Saeco Spidem Villa Espresso Machine

I have to say I was skeptical about buying a super automatic machine and especially this one since it was one of the cheapest models. I bought this for my mom and it had to be as easy as possible to use for her. I love it and I found out that the inside machinery is basically the same as the models that cost 2-3 times more. I have been using it for 3 months now and have not had any problems at all it just takes a little bit of learning and trial and error don't forget to read the manual there are many little things that you should know so the machine will work properly without problems. It really only takes about 1 minute for the machine to be ready in the morning from a cold start to make an espresso or boiling water for tea. The only thing that takes some time is to get the grind size and amount of coffee correct for the type of bean you have. You wouldn't think so but Dunkin Donuts whole orig beans work great and taste amazing for espresso I even talked to Saeco customer support and they said it was a great bean for it since it wasn't too oily. Dont think Twice about buying this machine it is amazing and will pay for itself in a couple months of not going to the coffee shop. I even like the fact that this machine isn't complicated it is very simple to use. If you end up buying one of these try to get the solid black model since it isn't painted it is solid black plastic so there is nothing to chip and when the coffee or milk splashes you don't see the spots so it looks clean all the time unlike the silver models. Some people complain about the water and coffee capacity but unless you put this in an office you will be fine the water makes about 12-15 shots and coffee makes about 30 shots so you should be fine for a normal household. I also noticed that if you use bottled water you will have hardly any problems with the machine since most problems arise from calcium buildup from hard water and not to mention bottled water tastes no much better. I hardly ever write in depth reviews it's just that I am so happy with this machine and it saves so much money. We are a family of 3 and we used to get 3 Coffee's lattes etc. every day costing about $12-$15 daily and we had a instant boiling water dispenser in our kitchen sink that from what I found out costs about $30 a month to keep going since it is always on and now we turned that off and just use this machine for the boiling water for tea, cup a noodles, etc. as well.

We really like the convenience of fully automatic machine but dislike the size of water reservoir. The machine has a great frothing wand. We dislike the temperature of espresso. It could be hotter. We like the cleaning process on this machine due to the fact that it is very easy and does not take much time. The grinder on this machine is great as well.

We bought this after we used it at a friends house and my husband just needed it. Makes the best cup of coffee I have ever tasted and is very easy to use and clean. My husband even cleans it out routinely:) Buttons are practiaclly self explanitory and there is tech support if you need. I didnt even drink coffee until we got this machine. No bitternes. Absolutely a smooth cup of coffee with a lovely creme on top. Several people have been to our house and now own one as well. I use the steamer to warm milk for my childrens hot choclate or latte and it works amazingly well. A professional quality machine at the fraction of the cost.

Got one of these for $240 and got it refurbished for $80. So I end up with a near-brand-new machine for a third of its brand-new price... Excellent deal!!!!

Made by Saeco, this machine produces the highest quality of espresso using the perfect water temperature, at the perfect pressure, through an adjustable quantity of ground and tapped coffee. You can grind it coarser or finer and have a little more or less than the perfect quantity, so your coffee can be adjusted perfectly to your taste!

TERIFIC coffee cup!

A high quality burr grinder will not chop the beans of but grind them so you get all of the flavor, no compromise.

The cup size is adjustable so that you can make *longer* (alongé) espresso, up to a full size coffee mug, albeit diluting the taste in more water (same amount of coffee in more water).

This unit has manual milk frothing using and external wand. It is not done automatically and internally like on more expensive units.

Pros: perfect espresso every time, with the perfect crema without mechanical tricks I have seen on cheaper units.

Cons: not up to modern design, uses a little more space than latest designs.

excellent product and service and communication. If I have to buy a other one, I will check this seller.
A+:)

The Saeco Spidem Villa is a very easy machine to use, and cleanup is a snap. I use the Lavazza Super Crema beans in it...perfect shots everytime from the first one!! The only problem has been the fact that I have gone through a kilo (2.2 pounds)of beans in two weeks. I can't get enough!!

Bought this after looking at several other machines. Rancilio Silvia was my other pick, but after watching several YouTube videos showing how 'finicky' the machine was, realized I don't have time to tinker every day.

Construction quality = "good"...made out of abs plastic. Don't buy this if you are looking for a piece of eye candy for your kitchen.

Functionality = "very good"...makes good coffee, steam wand works well. Heats water quickly. Make my coffee in <2 min every morning. Dial to adjust water-volume fed through grinds allows me to make a cup of "american" coffee on the same unit.

If I had to pay top dollar for this unit, I might have gone with something different, but for the $280 I spent, I couldn't get a better cup of coffee.

Using SB French Roast beans, it makes a wonderful espresso. Hit it with a spash of quality grappa & the fragrances really shine through.

Disclaimer: I am an "end user" of coffee - not a barista, coffee guru, etc.