Saeco - Incanto Espresso Machine with 15 bars of pressure, Milk Frother and intergrated grinder - Black

So far very happy with it but must say that this machine is not that simple as coffee machines usually are. It took me a while to adjust machine (and coffee) preference to my own taste. I like the fact that machine is using whole bean coffee which expends the market to many brand and flavors. On top of that you can easily adjust strength of coffee which is the option you don't see often. No need for expensive and very limited selection of capsules is big win! Milk foam provide great results but it would be better if device comes with milk container (this would prevent any spills or burns) and because of that thing itself I am taking one star away. I actually had really hard time when creating foam for the first time and that did ended up unpleasant for me, but learned to control it later. Device setup was very easy, install water filter, add water and coffee and you are ready to go. Regular maintenance it's very easy but I do have concerns how much of cleaning and maintenance will it require with time. Hot water disposer is life saver when I want to make myself a tea. Pros: Easy setup Many options when it comes to brands and flavors No need for expensive capsules Easy maintenance - so far Strength of beverage it's adjustable Hot water option if you making yourself another hot beverage Cons: Milk container is not included

I got this to replace a different unit I had. I noticed a positive difference starting with the first cup of coffee. I have tried the espresso, espresso luongo and steam for frothing milk. Every option worked like a charm. I have used this every day for a week and really like the quality of the drinks. I mostly brew a latte with and espresso double shot and then steam the milk. Wonderful!!! Setup took about 15 minutes. All you do is take off the tape. Add water, aquafilter and beans. Once you turn it on, it will walk you through the set up options. I like that it comes with a water hardness strip to test your water and set the hardness level. I know I have hard water and it was measured as 3 out of 4. The default is 3 out of 5 for the aroma strength (coffee strength). I personally think 4 is better. The front display shows you the status of the aquafilter and aroma strength. You can adjust the length of the espresso cycle to suit your tastes. You can also adjust the grinder setting with 5 choices. I tested the coffee at the default setting of coffee temp at medium and it was 158 degrees F. At Max the temperature is 167 degrees F. This unit is as close as you want to go to fully automatic. The espresso is brewed automatically based on the settings you choose. The manual states it uses a self-adjusting system to adjust to different beans and coffees. You will manually froth the milk using the wand on the left of the machine. The height of the coffee dispenser is adjustable for the height of different glasses or cups. After about 8 double shots the display showed the grounds needed to be emptied. You pull the front section of the machine toward you to remove the grounds container and water leftovers. It is very easy to remove and clean. The manual contains detailed instruction on how to clean the machine. It is well described and easy to clean. Remember to leave the machine on when dumping the grounds! You can use ground coffee as wel if that is important to you. Conclusion – I am very impressed with this unit. The espresso has been excellent from my first cup of coffee. I will continue to try some adjustments to see if it can get even better. I am not sure if that is possible. The size of the machine is fairly compact. To provide the recommended space around the machine you will need 16” x 20” x 13” (WxDxH). It looks very nice and others will be impressed when they see it.

OK, here is the deal... The good: + Very attractive + High quality feel and appearance + Pretty dang "cool" + Honestly makes a good cup of coffee + Solid packaging The equal: = Not as easy to use as other machines = Has a built in water filter that was not easy to set up, and for us, we don't need it = It's good for the "coffee artist", but for a "quick cup", there are better options The areas for improvement: - Set up needs improvement - Non-Intuitive use - It's kinda' crazy, like Sybil - Learning curve is steep - Takes some time craft a cup OK, how did we get here? As mentioned, good looking unit, has a quality feel, makes a great cup of coffee and hey, who wouldn't want to have a classic looking espresso machine on their counter to impress their friends? These are the reasons we like it. That said, there are areas for improvement... The set up was unnecessarily difficult. My wife and I are both college educated. She is a full time Commissioned Officer and Firefighter/Paramedic for a major metropolitan Fire Department and I have worked high-tech for 2+ decades. We had to set it up 4 times to get it right, and yes, we DID read the manual. Every time we would set it up, it would react with a new idiosyncrasy while leaving a previously displayed idiosyncrasy on the shelf. Water would spurt from the steam spout unexpectedly one time while next time at same step water would spew from the coffee dispenser and the next time nothing would happen. It was strange. We also experienced a couple errors that were seemingly unexplained but were fixed after starting over 2 or 3 times. It was a little frustrating. Once we got it set up and had a few days to burn it in, we have had some errors come up that were not specifically difficult to clear, but were certainly not intuitive to correct. Are these deal breakers? Not necessarily, but they are certainly somewhat frustrating. We have also noticed that it seems to take a little longer to get a decent cup than from our other higher-end unit that uses pods. To be fair, this unit creates fresh grounds every time, so it is a trade off. It also seems to use water more than one would think. The drain tank fills up quicker than we expected but I think that's because it expel's water at every start-up process. End of the day to compare to a BBQ smoker; as a true BBQ low-and-slow smoker purist like I am, I compare this machine to the hard-wood-low-and-long smoking process that is more art than science. If you love the "craft" of finer coffee for you and your guests, this is probably a decent choice. If you are however more the person who wants to drop a pod, load some milk and press a button like the guy or gal who prefers an auto-feed electric smoker for your BBQ, there are better choices for you. I know, comparing high-end coffee makers to BBQ smokers is an acute dichotomy, but I find it to be quite accurate. I hope SOMEONE can appreciate the polarity! Not a bad unit, but for our needs, I would not recommend to a friend (unless that friend was a coffee artist). Disclaimer: This product was provided free, or at reduced cost, for the purpose of reviewing the product. Nevertheless, the above review, be it positive, negative, or anywhere in-between, is a 100% honest, and the price paid played absolutely no part in my review

