Are Superautomatic Espresso Machines Worth It?

[@Roman49837]

I really hate it when a video starts with a question, then asks you to spend your time and the never really answers the question.

[@jo5154]

I’m not sure you answered the question - is it worth it?

[@goodlife6277]

Yes

[@2madamimadam290]

I felt that you concisely pointed out specific details so the viewer can decide if it's worth it for them. Good job

[@PeonyLadyKim]

My opinion is if you can find one that fits your budget and you love coffee you should go for it. My sister's Jura machine has spoiled me - there is Nothing like pushing a button and putting a mug under the spigot to get the best Americano in less than 5 minutes. I am shopping for one to call my own.

[@JoeyBeeFit]

5 minutes??? That seems like quite a long time TBH

[@melindazikursh8825]

I’ve met the developer of the Saeco predecessor to the Phillips machines and he recommended rinsing brew unit daily, quick shake excess water off and return to machine. I’ve used dark oily beans for 15 years in my machine. It’s been serviced twice and neither time was it a grinder issue.

[@SiavashSiavashS]

I watched this video to find out if they worth it or not. What was covered was only what a superautomatic machine looks like. I wanted to know if it worth it!

[@SeattleCoffeeGear]

They are absolutely worth it, especially if you like quick and easy coffee brewing in the morning! The taste is exceptional with freshly brewed beans.

[@thebigdoghimself]

We have a z6, love it. Super simple to use. I just wanted to come downstairs in the morning and push a button, I did not want to have to think or work in the morning just to get a cup of coffee. I do wish it had more programming capabilities. For instance, my wife likes 6oz of coffee, 30 seconds of milk and a double expresso in her travel mug, would be nice if you could string them together and program it all into one button.

[@Stargun-vj1uh]

Happy to hear you like one, I personally don't love superautomatics, I think they're really expensive for what they do, but it's hard to deny being able to press a button is really cool. Definitely really convenient. I would love one with alot of programmability if I had one, but then again, the ones that do aren't super accurate so you're probably not missing much.

[@thebigdoghimself]

@@Stargun-vj1uh The price of the machine is almost irrelevant compared to what you need to run it. Wastr filter every 4 weeks $30, stuff to clean the milk system (bottle and a half) $50, cleaning tabs about $5 descaler about $5 ( both per month), Plus it uses a ton more coffee per cup then a regular machine we end up going through close to 6 pounds of coffee per month. That's 3x what we used before.

[@Stargun-vj1uh]

@@thebigdoghimself Jeez. That's a ton of money just for the sake of convenience. I personally will always lean toward the manual espresso machines, and that's what I'll be purchasing with some of my tax return, as I already have really good grinders. For me at least right now, I'm satisfied with my moka pot, especially with how little it costs me to run it disregarding coffee amounts. You don't have to spend alot of money for good coffee, or even for something that mimics espresso and espresso drinks. A moka pot and a french press is all I need, and I'm satisfied.

[@julesvreug]

I just replaced my 2year old Deloghi with a Gagia which is almost identical to the Philips in fuction and parts but got the Gagia as could not get the 5400. It does make much better coffee than the Delonghi and it took a few cups due to it self adjusting its still getting better the more I use it. I mainly got it as since covid and working from home it is really convienent and keeps the bench top clean. But i really do miss my Breville Barrista Pro which i had for 11 years!, much more flavour can be extracted doing it manually. And I do have 2 Nespresso pod machine just sitting in the cupboard as the coffes they produce are really meh and a full or semi auto is a big step up from that and so much cheaper in the long run.

[@mwrcrft]

Super automatics are great with the extended warranty. Once out of warranty they can be expensive to repair because of the time it takes to dig through the components to find the defective part and replace it. More labor and shipping cost than just replace the unit.

[@ts-ov5qz]

Maybe this answers the question? Had a fully automatic and it made good drinks. The issue is repair. These machines will eventually fail and when they do, it's not a DIY. And there are many points of failure within an automatic vs a prosumer. In my opinion, automatics are throw-away machines. So If you think about it, it is purely a convenience thing. Never have to repair it, just do the routine maintenance until it fails. How soon it fails will determine if it costs less or more in the long run vs a prosumer machine. So I would have to say double the cost of one of the automatics and compare that to the cost of a prosumer, grinder, scale, etc. I would think it would be close to even in cost depending on which models are compared. I've never owned a prosumer but if you buy one that has a good build quality and has readily available parts, it seems it is likely it would outlast two automatics. Now compare a third automatic to one prosumer and DIY repair costs. Seems this is where the prosumer becomes a better value. It is also possible one could produce better drinks with a prosumer. So it really comes back to the fundamental question of convenience vs durability and flavor. For me, I tried an automatic and was not happy with longevity and the inability to make my own repairs. My next machine will be prosumer. And one final point, if you have no intention to do all the recommended maintenance, especially descaling, don't buy any machine. Get your drinks from the local coffee shop.

