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RayF
22214
Dec 24, 2018
Just added the Saeco Xelsis Espresso Maker because: A) as mentioned, this poll is a tad Jura heavy and B) because I just bought one and like it quite a bit. While all of these machines are pretty cool (and I'm sure all make great coffee drinks), the purpose of a one-touch is to make things as simple/easy as possible, no? So I was surprised to learn (as I began to research brands and models) that quite a few of them dispense coffee and milk (froth/foam) from separate spouts or locations--meaning you have to move your coffee from the coffee dispenser to the milk dispenser (worst case) or chose one dispenser for expresso and another for a latte (only a little better). The Saeco Xelsis Espresso Maker dispenses coffee and milk from the SAME head, meaning you just push one button, and everything that's supposed to happen, happens right there--in one spot, (nothing to move around, nothing too complicated to think about at 4:30 am). When the machine stops, you drink is done--all you have to do at that point is drink it! A couple more minor points to bring up; one is noise. No doubt you will have watched several manufacturer's seductive videos with beautiful people making exotic drinks in their fancy kitchens--all while MUSIC plays in the background. What you're not hearing is the racket these things can make in the process. Obviously beans must be ground and steam must squirted, but until you've heard one in person, you can't appreciate the level of noise involved. Not a big deal, but depending on the location you chose, it's loud enough to wake a sleeping partner or child. The second point is maintenance--these machines need care and cleaning in order to keep functioning they way they're supposed to. That means potions and solutions, cleaning tablets and filters, and occasional descaling. A lot of those supplies are proprietary--meaning your going to be buying more than just coffee beans down the line. My advice is to have a salesperson or factory rep demonstrate all of the features of any machine your may be considering before you shell out the big bucks--it's best to know what you're getting yourself into! All that said, my recommendation is: get one!