Saeco coffee machines

About Saeco Coffee Machines

Hailing from Italy, the coffee machine manufacturer Saeco started its activities in 1981 and has been focusing on experience-based solutions ever since. Sergio Zappella and Arthur Schmed, who established the company, are the ones coffee lovers have to thank for the modern bean-to-cup coffee machine — this appliance, found in numerous homes nowadays, was invented by them as far back as 1985 (this isn’t the only thing the two Italians have gifted to the coffee world, by the way: they also invented the built-in milk frother). Born in the city of Bologna, Saeco seeks to preserve authentic Italian taste in every coffee cup. The company’s coffee machines are all about providing everybody with the opportunity to brew gorgeous espresso at home with the touch of a single button. Saeco has set itself the goal of combining extraordinary flavour with ease of use — and that’s exactly what the company has done. In 2009, it merged with Philips, a well-known Dutch electronics company. This is how the Philips Saeco brand came to be. 

How to Use Your Saeco Coffee Machine

Getting started with your Saeco coffee machine is pretty straightforward. First, make sure it’s all set up. Just fill the bean hopper with your favorite coffee beans, and add water to the tank. Then, power up the machine and select your desired coffee from the easy-to-navigate menu. You can adjust the coffee’s strength and volume to your taste before hitting the start button. Whether you want a quick espresso or a relaxing cappuccino, your Saeco is ready to deliver with just a few taps.

Saeco Coffee Machine Series

In Coffee Friend’s coffee machines assortment, you’ll find numerous Saeco bean-to-cup coffee machines designed both for domestic use and professional endeavours (the latter are part of the PRO line). You can read more about each of these appliances below.

Domestic Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machines 

Xelsis

When it comes to domestic bean-to-cup coffee machines produced by Saeco, “Xelsis” models are probably the most popular of them all. They were officially recognised by Italy’s coffee experts too: freshly ground coffee brewed in these appliances was approved as high-quality by the country’s Centre for Tasting Studies (Centro Studi Assaggiatori). The possibilities afforded by “Xelsis” models are truly impressive: you can brew as many as 22 different coffee drinks (the exact number depends on the model) or prepare two portions at once thanks to the LatteDuo function. Moreover, these appliances are equipped with 6–8 separate user profiles, which can be used to save personal settings. Let’s take a quick look at other features that these well-known, well-loved bean-to-cup coffee machines boast. 

Touch screen with Coffee Equalizer™ (depending on the model)

A convenient screen allows you to choose one of the numerous available recipes and adjust it to your personal taste — you can change coffee strength, temperature, the amount of coffee and milk, as well as various other settings. From rich espresso to subtle latte, you’ll be able to brew any beverage just the way you like it.

Patented 100% ceramic grinder

The grinders found in “Xelsis” appliances grind beans without burning them and offer as many as 12 different settings. You’ll be able to grind beans to your exact liking, regardless of whether you feel like enjoying a cup of rich espresso or a glass of light, subtle latte. Moreover, Saeco guarantees that these durable grinders will let you brew up to 20,000 portions of delicious coffee!

Large bean container with AromaSeal

The “Xelsis” bean container holds as many as 450 g of coffee beans. It also boasts the AromaSeal lid, which helps the beans stay fresh for longer.  

AquaClean water filter

One AquaClean filter will let you brew up to 625 cups of gorgeous coffee, all the while cleaning your water and hence improving the taste of your drinks. If you replace these filters regularly, you’ll be able to enjoy as many as 5000 cups of coffee with no need to descale the appliance (according to the manufacturer, the exact number of cups depends on the chosen coffee variety and your maintenance habits). 

Hygiesteam function

Thanks to this function, the milk system is cleaned automatically after each preparation of a milk-based drink using a powerful jet of steam. 

Award-winning design

In 2018, Saeco “Xelsis” received the prestigious IF Design Talent award, which recognised the exceptional quality of materials used to make the appliance, as well as the pursuit of excellence observed even in the tiniest details of these coffee machines. The design of the models was inspired by Italy’s luxury goods industry.

