Espresso Machine reviews

beanflying

Espresso Machine Reviews - To discuss any of them afterwards please open a new thread 🙂

Pinching KK's Grinder review section here but maybe to also include machines you have used at work or have had significant time on even your ex machine if you like. Make it as fair as you can including niggles or bad points of the design remembering that no machine is perfect.

When you get past the bling stage and into the settling in period of your Machine.

Then its time for a honest Personal Owner/User Review and include a picture is always nice.

Discus Your

1] Make , Model & Year, boiler size, hx, sb, db etc.
2] First impressions
3] Pros & Cons of the Espresso machine
4] Your journey from the beginning to the present
5] Recommend or Not
6] Mods to date (if any)
7] Closing notes
8] Anything else that's interesting

Lacehim

My first review ever. Image supplied by Sorrentina Coffee 1] Make , Model & Year Ponte Vecchio Lusso 2 group domestic lever, purchased new in 2011 from Sorrentina Coffee 2] First impressions Small Compact, quiet, cute with its own distinctive personality that makes everyone that comes to the house take an interest. 3] Pros & Cons of the Espresso machine Pros Small, Easy to use and it

hiphipharar

1] Giotto Premium Plus 2009 2] First impressions: well made, forgiving and delivered on its promise. The first shot was too fast but still tasyed good/ 3] Pros: Well built Commercial pressure stat Very temperature stable: no cooling flush required Steam wand design Easy access water tank Forgiving: rarely have to sink a shot Cons: Drip tray is small It hasn't completely cured my upgraditis but it's certainly in remission Gee, I think that's about it 4] Your journey from the beginning to the present: The GPP wasn't my first choice. I admired the look of the Bezzera Domus Galatea and thge grunto of the VMB Super. The GPP ticked all the other boxes and the clincher was the price. When I went to check out the machine, I was sold on the demo and the price was the clincher. Never had the feeling"Gee I wish i had bought the xxxx instead" 5] Recommend or Not: Recommend - there are lots of happy GPP owners 6] Mods to date (if any): Fitted with smaller restrictors - further improvement in shot quality 8] Closing notes/Anything else that's interesting: I always steam my milk hands-free. With a thermometer sticker on the milk jug, I just aim the wand in the middle for a second or two then push to the side to start the whirlpool and wait until it reaches required temp. Well textured milk just about every time.

RichardM

1] Make , Model & Year, boiler size, hx, sb, db etc. Lelit PL041EM, 2010, 250mL Single Boiler 2] First impressions I had never owned a coffee machine before (a $99 Breville machine didn't count), so my first impression was shiny, solid and well built. The plastic drip tray looks a bit tacky, but other than that, works well. 3] Pros & Cons of the Espresso machine Pros: - Can pull an exceptional shot with great consistency - Price (~$660) - Easy to work on - Simple internals, no electronics to go wrong Cons: - Short Steam wand - Leaking steam wand (doesn't affect all machines the same, obviously) - Steam runs out of puff after about 500mL of steaming (same as all small single boilers, so ok for the price point) 4] Your journey from the beginning to the present From when I first got the machine, running with a Sunbeam grinder, my experience was a bit iffy. One day I'd be able to pull perfect shots, the next day only gushers and the next day I'd choke the machine. It's very picky when it comes to grinders, however once I upgraded the grinder to a Super Jolly, the consistent, delicious shots just kept coming one after another. Soon after I got the machine it started leaking from the steam wand, and a new steam tap hasn't solved it. I'm assuming it's a) a poor steam tap design combined with b) a leaky three way valve. It is just a slow drip, so no risk of emptying the boilder. 5] Recommend or Not Definitely would recommend. At the time I got it, it was much cheaper than the Silvia, which made it hard for me to justify a silvia. To me, the only reason not to get this over a Silvia is the steam wand issues. 6] Mods to date (if any) None. 7] Closing notes I am really happy with this machine. I have had it for around 9 months now, and myself and my partner get joy from it every day. 8] Anything else that's interesting Not really, no. It's a basic machine.

