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Saeco Talea Touch with Milk Island Super Automatic Espresso Machine.
Detailed Product Features:
Touch Screen Programming
When you look at the touch screen, you will see 4 icons: a steam whistle in the top left corner, then a small cup (espresso), a larger cup (coffee), and a tall cup (long coffee) lined up below. Press the icon you want, and to make 2 drinks, press the icon twice. The darkness or lightness of the cups represents the strength of the brew (mild, medium, or strong), which can be programmed by holding down the beverage icon for 2 seconds. Below the cups on the screen are "show text," the date and time, and "go to menu." Press "show text" to view the screen in text-only formatting, press the date and time to enter the clock menu, and press "go to menu" to enter the programming menu.
Unit Options
Don’t limit yourself when you buy an espresso machine. A steam wand allows you to create any number of drinks that use foamed and steamed milk, such as cappuccinos, lattes, and macchiatos. Or you can vary your morning drink by choosing espresso, coffee, or long coffee, then changing its size and strength. For the non-coffee drinkers in the house, a hot water dispenser is great for tea, hot chocolate, soup, and instant oatmeal.
Stainless Steel Boiler
The double boiler system on the Saeco Talea Touch Plus means that you don’t have to wait when you move between brewing and steaming. Stainless steel is known for its durability as well as its ability to heat quickly and evenly. A boiler pressure safety valve and a double safety thermostat prevent the boiler from reaching excessive temperatures or pressures.
Light Touch Drip Tray
Place your finger gently on top of the drip try lever, and the drip tray moves down. Place your finger below the drip tray lever and push gently, and the drip tray moves up. This "light touch" drip tray is fully adjustable for cups of different sizes.
Saeco Brewing System (SBS)
For an immediate difference in the strength of your coffee, Saeco designed an SBS knob located on the coffee-dispensing spout. Turning the knob to the right results in a stronger coffee, and to the left a milder one by changing the water pressure on the grounds. It may be adjusted before or during brewing, giving you great control over your brew.
High Quality Ceramic Burr Grinder
A high quality burr grinder is key to a flavorful, crema-topped shot of espresso. If a low quality blade rather than burr grinder is used, the grounds become heated from the friction, degrading their taste; it also chops the grounds inconsistently, so your brew may taste either over extracted, or weak. This is why the Saeco Talea Touch Plus’ high quality burr grinder – which works using stationary burr and a rotating burr – is so important. It grinds beans to a uniform size, all while reducing or eliminating the effects of friction and static charge to produce 7-10.5 grams of ground coffee. The Touch Plus’ grinder can be set to fine, medium, or coarse using the included key to adjust it.
Bypass Doser and Bean Hopper
There are many advantages to grinding your own beans. Most importantly, once beans are ground they degrade quickly, often losing their flavor after no more than 2 days. The Saeco Talea Touch Plus grinds only as much as you need for the freshest cup of coffee. The beans are stored in an airtight bean hopper, which protects them from the damaging effects of moisture and air. Of course, sometimes your guests may prefer another kind of bean to what is in your bean hopper, such as decaf or a flavored blend. In that case, the bypass doser allows you to pour in any kind of ground coffee and brew using that instead of what is in the bean hopper. Simply press and hold the icon corresponding to the type of beverage you would like to brew (espresso, coffee, or long coffee). From the "coffee settings" menu that appears, select "pre-ground coffee," and the machine will brew using the grounds in the bypass doser.
Cup Warmer
When you brew a shot of espresso nice and hot, you want it to stay that way. That’s why the Saeco Talea Touch Plus has an active cup warmer to preserve the espresso’s flavors by keeping them warm. Of course, some people prefer to heat their cups with hot water, or even by putting it in the microwave, which is why the Saeco Talea Touch Plus has different options. To set the cup warmer to your preferences, press "go to menu" on the touch screen, then press "machine settings," and then "cup warming surface." You can always use the arrow on the bottom to go back, or the "x" to exit out of the menu. Now that you’re in the "cup warming surface" menu, you can choose "always on," "always off," or "off while in stand-by."
