Gaggia Anima Prestige vs Saeco Incanto was tough to compare initially, but the result came out clear after a few months of daily brewing. And my final chosen winner for this debate is Gaggia Anima Prestige, all thanks to its quite stable operation and ergonomic design.
Regarding the winner Gaggia Anima Prestige, the greatest cappuccino you’ve ever had from a mid-range machine will be produced by this model. It has perfect milk foam and espresso flavor, and the temperature is just right for a good morning. I believe the leak-free operation will impress you as well, especially if you have had experience with one that leaks and requires constant water tank refill.
As for Saeco Incanto, it can brew very sweet and balanced espresso and froth fluffy milk foam. But the machine has some flaws that diminish its design’s value. The water tank leaks into the dreg drawer, and the drip tray is always full are some errors that the device manifests.
Gaggia Anima Prestige vs Saeco Incanto: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Gaggia Anima Prestige vs Saeco Incanto: Differences
Gaggia Anima Prestige wins 2-1 against Saeco Incanto. It boasts better temperature performance, richer espresso flavor, and a leak-free water tank! These are some convenient details that Saeco Incanto doesn’t or barely has.
Espresso extraction
Winner: Gaggia Anima Prestige
Temperature control
The heating system used by Gaggia Anima Prestige and Saeco Incanto is a single boiler. I’m content with what they’ve provided thus far.
But Anima Prestige warms up a lot faster. It takes about 12 to 15 seconds to get ready for extraction. The results are outstanding as well. I can create hot espresso using this device. My thermometer revealed that the beverages reached a temperature of 175–182°F. I would recommend it just because of this model’s incredible heat performance.
As for Saeco Incanto, this device can also extract hot espresso at around the same temperature as Anima Prestige. But it takes more time to bring water to such a temperature. I usually leave it on for 1-2 minutes for a good starter.
Brewing technique
This pair employs a 15-bar pump to extract espresso and variable aroma strength for adjustment. With the flexible programmability and potent pressure work, it’s easy to get the right espresso flavor to anyone’s liking.
With Gaggia Accademia Prestige, I have been able to make bold espresso and prominent flavor notes, from chocolaty to nutty. Light and medium roasts work divine with this model, as they are with most espresso machines. This one’s grinder doesn’t work great with oily dark roasts, so the flavor comes out either watered-down or burnt.
Gaggia Accademia PRestige delivers amazing espresso. Does this imply that Saeco Incanto is incapable of brewing tasty coffee? Not at all! The most significant difference I can identify, though, is Saeco Incanto’s greater aptitude for smoother espresso. This indicates that the bitter note isn’t very pronounced and that the flavors are more on the sweeter side. This model is ideal for coffee enthusiasts who dislike strong espresso.
Grinder’s performance
Winner: Saeco Incanto
Surprisingly, Saeco Incanto boasts a more stable ceramic conical burr grinder. What I notice with Gaggia Anima Prestige isn’t the fineness or evenness’s performance. Rather it was something to do with the bean hopper and bean feeding.
The Anima Prestige requires the bean hopper to be filled entirely to feed beans correctly. When it’s half full, I have to manually push the beans around for them to get into the grinding chamber. Other than that, there isn’t anything bad about the grinder.
There are 5 grinder settings with both devices. It’s not too few but not too variable, either. I usually set the ground level at 4 or 5 to get a bolder flavor.
Water tank capacity and water control
Winner: Gaggia Anima Prestige
Due to the major similarity in their design, it’s not surprising that they share the same water tank capacity that can hold up to 61 oz of water, requiring moderate refills. Or so I thought…
After brewing and frothing milk with them for months, I notice something about Saeco Incanto. And that is the machine running out of water before Gaggia Anima Prestige despite brewing the same recipes and running the same cleaning cycles.
And the cause behind this is the leaking problem that the device currently suffers. It’s not rare for me to find the drip tray and the dreg drawer full of water. This makes it almost certain that I must refill at least once daily if I intend to brew during the day. I checked the water tank placement without being able to detect the real issue behind it. So sending the machine back for warranty will be my prioritized option now.
Gaggia Anima Prestige vs Saeco Incanto: Similarities
There are some convenient features that both Gaggia Anima Prestige and Saeco Incanto share. Check them out below!
4 preset drinks
These models share the same set of preset drinks that users can brew with a single touch of a button: espresso, espresso lungo, cappuccino, and latte macchiato. I don’t mention non-coffee drinks like portions of milk or hot water, but those are things you can get with the one-touch selection as well. Some may say there aren’t enough pre-programmed beverages, but I think the collection covers each coffee drinker’s most basic yet variable needs.
Milk foam texture
With the automatic carafes, I have gotten my hands on velvety and airy foam with these devices’ cappuccino and latte macchiato. I can also adjust the milk length, but I still would like to have access to more programmable factors, like milk texture or temperature. But overall, the milk systems convince me, and I think the pair will make a great home appliance for beginners in the espresso world.
Quick Rundown Of Gaggia Anima Prestige
- Note: 1)Too coarse a grind, too little coffee, or insufficiently tamping the grounds before brewing can all lead to inadequate pressure for a proper brew. 2)It is important to note that the amount of espresso extracted will vary depending on the grind size and amount and reprogramming may be needed when the size and amount are adjusted
- ONE TOUCH BREWING AND FROTHING: Bean-to-cup feature with automatic milk frothing for cappuccinos, macchiatos and lattes
- PROGRAMMABLE: Programmable brewing options for lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos and espresso
- TEMPERATURE CONTROL: 3 different temperature settings. Min/177.5 °F, Med/182.9 °F, Max/184.5 °F
- EASY ACCESS TO WATER RESERVOIR AND BEAN HOPPER: Features a removable 60 oz water reservoir that can be accessed on the top left of the machine, and an 8.8 ounce capacity bean hopper with access from the top right of the machine
Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Saeco Incanto
- Elegant design, best materials, and high quality workmanship
- Creamy cappuccino and latte macchiato at the touch of a button thanks to detachable, hygienic milk carafe
- Professional disc grinder made of 100% ceramic for consistent performance and natural taste
- Easy maintenance and cleaning thanks to removable brewing unit and automatic cleansing and descaling procedures
- Large capacities in compact design: 8.8 ounce bean container, 15x waste container; 60.9 ounce
Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Product Video
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References:
- Gaggia Anima Prestige: https://www.gaggia.com/automatic-machines/anima-prestige/
- Saeco Incanto: https://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/HD8917_48/incanto-super-automatic-espresso-machine
I am Ralph Mason and I am a passionate coffee drinker. I worked as a barista for a few years and since 2012 I have been trying to convince as many people as possible of good coffee.
I started writing on the barista blog on RepublikCoffeeBar in 2018. It was a pure hobby site and I tested coffee products like coffee machines, beans, mug, and other accessories. After the first year, my blog is becoming a well-known coffee site with about 100 thousand visits per month.
In 2019 I decided to focus on RepublikCoffeeBar only. I became a full-time coffee blogger and was declared crazy by many.