I need to find a espresso machine
The thing is we need a good coffee machine for a coffee shop we will be opening soon and we've already decided on a good grinder. We've been looking at a La Marzocco GB5 and Nuova Simonellis. I want advice on which espresso machine to buy.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Thach Singkarat on
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Which model of Nuova Simonelli are you interest in?
I used to own Nuova Appia, not impress with it performance.
1 vote for La Marzocco GB5
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Williamson on
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the Gb5 is awesome. I own 2, and couldn't be happier. Never been very impressed with simonellis, personally. I understand they have a big following, and I may receive some flack for my preference. However, having worked with both, I MUCH prefer the la marzocco
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Permalink Reply by Pieter-Ben Smit on
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Thanx guys, what do you think about the synesso hydra and cyncra
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Permalink Reply by Mike Sabol on
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If you are comparing La Marzocco to Simonelli you need to be looking at the Aurelia, which is a great machine. Simonelli makes a broader range of machines than La Marzocco and the Appia is a machine that is meant more for lower volume production in a restaurant or bar where coffee isn't the main focus. So comparing a lower or mid line Simonelli to a La Marzocco is a bit of an apples to oranges endeavor.
Any machine from La Marzocco is going to be great. They only make high end machines. All of them are reliable, pull fantastic coffee, are easy to work on, and are nearly indestructible.
The Simonelli Aurelia is also a fantastic machine. It pulls really good coffee and is an absolute work horse. They are reliable and easy to work on and easy to operate. There is very good reason that the Aurelia has the following that it does.
The La Marzocco is a dual boiler set-up and they will behave a little differently than the Aurelia, which is a heat exchanger machine. With a dual boiler you generally flush the group head to bring the temperature up to brewing temp and with a heat exchanger you flush the head to bring the temperature down to brewing temp. If you try and pull a shot without a pre-flush on an hX machine you push a bunch of steam through your coffee and burn it. Whereas if you pull a shot on a dual boiler machine after it's been sitting for a bit without a pre-flush you push cool water through the coffee and get a sour shot. So the way you work with them is different and they each have their own personality when you're cranking away. It depends a little bit on what you are used to.
Synessos are also great machines. Very well built, pull fantastic coffee, reliable. They are also a dual boiler machine and share many characteristics with La Marzoccos, although with a different take on some specific engineering issues. Anything from Synesso will serve you well.
You should find out which of these machines your local tech knows and can support the best. That ends up being a bigger issue in the long run than the machine itself, assuming you get a high end, quality focused unit like those being discussed so far. There may be a few more that people will recommend, as well, that haven't been mentioned yet but ping your tech before you make a decision.
Good luck and have fun!!
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Permalink Reply by Eric Schaefer on
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I can vouch for La Marzocco and Synesso machines after years of using and servicing both (though I work for Synesso now, so take that with a grain of salt if you want.) My past experiences with Simonelli machines left me un-impressed, but those were older HX machines. The newer multi-boiler machines (Aurelia 2, T3 models I think?) have earned high praise and look intriguing to me. I haven't gotten to play with one, so can't really vouch for it. If it were my money, I'd stick with the companies that have been building exclusively multi-boiler machines for a long time, but that's mostly just because of my own loyalties and my bias against HX systems.
...also, I'll second Mike's point: when you're comparing machines that are good quality to begin with, serviceability becomes a primary deciding factor.
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can someone tell me which machine performs best under heavy traffic
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Pieter, any of these machines will do very well. I've seen all of them perform under very demanding circumstances. You should find out from you local tech what they service and know the best and go with that one. Since you are in South Africa that might change what you have availible to you and which machines your tech can get parts for. Synesso is a small Seattle company, for instance, and may or may not have a service network in South Africa. Your local tech will be able to tell you what is availible. You might also find that your tech only has access to some other machine, like Faema or Rancillio. They make good machines too. At the top end of their range barista technique is a much larger factor than the machine in the final product quality. And if your tech knows Faemas and can get parts for them then I'd recommend the Farma. An E-61 Legend is an awesome machine!! You really need to get your tech involved. It will save you SO much trouble down the road. And they can also get you set up with the appropriate water filtration for your area. It doesn't matter how sturdy the machine is if the water is bad. Make some calls to your local tech/service companies and let us know what you find!
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so i've chosen the la marzocco gb5. The reasons are: I have never seen a Synesso in a coffee shop and I have travelled through the whole South Africa, so there are probably very few sellers or techs that can service the machine. Next is that I generally like the gb5 much more
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Enjoy your GB5! I'm sure you'll love it. Just make sure you follow Mike's last bit of advice there and get good water filtration, specifically tailored to your needs based on your local water quality. Easily 80% of all repairs I performed in the last 3 years would have been avoided if our clients had used appropriate water treatment. It's easy to overlook/neglect, but it makes all the difference in the world.
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Great choice, Pieter! I would also echo Eric's comment about his repair experience. 80% is probably an understatement...
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Permalink Reply by Chad Kimm on
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This may be redundant at this point, but I very much agree with the choice of the GB/5. All things considered, the GB5 my favorite machine on the market currently. We regularly work with and maintain many different brands of machines. For us, La Marzocco is the best combination of machine quality, customer support, and everyday practical usability. We get great support from Simonelli also, but I find myself questioning certain quality aspects on their machines, more so than with La Marzocco. Synesso's are phenomenal machines but are a bit more in the boutique category and you're probably justified with your concerns about service were you live.
I also would wholeheartedly agree with Eric and Mike on their QUALITY WATER comments. Although I would put Eric's number in the 90% range;) A brand new machine that has properly treated water in it from day one, has the possibility of humming along for 10...15...20 years with very little issue.
Oooh, new espresso machines are so exciting!
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Eric,
What is your de-scaler of choice? We've been using Dezcal with very hot water. We'll even turn up the temp on brewer tanks and let them boil for awhile. I'm always looking for something better though.
Eric Schaefer said:Enjoy your GB5! I'm sure you'll love it. Just make sure you follow Mike's last bit of advice there and get good water filtration, specifically tailored to your needs based on your local water quality. Easily 80% of all repairs I performed in the last 3 years would have been avoided if our clients had used appropriate water treatment. It's easy to overlook/neglect, but it makes all the difference in the world.
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