In addition to all of the above, “Xelsis” models are equipped with the LattePerfetto function designed to produce perfectly silky milk foam (there’s a convenient milk system with a tube and a milk jug). Just like other bean-to-cup coffee machines produced by Saeco, these appliances also boast a removable brewing unit, so you can clean your machine with ease. 

Xelsis Suprema

The new “Xelsis Suprema” model has an additional feature called BeanMaestro, which automatically adjusts certain brewing settings to extract the best possible taste and aroma from your chosen coffee beans. You can also control this coffee machine remotely thanks to the built-in Wi-Fi connectivity. 

GranAroma

We could call “GranAroma” the younger sister of  “Xelsis”. The design of these coffee machines is more compact and streamlined, yet they’re marked by familiar Italian elegance and impressive features that are almost identical to the ones found in “Xelsis” models. If you value high quality and convenience, Saeco “GranAroma” is definitely worth taking a look at. The screen of these appliances contains touch-sensitive icons and lets you choose from as many as 18 coffee recipes (the exact number depends on your chosen model). There are also 6 (or 4) separate user profiles, one additional guest profile and 5 different coffee strengths for you to choose from. All of this sounds even more impressive when you take the attractive price of “GranAroma” models into account!

CoffeeMaestro

Another pleasant surprise is the new CoffeeMaestro function: select one of the 3 pre-set flavour profiles — Delicato, Intenso or Forte — and the machine will make sure that the resulting drink is brewed exactly to your taste. The automatic milk frothing system called LatteDuo, which can also be found in “Xelsis” machines, lets you brew two servings of your favourite milk-based drink at the touch of a button, while the Hygiesteam function guarantees perfect cleanliness inside the milk system. 

PicoBaristo

“PicoBaristo” is yet another line of domestic bean-to-cup coffee machines produced by Saeco. These models boast various milk frothing features, 4 personal user profiles and the ability to serve you with 11 or 12 different coffee drinks (the exact number depends on the chosen model).  

The adjustable ceramic grinder found in “PicoBaristo” models allows you to choose one of the 10 available grind levels. In addition, you get to experience plenty of other advantages characterising all bean-to-cup coffee machines produced by this manufacturer: there’s the flawless Italian design and high-quality materials, AquaClean water filters enabling you to brew up to 5000 cups of coffee without having to run the descaling program, and the removable brewing unit that makes the maintenance of these coffee machines simpler than ever before. 

Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machines of the PRO Line 

Lirika and Lirika OTC

According to Saeco, “Lirika” and “Lirika OTC”  — the entry-level models of the manufacturer’s PRO line —  are simple, compact and efficient, ideal for small offices and HORECA venues. Both machines boast large containers for water (2.5 l), beans (500 g) and coffee grounds (15 portions). They’re also extremely simple to use.

“Lirika” and “Lirika OTC” serve as excellent examples of Saeco’s extensive know-how. The two models are equipped with a pre-infusion system, a Class-A boiler, a ceramic grinder and a removable brewing unit (with an aroma intensity calibrator in the “OTC” version) — all of these make the cleaning and maintenance of the machines a whole lot easier. The “Lirika” model is aimed, first and foremost, at fans of espresso and black coffee. It’s also capable of dispensing steam and hot water for a cup of tea. However, if you feel like it, you can froth some milk foam too and prepare yourself a delicious milk-based drink with the help of a convenient milk frother (panarello) fitted onto the steam wand. 

Meanwhile, “Lirika OTC” (“OTC” stands for “One Touch Cappuccino”) has been created for those who adore milky coffees. It contains the extraordinary Saeco system, which, with the help of the unique Pinless Wonder milk frother, enables everybody to brew the perfect cappuccino or latte macchiato with the touch of a button while abiding by all of the age-old Italian traditions. An innovative system, mounted only on “Lirika OTC”, produces delightful milk foam and uses milk straight from the carton or fridge — just as B2B applications require. In this way, the One Touch Cappuccino system guarantees you’ll be served with perfectly creamy cappuccino or latte macchiato every single time. In addition, the “Lirika OTC” model boasts a convenient Mini-Clean function: after each preparation of a milk-based drink, the appliance asks you whether you’d like to run a self-cleaning procedure. 