rival81

1] Make , Model & Year, boiler size, hx, sb, db etc. Isomac Tea II, 2009, 1.2L, HX 2] First impressions Liked the appearance of this machine... pretty standard inside but i liked the big drip tray and cup tray handles. 3] Pros & Cons of the Espresso machine So far, have not had any issues whatsoever (2 years ownership). It's been great, really. Fast to heat up, stable enough to produce really nice shots from the e61 group and pretty fast recovery time. 4] Your journey from the beginning to the present I actually bought this from Di Bella here in Brisbane. Previous machine was a horrible thermoblock machine - never again! 5] Recommend or Not Absolutely! 6] Mods to date (if any) Naked portafilter of course, and i also purchased a retro steam tip upgrade from Five Senses Coffee. This is a two hole tip which has slightly smaller holes than the two hole tip that comes with the isomac, and thus makes it better for steaming small amounts of milk. Since i only drink piccolos or small milk drinks, i've found this tip to be really good! Better microfoam, easier. I kept the old tip in case i ever sell the machine. 7] Closing notes For water, i've been using an RO filter and a brita jug - i mix about 65% RO water and put in 35% brita jug water. The brita water is not completely pure like the RO, so it allows the water level sensors to still do their thing. Checked my e61 mushroom a while ago and no scale 😉 8] Anything else that's interesting I'd say the isomac is a great entry level HX e61 machine. If cared for, it should last many years. I don't see myself needing to upgrade any time soon. My grinder will be the next to be upgraded for sure.

Muscles

1] Breville Dual Boiler, 2011, 300ml Brew Boiler, 950ml Steam Boiler 2] First impressions - Extremely easy to setup and easy on the eye. No sharp corners and lots of innovative design features. 3] Pros & Cons of the Espresso machine Cons

Obvious OPV/Pressure Gauge issue - I'd be suprised if any of these read 9 bar during extraction out of the box
Stock tamper and baskets
No spare portafilter to make naked, Breville don't stock spare PF's for this model full stop. They will however sell a naked one soon.
Only one auto-start time can be set

Pros

Very quick to heat up
Ease of use
Quiet for a vibe pump
Auto start
Shot clock
PID
Adjustable pre-infusion
2 ways of filling water tank
Wheels to move it around on bench
Stock milk frothing jug

4] Your journey from the beginning to the present This machine could not be easier to get up and running. No need for a "bench-test" from a retailer unless of course they are going to adjust the OPV/Pressure Gauge, so I am very glad I bought it from a Major and saved a few hundred off the RRP. It didn't take long to learn the machine but I still have the ability to tweak according to my tastes. 5] Recommend or Not I'd recommend it to someone wanting tweakability at a low cost. 6] Mods to date (if any) Never used the stock tamper - I went straight to the Pullman. I also had the 18g VST basket on hand so used it from the get-go. I have since tried 3 shots with the stock Breville double and am glad I have the VST. Still deciding on whether or not to chop my PF... 7] Closing notes This machine has lived up to my expectations. It looks nice, is easy to use and will be on my bench for a while. Hopefully the OPV/Pressure Gauge issue will be sorted soon. It's nothing major, but not knowing if it's the gauge or the OPV does my head in. I suspect it's the OPV. 8] Anything else that's interesting I'll come back to this later on, if/when Breville respond to the service request I sent via their online feedback form. Oh, and I have noticed now that water drips from the hot water nozzle every now and then. I'll be posting ongoing updates on my blog if anyone is interested.

