Saeco “Easy” Super Automatic Espresso Machine

Another high cost piece of junk. First of all, I have looked at several Saeco machines, they all use the same brew group, so don’t think the more expensive models are really any better.

Again, if I didn’t have some mechanical sense, I would be broke from repair bills.

The first major issue occurred with the brew group. It’s hard to explain in words, but a a moving part of the mechanism jammed, and was forced into w weird position. To this day i can not understand how this happened. At the same time a small torsion spring fell out, and for years I never could figure out where it came from. It works without it. The other day, I was inspecting a Saeco machine at a store and saw where the torsion spring was once installed. So luckily, I took a portion of the brew group apart, and corrected the issue.

On several occasions it has clogged. I am careful to use “dry” coffee beans since these will really make the machine clogged quickly. To unclog the machine, it needs to be partially disassembled (most people could not take this on), and cleaned with a shop vac and something like a piece of wire from a coat hanger.

There is also a little drain near one of the shafts that drives the brew group. This often clogs and makes a mess. I have learned how to clean this area too. Mind you this is not something described in the operating manual.

The other issue I have had was more major. A portion of a plastic feature that holds the “grind packing” solenoid internally broke off. I have this cleverly repaired with a couple of wire ties. The “fix” has been in place for well over a year. It will eventually fail. 

Last, but no least, the coffee is not quite hot enough, and I could not find any apparent adjustment when I have had the thing disassembled. The “experts” on the phone will have no clue if something can be tweaked in the controls to fix this problem.

Now, for the good part. I have made thousands of cups of coffee now, so at least the per cup cost keeps going down We probably make 50 cups per week, and I have been limping this thing along since 2006!So despite it’s shit design,it has been worth the $400 I paid for it.

However, if you are not a mechanical engineer with electrical experience, beware this is not for you.