Saeco - Gran Baristo!
One of the advantages of being a working designer and blogger is I'm sometimes asked to try out and review amazing products. This is a smart way for companies to market their products, by engaging designers or tastemakers who are consistently recommending products they love to their clients. Recently I was given a Saeco Gran Baristo espresso machine by Philips to try out and keep for my personal use. I've had it for about a week and love it!
It didn't take me long to see the quality of this machine when I lifted it into my kitchen. It has substance!
Here it is opened and all set to go...
...until my husband felt the need to read all the instructions. 
Steve had the honours of trying out the first cup of coffee. He's a happy camper.
I have to admit I'm a bit of a coffee snob and drink it black and strong, so I can appreciate the quality. I'm willing to spend more than I care to add up over the year on a dark, organic blend. Before trying the machine, I already knew it had a good reputation from some of my peers who use it. So, for the sake of all you coffee lovers, I was pretty elated to break out of my routine of black coffee and give the different coffee options a try and review. Being used to a pretty standard coffee maker all these years, the Saeco has been easy to use, trying all the different coffee options with just a push of a button. Honestly, the hardest decision now is what kind of coffee I want in the mornings!
So far my favourite is cappuccino, but my staff and family love the Latte Macchiato. And if coffee isn't your thing, the other night when I couldn't sleep, I frothed hot milk and added organic honey and Mexican vanilla, which was delicious and comforting.
Here are a few action shots.
My thoughts on the Gran Baristo? It hits the mark on several criteria I look for in a product: the price reflects the quality, it functions easily to suit my busy lifestyle and it has to look stylish.
I will definitely be recommending this machine to my clients and friends. Lucky for me, it's the gift that keeps on giving!