Part of the reason I bought new is that they are so expensive on the second hand market here - so I’m not too worried that I’ll get most of my money back if I upgrade to something else in 10-15 years.
I’m going to overhaul the old commercial machine and will probably get a bit more than what I paid for it so not complaining!
But the user experience is remarkably simple. Turn the knob left to start the flow of water, turn the other way to stop. Move the dial to steam/froth milk. Fantastic default water pressure and even better tasting coffee. It’s a machine that will last a decade if not longer.
Goddamnit, why the fuck can't we just have a machine that fucking does everything we need it to, on its own? An espresso machine requires a fucking app? Goddamnit.
Yes, I realize nothing about this comment is constructive.
I sort of understand why their consumer machines would have that crap but I imagine that plenty of commercial places buying a $20k+ machine for a cafe that's supposed to run for 40 years would not accept having an app involved in maintenance.
Go into a service shop and see what they think of the computerised La Marsocco. Great coffee, amazing looking machine. But servicing…
I got awfully close to getting one then went for an e61. I’m very sure the coffee isn’t as good. I’m very sure the machine will have parts for a long time - it’s been 60 years so far.
Yeah, you can get a cheaper machine, but it's not going to look as cool (this is subjective of course).
I actually hate coffee, but I go by their building every day and the machines are very impressive looking.
I agree wholeheartedly with those who say the coffee beans, the grinder and the barista are more important than the machine.
Nowadays at home I use a very simple Bialetti Brikka with exactly 200 ml of water and 20 g of coffee. God shots every single time.
To take it to an extreme, I doubt the best barista in the world is going to get a good shot out of the default Starbucks beans. But maybe I'm wrong!
Beans can't compensate for the lack of skill.
Or do you mean an Americano? Are you adding water afterwards?
No... no water. The Brikka has a pressure valve and the 200 ml of water yield about 125-150 ml of coffee.
You might call it a double lungo, but with a bit of crema (yep) and no acidity or sour taste. Just sweet coffee with nice chocolate notes.
I use coffee beans from Papua New Guinea, roasted locally at the coffee shop.
You may try whatever amount of water you want... just don't let it burn in place!
There is a subtle balancing act between the quantity of coffee in the basket (how much headspace you keep) and the amount of water ( a ratio of 10:1 with the coffee -- before making the coffee -- yields good results for me).
So ... if you put less water, that means less coffee... which means more empty space in the basket, which modifies the dynamics.
Pro tip: use as little heat as possible to get the water to a gentle boil. Otherwise you might burn the coffee in the basket. Bad.
In short, you will have to experiment...
[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/Coffee/comments/15zabe/does_the_bia...
The brikka is exceptional, if you like espresso.
I have a Brikka "Induction" with a stainless steel machined bottom part. Today I looked and apparently they decided to skimp and only offer the aluminum (non induction compatible) version. Pity.
From TFA:
It’s why Sean Henry, the owner of Houndstooth Coffee in Dallas and Austin, Texas, was willing to drive across the state in 2009 to pick up a limited-edition La Marzocco machine that the company made in partnership with the Dutch designer Kees van der Westen.
https://coffeegeek.com/reviews/firstlooks/rancilio-silvia-pr...
And you will have enough money left over to get a great grinder.
Even can adjust temperature and shot water volume...
But secretly, I think it’s all just the super fresh high quality beans that you can buy in Vietnam. They cultivate a regional variant of arabica in their highlands. And even using a standard Bialetti Moca cup produces exceptional results with that coffee.
New rule should be La Marzocco judges every barista on their skills before being able to flip a paddle, which requires a bespoke NFC card linked to their certification.
Yes I’m salty about the amount of aesthetic cafes that have no idea what to do about their coffee program because all they care about is being a hip third space.
For those unfamiliar, Slayer is (imo the best) one of the top $$$ machines and pairing it with a budget grinder is a classic sign the owner doesn't know a thing about coffee. Often the grinder is more influential than the espresso machine.
And how I mention "Group 3" that means it has three brewing heads. They were using a ~$20-30k espresso machine paired with a run of the mill budget grinder.
The point is that investing in such a crazy expensive machine but not a much better grinder is really foolish, because the machine is going to be limited by the grinder so they may as well buy a machine that is 1/3 the price.
But really it sounds like 80% of the problem in the case tow OP is talking about still would have been the poor skills of the baristas, because they should still be able to pull very decent shots even with the mid-range grinder.
The same La Marzocco that puts fake paddles on their cheaper machines when whats there is really just a button?
0 - https://coffeegeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Gaggia-Cla...
1 - https://live.staticflickr.com/5749/20930782499_f47f18391a_b....
2 - https://preview.redd.it/i-call-your-oldies-and-raise-this-19...
I've been eying a hario switch to try something new. The chemex gets marks from me for design & size when I need to make a big pot for guests.
I have (and love) my little Cafelat Robot [1]. It is small, draws no electricity, and relies upon my practiced hands to push preheated water through the coffee puck. There is nothing to get between me and the experience of making great espresso. I can feel the pressure, I can hear the stream of espresso, I can effortlessly adjust the flow in response to what the extraction is telling my senses.
Instead of a button press, pulling a shot is now a tactile experience that engages the senses. When the pull is done, I am primed to enjoy the results.
Yes, before getting an expensive commercial-style machine, consider what’s on the other end of the spectrum. Full manual has its benefits, both practical and aesthetic.
Plus, the money you will save will let you buy a better grinder. And that makes all the difference.
[1] http://www.cafelat.com/robot.html
Agreed. I have a Pavoni Europiccola, and it's made approximately ~11,000 espresso shots (about half of those ended up as milk-based beverages). It makes excellent coffee, and I live in a place where there are a _lot_ of good coffee places around to compare to.
The maintenance is something I do myself, with a few small & inexpensive tools, and a few gaskets I need to replace. The machine will likely outlive me, which is a rare thing to say these days.
We got a Flair manual espresso maker after our Gaggia Classic crapped out after a year (hard water buildup, probably). I de-scaled, replaced some parts, still didn't work.
https://greatinfusions.com/blog/great-infusions-coffee-blog/...
So while they make very good, rich, full-bodied coffee, it's just not espresso.
> make sure you have a good grinder first
The mercurial success of Hot Dog on a Stick has taught us that the choices of uniform and workers are factors!
For what it is worth, I realized that superautos could make good espresso when in Italy in 2000 and got consistently good shots from the commercial superautos used in autostrada plazas. But those machines were serious equipment. Most home superautos I've tried have had a hard time producing good shots. But it can be done.
Before spending money on an espresso machine, make sure you have a good grinder first.
Why? In which country can't you buy high-quality hipster single-origin beans online?