Bought a new machine

cd

On reading a few posts around the place I can't help thinking how lucky I was to buy a machine from someone who really knew their stuff! I bought a Diadema Junior E61 & a Rocky Grinder from John at Great Wine & Gourmet Coffee. He spent three hours going through both machines including operation, cleaning & setting up. The deal included everything I needed to go home and start making coffee straight away.

As a complete novice, John gave me enough info and advice for me to feel confident that I could operate the machines and get good results from the start. Indeed after having the machine for just a week I am getting consistently good results that can only get better with more practice. Not bad concidering I'd never touched a machine until last Saturday!!

When I was initially looking for a machine I went to one estasblished roaster/retailer and was made to feel as though they couldn't be bothered spending any time with me and basically said there are the machines, let us know when you decide which one you want. I probably could have saved a little bit of money buying from them but would have spent endless hours on forums like this one trying to work out what I was doing wrong!!! I also would have had to buy all the extras like tamper, knock box, milk jug Glasses, coffee etc. that were included in my purchase.

As far as the machines are concerned I couldn't be happier. The Diadema looks great and is very easy to use and everyone here seems to know about the Rocky.

Any way that's enough of a rave. I just felt that it was worth letting people know about my experience. It was quite a large purchase (almost 3k)and it's nice to get good service and good advice in this day and age when everyone seems to only be interested in a fast buck.

Cheers,

Rob.

 

AJzCafe

Hi Rob, Congratulations on the new machine!! I am in the process of purchasing one myself, but it seems that all the good retailers are in either NSW or the ACT  >:( Just wondering what made you select the Diadema over the ECM Giotto??  Any particular reason or something simple like asthetics etc? And...Is your Junior the Semi-auto or the lever operated unit? Thanks, James

cd

Hey James, My Junior is the lever model which basically operates the same way as the giotto. Ultimately I chose the Diadema because I preferred the look of it and it is a little narrower than the giotto which helps with our limited kitchen bench real estate. The lever mechanism and the chasis also seem to be a little better than the giotto tho I'm sure both are extremely well made machines. Good luck finding a good dealer - maybe someone on the forum can point you in the right direction! Where do you live? Rob.

john

Rob Thanks for the kind words. It is good to see that the service I give is appreciated and that you benefited from it. When one looks to spend this amount of money, it's important that you are completely satisfied. I also believe that before making such a purchase it is good to (wherever possible) have a 'touch' and 'play'. James As a reseller of both the Diadema and Giotto, I think that the the final decision will come back to you regarding the look, the feel and the dimensions. Both machines are more than capable of extracting excellent espresso and texturing the milk. However, to maximise the potential of either machine you will need to also purchase a grinder. Good luck with your decision and if I can be of assistance, please feel free to contact me. John

BeanCounter

Just wondering what made you select the Diadema over the ECM Giotto??  Any particular reason or something simple like asthetics etc? And...Is your Junior the Semi-auto or the lever operated unit? Thanks, James

James, I bought a Diadema Junior lever (from John aka pinot) a few weeks ago. For me the decision was based primarily on aesthetics. IMO the Diadema has a more 'classical' look to it compared to the the Giotto. In terms of functionality, the Diadema comes with a water softener whereas the Giotto doesn't, and, as Rob says, the Diadema has a slightly smaller footprint. But I think it's 95% aesthetics between those two machines. Regards, Gary

AJzCafe

Hi All, Many thanks for the feedback re the Giotto and Diadema.  You wouldn't think so, but in Melbourne it is very difficult to find a retailer that have the machines both on display and operational for you to have a 'touch and play' as JD has suggested.  When spending ~$2000, I really don't appreciate being told that I can always bring it back if there is a problem!  >:( Nonetheless, the pursuit of finding a retailer that offers the type of advice that JD and FC offer online is an enjoyable challenge.  :D Thanks again, James

john

James Maybe grab a cheap flight to where the action is. I'll pick you up at the airport and drop you back after the demo. If you want to buy a machine then we can transport it for you. Maybe send me a private email and we can discuss. Best of luck John

JohnA

James, i bought my ECM Giotto and Mazzer mini grinder from the coffee company here in Melbourne. Chris is a nice bloke and will take the time to show you the ins and outs of the machine, how to use it and clean it. Maybe give him a try if you don't want to fly over to Sydney. I was almost ready to fly to Sydney to buy my machine untill i stumbled accross this place

FreshCoffee2

Gentlemen, you dont have to fly anywhere...if you wish to view the Diadema Junior in Melbourne it can be seen at The Bean Alliance. Regardez, FC.

AJzCafe

Thanks again John and FC, Just checked out the location of the Bean Alliance and will endeavour to get over that side of town soon. Not being able to find these products is not through lack of research either, it appears that the NSW based retailers have a much better marketing stragey in place than those in Victoria!  ::) Regards, James