Koffee_Kosmo

My first Home Espresso machine Bezzera Galatea My wife and I walked in to Barazi Bezzera & fell in love with this machine and all its features It certainly looks good but most importantly it makes the coffee making process a breeze The machine... Bezzera Domus Galatea (Information & specs from maker

Kelsey

Here's my review of the recently-upgraded-to Bezzera BZ07 PID - a move from a single boiler machine to a HX, prompted after borrowing a BZ99 for a few weeks, generously loaned from Bezzera. General Coffee Machine Specs Bezzera BZ07 DE PID - 2011 Volumetric HX with a 1.5L boiler and electrically heated grouphead. First Impressions Shiny! I specifically wanted this machine due to the footprint - it's an ideal size for a kitchen with limited bench space. It's also quieter than the BZ99 that 'd borrowed and requires less in the way of cooling flushes. Heaps and heaps of steam. Pros So easy to use it's not funny. The two-hole steam tip makes texturing milk a breeze and the PID has allowed me to really nail down the general temp I like my espresso at. The big drip tray is a plus and there's plenty of room on the cup tray. The machine also runs hot enough to keep the cups at an ideal temp. Cons Only one minor niggle, the water tank seems to have a bit of flex in the bottom which stops it from triggering the water sensor. I've jury-rigged some alfoil for the moment, but I'll need to sort it out at some point. Apart from that, zero problems so far. Journey I first started getting into coffee when I lived in Melbourne, but settled for Nespresso when I moved to Sydney with the busy lifestyle there. On moving to QLD I started back on the path of real coffee due to the extreme expense of Nespresso pods and started first buying pre-ground coffee with a borrowed domestic cheapy Sunbeam and went up from there. First came the Breville Smart Grinder, then the BZ09 and now the BZ07. Recommendation A hearty yes. Tell Chris at Bezzera I sent ya. Closing Awesome machine that makes brewing good coffee a breeze. Quiet for its class of machine, heaps of steam and a small footprint with great styling.

Brett_H

The Mighty Miss Rancilio Silvia V1 - Purchased from Alan Frew www.coffeeco.com.au - Paid $750 in 2001 brand new with postage - Sold locally $450 in 2008 in heavily used but perfect working and cosmetic order First Impressions - This is a serious coffee machine with a commercial group and lots of metal. A big step up from my Krups 4050 but unlike the Krups no volumetrics or crema enhancer. - First shots were dishwater but I had done my homework and was prepared to dial in the grinder like I hadn

Brett_H

La Pavoni Professional (Late model) - Purchased 2012 $550 second hand locally (mint condition allegedly approx 5 year old) Specifications 1.6l boiler Steam arm and optional enhancer Average heating time 5 min Safety valve Pressure Gauge Water level gauge On/off switch Indicator light Reset safety thermoprotector Pressurestat to maintain a constant pressure in the boiler 1000 W Element Width, Depth, Height 200x290x320 mm Weight 5.5 Kg Pros - Small Footprint - timeless elegance aesthetically - Fun to use... Seriously!! - quick to heat up and no temptation to leave it on all day - great little steamer and microfoam (500ml is no problem) - Easy to clean and keep clean - Very easy to maintain Cons - small drip tray - a well honed and technique particular technique is required to get the best results - realistically any more than two doubles will over heat the group and burn subsequent shots The Journey I have wanted one of these for like ever just because they are an icon. The opportunity arose for me to look and purchase one of these locally thanks to Kel and Lacheim on Chat pointing it out on EBay. I contacted the seller, checked out the machine and made a cash offer then and there. I'm glad I did... What a fun little machine and the coffee tastes great. Read this if you are considering one of these: http://coffee.gurus.net/ He says it much better than I could and this coupled with all the you tube videos there is no reason why these machine can't produce a couple of nice coffees in a session. My machine was hardly used when I bought it because the nice chap couldn't get a good coffee out of it. With his pre-ground supermarket beans and lack of understanding of the machine it became a display and his Nespresso collection was born. Lucky me!! This machine will travel lightly and easily on the floor of the car with my Lux grinder and go to all day/night and weekend events. This will guarantee me a good coffee irrespective of the hour or the location. No mods are being considered currently. Closing Notes This is fun! Functional art with a couple of technical caveats when producing the liquid gold. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--IXbPK09jE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