[@thomasreedy4751]

All of this talk of mold is why I switched to the aero press ;-) If I were to buy another espresso machine, if would be a manual one.

[@NickAlbano253]

I completely agree people make espresso harder than it actually is. Tamping and dosing the portafilter with the right amount of coffee is not hard.

[@Stargun-vj1uh]

@@NickAlbano253 That's how I feel. If you want convenience out of espresso, just buy a Nespresso machine. It's a Keurig for Espresso type stuff. But really, after you get used to it and get everything set how you like it, you can just grind, dose, tamp and brew. It's not difficult. It's just a learning curve, but not a super massive one. With a manual machine, you can run it easily or you can try to dial in, get perfect results, it's adaptable.

[@Ev3_6]

I love mine.

[@francoisgagnon5335]

I've had that same Philips. It was functioning alright but my coffee didn't taste that good and the milk had big air bubbles in it. I went back to the classic Breville Barista Express

[@thebigdoghimself]

How do you clean the grinder on a jura? I was told not to use grinder pellets.

[@jakevincent3057]

That statement about all of them producing the same coffee is ridiculous and untrue. Jura z10 is an exceptional espresso machine. The coffee is nothing close to the same.

[@ViewerSara]

I have a Saeco Talea Giro super-automatic and a Rancilio Silvia semi-automatic. I prefer the espresso quality from the semi-automatic machine. The convenience of the super automatic is great if you need to make a number of drinks in succession for guests

[@Igor-q3f]

So, are they worth it? Didn’t get an answer. Or it’s usually the classic answer “depends what you’re looking for “.

[@LoganScottY]

It's funny cos these superautomatic machines require more frequent maintenance than something like a Barista Touch machine. There's a lot of preventative maintenance you can do with machines like that which superautomatic machines make impossible to do.

[@michaelb4512]

Do you sell the parts for the saeco incanto with carafe i know you used to sell the machine itself but i am looking to keep up uptake on mine?Thankyou!

[@Stargun-vj1uh]

The video doesn't answer the question, let me answer it for you. Superautomatic machines compromise for the sake of convenience, with a price tag to boot. Unlike a Keurig or especially a Nespresso machine, Superautomatics do it all for you, but do a subpar job. The reason is simple, even as expensive as they are, they cut corners. There's things they legitimately cannot do all that well. Grinders in them grind too coarsely often, don't do consistent dosing, use less than optimal ways of packing the backset, and the portafilter may or may not be pressurized. Doing all sorts of things that lower and lower the end quality. Some can't even produce a good crema, the defining attribute to a half decently produced espresso. For the price, (we're talking over $1,000 USD for the cheapest good Superautomatic espresso machine) you can get a top of the line home espresso grinder that can do other things, the Niche Zero (500~750$) and a Gaggia Classic (300~500$) and get amazing results. You don't even have to go that far either, you could go to a DF64 grinder for around 300$, or even go to hand grinders. You don't need a ton of grams of coffee, and a killer hand grinder will cost at most 200$, with the added bonus it is unlikely to break or anything go wrong. There are so many ways of getting good espresso in the home that spending so much extra for convenience that isn't even all that impressive doesn't make sense really. If you want convenience, there's nothing wrong with that, but buy a Nespresso machine at that point. If you don't really care about the quality, why spend 700$ more for a product that's underwhelming? Nespresso machines aren't great, but they're a simple thing to use. Pop a pod in, press a button, let it do it's job, and there's your morning espresso. Because at least a Nespresso machine isn't overly expensive, it's not impressive, but it doesn't have to be. Even if this isn't a hobby to you, buying a dedicated grinder and espresso maker, with some accessories is going to just be better quality, or go cheaper and buy something like a Nespresso machine. It'll make that quick cup of espresso for you to get you ready for the day, without breaking your bank to do it. These just don't make sense for most people, I really don't want people wasting their money and getting less for it. One thing I will also comment on, you can also buy cheaper 400$ superautomatics even from companies like Gaggia that make the classic I so recommend for the same price or just a bit more. They just don't do good, you really need to spend more money for something better to get those great results. Yes, for someone who doesn't really care alot about coffee, you can buy a superautomatic and be happy. But, I think you would enjoy something like a Nespresso machine or doing things yourself and getting great results more. Even buying a Moka pot and a french press would only run like 40~60$, and get you good results without much equipment, and even less footprint than this would.

