The Odea Go is part of a new line recently released by Saeco, a world leader in the espresso industry. The Go is Saeco's basic model, yet while it is on the lower end of the price scale for super-automatic machines, it still carries a rather large price tag.

Styled in black and silver, the Go is medium-large, measuring 11-1/2 inches wide by 15-1/2 inches deep by 14-7/10 inches high. Its rounded edges may give it a somewhat compact appearance, but that is mainly an illusion. As with other super-automatic machines, the Go has a built-in bean grinder, which dispenses the optimum amount of grounds into an internal filter, then tamps the grounds and uses premium pump-pressure brewing to prepare an aromatic cup of dark espresso coffee with a rich layer of foamy crema on top.

The Odea Go also has a powerful jet frothing wand called the Pannarello frothing device that dispenses steam and hot water. We loved the long, curved design of the wand, which tilts up and down for easy insertion and removal from the milk pitcher. What's more, the wand delivers an abundant amount of steam at an extremely fast rate to produce beautiful frothed milk in seconds.

The controls on this unit consist of three push-button switches labeled on/off, brew and steam preheat. There is also a separate steam dial that opens the valve to dispense steam. The controls are marked with appropriate icons for easy identification, and a series of indicator lights alerts you while the unit is heating, when it is ready for use, when the grounds drawer needs emptying, when the bean container or 50-ounce water reservoir is empty and when the unit requires descaling.

The initial preheating cycle takes about 90 seconds. After each brew cycle, the Go returns to a ready state in less than 10 seconds, so you can keep brewing cup after cup in succession. The espresso is flavorful and hot, from about 165 degrees to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. The Saeco Aroma System is a special brewing process that pre-wets the grounds just before the actual brew cycle. This helps to extract a full-bodied flavor.

All of the necessary elements for operation are built into the base, so there are no separate porta filters, sieves, scoops or tamping devices to deal with. The Go's internal components include a ceramic disc grinder, the removable water tank, a removable grounds container and drip tray, a height-adjustable cup tray, a cup warming area, the frothing wand and an adjustable dispensing head. There is also a space for an optional Aqua Prima water filter. A unique sliding wheel base makes it easy to turn the machine in different directions for easy access to the water tank, ground container or controls. A once-per-week cleaning of the brewing unit is recommended for optimum performance, and the necessary equipment can be removed for this purpose.

You can adjust the quantity or dose of espresso or coffee by turning a simple selector dial. In this way, you can brew a traditional 2-ounce espresso, a medium 4-ounce cream coffee, or a long 6-ounce coffee. If there are tea drinkers in your household, hot water is quickly dispensed through the steam nozzle. You can also vary the type of coffee bean used and the fineness of the grind. Unfortunately, the Odea Go lacks a provision to handle pre-ground coffee.

An optional accessory is Saeco's Milk Island, a free-standing milk container that attaches to the main base and auto-froths milk by delivering a steady supply of steam into the milk container. Once the milk has been frothed, it can be poured or spooned into cups to make cappuccino.

The Saeco Odea Go is an affordable (relatively speaking) super-automatic espresso machine with customizable settings and easy-to-use controls.


Pros:  Regulates the water pressure to vary the consistency and flavor of the beverage, super-automatic machine with fully programmable settings, makes coffee or espresso, froths milk
Cons:  Complicated cleaning cycle, cannot use pre-ground coffee

Warranty
1 year