askthecoffeeguy

Rancilio Epoca S1 Semi commercial single group machine with built in water tank, commercial grade group head and portafilter, featuring a whopping 3.9lt boiler and heat exchanger, insulated boiler and cup warmer via passive heating from the boiler Mines the semi-automatic version featuring a simple on / off button for coffee extraction as opposed to volumetric switches Essentially the Epoca is just a tricked up S24 with a classy looking exterior - from what I can tell the internals are the same as the S24 model which although no longer in production has been around for a very long time I previously owned an S24 for about 4 years which Im guessing was around 15 yrs old - I owned it up until about a month ago when I moved it on to purchase the Epoca Both machines make great coffee and are capable of performing well under pressure - and both are rated at an output of 90 coffees per hour - I've come close to this producing 60 coffees in a hr running the double portafilter only into single cups - it's hard work but it is possible and quality remains consistent over time The main advantages of the Epoca over the S24 are cosmetic as far as I can tell, with the highly idiosynchratic styling likely to polarise some punters - personally I like it - and the plastic panels on the sides of the machine make it quite a bit lighter to heft around than the previous model - which is definitely a bonus when it comes to small catering jobs and getting the machine in and out of the car There does seem to be quite a bit more steam power in the Epoca too - after cleaning it up a bit and popping a Synesso tip on there - I can heat 200ml of milk for a latte in approx 6 seconds - which may be too much steam power for some, but I'm looking forward to the next catering job / fund raiser that I do with this added firepower On the downside, as mentioned elsewhere, the plastic panels seem to be very loosely attached to the machine, and I'm guessing that the Epoca wasn't designed to be moved around too often - we've managed to get around this problem by bolting them onto the machine Also the attractive metal clips on the steam and water taps seem to pop off quite easily - cant think what the advantage of this might be - but they clip back on again just as easily But the main thing for me is the quality of the coffee that the machine produces, and it's turnaround time / ability to work well under pressure I'm able to make coffee on par with anything I've had in a commercial environment - and long slow extractions are not a problem. I only use the double basket running 18 to 20g at a time and 40mls in 40sec is easily achievable without blonding or over extracting the shot My machine is two years old and I paid $1200 for it including a near new stepped Rancilio grinder - which when paired with the machine makes for great coffee The footprint of the machine is not small - I'm guessing 45cm by 45cm - but if space is permitting this seems a small price to pay for great coffee As far as I know the Epoca S1 is no longer in production but is available new from retailers from around $2000 - which to me is a bargain for a semi-commercial grade quality machine It wasn't that long ago that they were retailing for around the $4500 mark - and the only that has changed to my mind is the price and not the build quality - highly recommended I like using and refilling the water tank for ease of use and portability - and I have no problems with the vibration pumps- but the machine and also be plumbed in for those who prefer and external water supply and a bigger pump

