Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kevin Ayers on July 28, 2011 at 9:23am

I feel like ours have stopped doing this as much after two months of use. At first though, yes it was annoying. Are you using MP or EP?

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dustin DeMers on July 28, 2011 at 9:26am

Ha, ya. The steam wands on the strada are the worst part about the machine in my opinion. All you need to do is replace the tips with different ones(ones with bigger diameter holes) and it wont do that anymore. (I thought it came with 2 sets of tips?)

 

  Though even with different tips I still dont like the steam wands, they are awkward to turn off and I dont like the positioning of them either, and god forbid you need to stop a shot on a group thats not right next to you. (Im getting off topic, sorry)

 

So ya just switch the tips, problem solved!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by johnny Norton on July 28, 2011 at 9:41am

I've tried stock, vortex, knif, and synesso tips, all to no avail- I even replaced one of the inner springs with a higher tension one, but alas, it still does it. other than that we're pretty happy with it- though most of my baristas are complaining that they miss the synesso.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dustin DeMers on July 28, 2011 at 10:14am

Iprefer the gb5 at the moment to the starda, but im withholding final judgement till ive had more time on the machine. Anyway, we replaced our tips with either the second set that came with the machine? or a set from a gb5. Either way it doesn't do that annoying "airplane landing" ramp down any more.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jason Duncan on September 12, 2011 at 10:40am

We have a couple of GS/3's and both steam wands do the same thing..  Something we've gotten used to but might try changing!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dustin DeMers on September 13, 2011 at 10:50am

So I misspoke in my previous post about our stradas steam wands being "fixed". After about 10 different configurations of boiler pressures and different tips we still havnt fixed this issue. I honestly lost a lot of respect for la marzocco after using this machine for a while. I would never recommend the strada MP after all the issues we have had with it.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jason Duncan on September 13, 2011 at 11:00am

Has there been any articles written comparing the GB5 and the Strada to review?  We are going to be purchasing at some point soon and were leaning towards a Strada.  After a few people talking about the problems with the Strada - we may change our minds!  Just curious...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dustin DeMers on September 13, 2011 at 11:28am

Dont know of any articles reviewing the two together, but if I was going to pick a machine for my shop it would be the GB5 or maybe even a GB5 paddle. Or hell go with a pid'ed linea and save yourself 20,000 dollars. I think if your dead set on a strada, then the EP is the way to go. Though ive only had very limited time on the EP so im sure it has its own issues.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by johnny Norton on September 13, 2011 at 11:29am

dustin, I couldn't agree with your previous comment more. I'm really sad to say I have serious buyer's regret about the strada. Makes me feel like I've been betrayed!

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by johnny Norton on September 13, 2011 at 11:30am

p.s. our tech has been out here at least 4 or 5 times dealing with seperate issues- leaks, groupheads down, gauges loose, hot water spout malfunction. yikes!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dustin DeMers on September 13, 2011 at 11:39am

Ya one of our crappy stem wands just wouldn't shut off at one point, which put it out of comission for a long while. One of the groups leaks, the steam wands are the worst things on the face of the earth, the shot timer starts the second you move the paddle but the line pressure doesn't hit till half way threw the throw. Theres no way to easily repeat a pressure sequence you liked. There are just alot of things that I really dislike about this machine.

 

But the GB5 is awesome!

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion