Tell us about your espresso machine

[StillShaving]

This is a nice thread and a longstanding one. I wonder if I have responded previously. I have owned a La Pavoni Europicola going back decades, that has been in need of repair for probably three decades now. When I got it it needed repair and I had it professionally done, but it held up for less than a year. I have bought parts for it, and would normally think of myself as relatively handy, but I could not get it fixed by myself. I have not been able to find another reasonable repair place locally and it seems like an expense and hassle to send it to New York. It was not so easy to learn to use, but it sure made fabulous espresso when it was working. I will get it fixed some day.

I had a Starbuck's Estro Profi, which I guess is really Saeco, that was highly reliable for years before it went south. I took it apart a couple of time, but could not figure out what needed to be replaced to fix it. I thought it did pretty well with espresso shots and foaming milk, and had a nice built in burr grinder.

I am now using a $79 Aldi Ambiano machine, which looks about what Amazon sells as a Gevi, not the more sophisticated versions sold under that same name which look like they would be a lot better. I find it to do okay, decent strength and crema, and okay at foaming milk (bubbles are large) although it is very fussy. The coffee needs to be absolute powder and packed hard into the portafilter. The machine has a delay after the brew button in pressed to put some hot water on the grounds before running a shot, but it works better if one lets hot water sit on those grounds a lot longer than the machine would automatically do. Nothing as good as the Profi, much less the La Pavoni, and I am probably fooling myself as to whether this should really qualify as espresso. But when this one breaks, I will just toss it, and that makes me happy.

Interesting. I was tempted to get the Aldi machine when I was there last week, but then I remembered seeing a youtube review some years ago describing it as a bad machine. But if one is making coffee drinks like Americanos, Cappuccinos, etc, might it be an okay machine once a person has figured out how to best use it?

I started to buy the Aldi machine just to experiment with, but did not since I recently got out my old La Pavoni Europicola in an attempt to master/re-master(?) it. I am starting to get some decent shots, but not as consistently and not as good as my Rok/Presso machine. I mention the Rok since more than one online reviewer rates it lower in comparison to other lever machines they are trying, which I can believe as I have seen that stated more than a few times, however these reviewers have not taken the time to learn the machine and pay less attention to the workflow which is pretty easy. I still like to use it more than the La Pavoni, but hopefully that will change soon.

The most important measure is making a tasty cup of coffee.

 

[vacman]

Filtered water is good, but never distilled water.

 

[vacman]

Filtered water is good, but never distilled water.

 

[Jer78]

Filtered water is good, but never distilled water.

Why is that vacman?

 

[vacman]

I was told by Seattle Coffee Gear that there should be some minerals in the water you are brewing with or else the water will leach minerals from the metal parts of the machine, mainly the boiler. BTW, the same holds true of the water we drink and our bodies.

 

[Whilliam]

This is a nice thread and a longstanding one. I wonder if I have responded previously. I have owned a La Pavoni Europicola going back decades, that has been in need of repair for probably three decades now. When I got it it needed repair and I had it professionally done, but it held up for less than a year. I have bought parts for it, and would normally think of myself as relatively handy, but I could not get it fixed by myself. I have not been able to find another reasonable repair place locally and it seems like an expense and hassle to send it to New York. It was not so easy to learn to use, but it sure made fabulous espresso when it was working. I will get it fixed some day.

My story exactly on all counts. Plus the Bakelite knob on top broke. But, when it worked, it was great! One of these days . . .

 

[Mick]

An oldie that Will never quit on me (Like this thread)

One of my early espresso machine purchases and it was old when I got it.

Moved It down to Casa Mick sud a few years ago. Only my Hario mini to grind espresso. Using it works up a thirst.

Francis Francis X-5

 

[The Knize]

but then I remembered seeing a youtube review some years ago describing it as a bad machine.

There have been an enormous number of different designs sold by Aldi over the years as far as I can tell, and I was not able to find a picture to post of the one I have. If I get chance I will try to take a photo and post.

But if one is making coffee drinks like Americanos, Cappuccinos, etc, might it be an okay machine once a person has figured out how to best use it?

That is about right, although I probably drink espresso more often than the others. Maybe a macchiato/cortado if I am feeling energetic.

Yeah, on some level I have to admit this it probably a "bad" expresso machine. I am envious of the other real espresso makers presented in this thread, and I miss have a working La Pavoni and, for sure, a working Profi Estro. But this Aldi version is good enough to get by with. As far as am concerned I can get something close to espresso with decent crema out of it and it can foam milk on a sort of gross basis. I love good coffee, and with a certain amount of fussing this barely does it. Or maybe I have gotten used to crap!

As I think back on on it, I had sort of a tutor on how to use the La Pavoni, to pull a shot and steam milk----the guy who fixed it--or I do not think I would ever have learned it. That was a long time ago. Maybe with You Tube videos I could have. A La Pavoni is, what, $1,100 these days? Seems absurd. If i thought I was buying something that would last forever without complicated maintenance I might go for it. But I hate the idea of buying a Maserti. I want a Toyota of espresso machines. Or maybe a Lexus!

 

[eelhc]

I am the process of completely renovating and upgrading everything in my setup. At present I have:

• Gene Cafe Roaster
• Breville Smart Grinder
• Breville Infuser
• Aeropress

The plan is to go with a single dose setup:

• Hottop Roaster (not completely sold on this)
• Niche Zero Grinder (on the email notification list)
• Asso Coffee The Jack Leveler (don't plan to tamp)
• Bottomless Portafilter
• Machine... all over the place on this one
• Aeropress
• Hario v60 pourover + thermal carafe

At the moment, I am looking at a Lelit Elizabeth or a Crem One HX PID. The Elizbeth really looks like the best machine under $2K with the dual boiler and PID. The Crem has the PID but it's a heat exchanger... the advantage is time tested, non-proprietary, industry standard E61 group. But my eyes wander to the Ponte Vecchio Lusso 2 once in a while. Not sure if I trust the rest of my family with a lever machine. I could see them pulling off the portafilter prematurely and making a mess.

I get good shots with my setup but it's really hard to dial in the consistency. I've been looking at different work flows very carefully and I think I can get the single dose process close to my present routine (especially since I have to wait for the infuser quite often).

BTW... just my luck. Coffee equipment prices are through the roof with the Pandemic.

 

[The Knize]

Coffee equipment prices are through the roof with the Pandemic.

How about that! I had not noticed. Make sense. Maybe this will encourage new entrants in to the market with cheaper, more reliable, and more easily available stuff.

Also, I have been watching all these Scandinavian police procedural and have noticed that every home and every office seems to have excellent espresso equipment. I wondered if that was true in real life. On TV, at least, Scandinavians seem to really care about a good cup of coffee. Chapeau!

 

[StillShaving]

Regarding coffee gear, I think stuff which gets highlighted on various forums and social media has been getting sold through. I had been causally looking at a few things last month but seems that stock was low or sold out in more places than I had expected.

I have even started to wonder if the lowly coffee filter is in higher demand because of work-from-home. Melitta #2 have not been in stock for a few weeks at a couple of my local supermarkets. The larger Kalita wave filters are out of stock on most online ecommerce sites and the smaller ones are not abundant.

 

[linty1]

I was going to post my set up and realized... I already have a page or two back. Still the same setup (flair/niche) and still enjoying the espresso/americanos. I have mentally played with the thought of getting another level machine, the europiccolas' sure do look nice... although.. I'm paying for.. I dont see what I'm paying for above my setup.... thought about maybe a semi automatic and have been looking at entry machines, Gaggia classic/Silvia/Brevilles.... also nice... but I'm really enjoying what I'm able to produce rn and realize... I prob just want a new "toy". Not sure which direction to go.

 

[StillShaving]

I was going to post my set up and realized... I already have a page or two back. Still the same setup (flair/niche) and still enjoying the espresso/americanos. I have mentally played with the thought of getting another lever machine, the europiccolas' sure do look nice... although.. I'm paying for.. I dont see what I'm paying for above my setup.... thought about maybe a semi automatic and have been looking at entry machines, Gaggia classic/Silvia/Brevilles.... also nice... but I'm really enjoying what I'm able to produce rn and realize... I prob just want a new "toy". Not sure which direction to go.

As you probably know the La Pavoni Europiccola can pull a very good shot, but biggest issue is getting consist temperature between shots. Where many people add temperature strips/gauges along with pressure gauges to see what is happening during the shot pull. With your Flair you are at least being repeatable, even if in theory you could getting out something better.

I have been somewhat curious of the Robot espresso maker. I have not done any real research but have also started to notice various manual lever machines that I can not figure out their age or where they came from. It is almost like anyone with a CNC machine or similar tools/skill-set can fashion their own lever to match whatever size portafilter they like along with desired water chamber/piston design. I like this more custom idea, since most machines are built for short espresso cups, where I prefer to make a shot directly into a mug and then add water and/or milk accordingly. A more automatic espresso machine might make a better cup for you or me, but I question the overall experience.

 

[linty1]

As you probably know the La Pavoni Europiccola can pull a very good shot, but biggest issue is getting consist temperature between shots. Where many people add temperature strips/gauges along with pressure gauges to see what is happening during the shot pull. With your Flair you are at least being repeatable, even if in theory you could getting out something better.

I have been somewhat curious of the Robot espresso maker. I have not done any real research but have also started to notice various manual lever machines that I can not figure out their age or where they came from. It is almost like anyone with a CNC machine or similar tools/skill-set can fashion their own lever to match whatever size portafilter they like along with desired water chamber/piston design. I like this more custom idea, since most machines are built for short espresso cups, where I prefer to make a shot directly into a mug and then add water and/or milk accordingly. A more automatic espresso machine might make a better cup for you or me, but I question the overall experience.

Thats exactly it, I'll pay a few hundred for a Europiccola for... instead of boiling my water separatly, its now an attached boiler? I'm not sure...