Journeyman

After using a Sunbeam EM6910 for 15 months I upgraded to the Sunbeam EM7000. In that 15 months I learned a LOT about making coffee and recently have started branching out into a variety of beans. (my usual is dark roasteds from my local roaster in Bendigo) I use Sunbeam EM0480 grinders - I used to have an EM0450 & an EM0480 but the 450 went with my EM6910 to a new home - now I have 3 x EM0480 grinders. 1 set for my dark roast beans, 1 for my 'experiments' and 1 set for the decaf for the missus. The EM7000 is, like the EM6910, a twin-pump, twin thermoblock machine. The water pump and the steam pump push water through stainless-steel-lined masses of brass, ensuring a constant, simultaneous flow of both and a very good maintenance of temperature, even for multiple coffees. (so you can make coffee AND steam your milk at the same time) A 3L water tank means you can make a lot of coffee before a refill is needed and you can refill from the top - no need to remove the tank. A beep and flashing LED tell you when it is time to fill. I use reverse-osmosis water only, and would recommend to always use filtered water. There is a scale filter in the tank (which can be renewed by soaking it in salt water) but it's pretty basic - given the decline in water quality with all kinds of chemicals being added these days, a long life for the machine requires removing most of the contaminants. The steam on the EM7000 is a lot better than on the EM6910, although once I'd cleaned the steam path on my 2nd-hand EM6910 it was pretty good. I'd already gotten good at grinding, dosing and tamping with the previous machine so I wasn't expecting much of an issue with the EM7000. Equipment: I have 2 x VST baskets as well as the SB single floor double and single baskets. (throw away the double floor ones - they 'fake' a reasonable looking coffee and so you never learn to make coffee with the richness and depth of flavour you get when you approach a 'God-Shot' level of quality) VST's are extremely well made and the consistency of holes means they produce a full flavour profile from any bean. They can be a bit more effort to get right but you can also grind finer than with the SB baskets. I also have a naked portafilter. (the PF or handle the basket goes in) The naked version has the bottom drilled out so when you look under it you can see the holes of the basket. This lets you watch your pour and helps work out what might be wrong with your grind/dose/tamp process. VERY recommended to improve your coffee. So... I had to learn to grind for the EM7000. The settings were different to what I was used to. I had some water squirts from the top of the basket - from experience this means over-dosing. I lowered the level of dosing and it went away. I find the best level is about 5mm below the rim of the basket. My progressive tamp process (google for it) means a more consistent pressure profile in the dry grinds and previous experience meant I didn't face a lot of the issues many newbies have to overcome, so it was mainly just getting the grind right for the new machine. Similar to the EM6910 I found the best water pressure level was at the top of the 'best' wedges on the dial - not sure who does the calibration of those gauges but it seems consistent across the range that pouring within the 'best' regions gives under-extracted coffee. The milk now has a gauge of it's own to measure temp. With the EM6910 I used a thermometer and having seen some complaints about the milk temp on the EM7000 I used both. The gauge is accurate but has a problem - the sensor is on the steam wand and it is consistently about 5

Journeyman

Something a little strange... I have a microfibre cloth that sits on one of the grinders for the wand cleaning. Each morning as part of the set up I rinse it under the hot tap to clean & wet it again for purpose. With the EM6910 I'd have to give it a thorough wash every 3 - 4 days because it would start to smell. With my EM7000 is has been over a week and it still doesn't smell, yet the daily rinse is still the same. All I can work out is it's the difference between the milk in one compared to the other. I have noticed that the 7000 wand has less milk on it after steaming, and it's a thin layer, where the 6910 had quite a thick layer that seemed also to need more of a wipe to clean the tip. What I can't really work out is why there'd be a difference - both lots of milk get heated to the same temp using the same thermometer, so you'd think it would be the same residue. Maybe the tip in the 7000 doesn't get as hot for some reason even though the milk does?

Brett_H

Is the 7000 a cool-touch wand? Ewwww... I use a new cloth every day. They're cheap as chips and don't take up much room in the wash.

Journeyman

I do recall seeing something about cool touch - thought that was to do with having a rubber sleeve instead of the small tab thing on the 6910. As said, every morning I rinse the cloth when I do set up - in water hot enough to scald the hands - and at the slightest hint of smell it gets a full wash. Just haven't needed to do full wash for longer than normal - I noticed a slight whiff this morning which is what brought it to mind. 😃

Brett_H

Well... To be completely honest I have kids so nothing I have anywhere is completely clean.... :rofl:

K_Bean_Coffee

Here's a very stealthy Profitec Pro 700 - my #1 dual boiler 🙂 www.kbean.com.au

Brett_H

Nice! What are the specs on this bad-boy?

West_Village

Very nice Kbean! Are they custom black panels or is it an optional extra? Keen to hear the specs on that beast also! Although the pro 800 would probably be my dream machine if money were no object!

K_Bean_Coffee

Brett H wrote:

Nice! What are the specs on this bad-boy?

Specs are here Brett: www.kbean.com.au/profitec-machines/