I'll start this by saying I have a fair amount of experience with this type of machine. I've been using what is loosely termed "super automatic coffee machines" for over 15 years now. This is now my third - my first was a Saeco; the next a DeLonghi. The Saeco had a counter on it; I brewed near 10K cups of coffee with it, then gave it to a friend. Although it didn't have a counter, I got similar service from the DeLonghi, and have also given that away when I received this one. If you're here, you know what these machines do - they grind, they tamp, they froth milk. But each has its own little perks or quirks if you will. So far, my favorite thing about the Incanto is its size. It's probably about the smallest you can get a super automatic. Aside from the counter footprint, my two prior machines would require that I pull it back from the cabinetry when filling the water or beans. I had them sitting on a sheet of plexiglass to make the task a little easier. Saeco seems to have designed the Incanto with this in mind, as the flaps will lift under standard cabinet size. Yes, kitchens can be different, so check your dimensions if you're using this under cabinets. My second favorite thing about it is the grinder. Having had the two prior machines and a plethora of electric grinders, I can say that when I was the first one up in the morning, everyone know I was up! Mind you, it's tough to make a grinder quiet, but the Incanto noise level is definitely less intrusive - probably mostly due to the ceramic grinding mechanism. If morning noise is an issue, the machine does have a port for preground (or if someone in the household is a decaf drinker.) Number 3 on my list is the inclusion of the water filter. It was always a minor inconvenience when the decalcify light came on the machine; the filter greatly reduces the need for decalcification. Yes, the filters add a cost, but remember that they also serve to reduce impurities in the water; so a better tasting cup. As far as general maintenance, the Incanto also seems to have an edge over my prior brewers. the brew mechanism (or core as they call it) pulls out easily for periodic cleaning. I also applaud the implementation of menus - how simplistically thoughtful it was to print up/down arrows, a return or "go back" button, and a check mark for "ok." The memo function allows you to program your favorite brew, once set, it's a one button touch for a cup. I have to say in a world where every manufacturer seems to have its own idea of what is best, Saeco seems to have listened to consumer input as I found it to be pretty intuitive in function. So far, I'm very happy with the Incanto, I can only hope it gives me the length of service my two prior machines have. It may cost a pretty penny, but maybe every time I use it I should throw 75 cents in a jar to remind me how much the neighbors are spending on their Keurig cups! Which reminds me - if you do savor your coffee - isn't it better to buy your freshly roasted beans from a quality supplier? Who knows how long those K-cups have been sitting in a warehouse or supermarket. The aroma of fresh roasted beans brewing - that's why you have a machine like this.

Okay so I am not THAT into coffee, I drink it at work, or if I stop by Dunkin to grab breakfast, but that's about it. I was hoping this espresso machine was going to change that, but not so much. This machine is a BEAST. It's huge, heavy, well built, and very fancy in appearance. I like that is has a water filter because our water here is gross and I have to use a Brita for drinking water. I like that you can just make a regular cup of joe, or go with a fancy option you would spend $8 on at Starbucks. I like that you can adjust the strength between 1-5, I like my coffee at a 3 because I am sensitive to caffeine. I love the fresh brewed beans aspect, and the hot water dispenser option for brewing tea faster. What I don't like is how long it seems to take for one cup. The regular coffee machine seems to take about the same time to brew a whole pot, or maybe its just me being impatient? Also I am not a fan of all the "upkeep/maintenance" for this device. The water drip tray has to be emptied quite frequently as well as cleaning the inside. Not a huge deal, but definitely more work than a regular coffee maker. I would say if you are really into coffee/espresso and all the fancy options they offer at the high end shops then this machine is for you! Why not invest in this and save money in the long run? Or be able to stay home in a snow storm and still enjoy your frothy espresso. However for myself, this would not be a good investment as I am a simple gal who enjoys an ocassional cup of joe with flavored cream and sugar.

