14 out of 14 people found this review helpful.
A Great Machine
Date of Review: Jan 13, 2004
The Bottom Line: A little costly, but worth it if you want 1 button operation.
After spending weeks reading reviews and comparing features on SuperAutomatic espresso machines, I picked the Saeco Royal Exclusive.
The SuperAutomatics grind the beans, tamp the grounds, adds the amount of water you have preprogrammed, and disposes of the used grinds in a box inside the machine. And all of this is done with just a push of a button.
When you first get the machine you set 2 leavers. One is for course to fine grind. The other leaver is for the amount of coffee grinds to be dispensed. Then you program the amount of water (volume) for your espresso, cafe Americano, or whatever. You can program each of the 3 buttons for different water volume amounts. Obviously, the more water, the weaker the drink. Tip: Use the factory default settings first. Then adjust the various settings to your personal taste.
This machine has a digital display that will warn you if the water tank is empty, or the coffee beans need to be added, or the brew group is out of place, or it needs decalcifying, and much more. You and even set the temperature of your drink and the time you want it to go into stand-by mode. It even has a cup warmer. The features on this machine are just too numerous to list.
Cleaning is a snap. Every couple of days just slide out the drip tray and dredge box, where the used grinds are dumped, and rinse them. About once or twice a week remove the brew group and rinse it. Decalcify about every 3 to 4 months depending on your water hardness.
I was unsure about spending that much money for such a machine, but I am glad I did. I love it! And thanks to Aabree.com for all their help.
