Super Plastic Flimsy Feel to everything Too light Grinder is a joke Pannarello is too low to allow larger frothing pitchers.
Detailed Commentary
I have to preface this by saying that I am well versed in the art of espresso making. My La Pavoni is a wonderful machine but it has a limitation of how many cups one can get from it built into its design. I wanted a machine that could knockout several shots of espresso and do cappuccinos with no long waits. I decided to try the Spidem, especially at the price I got it for. If someone knows nothing about an espresso machine, the Spidem might pass for one until they come face to face with a real espresso machine, not a toy. The first thing one notices is how light and flimsy this thing feels. No self respecting espresso machine or barista will be happy with the look and feel of this thing. Cheap, cheap, cheap. For the price, I'm trying to overlook it. Clean it, plug it in, put the beans in the hopper, I get chunky pepper grinds. Flip the grind selector to the opposite end, more chunky pepper grinds. No adjustment would give me an espresso grind. None. When you hold the portafilter in your hand, if you are familiar with a decent machine, you keep thinking 'this is a toy'. The cheapest feeling parts you can imagine. I could go no further with this machine nor had any desire to.
I strongly recommend that anyone interested in real espresso avoid these cheap Saeco and Saeco clones like the Spidem, save up their money or look for a good used deal on a stainless steel machine that will last decades. There is a huge difference in the enjoyment of a fine product and a poorly made one. Plus, the extraction of espresso made with a good SS machine with a brass boiler will beat any of these automatics and their inferior plastic housing. Espresso making is all about the craft of the machine and the user plus the coffee. Skimp on one and you don't get a quality result.
