Saeco 4038 Vienna Plus, Graphite

Saeco 4038 Vienna Plus, Graphite Review

I recently purchased a Vienna Superautomatica as an inexpensive second espresso maker. The first thing I noticed is that it is Italian made like many of the great espresso machines. The body of the Vienna is "graphite" plastic, and while it does not feel first class, it somehow has a pretty sturdy feel to it. I also like that the footprint is pretty small thus taking up little counter space.

I opened the manual, which is not particularly clear, but need not be on account of very simple operation. The Vienna has three buttons--on/off, coffee, and steam. It also has a steamer control knob and a water volume knob.

I turned on the machine after filling the coffee and water tanks. The buttons feel Italian--you'll know what I mean if you've owned an Alfa Romeo. They are a bit clunky next to my old Capresso C1000, but they work well (for now).

The Vienna takes a couple of minutes to warm up--I don't mind this for reasons I'll reveal in a minute. The coffee spout is adjustable up and down to accommodate a large variety of cups and mugs. Once it's ready, the coffee light stops blinking. I push the button and it begins to grind the coffee. The noise level of the machine is louder than my Capresso, but not too bad. You might wake up the house with it in the morning, but my child stayed asleep. Once the coffee finishes the grind, the Vienna immediately begins making espresso.

My first impression was that I saw a lot more steam coming from the coffee than my Capresso. I am hopeful. The coffee also looked a bit thicker than the Capresso. After the Vienna finished I observed the cup: nice crema, plenty hot, and smells like the genuine article. I gave it a taste--wow, step aside Capresso, this espresso is richer, hotter, and a lot closer to coffee bar espresso. Next I took a sip. Ah yes, the cup holds rich chocolatey espresso. If you are sort of a coffee snob, you'll like what you taste. The coffee is much richer than the Capresso, which I attribute to hotter water and fuller extraction.

I'm sure that the Vienna will not make good enough espresso for some folks, but to me, it still tastes better than Starbucks. It was more than 0 cheaper than my Capresso and frankly makes better espresso. I cannot yet speak to the durability of the machine, but the Vienna is now my favorite inexpensive espresso maker.

Saeco 4038 Vienna Plus, Graphite Feature

• Fully automatic espresso machine with ceramic burr grinder
• Pannarello frothing device for steam or hot water
• OptiDose adjustable doser for flexibility to make and ideal cup of coffee
• Removable water tank holds 57oz.; Grinder holds 12oz of beans
• Measures 15-inch W by 14-inch D by 15-1/2-inch H

Saeco 4038 Vienna Plus, Graphite Overview

The Vienna's put Saeco's patented removable brew group technology into an easy-to-use interface. You can now make espressos, cappuccinos, lattes, and tea all from one machine that grinds, tamps and brews gourmet coffee. The pump driven steam and hot water wand has an exclusive Pannarello to make frothing milk simple. The adjustable conical burr grinder creates the perfect grind for gourmet coffee. The OptiDose adjustable doser feature enhances your flexibility to make an ideal cup of coffee. Not only can you change the fineness of the grinds and the amount of water used but also the amount of ground coffee used to make each individual cup from 6 to 9 grams. The easy access front service door simplifies general maintenance and cleaning. the iconic design and reliability of the Vienna machine make it a continuous favorite.

Saeco 4038 Vienna Plus, Graphite Specifications

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Jan 24, 2010 09:37:36

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