Saeco Incanto Deluxe Automatic Espresso Machine Stanless Steel
| Brand: | Saeco | ||
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With coffee being a staple in most public places nowadays, maybe it would pay off if you’d be able to enjoy the treat right at the comforts of your abode- or even in your very own coffee house. In the most basic sense, that’s why espresso machines are there.
Saeco has been turning out espresso machines well out into much of the last decade, and the Saeco Incanto machine doesn’t fail its users in terms of the functionality it offers. At the hefty price of $969, is this gizmo worth your investment? Read on to find out.
Key Features
* Saeco Incanto Brewing System- this handy feature allows you to choose the strength and consistency of your blend by just turning a dial (neat, isn’t it?)
* 3 beverage presets
* Ceramic disc grinder
* Rapid Steam Technology- easily froths milk to quickly convert espressos into cappuccinos or lattes
* A removable Adjustable dispensing head that allows for the accommodation of large cups
* Removable 68 oz water tank with Aqua Prima water filter technology
The Unit
At 15.5 x 12 x 15, the machine is quite within the average for its group; try lifting it, and its 26 lbs frame would work to its advantage- it’s actually light for a machine of this size. The stainless steel exterior gives off the illusion of bulkiness, but in truth, the Saeco Incanto espresso machine is a compact marvel. The manufacturer leaves the user with its statement “Its elegant finish and compact footprint makes the Saeco Incanto a perfect fit for any kitchen.” We’ll leave it up to you to see how well the machine fits into your kitchen setting.
Handling and Coffee-Making
As specified, the rather innovative Saeco Incanto Brewing System enables its users to customize the brewing experience they get with the device- whether you’re up for brewing a cappuccino, an espresso, or a latte, the system software is a helpful tool in getting the right blend and brew for your coffee. The system also includes presets as to how hard you would like your water to be, features that enable by-pass the beans with pre-ground coffee (for your decaf needs), and an automatic descaling cycle that saves you a lot of time in comparison to other machines. The one thing users have to be wary of is the pannarello (or the steam wand), as it can interfere with glass angling.
Overall, the brewer turns out brewed coffee with fairly consistent quality and smooth makes. One can usually create good froth qualities with the machine, as well as produce right amount of steam to make your coffee look more enticing than ever.
Where to get it
Amazon.com lists the Saeco Incanto at $969, which includes the fees for super saving shipping. Considering the handling costs, you get quite a bargain with the price. more info
3 strikes, and out
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I have now had to return my 3rd machine because of issues. 1st machine had issues with a door sensor, second machine had grinder issues, now this machine has computer and ventilation issues. Spoke with Saeco, and they want me to pay for shipping to get it looked at. Luckily I bought it from Costco where I can just return it for a refund. Quality control and customer service at Saeco are sorely lacking. I will not ever buy another Saeco.
Nothing but problems
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought the Saeco Incanto espresso coffee maker machine about 2 years ago and I had so many problems during this time. I had to return the machine 2 times at my own expense. Now for several months, the machine has been mal-functioning (when I press the brew button, about 3/4 cup of water comes from the steam wand and very little coffee is made. I called the service people about 4 months ago, and they asked me to return the machine again for service, but I lost my patience in doing that. They sent me a steam valve saying that it is easy to replace but I could not figure out how to replace it. Now it is just out of warranty, and I cannot even return the machine to them without incurring a huge repair cost. Well, I guess I will keep it for a little longer and trash it. I wish I bought it from costco so that I could have returned it during the first month after I got it, but I bought it from some other vendor on line and I just have to eat it. I will never buy another Saeco machine again in my life.
beautiful looks and great coffee but very poor reliability
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I have owned 4 espresso machines before this one, 2 manual (De Longhi), and 1 fully automatic (Saeco Odea Go). So I have a pretty good idea about what a good espresso should look like and what an espresso machine can or cannot do.
