Synesso or La Marzocco? Which is better and why?

[mp]

DB lever machine?

Tex, what is a DB lever? I Googled it and didn't get any coherent hits. Thanks!

It might just be a Double Boiler Lever machine.

Yes ... lots to choose from ... Vibiemme, ExpoBar, Alex Duetto, Vivaldi II and many others.

 

[milowebailey]

Dante, Have you read the more recent threads on HB in regard to the GS/3? It seems to have it's own set of problems, which for the price seem unacceptable.

Warrior

Can you summarize what they've been saying on HB?  I'm curious what problems the GS/3 has.  It's not a commercial machine, really.  It's a high end pro-sumer machine.  The Synesso  is a Commercial machine.  If I could afford one, I'd have a Synesso.

thanks

[Warrior372]

Water leaks onto the internal cpu board and fries it. La Marzocco apparently did not put a waterproof coating, cover over it, or move it elsewhere, so your only option is to buy a new one (for $500), disassemble your whole machine, fix it and reassemble the whole thing. The vacuum breakers malfunctioning is another common complaint. They supposedly found a way to fix it on the new ones, but things as simple as 'put a waterproof cover / coating over the board or move it' should have already been thought of in a machine costing as much as that one.

The owners of the GS/3s on HB consistently have new problems, which would be the last thing I would expect at that price point. It just seems like they put a lot of R&D into the espresso making design, but not the practical, everyday use machine design.

[Tex]

I wasn't knocking the GS3, heck I've never even used one, so how could I comment on it? I was simply observing that LM commercial machines are tanks, designed for heavy duty use in the busiest commercial environments. Now, if I had deep pockets and wanted a machine that'd make great coffee and design statement, guess which I'd buy?

This this or this ?

BTW: There's only a few hundred dollars difference between the first two. If the 1-group is as well built as the 2-group I know which I'd prefer.

[Warrior372]

Here is a picture of the Synesso:

[Tex]

Here is a picture of the Synesso:

I love the simplicity of the exterior; seems like all the money goes into engineering, not marketing, design?

[Warrior372]

The inside of the machines, under the cover, is where all of the design kicks in. They made it so you can easily access anything you might ever need to access. Everything that can be stainless steel is stainless, they use magnets instead of electric switches where they can since magnets will never wear out and they make all of their machines per order in-house so if you ever need a part / piece they stock them all and can have it to quickly. Not to mention you have access to the designer if you do have any questions about the machine.

[Warrior372]

Here are some more. I would have a field day customizing one of these!

[Tex]

The inside of the machines, under the cover, is where all of the design kicks in. They made it so you can easily access anything you might ever need to access. Everything that can be stainless steel is stainless, they use magnets instead of electric switches where they can since magnets will never wear out and they make all of their machines per order in-house so if you ever need a part / piece they stock them all and can have it to quickly. Not to mention you have access to the designer if you do have any questions about the machine.

I look at those and remember how lost I felt when Detroit started using electronics. I used to love to work on my cars - setting the timing & dwell, adjusting the carbs & injectors, all that was fun. Now it's happening all over again with my coffee machines!

[Warrior372]

A machinist from SE Michigan chimed in on one of the threads discussing the Synesso on HB. He said that after seeing one he was really wowed by the quality of craftsmanship that was put into it. He compared it to what he saw coming out of American machine shops in the 60s.

[peter]

DB lever machine?

Tex, what is a DB lever? I Googled it and didn't get any coherent hits. Thanks!

It might just be a Double Boiler Lever machine.

Yes ... lots to choose from ... Vibiemme, ExpoBar, Alex Duetto, Vivaldi II and many others.

 

Those aren't lever machines, so you could play with the temps, but not the pressure profile.

[Tex]

A machinist from SE Michigan chimed in on one of the threads discussing the Synesso on HB. He said that after seeing one he was really wowed by the quality of craftsmanship that was put into it. He compared it to what he saw coming out of American machine shops in the 60s.

I don't like the wiring of these - wires running willy-nilly. Where's the wiring loom? Good machining, poor electrical plan.

[Warrior372]

DB lever machine?

Tex, what is a DB lever? I Googled it and didn't get any coherent hits. Thanks!

It might just be a Double Boiler Lever machine.

Yes ... lots to choose from ... Vibiemme, ExpoBar, Alex Duetto, Vivaldi II and many others.

 

Those aren't lever machines, so you could play with the temps, but not the pressure profile.

They have a version called a Hydra that allows for pressure profiling.

[Warrior372]

A machinist from SE Michigan chimed in on one of the threads discussing the Synesso on HB. He said that after seeing one he was really wowed by the quality of craftsmanship that was put into it. He compared it to what he saw coming out of American machine shops in the 60s.

I don't like the wiring of these - wires running willy-nilly. Where's the wiring loom? Good machining, poor electrical plan.

I completely disagree. If you open something as simple as an Isomac Millennium or Tea you will see more wires running erratically around the machine. Just by looking at the picture it actually looks fairly straight forward. Also, it is no more complicated than a GS/3.

[peter]

DB lever machine?

Tex, what is a DB lever? I Googled it and didn't get any coherent hits. Thanks!

It might just be a Double Boiler Lever machine.

Yes ... lots to choose from ... Vibiemme, ExpoBar, Alex Duetto, Vivaldi II and many others.

 

Those aren't lever machines, so you could play with the temps, but not the pressure profile.

They have a version called a Hydra that allows for pressure profiling.

Synesso has the Hydra.  I was referring to those brands listed by mp.