. I have experience with Melitta and DeLonghi made machines that are all much easier, thus largely automatically and therefore unumständlich to clean and maintain. Here in my opinion must be dismantled by too much.
CONCLUSION:
This Saeco machine leaves ultimately a rather ambivalent impression: As mentioned in my review, there are drawbacks as many Umständlichkeiten few automatism, partly hakelige components, cumbersome buttons, a basically good, but not too appealing processing, complex cleaning, an incomplete instructions, little delivery and of course the inexplicable for me loose connection, which is hopefully an isolated incident. Taking all this into account, we obtain for a wonderfully fine coffee product that even the best, perhaps, that I have ever tested privately. All in all, you will understand why this is the basic model of the current Saeco series, I forgive good three star.
Thank you for reading this long review!
