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Permalink Reply by BaristaOnDutY on September 30, 2008 at 4:20pm

Hi Larry, I personal have the old $450 Starbucks Barista Machine, of course you can get them for $150 online some places, I have a delonghi one of the $180 models. both machines are ESE rated ,meaning they accept pods as well as grounds, The Barista does a better job in my opinion, however ,I'm exploring the possibility of getting the ESPRESSIONE CAFE RETRO and have looked at the RANCILLO "SILVIA" ESPRESSO MACHINE, depending on your budget and an use of machine, I can personally say I have had 2 Barista Machines with no problems what so ever, I'm only looking to get another to add to my arsenal, I love collecting.Stay away from the Comobar .Machines!!!!!One last note from my profiling you, you seem like you would be more into a Retro type, or semi commercial. I could be wrong but I'm a consultant I try to be good at my job...lol *cheers*

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Permalink Reply by Larry Prochazka on September 30, 2008 at 4:34pm

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a Starbucks Barista Machine and do quite well since I've learned to tinker with it. I also have an older Estro Profi with built in grinder. I don't feel like I'm getting a great shot from the barista but get wonderful milk. I'll keep looking. Cheers...Larry

GODBOD J2 said:

Hi Larry, I personal have the old $450 Starbucks Barista Machine, of course you can get them for $150 online some places, I have a delonghi one of the $180 models. both machines are ESE rated ,meaning they accept pods as well as grounds, The Barista does a better job in my opinion, however ,I'm exploring the possibility of getting the ESPRESSIONE CAFE RETRO and have looked at the RANCILLO "SILVIA" ESPRESSO MACHINE, depending on your budget and an use of machine, I can personally say I have had 2 Barista Machines with no problems what so ever, I'm only looking to get another to add to my arsenal, I love collecting.Stay away from the Comobar .Machines!!!!!One last note from my profiling you, you seem like you would be more into a Retro type, or semi commercial. I could be wrong but I'm a consultant I try to be good at my job...lol *cheers*

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Permalink Reply by Matt Swenson on September 30, 2008 at 6:11pm

I just got a Simonelli Oscar Pour Over last week. Still playing around with it...but its been great so far.

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Permalink Reply by Mike McGinness on September 30, 2008 at 9:43pm

If I was buying today and could afford it would be a LM GS3 hands down. Next choice and substantially less $ would be the Izzo Alex Duetto. E61 dual boiler with PID'd brew boiler and HX brew boiler pre-heat newly brought into the US by Chris' Coffee. The Alex Duetto wouldn't raise the high shot quality from my current rotary HX Fiorenzato Bricoletta, just make temp management easier. Plus Duetto has tank OR direct plumb option at the flick of a switch so no flojet and accumulator needed if using it light catering now and then.

Almost pulled the trigger on an Alex Duetto but needed to wait and bought another Linea instead. (Used 4gr being field stripped and rebuilt with dual PID's for anticipated 2nd cafe early spring:-)

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Permalink Reply by Bryan Wray on October 1, 2008 at 12:29am

I've always had a spot in my heart for the Sixties series by Elektra. I think it's the wood (I think they are real wood, or at least they look it) accents that get me every time. Check them out over on ChrisCoffee.com. Also, pretty much anything by Quickmill (Andreja and Vetrano are awesome) and the Izzo recommendation by miKe is spot on.

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Permalink Reply by Ed Ishida on October 1, 2008 at 4:59am

Depending of the budget, I suggest LM GS/3 or the DC Mini...

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Permalink Reply by J.P. Oughtred on October 1, 2008 at 7:22am

si Vivaldi by la spaziale, best investment you'll make for your house.

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Permalink Reply by Larry Prochazka on October 1, 2008 at 8:47am

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm in the hunt now. Cheers!

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Permalink Reply by Chris Cockrell on January 12, 2009 at 5:20am

Which one? Duetto vs. LaSpaz Vivaldi II vs. VIB DB...?

Anyone know why the warranty for the Duetto is 1yr at CC and 2yr at Seatlecoffee??? I want to pull the trigger but want some back up for failures as long as possible - you know...

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Permalink Reply by Chris Cockrell on February 8, 2009 at 8:16pm

I decided on the La Spaziale S1 VII. It ROCKS!!! It's a power house. Matched it up with a Macap M4. All is well....!

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Permalink Reply by Sébastien RACINEUX on March 4, 2009 at 3:27am

The minimum is Rancilio Silvia with a good grinder. (I have a better results with the rocky with this machine because I think the grind is not very homogen and the group like the silvia and the rossi love a not homogen grind).
But if you want to steam milk at the same time the oscar is very good. If you wait the end of the year, the new oscar... The extraction of nuova simonelli is excellent. I worked with nuova simonelli aurelia 2 groups last week and the espresso are good. The steaming is worse than La Marzocco...
For me, the E61 original is designed with HX : I don't recommand the E61 with 2 boilers or just with one boiler : the firsts shots are too cold. The giotto or the vetrano are a good choice.
After, the machine that has the greatest potential is the La Marzocco GS/3 but 7500$...
Attention to power consumption if you choose a machine professional.

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Permalink Reply by Chris/Dale on March 4, 2009 at 8:01am

Larry,
thought I'd share my opinion of the Oscar
The head of my company sold one about a month and half ago and used me to demo it....

here are the pros-
1. It steams and pulls simultaneously with plenty of pressure for multiple rounds.

2. I met Ben from Simonelli last year in Chicago at an Intelli jam And when the I competed in the Midwest RBC I met Johnny (both reps from Nuova Simonelli) They're both super nice and went out of their way to be helpful. I dig that in a company.

3. it can be pourover or plumbed in (regardless of which version you buy the difference is a part that can be ordered to change it over)

4. The portafilter is the same as the Aurelia (and it comes with two.) I dig having a commercial portafilter in my hand.

5. lots of space on top of the machine which has the ambient cup warming thing going on.

6. professional steam wand with an "analog type" knob (what i mean is you don't have to go full force, you can select just a little steam pressure should you desire)

7. I've searched through a ton of online reviews ( well it would be a ton if online reviews actually had mass) and have yet to find anyone who regretted their purchase.

8. It's well over 3 grand less than the 4500 price of the GS3 (most stickers are around a grand but shop around and you'll find it for much less than that) which will leave you with enough scratch to score a decent grinder



cons

1. It's kinda loud (which could be a good thing, if you have an upstairs neighbor who is also loud then your 4 AM ritual when getting ready for the early shift could also be a thing of revenge...)

2. No Hot Water Tap, if you're into Americanos you could steam your mater to bring it up to temp or maybe get a kettle. As I dont' do Americanos it's not really an issue for me .

3.There's no warning from the machine when your reserve tank is empty. so you have to keep a watchful eye on the tank to keep it full because it will stop mid pull if you dont.


long story short...as of last week this is my kitchen

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