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Liked the look and the Starbucks endorsement; was buying my very first espresso machine. I am just learning to use this. Like: looks and the two espresso dispensers. I just made lattes for two. Dislike: so far it's really difficult to put the portafilter into the machine. The fit is awful tight - maybe all machines are like this? Also, it is really hard to remove the little metal basketfrom the portafilter. Again, I do not know if this is normal for home espresso machines. The portafilter contains a rubber piece that sits below the metal espresso basket and that is very difficult to extract for cleaning. I have to dry the rubber thing and then use a tweezers to remove it from the portafilter. Overall it is hard to use and requires skill, but I have never had an espresso machine and I am enjoying becoming better at this - mery slowly. The wand shoots out water when I do not realize it (when its heating and airing the milk - I use soy milk). This is a bit dangerous, because I have to examine the thing to be sure it is behaving, while it is spewing hot water/steam. I got water in my soy, so am figuring out what to do to get around this. The priming light does not come on, but I do prime the thing alot. Slowly I am rereading the directions and making adjustments to get better at this - VERY ENJOYABLE. Depite all the whining I LOVE this machine!Read full review
I bought three of these in the aftermarket for $200 or less each and that is all I would pay for Them. Each of the machines I bought off auction websites came with the problem. The one I use the temperature gates does not work properly,, which does not affect any other part of the maker. One of the makers I bought came in with the little foot piece in the brewing basket..which stopped it from working properly ,,, so once I figured that out, it worked pretty good.. taking temps from all three, the water was at different stages of hotness, but even the lowest, seemed to be hot enough.. I would say it's a pretty good machine,, the parts are incredibly expensive,, unbelievably so,,, so when they break down,, people sell them on auction sites.. I would think it makes as good a cup coffee as most,,none of mine have the power to use those little basket things,,, prepacked packages of coffee,, since I got a bunch of those with one of the makers,, I take the coffee out and put it into the regular basket,, the coffee is great espresso,,, so if you buy one of these buy it cheap,,,,, that's it folksRead full review
I'm very happy with my new Sirena Expresso Machine, it looks stylish and works and nice as it looks. It was very easy to set up and get working (once I primed the pump and that was easy, I just didn't read the instructions correctly). I normally Peets coffee beens with a Turkish grind, unfortunatly thats to fine of a grind for this machine but it still makes the best of it, I just need to use less beans in the filter then I used to. You can use Ground beans or the self contained pods with this machine. It holds plenty of water so you don't have to fill it with every cup of expresso you brew. Its completly programable in case you want more then one or two 1oz shots of Expresso and very easy to program to the way you like it. Very easy to clean too. You can also get clean plain Hot Water from it so now I can pack up my teapot. My coffee beans are going much further with the same if not better Caffine Kick then my old machine. When I have company over I am able to make expresso after expresso and latte after latte with only the time it takes me to refill my filter. No more waiting for the machine to depressurise before I can pull the water cap off to add more water, no more running out of water when I need steam, no more babysitting the machine! It's fully automatic and I LOVE IT!!!Read full review
Quick warm up and water is the right temperature. many machines are too hot which leaches the bitterness fro the coffee. Some models also come with a potafilter screen that is very fine and creates a back pressure. This helps make a great cup of coffee even with less than perfect grind and freshness. This filter tends t clog but I have discovered that if you wipe the filter dry before filling with coffee that clogging is not so much an issue.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I bought a refurbished Sirena over the Internet from SeattleCoffeeGear.com. I paid $269 & it came with a 1 year warranty & free shipping. There are 2 other lower end semi-automatic Saeco espresso makers available either NIB (new in box) or refurbished in this price range - the Aroma and the Via Venezia. I chose the Sirena because it was produced to replace my old model, the Starbucks Barista Athena, which made excellent espresso twice a day for 7 years before it went to heaven. The Sirena allows you to program the size of the shot (as does the Athena) whereas the Aroma and Via Venezia do not & have to be stopped manually by pressing the brew button. The Sirena is set to default to 1 oz shots with no programming required. It is set up & ready to brew within 15 minutes of opening the box & produces excellent shots just like the Athena. It comes with a metal housing - a big plus since the newer models contain more and more plastic & there are 2 58mm baskets included for the portafilter so you can draw single or double shots either manually or automatically. Drawing manual shots gives better coffee so the Sirena can grow with you as you become more proficient in the art of drawing perfect shots. For manual shots you'll need a coffee tamper which are available at terrific prices right here on eBay. The steam wand on the refurbished Sirena is an upgrade from the Seattle store and produces micro-foam. The water tank is also an upgrade from the original. Check out the Seattle website for replacement parts and to familiarize yourself with their trade-in policy - you may be able to save some $$ by sending them your old machine. Another great addition to this model is the 90 minute auto shut-off which many semi-automatics do not have. Like many other espresso makers the Sirena steam wand also dispenses hot water so you can make hot tea or any other hot beverage or even instant soup. So, these are the reasons I bought the Sirena and why I gave it 5 stars! Another excellent Saeco espresso machine!Read full review
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