Product Description

The Saeco Aroma traditional espresso machine is the only way to make true Italian espresso. The easy to read control light lets you know when the machine is ready to brew your delicious gourmet coffee and it also indicates when the steam is ready making it easy to use the steam wand with Pannarello attachment to froth your milk for your favorite cappuccino or latte. The residual heat of the stainless steel boiler heats the cup-warming tray on top of the machine, this ensures that your coffee cup will be warm and ready to use when ever the machine is on (holds 6 espresso cups). The pressurized portafilter has a patented filter holder to ensure a great extraction of espresso by pressurizing the brewing chamber to create the perfect brewing elements for your perfect cup of coffee. For those mornings when you're too busy to grind your own coffee, the Saeco Aroma comes with an ESE pod adaptor and special filter. This allows you to use the prepackaged single serve shots with ease. The Saeco Aroma is the only way to enjoy delicious gourmet coffee the Italian way.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #137345 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Color: Black
• Brand: Saeco
• Model: 30013.00
• Released on: 2006-11-15
• Platform: Windows
• Dimensions: 12.00" h x 8.00" w x 10.00" l,

Features

• 950-watt traditional espresso machine housed in sleek black-enameled steel
• Powerful 15-bar pump; stainless-steel boiler; pod-adaptable pressurized portafilter
• Pannarello frothing device for steaming or frothing milk or dispensing hot water
• 85-ounce removable water tank; cup-warming tray; removable drip tray
• Ships within US only; does not ship to Canada

Amazon.com Product Description
Combining Saeco’s legacy of Swiss quality with Italian styling, this 950-watt traditional espresso machine makes it easy to brew delicious gourmet coffee. The unit features a powerful 15-bar pump and a stainless-steel boiler, as well as a pressurized portafilter, which creates an ideal brewing environment inside the brew chamber for creating a thick golden crema. The residual heat of the stainless-steel boiler heats the cup-warming tray on top of the machine; this ensures that up to six espresso cups will be warm and ready to use whenever the machine is on. For mornings when there's no time to grind beans, the appliance comes equipped with an adaptor and special filter to accommodate pre-measured, no-mess ESE coffee pods. The unit's Pannarello frothing device dispenses steam in three different directions for conveniently steaming and frothing milk for cappuccinos and lattes. The Pannarello also dispenses hot water for making hot drinks and soups. Other highlights include simple controls with easy-to-read indicator lights, an 85-ounce removable water tank, and a removable drip tray. Housed in sleek black-enameled steel, the espresso machine measures 9-1/4 by 8 by 12 inches and carries a 6-month parts-and-labor warranty.

From the Manufacturer

This traditional Italian-style espresso machine is a great addition to any counter top. Featuring a sturdy, stainless steel body, the Aroma SS is designed to last. The easy reading control lights indicate when the machine is ready to brew or steam, and a brew switch regulates the amount of coffee brewed. It even features a cup-stacking surface to store and display porcelain cups. The water tank and drip tray are easily removable for refilling and cleaning.

Fantastic Functionality Equals Better Espresso

The Aroma has a number of features that help create great espresso and cappuccinos, starting with the Pannarello frothing device allows you to froth milk quickly and easily, and the steam wand even dispenses hot water for tea or hot chocolate. With this machine, you can create all of your favorite espresso-based drinks, such as cappuccinos and lattes. Every cup of coffee is brewed with consistent high quality at the push of a button. It includes a pressurized Portafilter, making traditional espresso-brewing simple and easy. By releasing the water pressure at the correct moment, it ensures a perfect extraction and a thick layer of crema every time. The Portafilter is also pod-adaptable, for use with prepackaged espresso pods for quick and effortless clean-up. Beautifully designed and constructed, the Aroma SS espresso machine offers the ultimate coffee experience.

Features and Specifications

Control Lights: Lights on the front control panel indicate each function of the machine. Cup Stacking Surface: A practical cup stacking surface can display your porcelain cups while keeping them warm and ready to use. Dual Spout Dispensing Head: With the dual spout dispensing head, the espresso is divided evenly, so you can brew two cups simultaneously. Exclusive Pressurized Portafilter: The special patented Portafilter guarantees an espresso with great crema, regardless of the type of coffee and the fineness of the grind. Hot Water Nozzle: This makes it easy to prepare warm beverages such as hot chocolate, teas, and soups. Pannarello Frothing Device: The Pannarello frothing device allows you to make soft froth for creamy cappuccinos and lattes by evenly dispensing steam pressure through three different areas of the device, making foaming milk simple and easy. Color: Stainless steel Stainless steel boiler Removable water tank: 85 ounces Stainless steel boiler 950 watts / 120 volts (UL listed) Dimensions: 8 by 10 by 11-3/4 inches (width by depth by height) Weight: 14 lbs

