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Author Topic: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?  (Read 3863 times)

EricBNC

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Re: NS Oscar or QM Silvano - Which would you get?
« Reply #15 on: September 02, 2011, 03:17:56 AM »
The Oscar would be a better value than the Wega MiniNova? The Wega looks like a no compromises light commercial HX machine on paper to me.

Not considering resale - I will likely keep what ever I buy for a long, long time - is the Wega a machine that I should steer clear of and go for the Oscar instead?

I am still a ways away so any suggestions are helpful -  Here are the contenders right now:

, , ,
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BoldJava

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #16 on: September 02, 2011, 04:24:51 AM »
Lever?  Did someone say lever?  I just perked up, even though I don't know the Stardivari.  I just know I liked the looks of it when I was beginning to do the Lever-Limbo:

http://www.home-barista.com/levers/la-pavoni-stradivari-t913.html#p7961 (great pics)

http://www.home-barista.com/levers/proud-owner-of-la-pavoni-stradivari-t3547.html (one owner's journey)

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EricBNC

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #17 on: September 02, 2011, 05:49:10 AM »
Quote from: BoldJava on September 02, 2011, 04:24:51 AM
Lever?  Did someone say lever?  I just perked up, even though I don't know the Stardivari.  I just know I liked the looks of it when I was beginning to do the Lever-Limbo:

http://www.home-barista.com/levers/la-pavoni-stradivari-t913.html#p7961 (great pics)

http://www.home-barista.com/levers/proud-owner-of-la-pavoni-stradivari-t3547.html (one owner's journey)

Your post sent me into a fair amount of reading about levers - I love this post here dated March 13th, 2011 at the end of the 28 page Lever Smackdown thread on HB:

"What a thread! I have a timeline of 2+ years before I pull the trigger on a lever. There is enough meat here to keep me busy, 'virtually' learning along with the reviewers. Your past efforts live on, thanks.

B|Java"

Looks like your 2+ year timeline wasn't written in stone.  ;)
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BoldJava

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #18 on: September 02, 2011, 05:55:14 AM »
Quote from: EricBNC on September 02, 2011, 05:49:10 AM
...
Looks like your 2+ year timeline wasn't written in stone.  ;)

A fellow in Chicago by the name of Warrior did a 'fast-forward' on my calendar when he dangled a clean Swiss Cremina in front of me.  Like butter melting in a pan.  His-to-ry. 

B|Java
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EricBNC

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #19 on: September 02, 2011, 06:14:01 AM »
Espresso gear can work magic like that on time and perspective - I found a Krups Novo 964 for I think five or six bucks about a year and a half ago - just to mess around with.  Started out just looking for tips on how to use it online and found CG and then HB. I ran across a thread about the Le'Lit PL41 and remember thinking I would never drop several hundred dollars just for a machine... ::)
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Tex

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Re: NS Oscar or QM Silvano - Which would you get?
« Reply #20 on: September 02, 2011, 06:18:45 AM »
Quote from: EricBNC on September 02, 2011, 03:17:56 AM
The Oscar would be a better value than the Wega MiniNova? The Wega looks like a no compromises light commercial HX machine on paper to me.

Not considering resale - I will likely keep what ever I buy for a long, long time - is the Wega a machine that I should steer clear of and go for the Oscar instead?

I am still a ways away so any suggestions are helpful -  Here are the contenders right now:

, ,

I wouldn't own most prosumer HX machines, because of their small boilers (compared to the smallest commercial models). The small boiler equates to intra-shot temp instability in my book if you want to pull multiple shots. They're in no-mans land; more expensive than they're worth, and poor performance for what you pay. They're usually a prettier compromise to a SBDU machine, but they're still a significant compromise.

That said, I've never used a Wega, so I won't comment as to whether they fall into my small boiler shit list. I will say that most espresso machine owners are passionate advocates for the machines they own. When you listen to their advice, what you have to decide is whether they're giving you the straight skinny, or do they have blinders on.
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EricBNC

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #21 on: September 02, 2011, 06:43:55 AM »
The Wega has a 2 liter boiler according to the spec sheet while the Oscar lists a 2.3 liter boiler so once these are heated up they should be close.  The Wega has the E-61 grouphead (not the entire group) so it is similar to your Bunn ES-1A in this area with more mass than the Oscar's group.  The Wega has a hot water feature (easier to drain the boiler from what I have read) for tea, Americano's, etc. Wega has a boiler pressure gauge while the Oscar does not.  Metal case on Wega, plastic shell on the Oscar. 

From my research these are the main differences in these HX machines.  I suspect the group, additional gauge, and metal body, and smaller manufacturing capacity contribute the most to cost differences but I am not an expert - I am fortunate to have some time to research this choice so I want it to be the best one for me.
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EricBNC

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #22 on: September 05, 2011, 11:20:19 AM »
Today is crunch time - I hit it hard and fast since there is a 15% off coupon code good today only - Oscar $763 and Silvano $845.  I am about at the Oscar already but the Silvano is only $80 away so reachable as well.  Which one should sit next to my new rosewood tamper? 
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EricBNC

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #23 on: September 05, 2011, 11:57:41 AM »
Only $50 away from the Oscar... Red or Black, same price... La Pavoni Stradivarius is a dollar more...
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Tex

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #24 on: September 05, 2011, 12:53:29 PM »
Quote from: EricBNC on September 05, 2011, 11:57:41 AM
Only $50 away from the Oscar... Red or Black, same price... La Pavoni Stradivarius is a dollar more...

Get the Strad! If you can live with a manual lever it's great to have a LP. If you don't like it, it has a very high resale value - stupid high in fact!
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BoldJava

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #25 on: September 05, 2011, 12:56:20 PM »
Join lever-lover-land.  BJava
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Offline mp

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #26 on: September 05, 2011, 01:24:17 PM »
Eric ... are you looking for convenience or pure shot taste heaven?

 :)
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1-Cnter, 2-Bean, 3-Skin, 4-Parchmnt, 5-Pect, 6-Pu
lp, 7-Ski

EricBNC

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #27 on: September 05, 2011, 01:31:20 PM »
Quote from: mp on September 05, 2011, 01:24:17 PM
Eric ... are you looking for convenience or pure shot taste heaven?

 :)
They both sound intriguing when you put it like that - which machine gives each of these or hopefully both?
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Tex

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #28 on: September 05, 2011, 01:46:22 PM »
Quote from: mp on September 05, 2011, 01:24:17 PM
Eric ... are you looking for convenience or pure shot taste heaven?

 :)

Are both not possible with the same machine? I never thought of my LP as inconvenient, just painful for my arthritic shoulder. Whatever machine one uses, it's a matter of routine - do the same thing every time and good coffee usually results.
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EricBNC

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Re: NS Oscar, QM Silvano or Other - Which would you get?
« Reply #29 on: September 05, 2011, 03:09:25 PM »
Two votes for the Silvano for the lead - Oscar and LP are a sure thing if I want to stop now - Silvano is 82 points away... :P
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