How Does It Compare?
Currently brewing in the Crew’s kitchen is just one of Saeco’s many superautomatics—the The Saeco Intelia Deluxe comes with an interchangeable cappuccinatore that can be replaced with Saeco's panarellos.[/caption]
Shot
With superautomatic espresso machines, the name of the game is simplicity and the Saeco Intelia Deluxe doesn’t disappoint! It features a dedicated espresso and lungo button with programmable shot time. To program, simply press and hold the button you want to program and release when you have the desired volume (just remember it’s time-based). The Intelia Deluxe also allows you to customize coffee temperature and water hardness to help you determine when it’ll need maintenance—keeping your espresso tasting fresh.
[caption id="attachment_13247" align="alignnone" width="1080"] The Intelia Deluxe features a user-friendly interface.[/caption]
If your coffee is a little lackluster, the Intelia also has an adjustable coffee strength (from one to five) and grinder settings (from one to 10). It’s also equipped with ceramic burr grinders that retain less heat so you can continue to pull shot after shot without burning your beans. And with that whopping 10.5-ounce bean hopper and 53-ounce water reservoir, why wouldn’t you make multiple cups?
[caption id="attachment_13246" align="alignnone" width="1080"] The bean hopper holds 10.5-ounces of beans![/caption]
Steam
We know what you’re thinking, “Where's the cappuccino button?” Well, there isn’t one and that’s actually better for you, coffee friends. With the panarello add-on, you can use the Milk Froth button to manually control the amount of milk and, with a little finessing, the froth. The cappuccinatore won’t offer the same control over froth, but it makes a mean cappuccino foam.
[caption id="attachment_13257" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Want to practice frothing your milk? Switch the cappuccinatore for the panarello![/caption]
The steam on the Saeco Intelia Deluxe is pretty mean as well. Inside this machine, you will find a thermoblock heating element which heats the water for brewing and steaming on the fly. The benefit of a thermoblock is that it doesn’t take as long for your machine to heat up, however, the drawback can be that your temperature for brew or steam is not quite as consistent as you might like. That being said, we were very impressed with the temperature of both the coffee and milk produced on the Intelia Deluxe (something that is hard to say for most superautomatics)!
Style
The brushed stainless steel casing is here to stay and we can’t complain. This look appeals to modern taste and, of course, will complement your kitchen appliances—it’s beneficial to keep the machine clean cut for a wider audience. That said, the cappuccinatore protrudes awkwardly from the machine. Perhaps it’s the pencil-thin wand or the unusual shape of the frother. Whatever it is, the panarello add-on feels complete and with the manual frothing button, it feels like it was made for the Intelia Deluxe. The wand stem has space to pivot left or right— thankfully or else it would be blocking the water tank—and enough clearance to accommodate a tall glass, which is great for a frothing with a panarello. If you were to use the cappuccinatore to froth directly into your mug (the best for early mornings before work), just keep in mind that the espresso spouts can only clear a five-inch mug.
[caption id="attachment_13256" align="alignnone" width="1080"] The brushed stainless steel casing looks nice against the matte black side panels and panarello.[/caption]
Daily maintenance is incredibly easy thanks to the front-accessible water reservoir and coffee ground bins. If you did need to access the removable brew group, take out the coffee grounds bin and make room to open the side door. The Intelia Deluxe automatically rinses the brew heads when it turns on and off, and even alerts you when the water runs low. The only downside we see with maintenance is that there’s no automatic rinsing for the steam wand, so you’ll have to remember to properly clean the cappuccinatore or panarello. We recommend using a glass of water and using the steam function to rinse. When you’re done, you can program your machine into energy efficient standby mode, which saves on electricity and puts your mind at ease knowing that your machine will automatically turn off.
[caption id="attachment_13249" align="alignnone" width="1080"] The removable brew group makes cleaning a breeze.[/caption]
Conclusion
The Saeco Intelia Deluxe Cappuccino features intuitive programming and sufficient drink options to make coffee you love easily. While some might miss the convenience of a dedicated cappuccino button, the manual steam design allows you to add a panarello and gain more control over your milk. Of course, you can always use the cappuccinatore to have that one-touch frothing experience. If you’re looking for simplicity in your espresso, then check out the Intelia Deluxe and tell us what you think.