Royal Black and Royal OTC

The name of this professional bean-to-cup coffee machine range — “Royal” — attests to its quality, durability and good taste. The “Royal” line has been created with small offices in mind, so these appliances are equipped with larger internal containers: there’s a 2.5-litre water tank, a 600-gram bean container and a grounds container that’s good for 18 portions. This will enable you to simply sit back and enjoy your coffee, without worrying about filling up the water tank and the bean container or throwing out used coffee grounds. The recommended number of servings brewed per day is 50.

Coffee Friend’s assortment includes two models from the Saeco “Royal” range: these are “Royal Black” and “Royal OTC”.

Saeco Royal Black

As its name suggests, “Royal Black” has been created for sworn fans of black coffee: all you have to do is touch the icon of your desired drink and you’ll be enjoying espresso, black coffee or americano brewed from freshly ground beans in mere seconds! Tea lovers can take advantage of the hot water function (there’s a built-in hot water spout). The machine has a particularly elegant look, while the wide screen with photorealistic icons adds to the impression of stylish modernity and turns this appliance into a gorgeous accent of any office kitchen. The brewing unit, grinder and other built-in technical components found in the “Royal Black” model guarantee high brewing quality. Thanks to the adjustable grind level, coffee strength, temperature and portion size, you can enjoy coffee brewed just the way you like it. The height of the drink dispenser can be adjusted too — from 75 to 160 mm — so you’ll be able to use a variety of different cups and glasses. In keeping with other Saeco coffee machines, the brewing unit is removable, making the maintenance of this appliance particularly simple and pleasant.

Saeco Royal OTC

“Royal OTC”, on the other hand, is aimed at those who prefer milk-based coffees. With the touch of a button, this professional bean-to-cup Saeco coffee machine can brew black coffee, as well as cappuccino and latte macchiato (this is thanks to the automatic milk system with a tube). Other advantages, features and qualities are identical to the “Royal Black” model discussed above. 

Aulika Evo

The Saeco “Aulika Evo” bean-to-cup coffee machine range has been designed to satisfy the needs of the most demanding brewing professionals. It offers an excellent combination of aesthetics and flawless operation coupled with clean, rational design and unmatched features, such as a double hydraulic system, conical steel burrs, a capacious water tank and a large bean container (found in the “Aulika Top HSC” model). All of this makes these machines absolutely perfect for various spaces where lots of coffee is consumed each day, such as large offices or hotels. “Aulika Evo” models enable you to brew numerous drinks using freshly ground coffee beans, as well as fresh milk. They’re also capable of dispensing hot water and steam. The wide graphic display includes icons and text messages in several languages. There are 8 direct selection buttons, which make the appliance easy to program. All of the components that need to be cleaned regularly are simple to remove, so you can maintain your machine with ease. 

You’ll find the following models from the “Aulika Evo” range in our assortment: “Aulika Evo Black”, “Aulika Evo Focus” and “Aulika Evo Top HSC”.

Aulika Evo Black

As you can probably guess, the “Aulika Evo Black” model is aimed at true fans of black coffee.  With the touch of a single photorealistic icon, you can enjoy espresso, black coffee (smaller or larger portion) and americano made from freshly ground coffee beans and served in an instant. Tea lovers are guaranteed to love the hot water function and the separate  built-in hot water spout. The latter also comes in handy when frothing milk foam for your milk-based drinks. 

In addition, “Aulika Evo Black” boasts large internal containers: there’s a 2.5-litre water tank, a 500-gram bean container and a grounds container good for up to 18 portions. The recommended number of cups brewed per day is 70.