PreBrewing
PreBrewing, or pre-infusion, is a process by which the grounds are dampened with water for a few moments. This often-overlooked step brings out more of their flavors and depth for a great shot of espresso. The Saeco Talea Touch Plus comes with the prebrewing set at normal, but you can adjust the settings to "strong" (which soaks the grounds longer) or "off," if you wish to deactivate the prebrewing step.
Housing and Construction
Housed in silver and graphite, the Saeco Talea Touch Plus fits in well to different settings such as home kitchens and workstations. The touch screen has simplified the look of the machine by making buttons obsolete, so only the SBS knob and touch screen are left on the front. The touch screen is large for easy display and programming.
Steaming and Frothing Wand
To use the steaming and frothing wand, press the steam icon on the menu, select "steam," and turn the steam knob until the steaming/hot water position is reached. Steam will begin dispensing out of the wand to froth or steam beverages. When you have finished, turn the steam wand until it is in the rest position, as indicated by the dark circle, and press "exit" on the touch screen to return to the menu.
Milk Island
If you prefer automatic frothing and steaming, a great addition to the Talea Touch Plus is the Milk Island. It holds up to 13.5 oz of cold milk, and froths and steams at the touch of a button. A black steam hose included with the Milk Island hooks up to the Saeco Talea’s steam output, located on the left side. Press "steam" in the menu, turn the knob to the "milk island" icon, and automatic frothing and steaming begins. The Milk Island will stop automatically after dispensing steam continuously for 2 minutes.
Hot Water Dispenser
The steaming and frothing wand can also dispense hot water. Simply press the steam icon, and select "hot water dispensing." Turn the steam knob until the steaming/hot water position is reached and hot water is dispensed. Once you have enough water, turn the knob until it is in the rest position and press "exit" to return to the menu.
General Cleaning
The removable 57 oz water tank is easy to hand wash with soap and water. It is located on the left hand side of the machine, and has a handle for easy removal. The drip tray is easily removed, and can also be hand washed. On the right of the machine is the grounds drawer, which should be emptied and cleaned regularly. To keep your steam spout functioning at optimum condition, remove the outer steam spout and clean. You should also remove and wash the steam spout support to keep your milk tasting fresh. The touch screen can be wiped with a dry cloth.
Water Filter
The included Aqua Prima water filter improves the quality of your water while extending the life of your machine. The manual gives detailed instructions on how to install it so the machine will inform you when it needs to be replaced.
Water Hardness Function
Your Saeco Talea Touch Plus can be adapted to the hardness degree of the water you use. This will lead to proper descaling. Water hardness is measured on a scale of 1-4, and each machine is preset at the value 3. Use the included water hardness tester to find the hardness of your water. On the touch screen, press "go to menu." Press "machine settings," then "water settings," then "water hardness." Set the water hardness by pressing "+" or "–".
Descaling
Over time, impurities in your tap water can cause damage to the boiler and brewing components. Descaling counteracts those effects. It is necessary every 3-4 months, or when the machine indicates it. Before descaling, make sure that that water filter is removed. To descale, press "menu" in the main menu, then "maintenance settings," then "boiler descaling cycle." The machine will ask, "Do you wish to perform the descaling cycle?" Indicate "yes," and follow the steps outlined in the manual to complete the descaling cycle.
Brew Group
The brew group should be cleaned regularly in order to keep your coffee tasting fresh. To begin, remove the grounds drawer located on the right side of the machine. Now you can access the brew group, which can be removed by pressing the "PUSH" button. Wash and dry the brew group, then replace.
Accessories
The Saeco Talea Touch Plus comes with an Aqua Prima water filter, water hardness tester, cleaning brush, measuring scoop, grinder adjustment key, and detailed owner’s manual.
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