[@melindazikursh8825]

Definitely have to disagree. My Saeco super automatic makes fantastic coffee that is superior to nesspresso or regular makers. I get a nice crema on top and all I do is press a button. Maybe try different machines or may you just prefer the process of a traditional espresso machine and should stick to that. But for me making my coffee before work I don’t have time to do all those steps.

[@kevinarbuckle8020]

@@melindazikursh8825 how much is the MSRP on that?

[@melindazikursh8825]

@@kevinarbuckle8020 when new in 2008 the Saeco incanto deluxe was around $1600 ( worth more than my husbands car at the time but it was a very generous wedding gift) I recently picked up a second one on eBay for our brewery for $400.

[@cobra4455]

What absolute nutter spends $40-60 on a moka pot? Americans sure love to overspend on anything and everything coffee related

[@danliutikas]

Nespresso and Keurig taste like water compared to these machines. Certainly a high quality grinder, a high quality espresso machine, and a high quality barista can make a better cup than any of these machines…but these allow you to make an excellent cup with the press of a button and without the payroll taxes of a barista. I love French press, but it’s not an espresso.

[@iggyman83]

Let's be honest, you don't need much to make good coffee at home. An Aeropress and small grinder is enough for a black coffee drinker.

[@Stargun-vj1uh]

Even for the latte/milk drink people, a french press will do a great job of frothing milk for no more than 40$ and easily can get one for 10$. A Moka Pot can do the same job as an Aeropress, and you won't even need a kettle or heating up water if you don't want to. There's alot of ways to get good coffee, even good strong coffee similar to espresso, without spending this much money for even the most basic standard espresso machine, rather than the thousand dollar superautomatics that produce okay results.

[@gosman949]

@@Stargun-vj1uh personnaly my Mocamaster coffee brewer is all I need. Excellent coffee! Had mine for 15 years. Five years ago, I had to send it in for over hall. $60 and it is still running like new!

[@Stargun-vj1uh]

@@gosman949 Those Mocamasters are really good drip brewers. I love my pour overs and other manual filter coffee makers with my kettles, but for drip brewers if I get one, it's gonna be a mocamaster. Simple, no frills, but last ages. Great machine!

[@LandsoulFFXI]

Don’t agree, once you go specialty coffee you never want to go back.

[@tonytouchz757]

Aero press and French press don’t nearly ever give something close to a semi or fully automatic. Been using French press for years and it’s disgusting, rly want a manual/auto, richer flavor and thickness

[@cayreschrist]

This video makes no attempt at trying to answer the name of the video

[@Houseofperry]

She's like these machines suck.

[@dallas88b]

Click bait. Didnt make any effort to answer the question. Wraps up the video with we have told you what a super automatic machine is. oh, wow, thanks. Not. Dont buy these machines. They are a waste of money. None of these "reviews" are much more than a ramble thru the spec sheet of features. None of them address running costs, (filters, descaling, cleaning tablets, milk system cleaning tablets) None of them address their appalling lack of reliability. Expect repairs every year as soon as warranty expires (my worst year had a Jura machine repaired 4 times... each repair between $200 an $400... I am currently deciding if repairing it a fifth time is just stupid.... maybe i will just bin it.... even though it cost me $2000 to buy 3 years ago. So allow me.... its certainly not worth it.

[@louderfasterheavier4912]

Why are you breath like after jogging?

[@Homoncolus]

because she wants to.

[@NeverTakeNoShortcuts]

No

[@gosman949]

and why pray tell?

[@Stargun-vj1uh]

​@@gosman949 I'll answer the question. Like my comment but to simplify it, they just don't do a great job of making espresso. Not a terrible job, alot of people are satisfied by the result. But you're spending alot of extra money for the ability to press a button for coffee, when for way cheaper, you can just buy a Nespresso machine. Yes, they do way worse jobs of making espresso, but it's just as dead simple as a Keurig, with even less going on than a Superautomatic. Pop a pod in, press a buton and off it goes. It's also more expensive to buy a superautomatic that does it all, but nothing well, than to buy a great espresso grinder, good espresso machines that are manual, and the accessories. It's neither fish nor fowl, it's convenient and produces decent quality, but for excessively more money. I don't think anyone who buys these, then gets used to a manual machine would look at the superautomatics as being as worth it as they originally seem. Long answer, but there's so many reasons not to buy one of these over other things. I don't even have an espresso machine, but I can do similar things to what this can do with my Moka Pot that cost me 30$, a french press that cost me 10$, and a good grinder that was the most expensive part, around 90$ that I can use for everything.

[@gosman949]

@@Stargun-vj1uh well spoken!

[@louderfasterheavier4912]

So unhealthy way of speaking and breathing...

[@Chai-4-Life]

Omg.. I didn’t notice until I read your comment. Gasping for air every 20 seconds or so, wow! :(