As for the mug, someone asked me that, for sure with the flair you can brew right into it it, theres enough space, if you flip back I put a photo up of a mug underneath (it might even have been you that asked, my memory is slush these days, sorry). And agree! I like to brew in the mug, hen just top off with water in the same mug. If I had to change one thing? With the flair is that I wish it took a more "standard" diameter of portafilter, then getting a spare tamper etc would be easier (right now its I -think- 39mm, something like 58mm would work).

 

[ruckin]

I am lazy. I agree that making the machine boil the water is kind of a must have feature for me. In my mind one of the drawbacks with the cafe robot style of machines is that all of the machine will be room temp.

For machines that include a boiler and lever it usually warms the portafilter and piston as a side effect of making the water hot.

Me... I am lazy so I let a pump make the pressure.

 

[StillShaving]

Thats exactly it, I'll pay a few hundred for a Europiccola for... instead of boiling my water separatly, its now an attached boiler? I'm not sure...

As for the mug, someone asked me that, for sure with the flair you can brew right into it it, theres enough space, if you flip back I put a photo up of a mug underneath (it might even have been you that asked, my memory is slush these days, sorry). And agree! I like to brew in the mug, hen just top off with water in the same mug. If I had to change one thing? With the flair is that I wish it took a more "standard" diameter of portafilter, then getting a spare tamper etc would be easier (right now its I -think- 39mm, something like 58mm would work).

Now that you mention it, I think I did ask you whether a mug will fit under your Flair or not.

There are a few guys on etsy who will make custom tampers (whatever size you like) along with choices of wood for the handle. I believe lever machines in general have smaller baskets so that the human can more easily generate enough pressure to pull a good shot. I believe the La Pavoni is around the 49-51mm basket sized depending on the year it was made. So a 39mm basket may be an important aspect of the Flair making a good shot.

I am lazy. I agree that making the machine boil the water is kind of a must have feature for me. In my mind one of the drawbacks with the cafe robot style of machines is that all of the machine will be room temp.

For machines that include a boiler and lever it usually warms the portafilter and piston as a side effect of making the water hot.

Me... I am lazy so I let a pump make the pressure.

One nice thing about the Cafelat Robot is that the business end hangs low, so the temperature of the machine has much less impact on brewing a shot. The La Pavoni takes time to heat up, and then after a shot or two will overheat and need cooling down. If one's daily coffee routine does not change it can work, but often times when I have wanted a quick coffee I choose another option instead of waiting for it. However the La Pavoni looks great on the counter and is fun to use. With a Rok/Presso which I use most often when I want an Americano or the Flair and Robot, one can heat just the amount of water they need in a kettle and make a shot more quickly. The hot water chamber of the Rok is inside the main body, so it is more impacted by room temperature than either the Flair or Robot.

I suppose a quality pump machine that controls temperature would be much better but so far I enjoy the small machine size and tactile feedback of using a manual lever.

 

[vanhooglesnort]

I’ve been using a Rancilio Rocky to feed my Gaggia Classic for 9 years. I’m thinking about upgrading, but I’m not sure how many dollar signs I want to throw into the rabbit hole. I bought the Rocky after my wife gifted me the Classic, and I didn’t really know what I wanted or needed at the time. How marked an improvement should I expect to see with a grinder upgrade? Can my little Gaggia pull great shots with a better grinder or will I really need to replace both?


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[Ivo4u2]

Weeeeeh my jura s80 is back to jura for its Achilles heel...

That glorious touch screen does no longer recognizes my paws. And cleaning does not work. 18 months old so it is warranty and after a 5-6000 servings it is not a bad idea to send the machine in for maintenance anyhow. If needed I can even drive to jura.

Now temporarily back to a saeco pro aulika. So I going to miss my jura a lot.

Why
Most important the jura makes better coffee from the same ordinary beans.
Waterfilters
Cappuccino works great
Cleaning and normal maintenance is soooo quick and easy.
And you can program the heck out of the machine if you want too.
Two cups of coffee simultaneously are two good tasting cups not diluted dishwasher detergent..

The saeco pro is ok lacks the cappuchinatore coffee even optimized is a bit less.
And I still have a foul taste dealing with saeco Europe when the machine broke down after 6 months and they refused warranty demanding a fee as high as new. So fixed by third party for a quarter of that.
So in time that is going to be another jura.

 

[Mick]

I’ve been using a Rancilio Rocky to feed my Gaggia Classic for 9 years. I’m thinking about upgrading, but I’m not sure how many dollar signs I want to throw into the rabbit hole. I bought the Rocky after my wife gifted me the Classic, and I didn’t really know what I wanted or needed at the time. How marked an improvement should I expect to see with a grinder upgrade? Can my little Gaggia pull great shots with a better grinder or will I really need to replace both?


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Mazzer is the defacto standard.

Was my first espresso grinder. Will be my last.

Into the 2nd set of burrs. It did not need burrs replaced but a new set fell into my hands at a price I could not refuse

 

[ruckin]

Mick, I would be interested in how much volume you seem to be able to grind with your Mazzer prior to replacing the burrs. I have an older Mini (from the 90s) and I am on the third set of burrs but I have ground at least 1500 (likely more) pounds of beans.