The Saeco Xelsis and Gaggia Cadorna Prestige are two highly modern espresso machines, and everybody can appreciate their advanced features. And after putting them up for the debate of Saeco Xelsis vs Gaggia Cadorna Prestige, I have decided on the winner: Saeco Xelsis.
Everything comes down to Saeco Xelsis‘ more sophisticated cleaning features, like the HygieSteam for easy cleaning and the dual Thermoblock heating system. In addition, this model brews delicious cups of espresso and can froth milk foam easily with its convenient milk container and tube.
As for Gaggia Cadorna Prestige, this model also boasts 14 one-touch beverages, which is impressive for today’s machine. In addition, the device also has a stable grinder and colored display. However, compared to Saeco Xelsis, it still lacks various aspects, such as pre-infusion technology.
Saeco Xelsis vs Gaggia Cadorna Prestige: Comparision Chart




Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Saeco Xelsis vs Gaggia Cadorna Prestige: Differences
Saeco Xelsis wins 3-0 and ties once against Gaggia Cadorna Prestige. It boasts a better heating element (dual Thermoblock) and more stable operation than Gaggia Cadorna Prestige. Check out the full details below!
Espresso extraction
Winner: Saeco Xelsis
+ Heating element
There is a significant difference in the heating systems of the Saeco Xelsis and Gaggia Cadorna Prestige.
The Saeco Xelsis provides a speedier and more energy-efficient twin Thermoblock heating technology. As for Gaggia Cadorna Prestige, it comes with an upgraded single boiler system. However, the QuickHeat single boiler is more conventional, even if it boasts newer technology than traditional single boilers. So it isn’t as quick, quiet, or efficient as the dual Thermoblock of Saeco Xelsis.

With a dual system, it’s possible to switch between brewing and frothing with the minimum wait, and the temperature change won’t be as severe as with a single boiler. I have tested the devices, and it’s noticeable how efficient Saeco Xelsis is.
+ Brewing technology
Saeco Xelsis uses 15-bar pump pressure and pre-infusion technology to extract espresso and deliver consistent flavor cup after cup. As a result, I have been able to pull very rich shots with thick coffee crema.
As for Gaggia Cadorna Prestige, it employs the same pump pressure to extract espresso but lack the low-pressure pre-infusion technology. However, I don’t notice any flaw in its espresso extraction either. It’s hard to say in the long run, though. Because the pre-infusion does help penetrate water into every corner of the puck, allowing a more balanced and full flavor.
Coffee Grinder
Tie
Saeco Xelsis and Gaggia Cadorna Prestige have different grinders. Saeco Xelsis uses a flat ceramic burr grinder, while Cadorna Prestige uses a conical one. Each has pros and cons. With the flat grinder, I notice a more even and fine texture, which ensures flavor consistency and aroma. But the conical grinder avoids jams much better than the flat one. It’s very logical because a flat plate holds back more leftovers.

On the other hand, while Saeco Xelsis offers 12 settings, Cadorna Prestige offers only 10. Of course, these are still very impressive numbers of texture diversity, so this should not be a reason why we should dislike Cadorna Prestige. Depending on how strong you want the espresso to taste, you may grind finer or coarser with this pair.
Preground coffee is an option if you don’t have coffee beans at home. Users can encounter the bypass doser inside the bean hopper. I highly suggest using only the amount mentioned in the manual because if you put too much, the cup will taste more bitter while a lot of coffee goes to waste inside the brew path.
Speaking of bean hopper, Gaggia Cadorna Prestige seems to struggle to determine whether the hopper is full or empty. Because when it’s full, it still sends me an alert that it’s empty.
Milk System
Winner: Saeco Xelsis
There is no doubt about the Saeco Xelsis’s amazing milk frothing capabilities. It makes fine, creamy, and rich milk using its own unique cappuccino technology, which employs a siphon milk system instead of an attachable milk carafe like Cadorna Prestige.
Therefore, you have a glass flask or carafe with precise cup marks. The glass flask and the main housing are connected via a plastic tube or hose. The machine will move the milk from the flask to the internal milk frother and then pour it directly into your cup once you add it. Additionally, the Saeco allows you to program the milk amount, texture, and temperature easily.
Cleaning it won’t be difficult either, thanks to the Hygiesteam system. All you have to do is remove the metal cylinder from the milk container and put it in the hole on the side of the machine. Then, the device will rush hot water through it to clean any leftover milk.
As for Cadorna Prestige, I don’t doubt its ability to froth microfoam either. It can deliver very impressive batches of creamy to dry milk according to the requirement of each milk-based recipe. But with the milk carafe so close to the distributary mouth, it takes a lot of space and makes twin-brewing impossible when I have the carafe attached to the group head.
Utilities and other conveniences
Winner: Saeco Xelsis
Both machines have amazing sets of one-touch beverages that will satisfy users with the most diverse coffee preference. And Saeco introduces 15 drinks, while Gaggia has 14. I have been able to brew from single espresso to elaborate latte macchiato with these devices. The list of beverages includes:
- Saeco Xelsis: espresso, coffee, cappuccino, latte macchiato, caffe latte, flat white, espresso lungo, Americano, espresso macchiato, ristretto, espresso doppio, cafe au lait, froth milk, warm milk, hot water
- Gaggia Cadorna Prestige: ristretto, espresso, espresso lungo, coffee, americano, cappuccino, latte macchiato, cafe’ au lait, flat white, cortado, cappuccino xl, latte macchiato xl, frothed milk, hot water

Also, Saeco Xelsis is equipped with a touchscreen-colored display, allowing users to easily access the drink selection, the same as using a smartphone. As for Gaggia Cadorna Prestige, it comes with a colored display as well, but the interface involves physical buttons. So, it’s definitely a little less modern.
Saeco Xelsis vs Gaggia Cadorna Prestige: Similarities
Check out these similarities between Saeco Xelsis and Gaggia Cadorna Prestige!
User profiles
The possibility of saving each change of recipe separately is here! With Saeco Xelsis and Gaggia Cadorna Prestige, users can make use of the 6 and 4 profiles, respectively. In each profile, you can save changes to recipes like temperature, strength, and volume without affecting other users’ recipes.
Frontal-access water tank
Both devices have a frontal-access water tank, so it’s easy to design a spot for these machines in your household, given that it doesn’t require an extra top or backspace to pull the water reservoir out more easily. I always recommend front-pull water tanks.
Quick Rundown Of Saeco Xelsis
- With Philips Saeco Xelsis easily make up to 15 coffee varieties from common Espresso and Capuccino to specialty coffees like Flat White or Americano. Simply swipe the touchscreen to select the drink and customize it with our intuitive Coffee Equalizer
- 15 Coffee Varieties at Your Fingertips: Explore the world of coffee - Espresso, cappuccino, macchiato, and a range of specialty drinks
- Personalized Preferences: Everyone’s custom coffee favorites can be saved in up to 6 user profiles for instant selection. Personalize each profile down to the finest detail
- LatteDuo Milk System: Prepare and enjoy single or double serving of any coffee recipe with one touch, including Cappuccino or Latte Macchiato
- Double Thermo Blocks: Dedicated for both brewing and steaming offer accurate temperature controls for every drink in your recipe book
Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown Of Gaggia Cadorna Prestige
- 14 Pre-Programmed Beverages|Build your home barista menu with 14 pre-programmed beverages including a ristretto, espresso, espresso lungo, coffee, americano, cappuccino, cappuccino XL, café au lait, café cortado, latte macchiato, latte macchiato XL, flat white, frothed milk, and hot water for tea, hot cocoa, or infusions.
- Integrated Milk Carafe|An integrated milk carafe creates the perfect temperature and texture of milk foam to make a beautifully layered milk based beverage. It runs through an automatic rinse cycle to get rid of any residual milk so you won’t have to worry about a messy clean-up process.
- 4 User Profiles|Create up to 4 user profiles on the Cadorna Plus and save your favorite drinks for everyday consistency.
- Intuitive User Interface|A full color TFT display allows you to scroll through 14 specialty beverages with backlit buttons and experiment with a number of customizable settings to build your favorite barista-style beverage.
- 1 YEAR : Hassle free 1 year handled by Gaggia directly.
Last update on 2023-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References
- Saeco Xelsis: https://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/SM7684_04/xelsis-super-automatic-espresso-machine
- Gaggia Cadorna Prestige: https://gaggia.com/automatic-machines/cadorna-prestige/

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.