Saeco Espresso Machines: Where the Italian Brand Still Competes

Saeco is an Italian espresso machine company founded in 1981 that pioneered the home super-automatic espresso machine — the all-in-one bean-to-cup brewers that grind, dose, tamp, brew, and steam milk at the press of a button. Philips acquired Saeco in 2009, and the brand is now part of Philips’ premium kitchen appliances division. Saeco’s strength remains super-automatic espresso, where they continue to compete with DeLonghi and Jura at the premium end of the market.

Here’s the current Saeco lineup, what’s worth buying, and where alternatives outperform them.

Saeco super-automatic espresso machines

This is Saeco’s primary category and where the brand has the strongest reputation. The current lineup:

• Saeco PicoBaristo Deluxe ($900) — entry-level Philips-Saeco super-automatic. Integrated grinder, automatic milk frother, 15+ programmed drinks. Solid mid-tier pick.
• Saeco Incanto Deluxe ($1,200) — step up with more customization, finer milk frothing control, larger water reservoir. Competes with the DeLonghi Magnifica Plus at this price.
• Saeco Xelsis Suprema ($2,400) — premium super-automatic with touchscreen, drink personalization for multiple users, premium ceramic grinder. Competes with DeLonghi Eletta and Jura S series at this tier.
• Saeco GranAroma Deluxe ($1,500) — newer mid-premium model with refined milk handling and better aesthetic design than older Saeco models.

Honest comparison: at the $800-1,200 tier, the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo ($800) is the standard segment recommendation and produces comparable espresso to the Saeco PicoBaristo at lower cost. Where Saeco has historically competed well is at the $1,500-2,500 premium tier, where the Xelsis Suprema is genuinely competitive with the more expensive Jura and DeLonghi options.

Saeco manual and semi-automatic machines

Saeco’s manual espresso lineup has shrunk since the Philips acquisition. The brand essentially exited the entry-level manual espresso category, focusing instead on super-automatic. Some legacy models still appear at retail:

• Saeco Via Venezia ($350) — semi-automatic with 15-bar pump, real portafilter. Older design but still produced. Decent entry-level manual espresso, but the Breville Bambino ($300) is a stronger pick at similar price.
• Saeco Aroma ($300) — basic semi-automatic. Comparable assessment to the Via Venezia.

For semi-automatic espresso, the Breville and Gaggia options are generally stronger picks than the current Saeco manual lineup. Saeco’s strength has moved to super-automatic.

Saeco drip coffee makers

Saeco occasionally produces drip coffee makers (the Renaissance series, the 12-Cup Automatic Drip with Burr Grinder). These have been largely discontinued in the US market. If you find one new, the quality is generally acceptable but unremarkable. Cuisinart and Bonavita offer better drip coffee makers at similar or lower prices.

The Philips rebrand

Since 2018, many Saeco super-automatic machines have been rebranded as “Philips” with the Saeco name in smaller text or removed entirely. This is a marketing decision; the machines are functionally identical to the Saeco-branded versions. If you see a “Philips 3200 LatteGo” or “Philips 5400 Series LatteGo,” it’s the same engineering as the comparable Saeco model, often at a slightly lower price point.

Practical translation: when shopping for “Saeco” you should also look at Philips-branded equivalents, which often cost less for the same machine.

• Philips 3200 LatteGo ($700) — essentially a re-badged Saeco entry super-automatic. Strong value pick if you’re indifferent to branding.
• Philips 5400 LatteGo ($900) — re-badged mid-tier super-automatic comparable to the Saeco PicoBaristo Deluxe at similar price.

My actual recommendation

Saeco’s clearest value is in super-automatic espresso, particularly at the premium tier:

• Best Saeco entry-level super-automatic: the Philips 3200 LatteGo ($700) — same machine as the lower-end Saecos at lower price.
• Best Saeco mid-tier: Saeco PicoBaristo Deluxe ($900) or its Philips equivalent.
• Best Saeco premium: Saeco Xelsis Suprema ($2,400) for someone who wants premium super-automatic with full personalization.

Skip Saeco’s drip coffee makers (Cuisinart or Bonavita are better picks) and their manual espresso lineup (Breville or Gaggia are better picks). Saeco’s super-automatic strength is real but mostly relevant at the premium price tiers.

For most home espresso buyers, the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo ($800) remains the standard recommendation in the super-automatic category. Saeco starts being more competitive at the $1,500+ tier. Below that, DeLonghi is generally the better-value pick.

For comparison across espresso brands, see our guides to Breville, DeLonghi, and Gaggia.

Related reading

• DeLonghi espresso machines
• Breville espresso machines
• Gaggia espresso machines