When it comes to espresso, this machine does a great job. It heats up really fast and makes some great tasting coffee. It is easy to change the strength on a scale of 1-5 plus it has the ability to brew an individual cup of any pre-ground coffee you like. The amount of espresso brewed is fully customizable. The machine has two buttons able to be reprogrammed to brew more or less than what the factory set them to do. If you need two servings of espresso, you can place two cups under the dispenser, press the button twice, and it doubles the amount by running the brew cycle twice i.e. it brews 150 ml of espresso, grinds more beans, and brews another 150 ml. This gives you two cups of 150 ml or 300 ml in one cup if it is time to run a marathon. When it comes to maintenance, the drip tray must be emptied on a pretty regular basis. The machine purges the coffee circuit every time the power is turned on or off. This prevents stale coffee and water from sitting in the lines but it creates a lot of water in the drip tray. The insides also need to be rinsed out weekly. It seems pretty easy to do but it is definitely more work than a standard coffee maker. My only major complaints with the machine are related to the steam and hot water functions. The milk frother is able to dispense steam or hot water. It is nice to have hot water on demand but it takes some time for it to dispense because it goes a little slow. The true complaint comes into play when it is time to stop either function. While the buttons to start these functions are on the right side of the front panel, the "stop" button is on the left, directly above where scalding hot steam or water is being dispensed. One must quickly reach through the steam, hit the stop button, and pull their hand out before it is burned. This issue would have been completely eliminated if they simply swapped the left and right buttons. I have not found a logical reason why they did it this way. Overall, I am happy and I would recommend this machine. It turns whole beans into a great tasting drink quite fast. I just wish they thought things through with the steam and hot water controls.

The Saeco line is pretty notorious for not being user-friendly. That said, it's a high-end machine that is also notorious for making good espresso. It's an honest-to-goodness espresso maker - it doesn't force you into buying poorly recyclable capsules in order to get anything out of it. There are some things that make this an appealing package: there's the adjustable strength of the espresso, as well as the adjustable cup size, again, a big improvement compared to simpler espresso makers. It's important to note the machine is a little bulky, but overall sleek in design and looks great. The bad is pretty much all upfront. It took a while to set up, and was complicated with many steps that weren’t always outlined in chronological order within the instructions. During that setup we ran into several errors that were inexplicable, or not present in the instruction manual - like for example, there were random pictures showing onscreen without explanation, and a time where nothing but water was brewed instead of an espresso - but I just restarted the process of brewing and they resolved themselves. Maybe it's part of the learning curve. Either way, the end product was excellent. This machine makes a quality espresso. The flexibility is key: you can use ground coffee, or just espresso beans, and there are a variety of functions. The milk frother is also excellent and has functioned well every time it was used. Short story: It's expensive and hard to learn, but the coffee is very good. Would recommend if you're not afraid to invest a little time learning how to use this, and willing to get a little splatter on your clothes the first couple tries.

If you are looking for a super automatic coffee maker, don't over look this one. This is not one of the most popular brands of super auto's out there, but give it a look. Sure, there are machines out there that provide more fine tuning of types of shots, but they cost 3 times as much, so I don't really compare them. This machine makes good shot, or cup, of coffee (espresso more so). A cup of coffee is mainly just a long shot of espresso, so the taste is much different than a typical drip cup of coffee. You could also just make an Americano by making a shot, then using the hot water feature. The machine is very customizable and allows you to change the different buttons to make a cup of coffee, or shot, to your liking. I LOVE that you can remove the entire brew component and clean it. The other brands out there don't allow you to do this, and they can get very dirty. Reminder, as with any super automatic, keep this baby clean! It is very easy to clean every day, it doesn't take much time at all, and you will keep the machine (and you!) very happy if you keep it clean. The milk frothing works....ok...just like every other super that I've used. Will it taste fine? Yes. Is it convenient? Yes. So there is that! It actually works better than my other, more expensive, super. You do, however, have to choose between hot water or milk. I leave the milk attachment off and only use it when I want, which isn't very often. The looks of the machine are nice. Black and silver. It is made out of a lot of plastic, but it doesn't scream cheap or anything. The bean hopper and water container hold a decent amount of water. Overall, a very good super automatic for the price!