I got this Incanto Deluxe as a replacement for the Odea Go that died a sad death after 18 months of service (that’s another review). On the positive side, the Incanto looks great, is very versatile and fully customizable. One can program almost anything from the temperature of the coffee, to the amount of coffee ground and the amount of water to be put through the ground coffee. The enclosure of the machine is metal (very rare nowadays when cheap plastic is ubiquitous) and the whole machine looks very high quality (unlike the Magnifica for instance which looks very plasticky) The features that convinced me to go for this machine also include: i) the ability to set the water hardness, ii) the automatic descaling cycle (the Odea Go descaling is a 45 min affair for which you have to be present) and iii) the ability to bypass the beans with pre-ground coffee (for decaf, etc.). One thing I didn’t like in the exterior design was the pannarello (steam wand). On my old Odea Go, I could place a relatively tall glass (but still 250 ml) under the wand and steam the milk with one hand only (holding my 5-month old in the other arm). I could actually leave the glass on the tray, steam as necessary, then turn the steam off and pick up the glass, all with one hand only. On the Incanto, this is not possible. I can barely fit the same glass at an angle, I have to hold it there the entire time the steam is running and then I need the other hand in order to turn the steam off. So if you get this machine make sure you have both hands available or use short glasses. The other comment about the steam is that it appears to produce a _lot_ of froth to the point of having froth dribble on my hand and counter way before the milk is even warm.
I read comments and reviews about this and other machines for several days before getting this. I read about problems that other people had with it (including the ventilation issue) and I also read about some people that were happy with it. However, I really liked the specifications and I figured it may be a matter of luck and I will try it anyway. However, rather than going for the lowest price on the internet, I decided to pay more but buy it from a store when I could return it if needed.
I had no problems installing the machine when I got it out of the box. It requested to be ventilated which only involved opening the hot water knob. So much for the ventilation issue, I thought. However, about 2 days later after exactly 5 coffees made – as dutifully reported by the beautiful digital display – the machine ran out of water while steaming the milk for a cappuccino. The “ventilate” request was displayed and that was it! I tried to run hot water with no results. The machine also comes with a very cheap manual pump that looks like an accordion with a tube at one end. There are instructions on a leaflet (not in the manual) that tell you to fit the tube of the pump over the water valve of the machine and pump water into the system. This pump is a very sad joke. The diameter of the plastic tube does not match the diameter of the water valve so the pump would not fit in it, and it would not fit around it, either. The best one can do is to push the pump on the water valve really hard and try to pump. It’s like holding a water hose against a flat surface and turning the water on. The water goes everywhere: walls, counter top, clothes, people, etc. After fighting with the manual pump for a while I gave up and called tech support. After about 20 minutes on hold, I managed to talk to a person. She had me reset the machine to the factory settings and brew 2-3 cups of coffee. Brewing the coffee worked which meant that the problem was with the hot water/steam circuit alone. She then said she would email me instructions on how to open the machine and adjust a “turbine”. Overall, this person was very nice and competent. A few minutes later I got the email with a pdf attachment. I opened it and I started laughing really hard. They expect the consumer to really take apart the machine, find this “turbine” and actually modify it. However, being an engineer and loving to take things apart, I thought it might be fun to try it. After spending some time looking at the brew group from all sides, I figure that this turbine looked completely different on my machine than it looked in the instructions. Once I took it apart, I also figure out that this turbine is no turbine at all, it’s just a valve actuated by a spring and sealed by an o-ring. The instructions stated “use removed screw to slightly widen the whole inside the turbine”. This is when I gave up. If they said something like make the whole 1/10 inch or 2mm or something, anything that can be measured, I could have done it. However, telling me to make the whole “slightly” bigger is a joke. Dear people at Saeco: These things can be _designed_, you know?. One can actually figure out how big the whole needs to be _before_ building the machine, not after. And even if you are not able to do this and you go with a hit and miss approach, once you build it and figure out how big it should be, you should make sure your product leaves the factory with the correct size hole, not ask the customer to fix your design or production flaws!! Even if you get your components from China, check their specifications before assembling them.
Anyway, I put the whole thing back together and I called Saeco again. This time I talked to somebody else. This person was not so nice and appeared more interested in trying to find flaws in my recounting of the events rather than helping me solve the problem. Eventually she said I have to send this to a repair center (paying for shipping myself) after I fill in a form and submit proof of purchase. I initially thought I would do this because I really liked the machine. However, on second thoughts, I figured that I do not trust this machine anymore. I think this is an older design and if they haven’t fixed this issues after all the consumer complains on the internet, it’s probably soon to be replaced by a new generation. I really do not want to fight and fix this over and over again until it goes out of warranty and then have to buy another coffee machine altogether. I will just take this back for a refund.
