I like my Pasquini Livia 90, and in fact it is my second one. In between, I actually had a La Spaziale Vivaldi S1 VII (which was the most problematic machine ever, and I hated the 53mm PF). Chris Coffee service was great, however bad that machine was. And I wont be buying another of that brand.
Anyhow, there are two things I dont like about the Livia: 1. Loud vibe pump and 2. Microfoam is not that easy to obtain (even with different steam tips). I looked at replacing the vibe pump with a rotary pump, but all the online solutions look like hacks, and I really don't want that.
So now I am back into the market for a new machine around $3000 or less. I think a Double Boiler with Temp Control and rotary pump is a great start for feature requirements. Plumb-in would be nice, but not necessary. So now I am looking at something like the Izzo Alex Duetto III. The only thing I am not sure about is the Lever action and E61. Never had either before. Any thoughts on this type of setup? I don't care about having volumetric or timed shots, as the Livia is Semi-Automatic anyway.
I really wanted a Synesso or GS3, but out of my price range right now. I have also heard good things about Salvatore, but I think the ones below $3000 are HX.
Any other machines I might want to look at? Any thoughts on the Duetto 3?
Reliability, and availability of parts are probably first on my list of priorities, and features are secondary.
Thanks,
Chris