Aulika Evo Focus

From the outside, the “Aulika Evo Focus” model looks very similar to “Aulika Evo Black”. Internal containers of these two appliances are identical too. The same applies to the recommended number of cups brewed per day. One thing that’s different is the height of the coffee spout found on “Auliko Evo Focus”: this model lets you use cups or glasses that are up to 14-cm-tall (as far as “Aulika Evo Black” is concerned, the maximum height is 10.5 cm). The main difference between the two models, however, lies in the fact that the “Focus” model can satisfy the needs of those who prefer milk-based drinks too: thanks to the new-generation Pinless Wonder milk frother, this appliance is capable of brewing cappuccino and other milk-based recipes automatically at the touch of a button.

Pinless Wonder is a project born in the Philips research labs and later applied to the products manufactured by Saeco. Inserted in the so-called “nose” of the appliance, this system offers fresh milk-based drinks of the highest quality and the best taste. Milk frothed with the help of this cappuccinatore is marked by the perfect texture and ideal consistency — these two factors are what ultimately results in a gorgeous milk-based beverage. The frothing is also regular, with close to no splashing.

Aulika Evo Top HSC

When it comes to professional Saeco coffee machines, “Aulika Evo Top HSC” is one of the company’s unquestionable leaders. The letters “HSC” in the name of this model stand for “High Speed Cappuccino”. This says everything you need to know, really: it’ll serve you with a cup of delicious cappuccino at a truly impressive speed. “Aulika Evo Top HSC” is the most productive Saeco coffee machine found in our assortment. What it definitely excels at is brewing milk-based coffee beverages at the touch of a button. Simply pressing the icon of your desired recipe will enable you to enjoy gorgeous cappuccino or latte macchiato made from freshly ground coffee beans in mere seconds. Thanks to the built-in separate heating systems for coffee and milk, this model serves you with your chosen drink almost instantly. 

The “Aulika Top HSC” model enables you to choose between high-speed milk dispensing (when coffee and milk are both dispensed at the same time) and the option of milk being added after coffee. The appliance is also equipped with the patented Pinless Wonder milk frothing technology. Its milk frother is less sensitive to lack of sufficient cleaning and is capable of maintaining stable frothing performance even in the most complex conditions.

“Aulika Evo Top HSC” boasts particularly capacious internal containers: there’s a 4-litre water tank, a 1-kilogram bean container and a grounds container good for as many as 40 portions. Just as impressive is the recommended number of cups brewed per day — it amounts to 120! There’s also the possibility of purchasing a version of this model that can be connected directly to the mains water supply — it’s called “Aulika Evo Top HSC RI”.

How to Clean Your Saeco Coffee Machine

Keeping your Saeco coffee machine clean is key to enjoying consistently great-tasting coffee. Daily, you should rinse the milk circuit if you’ve used it, and wipe down the machine’s exterior. The brew group is removable; just take it out weekly for a rinse under the tap to keep everything running smoothly. Don’t forget to empty and wash the drip tray and the coffee grounds container regularly. For a deeper clean, use the Saeco cleaning solution as directed to ensure every part is hygienic.

How to Descale Your Saeco Coffee Machine

Descaling is crucial for maintaining your Saeco coffee machine, especially if you use it frequently. Your machine will alert you when it’s time to descale. Just follow the on-screen instructions—add the Saeco descaler to the water compartment, and start the descaling program. It’s an automated process that helps protect your machine from limescale buildup and ensures your coffee always tastes fresh.

How to Reset Your Saeco Coffee Machine

If you ever need to reset your Saeco coffee machine, maybe after a glitch or just to restore factory settings, it’s quite simple. Usually, this involves turning the machine off and then on again. For a full reset to factory settings, navigate through the menu to find the factory reset option, confirm your choice, and the machine will handle the rest, returning to its original settings.

Need any help?

If you’re struggling to choose the best appliance for you from the wide assortment of coffee machines available in our shop, you’re always welcome to reach out to Coffee Friend’s consultants. They’d be happy to answer all of your questions and help you make the right decision!