Saeco 21103 Royal Professional Fully Automatic Espresso Machine

Unlike the review below we''ve been lucky in that we''ve had no problems with our unit.

It''s been exactly 3 years since we purchased our machine and we haven''t looked back. The machine was bought as we were spending $40-50 a week at Starbucks. Now we use organic milk and beans and make our own latte''s at home.

The machine is super easy to use. There are various settings for the grinding and dose of coffee. I just set the dose on max and change the grind depending on what beans I use. The machine gives you 3 sizes of coffee depending on what you want. The steam wand works well but can only be used after coffee dispensing is finished. It takes 15-25sec for the steam wand to really start.. steaming. The cappuchinore on my machine doesn''t work but I only tried to use it after we had the machine for 2 years so I''m not bothered too much. I also have the direct water connection to my reverse osmosis system. So I haven''t had to de-scale yet and might never need to.

Another useful item is the rinsing cycle where the machine runs hot water through itself for 10mins. At the end you get to see how much "dirt" was cleaned out. Quite satisfying :)

The machine also has some idiot proof features. One is when you put in pre-ground coffee but then press the coffee button instead of the pre-ground button first. The machine makes some funky noises but then dumps everything out. I''m not proud to say I''ve done this more than once....

Overall through it''s the best $$$ I''ve ever spent and would highly recommend this machine. It might not be the cheapest (or most expensive!) but you get what you pay for!

p.s. the coffee is amazing!!!!!!!!!

This coffee maker makes excellent coffee and is able to make it quickly enough to safisfy 25 thirsty employees! The milk steamer is quick and efficient too!

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This machine makes good espresso and good cappuccinos. In terms of fully automatic machines, its price is infinitely more reasonable than that of a Jura. The price of a Jura X9 at $6500 is about that of a commercial machine. This Saeco will do nicely until I get my Faema E61 or Prestige semi-automatic 2-groupers with a Mahlkonig grinder. I doubt if my commercial machine will make a much better espresso or cappuccino but I think a manual machine has fewer maintenace problems and I have more control over the milk foaming. However the Saeco does offer the manual steam wand as well as its cappuccitore (milk foamer) and they both work well. I also like the energy saver feature of the Saeco since I prefer not to power off the machine. I also like the cup warmer. The screen menu is easy to use and the different options and diagnostics are useful.

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We''ve had our Royal Professional since August 2008. When it works, it works fine. For us, we only make 2-3 capppucinos/lattes per day, so if it isn''t flowing right that day (inexplicably), then it is annoying. It is back to Saeco for its 3rd repair for the same problems inconsistent coffee flow. Saeco cannot explain the cause of the problem, as they seemingly repair or replace different parts each time. BTW, they will ask you to be burdened with taking it to UPS or a UPS Store (where you will be charged the return shipping); If you escalate it to the Customer Service Manager, they will cover the shipping and have UPS come to your door. However, the point of buying a $1,400+ automatic machine is to expect it to reliably make 2-3 coffees when it doesn''t, the inconvenience of being without it for weeks at a time during repairs is unacceptable. Saeco is now offering to replace the unit, but with the negative comments on all their products, I am disappointed and exhausted with the brand. So, if you''re hoping to save your Starbucks or Caribou budget, not sure this is the answer.

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Very disappointing. We were convinced by the positive reviews from others so we went ahead after much research and ordered this espresso machine. it arrived, didn''t work (electronics problem) and the friendly Saeco customer service person told us to simply return it. This is our second attempt with a Saeco product and we have now given up on this brand. The first try was with a factory refurbished machine which never worked despite the fact that we went the extra mile and sent it back to the Saeco factory only to have it returned in the same inoperable condition. The Saeco 21103 Royal Professional was our second attempt, this time we got a totally new machine. The result was the same: a machine that didn''t even begin to work.

Thank heaven for Amazon and its splendid return policy. Save yourself the hassle and pass on this one.