The new Saeco Minuto is the innovative answer to a very common problem: How does a household split between an appreciation for drip brewed coffee and a love for espresso-based drinks ever see eye to eye? Historically, the resolution to such an issue was found in one of three ways:
Completely separate pieces of equipment that yielded the best quality product for both preparations;
Selecting a single piece of equipment that favored one preparation while short changing the other; or
Engaging in an arm wrestling competition, wherein the victor gets to choose the home's coffee setup.
Where the first option is concerned, you often have to give up considerable kitchen counter space to brewers, grinders and espresso machinery; not everyone has that luxury -- in either kitchen or budget size -- so collecting a variety of java accoutrement may not even be a viable option.
In regard to the second solution, implementing it means that you have to choose between lackluster coffee or less than stellar espresso. Combination drip brewer and espresso machines often utilize steam power for both preparations, which is just perfect for drip coffee but the fluctuating temperature of which wreaks havoc on espresso. Conversely, traditional espresso machines will produce delicious shots that can be mixed with water to approximate a drip coffee-style drink, but this is often considered not as rich or as smooth as some drip coffee aficionados adore.
Finally, putting everything on the line by competing in a feat of physical prowess may be preferable for those of you that rock especially enviable upper body strength, but the rest of us might not be as comfortable allowing our home coffee enjoyment to be decided by a session of biceps-roullette.
With the introduction of the Saeco Minuto, however, an effective compromise that doesn't involve sacrifice or brute strength now exists! With the simple flip of a lever, the Minuto will adjust its pressure to either the traditional 9 BAR of espresso extraction or roughly 3 BAR for a drip coffee preparation. You can freshly grind and brew a single cup of rich coffee that tastes just like it was brewed in a high quality drip brewer, all at the single touch of a button. Pretty cool, eh?
So if you've been facing this coffee vs. espresso challenge in your own household, check out Gail's review and demonstration of the Saeco Minuto; we go through its features, experiment with its different functionality and sample its delicious java. Might it be the one you're looking for?
