Philips Saeco Intelia Focus Coffee Machine - Review

A bean to cup coffee machine which will grind coffee beans to deliver an espresso giving varying strengths and quantity.

An excellent crema

 A frothed milk is easily achieved manually - the machine isn't supplied with a jug or thermometer.

My coffee was superior to that typically served on the high street

The machine is easy to use and has an illuminated LED display.  Fill the hopper with your chosen beans or with ground coffee in the ground coffee compartment and away you go.  I buy freshly roasted coffee beans online from a well respected supplier for quality results.  Although there is a ground coffee facility on the machine I believe fresh coffee beans are always best. Milk can be steamed and frothed quickly, by removing the pannarello on the steam wand a textured milk can be achieved suitable for latte art.

A bedding in period is needed to get the optimum espresso but it was worth the wait.  The espresso had a good crema.  I tested the machine using both decaffeinated and caffeinated coffee beans.

Quite a large coffee machine 26 L x 46 D x 35 H approximately.

Pros

1. Excellent coffee shots from quality beans.
2. It is possible to vary strength and quantity to taste.
3. Very quick to operate from switch on.
4. Quick to steam after brewing.
5. Different size cups and mugs can be used.
6. Easy day to day cleaning.
7. Can use ground coffee or beans.
8. Excellent manual foaming when pannarello is removed.
9. The steam wand can be used for hot water to preheat cups or to make other hot drinks.

Cons

1. Auto foaming of milk using pannarello produces quite coarse bubbles.
2. Machine has large footprint.
3. Do not immerse water tank to clean due to ingress of water.
4. Plug supplied not to UK standard.
5. Waste water tray fills quickly.
6. Weekly/monthly cleaning regime required and descaling when indicated.

Note: After using this machine for sometime now and on a daily basis, I can only describe it as fabulous.  It is exceptionally clean and easy to use and it's a good looking coffee machine too.  The espresso is always superb, texturising the milk only gets easier with practice and providing you use the very best quality coffee beans, your coffee will quite possibly be the best you have ever tasted.