Philips / Saeco Xelsis Evo Super-Automatic Espresso Machine - SS - HD8954/47
23 Mar, 2017
Great Espresso Make
Hi,
Overall I really love the machine. It makes good coffee and good coffee drinks. In the past I have had a Jura Capresso S9 and a DeLonghi Perfecta ESAM5500. This machine is better at making milk drinks than both. The espresso is good. The Jura was the best for espresso. For espresso, the Saeco is better than the Delonghi but not as good as the Jura. The Saeco is better than both for steamed milk drinks. The ability to make drip coffee is big improvement. The milk carafe design was very good and cleaning is a breeze, but nervous about how sturdy it is. I love the fact that it still has a wand if I care to steam myself. The ease of making a drink is fantastic. My wife and I both work, and to have a machine that makes a drinks so easy, and at good quality that would normally take much longer to make and clean is priceless. I think it will be a long time before Super Automatics outperform a traditional espresso machines but for overall performance and ease of use, this machine beats all.
Be aware that the water tank opens from the top. So, if you place it under a cabinet you are going to have a hard time pulling it in and out. I put it on one of those slide trays you buy at bed bath and beyond and it works fine.
One more thing one website(Whole lotta..) said that you could adjust milk temperature not true or not at least that I could find. You can adjust espresso temperature but not the milk.
Pros:
• Makes good espresso drinks
• Makes drip coffee
• Fast drinks with variety of customization
• easy cleanup SELF CLEANING MILK CARAFE!!! and does it well.
• Ability to put the milk in the refrigerator and keep it.
• Customize each drink type
Cons:
• Scared of the arm on the milk carafe little chintzy, seems like the first thing that is going to break, but who knows....
• The way the milk carafe snaps into the tray is again chintzy another thing that might not last.
• Two drip trays, more to clean.
• Small interior drip tray needs to be cleaned often the smallest tray I have ever had.
• Water tank not bad, but smaller especially after adding the ion filter.