If I sent Miss Silvia out to pasture, what would be the best replacement?

[Tex]

A PID doesn't change the design limitations of the Silvia; 1) You can't pull shots & steam at the same time. 2) You have to wait after steaming for the boiler/group temps to restabilize before pulling more shots. A PID impacts intershot temp stability, not intrashot temp stability.

Upgrading from a Silvia to any other SBDU machine is a lateral move, not really an upgrade. You might get better intrashot temp stability, but the limitations of a SBDU machine still exist.

If you wish to upgrade to better intrashot/intershot temp stability you need to look for machines with saturated groups and larger boilers. If you want to be able to steam and pull shots concurrently, and pull shot after shot without waiting, you need to upgrade to HX or DB machines.

Basically, I'm saying first define you're needs, then get input from users.

[Tex]

For me, upgrading to a double boiler or HX machine was a matter of convenience (I had one on hand), but since I don't do frou-frou (a straight shot or an Americano is what I drink), the design limitations of a SBDU machines were moot. If you seldom steam milk do you really need to upgrade from a SBDU machine?

Or do you really just want to upgrade your Silvia?

And if you're upgrading to add to the bling-bling on the counter, it's hard to beat a La Spaziale Vivaldi II double boiler or Ponte Vecchio Lusso lever machine. There are better shot pulling machines and they're pricey, but these are prettier than 99% of what's available.

[mp]

What Robert said.

 

[milowebailey]

I hardly look on CL for espresso machines anymore.... when I do I only look for levers... I'm sold on leverland. 

I have no intention on going back to a pump.  Look for a 1 group commercial lever... you will need some way to pump water into the boiler, but there are a lot of options for that.   or go with a 1 or 2 group Ponte Vecchio they are good machines too and have a good size tank.

I personally like my CMA commercial lever, but I'm spoiled.

[Tex]

I hardly look on CL for espresso machines anymore.... when I do I only look for levers... I'm sold on leverland. 

I have no intention on going back to a pump.  Look for a 1 group commercial lever... you will need some way to pump water into the boiler, but there are a lot of options for that.   or go with a 1 or 2 group Ponte Vecchio they are good machines too and have a good size tank.

I personally like my CMA commercial lever, but I'm spoiled.

What are the dimensions of your 2-group lever, and would it fit under a cabinet if you left the levers exposed?

[milowebailey]

I hardly look on CL for espresso machines anymore.... when I do I only look for levers... I'm sold on leverland. 

I have no intention on going back to a pump.  Look for a 1 group commercial lever... you will need some way to pump water into the boiler, but there are a lot of options for that.   or go with a 1 or 2 group Ponte Vecchio they are good machines too and have a good size tank.

I personally like my CMA commercial lever, but I'm spoiled.

What are the dimensions of your 2-group lever, and would it fit under a cabinet if you left the levers exposed?

Yes, It fits fine under the cabinet in the basement.

[mitchg]

I think Tex has it right that I'm just looking for bling. Does the La Spaziale Vivaldi II have a PID?

Not sure I'm sold on level machines, They may not appeal to my wife's sensibilities of how my alter to the bean (or the Kitchen as she calls it) should look.
They also seem to put more emphasis on the barista's abilities, if I'm not mistaken.

Getting back to my original post, I'm really curious about that Breville Dual Boiler. Has anyone here had any first hand experience with it?
Mark Prince's was actually making comparisons to the La Marzocco, and that is a tall order. I saw one in Williams Sonoma last night, Looked nice for that particular brand, but the portafilter seemed pretty "low rent" in my opinion.

[Tex]

I think Tex has it right that I'm just looking for bling. Does the La Spaziale Vivaldi II have a PID?

Not sure I'm sold on level machines, They may not appeal to my wife's sensibilities of how my alter to the bean (or the Kitchen as she calls it) should look.
They also seem to put more emphasis on the barista's abilities, if I'm not mistaken.

Getting back to my original post, I'm really curious about that Breville Dual Boiler. Has anyone here had any first hand experience with it?
Mark Prince's was actually making comparisons to the La Marzocco, and that is a tall order. I saw one in Williams Sonoma last night, Looked nice for that particular brand, but the portafilter seemed pretty "low rent" in my opinion.

Vivaldi has electronic temp control, but I'm not sure it's a PID? I do know the temp is adjustable in 1°C increments. This is a failing in my book, as I like to adjust temps in 1°F increments when I PID a machine.

I don't care what anyone says about the new Breville, it's still a Breville - and that's enough to rule it out by my standards. It also has a small and underpowered brew boiler (3 oz/600w), which will probably mean poor inter-shot temp stability performance. (aka: slow response between shots) I wouldn't buy one, but I'd like to be able to run my own objective tests on it.

A machine that I'm looking at with lust in my heart is this one.



I need to get some more info on it, but it looks like a true commercial lever machine, much like Larry's 2-group Astoria.

Pompei by Izzo: Making a Perfect Neapolitan Espresso on Vimeo

[Tex]

I think Tex has it right that I'm just looking for bling. Does the La Spaziale Vivaldi II have a PID?

Not sure I'm sold on level machines, They may not appeal to my wife's sensibilities of how my alter to the bean (or the Kitchen as she calls it) should look.
They also seem to put more emphasis on the barista's abilities, if I'm not mistaken.

Getting back to my original post, I'm really curious about that Breville Dual Boiler. Has anyone here had any first hand experience with it?
Mark Prince's was actually making comparisons to the La Marzocco, and that is a tall order. I saw one in Williams Sonoma last night, Looked nice for that particular brand, but the portafilter seemed pretty "low rent" in my opinion.

And if you want a bling & major performance upgrade from your Silvia, look at the dual PID equipped Quick Mill Alexia. I have it on good authority that this baby is a monster shot brewer!

Newly Designed Alexia by Quick Mill Overview on Vimeo

[John F]

My gut tells me to stay away from that Breville. Maybe it gets good reviews and it's true I have no actual experience with it but I don't dig it just by looking at it.

The Quick Mill stuff looks nice to me if I wanted a 58mm pump I'd look at them. In fact I did look a little bit before deciding the lever was calling me and my 2oz big pump shot days were numbered.

[Tex]

My gut tells me to stay away from that Breville. Maybe it gets good reviews and it's true I have no actual experience with it but I don't dig it just by looking at it.

The Quick Mill stuff looks nice to me if I wanted a 58mm pump I'd look at them. In fact I did look a little bit before deciding the lever was calling me and my 2oz big pump shot days were numbered.

So John, you drank the purple Kool-Aid at the Dead concert? I've been aching for my Gaggia GX lever for a long time; way too long! I may bite the bullet and see what the Izzo Pompei is all about. Too bad it only has 54mm filters, that rules  out using the ones I have and I'd need a new base for my auto-tamper.

[John F]

Yeah, I'm a true believer in the lever.

The partnership of you and the machine in quest for the shot is something you get accustomed to rapidly.

I'm sure I'd do just fine if I went back to pumps but I would certainly miss that partnership with the lever and resent giving that interplay up to the pump for a while.

[Tex]

Yeah, I'm a true believer in the lever.

The partnership of you and the machine in quest for the shot is something you get accustomed to rapidly.

I'm sure I'd do just fine if I went back to pumps but I would certainly miss that partnership with the lever and resent giving that interplay up to the pump for a while.

Manual is good aesthetically, but it does makes for a long commute!

[John F]

Perspective is everything....lever folks are not in a hurry to get somewhere else. 

[ScareYourPassenger]

I like the idea of having both:)