Customer Reviews

Great espresso from a mid-range machine
After conducting research for a few weeks, visiting Amazon, as well as other coffee aficionado sites, I finally purchased the Saeco Aroma espresso maker and have been using it for going on two weeks. Although this machine may not be as glitzy in appearance compared to some machines, it does make a great espresso. Say for instance, if the Francis Francis is the sexy Ferrari of espresso machines, then the Aroma would be a Volvo--boxy (perhaps considered bland in appearance to some) but solid, reliable, and a well-built machine for the price. Once I got the hang of using the pressurized portafilter, which has to be put on tightly to obtain the correct seal/pressure, I was treated to rich, flavorful espresso with lots of crema.

I am pleased with the ease of using the machine, however, the instructions are not very detailed and I found technical support to be slow. Initially I placed a phone call to -- where I did not reach a live person--but left a message. Never received a call back, but called again the next day at which time I did get a live person. To be honest, she seemed ambivalent and downright unhelpful, blaming my problem on the coffee I was using (despite my best efforts to explain the problem). The issue was that after priming the machine and installing the portafilter, the pump would run and run, but no espresso would come out. I ended up tightening the three little screws on the bottom of the portafilter, which seemed to help make it fit more snugly and achieve a pressurized seal. Voila! Perfect espresso. If I had one complaint about this machine, it would be that the portafilter is not very substantial, and is made mostly of plastic.

The Aroma's steam wand works REALLY well for frothing milk. Almost too well, as I ended up with a lot of foam, but the second time using it, I backed off on the pressure a bit, and got just the right balance of milk and foam. Overall I am pleased with the performance of this machine.

It's hard to find a decent machine for under $300. But I would consider this machine to be a mid-level machine for an entry-level price, especially with 15 bars of pressure. (I had started out thinking I would buy the Starbucks Barista machine which was almost $400, but after seeing a live demo at a Starbucks store, realized it did not perform well at only 8-12 bars of pressure. Very little crema). A good espresso machine should offer a minimum of 14 bars.

Two side notes: I urge anyone who purchases an espresso machine to consider a conical burr grinder (I bought the Capresso 560.01 Infinity Burr Grinder from Amazon). It's crucial to have a fine grind for brewing espresso. You'll know when you have just the right grind because after brewing the portafilter basket will contain a compacted "cake" of espresso, rather than a soupy mixture of water and grinds.

I did not purchase my Saeco from Amazon, but opted instead to get it from Costco's website where it was $249 (for members or add 5% - or $12.45 - for nonmembers), including shipping and handling. Plus it could be returned to any Costco warehouse within 30 days, no questions asked, if not satisfied.

Delicious, Easy Cappuccino!
I did quite a bit of research before buying this machine. The Aroma delivers in the areas that were of most importance to me. It is easy to use, easy to clean and makes a wonderful cappuccino. There's very little warm-up time; it's ready in only a minute or two to begin making espresso with beautiful crema. The steam tube is easy to use and heats the milk while creating a nice thick froth. You can make one or many easily.

I believe the instructions could be a little more comprehensive. I left a message at Saeco for some clarification on the initial priming that needs to be done before using the machine for the first time or if the machine hasn't been used for a long period (priming is only necessary at these times). My call was returned within one day (although I had already worked through the priming; the VERY first cup of espresso took a very long time for the water to begin to drip and flow). The machine did NOT come with the ESE pod adaptor and special filter as stated in the description. Dealt with that on the return call and Saeco is sending the adaptor, so I've only had experience using this machine with ground coffee.

Overall, I'm enjoying the ease of the machine and the delicious cappuccino that tastes better than what I can buy at the coffee house. I spent a little more than what I originally planned but this machine has the features I wanted (powerful pump, water tank that is easy to fill at the counter or sink, pod adaptable, not sensitive to how your ground coffee is prepared (very forgiving), cup warming surface, works well when it's just me or a houseful of guests) and is proving to be well worth the price.

Enjoy!

amazing espresso!
This is a great espresso machine -- better than any I've had before. It's very forgiving (you don't have to be extra-careful about what grind you use -- though burr #3 seems to work best for me), and it makes amazing crema every time because of the pressurized portafilter. (Hint: make sure you attach the portafilter before you turn on the machine, since the Aroma releases hot water before you brew the espresso, so that the grounds will expand. So if you turn it on before you've attached the portafilter, it will start to drip hot water.) The espresso is rich and incredibly flavorful (I use Porto Rico Importing Co.'s Italian espresso), and the pannarello works perfectly for frothing milk. Altogether a really great machine.