After returning from a 5 week consulting gig in Italy in December 2007, the first thing I did was shop for an espresso machine. I had no experience with pump machines, and we usually make cappuccinos with a stovetop Bialetti "mocha". We did not have much of a budget, and I was not really interested in expensive fully automatic machines, so this limited our choices to lower end machines by Cuisinart, Krups and Breville.

We chose the Saeco Armonia based on the advice of a very helpful salesman at the local mall. He told us basically that this machine had the same "guts" as the all-metal Aroma machines with the main difference being the plastic housing.

Compared to other machines like the Breville Cafe Roma (very highly rated), the Saeco has a 2 year warranty and its boiler design requires less frequent descaling (6 months instead of 1 month). Also unlike the other low-cost machines, the Saeco has a patented pressurized portafilter (crema enhancer) that takes the guesswork out of the grind of coffee and tamping. The Armonia also has a frothing aid (as do many other low-end machines).

I'll stop here and explain why these features are important especially for beginner baristas. Any pump espresso machine will make great espresso and lattes if it has adequate pressure and temperature. The problem is that the key to great espresso is in the coffee grind and the tamping of the coffee in the portafilter, as this regulates the pressure of the water flowing through the portafilter. And guess what....any old coffee grinder won't do, and I fully agree with sites like http://www.coffeegeek.com that generally you should spend as much on your grinder as you do on your machine.

What this means is if you buy that great looking Cafe Roma machine, be prepared to fork over $200-$300 for a grinder, (and you ain't gonna get a decent one at Target). The Cuisinart, Krups, Breville and KItchenaid grinders just don't provide the type of consistent particle that is needed for great espresso. Of course you can buy coffee already ground (good idea) or coffee pods (if you have the pod adapter, but pods are expensive), but then you are making a compromise in the quality of your espresso if it is not made from freshly ground beans. This means a grinder is essential.

For my grinder I ended up with a Krups GVX1 burr type (bought on sale) which seems to give a finer grind than the Cuisinart I already had. This grinder is perfect for this machine and you don't need anything more expensive.

Next is the tamping, which any professional barista will tell you is something that takes a little time to master in order to get that consistent pressure (typically 25-30 lbs) in order to arrive at the ideal extraction time of 20-30 seconds.

The beauty of the Armonia is that its pressure-regulating portafilter means that the grind and tamp are no longer major factors in regulating the extraction pressure. This means that you can get away with no tamping and less-than-perfect grind of coffee.

And I can say that, yes, indeed it works! Since I brought back some excellent northern Italian style coffee I could see for myself if I could get the same taste as I experienced in the best coffee bars in Turin. And after the first 2 or 3 shots of getting used to the machine I was getting espresso that was on par with the real deal. Not bad for a $200 machine.

Of course the purists who read this will scoff at crema enhancers, but this is a machine that is clearly designed to be immediately functional without having to buy an expensive grinder and spending weeks and lots of wasted coffee learning how to pull a decent shot. You can take any fine-grind coffee, dump it in the portafilter and get a great espresso almost on the first try.

The machine does have its drawbacks, especially when it comes to frothing milk. Simply, there is not enough capacity in the boiler to make enough steam to froth milk for 2 cappuccinos. I find that I have to froth in 2 shots, which means running the pump to refill the reservoir and waiting for it to produce steam. And since we usually start the day with double lattes, the cycle of warming the head/portafilter/cups and making steam before extraction can be tedious. And of course if you entertain, this is not the machine for you!

After using this machine for 4 months, I have managed to learn a few things and I can pass along these tips:

1. Froth your milk before you pull your shot. After making steam, run the pump to refill the reservoir (put the coffee in the portafilter AFTER) and wait for it to come up to temperature or you will be extracting with cold water.

2. Preheat the portafilter and head by running water through the pump (you can preheat your cups with this hot water). Temperature is crucial to extraction.

3. If you can, turn on the machine at least 30 minutes before pulling a shot.

4. Don't open the steam valve with the frother wand in the milk. This is because when you first open the steam valve, water will come out before you get pure steam. Keep a small bowl under the frother to catch the water before you put the wand in the milk.

5. Keep the wand submerged but move it around. This is the key to getting a good, thick "micro-foam" (introducing air makes big bubbles).


To sum up, when compared to the Breville Cafe Roma it does appear to be of inferior quality with its plastic case, aluminum portafilter with its cheap-ish hollow handle. Don't be fooled - its the guts that count and Saeco backs their product with a 2 year warranty.

We have been using this machine daily for 4 months (2-3 times a day) and are very impressed with the quality of the coffee it makes. We don't even use our filter coffee maker any more!









Recommended: Yes