Well worth the money!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have owned this machine for almost two years now. My machine has made a little over 2,000 cups of coffee so far. Just recently, the grinder has stopped working and I believe it will need to be replaced. I estimate the grinder replacement to cost right around $200, but considering how good of a deal I got at Costco when I bought the machine for $600… I still think the machine is well worth the money. I’ve never had any issues with the ventilate error that other folks have mentioned. I rinse the brew group weekly and perform the other recommended cleaning as indicated by Saeco (including the lubrication) and use LaVazza Super Crema beans. Excellent coffee every time!
Great Coffee – Great Machine
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased this exact Saeco model from Costco last December as a Christmas present for my husband and he uses it everyday. We have never had any problems and would highly recommend this unit. This is our first fully automatic unit after using several semi-automatic higher end coffee/espresso makers. Like going from Kia to a Lexus. We have never had to ventilate the machine, even after sitting over 21 days while we were on holiday.
SAECO Customer Service
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
The coffee was great but the customer service is aweful. Our coffee maker ( a similar model, if not the exact same) worked well for 3 weeks and then died. We had to package it and ship it to SAECO at their expense but its been 3 weeks now and no coffee maker.
One better plan on a second coffee maker as a back up if you choose to go with this brand.
Daily gift that keeps on giving
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this espresso machine for my boyfriend since he needs his daily coffee and keeps long hours at work. The machine has made perfect coffee and he no longer wastes time looking for sub-par coffee while at the office. He now gets hot, flavorful coffee, espresso, lattes, and cappuccinos that rival what baristas at your local coffee shops can make with the touch of a button. There are no more complaints of coffee that do not “hit the spot.”
If you enjoy your coffee, consider the Saeco Incanto Deluxe machine. The machine is easy to use and fits nicely into your kitchen space. In addition, it pays for itself on demand and saves you the trouble of looking for coffee at inopportune times (e.g., when company’s over). The unexpected “coffee runs” are a thing of the past.
What the machine offers:
(1) Programmable settings to set exactly how strong coffee should be ground for the perfect taste.
(2) Programmed different coffee sizes so the perfect amount lands in the cup with the touch of a button. No more measuring or guessing.
(3) Easy to read LCD display to tell what step the espresso machine is doing and what maintenance the machine needs (e.g., “Replace water filter” or “Empty grounds container”).
(4) Ability to use multiple coffee beans without emptying the bean hopper, allowing for variety without removing anything.
(5) Easy maintenance: Removable used grounds container, removable drip tray to dispose of residuals that may have been produced, and automatic descaling scale. In short, it is not a hassle to have convenience.
(6) Allows to budget incurred costs because the machine internally counts the number of cups of coffee made. (Trust me, it’ll be less than what you would pay daily at the store.)
UPDATE (6/2009) – the machine just brewed its 1,000th cup, so it’s definitely paying itself off, and tastes just as great as the first day.
Enjoy!
Maintenance Free – Perfect every time!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have had this machine for 3 years now and it has always worked flawlessly. The ventilate issue that people reference above has never been an issue for my machine…it has asked to be ventilated twice (each time after a cleaning) and each time I just open the steam valve and its done. I have never had a more effortless, maintenance-free espresso machine and I’ve owned many. This is simply an awesome machine that I can’t live without! We’ve made 2,700 espresso shots virtually maintenance free, so its more than paid for itself. Highly recommended!
I couldn’t ask for more.. 2862 cups of perfect coffee todate
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have had this machine 18 + months without a single glitch.. I have had to decalcify it twice in that time. The last time I decalcified it I did not replace the water tank completely and it asked to ventilate it, I then noticed my error, seated the water tank, ventilated it and once again perfect coffee… (According to the machine it has made 2862 cups)
Awesome coffee, but ventilate issue
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I got this thing 4 days ago when Costco had it on sale. Awesome coffee, whether you just want an Espresso, Latte, Cappucino, or a regular coffee. Easy to use. Not too noisy when grinding, tons of options to program. So, all in all, seems like a great machine. But…I have to say I already had to use their manual pump twice to “ventilate” the system (charging the circuit with water). It is supposed to do this once when installing, and then after a long time of not being in use. Well, I already had to do it twice within 4 days. Worse, it did not do it automatically, so I had to use this 20 cent hand pump that does not properly fit. It’s ridiculous, this is a $1,200 machine. I really love the coffee, so I want to believe in it, but if this happens a few more times, I will check with customer service, and if this does not stop I will send it back and get a manual 15 bar one without so much electronic. Too bad though, coffee is really great.