Hey folks,

Getting closer to upgrading from my Gaggia Baby to a more serious machine. Over the past two years, espresso has become my passion, and I'm almost ready to make a more serious investment into this hobby.

It seems the options for buying a new machine North of the border have improved a lot over the past two years, and so has the selection.

Currently, my budget is around $1500. I don't want to go any higher than that, unless it means buying something I really won't be happy with a couple of years down the road. I certainly can't go higher than $2000 at this time. I already have a Baratza Vario, which I love, so I'm just looking for a machine.

I work from home and prefer to leave the machine on all day, and make multiple drinks throughout the day. Typically, I have a double shot or two first thing in the morning, with a Latte. I'll usually have another Latte around lunch and then once more around 3pm. I often have someone over for a Latte at this time. My wife and I entertain a fair bit. There's hardly a week that goes by where we don't have a few couples over for dessert or a dinner party.

Although I love Lattes, and really enjoy doing Latte art, the better my espresso gets, the more inclined I am to drink straight shots. I don't want to have to choose my coffee based on what will work well on my machine. I want to be able to experiment with SO's and the whole lot.

Two areas where I feel the need to upgrade:
1.) Temperature. The Gaggia just isn't stable enough to consistently brew great espresso, even with my flushing technique. I can brew good, drinkable espresso consistently, but not great espresso.

2.) Entertaining: The Gaggia just can't keep up. If 6 people order drinks, they're long done before I've made mine. The point of inviting someone over for coffee is drinking it together.

I'm really leaning toward the Bezzera BZ10 from Caffe Tech or idrinkcoffee. It's about the same price as the Bz07, but it comes with two gauges for boiler pressure and brew pressure. I also like the symmetrical look better than the BZ07.

I also found the Izzo Vivi, from Deluca's in Winnipeg for $1495. It's an E61. Has only the one gauge. Comes with two portafilters, and has the steam wand on the right hand side, which would suit our kitchen a little better. I also like the fact that E61's are more common, and I would have the option of adding Eric's thermometer.

I had considered splurging and getting a Brewtus IV, but I read that the Bezzeras are a lot easier to consistently pull great shots on, and are significantly cheaper.

So:
BZ10:
Pros:
- HX machine
- Bezzera has good reputation for build quality
- Dual Gauges
- Steam & Hot water switches rather than knobs
- Stable Temp. & short flushes.
- Brew head on Bezzera is reportedly more forgiving than E61
- Right in my price range $1295.

Cons:
- Not crazy about the idea of heaters in brewhead (more to go wrong?)
- Parts/repairs for Bezzera may be harder to come by than E61
- 1 portafilter

Izzo Vivi
Pros:
- HX machine.
- Izzo has good reputation for build quality
- E61 (Easier to find parts, and to add Eric's Thermometer adapter)
- Preinfusion? (not sure on this)
- Comes with Two complete portafilters.
- Double walled
- Steam wand on right hand side

Cons:
- More expensive. $1495
- No gauge for brew pressure
- Less information available (I only found one review)
- Flushing routine sounds more elaborate than Bezzera.

Seems I can add the Quickmill Anita to the list for the same price as the Vivi.

The PVL 2-group can probably better keep up with entertaining. With a single group, you're limited to about 1 shot/min for the simple reason that you have to wait on the first shot to finish before you can build your second shot.

Thanks for your reply, bluecold. I like the idea of a two group. Unfortunately, I just don't think we'd have room. I've brought up the idea with my wife, but that usually leads to a lot of mumbling about "...counter space...dog house...divorce...".

I'm not sure I'm ready to join the LMWDP yet, either.

Mostly I want better, more consistent espresso. Any improvement over the Gaggia, in terms of steaming is a plus. As long as I can make a few espresso back to back and can steam at the same time, or at least without waiting.

Lastly, I'm limiting my choices to Canadian vendors to save a bit on shipping, customs, etc.

Thanks.

BZ10 - It's what the BZ07 should have been at the "get go" - but I suppose the mfg needed to save a little room for improvement. The build quality and thus sound level has no peer in home machines.

Buy a couple or several 14 gram Bezzera double-baskets and you can handle your guests. The machine PROBABLY comes with the Bezzera 12 gram doubles basket and a 6-7 gram single. When I am serving that quantity of drinks (rare), I typically serve baby capy's in an espresso demitasse and everybody stays awake happy.

Is it your opinion, then, that the Bezzera is the clear winner over the Vivi and the Anita?

You can make great espresso with both machines!

I've the BZ07 and like this machine. The PID doesn't make much sense on this machine. I've been playing with it in the beginning but the 1,1 bar setting works fine and you can adjust taste by flush routine and/or dose and extraction time.

Regarding the cooling flush: at 1,1 bar you'll probably have to flush about 7-8 seconds till the end of the flash boil and from there 2-6 seconds more according to taste.

I don't think the Vivi has a much larger flush, at least not the European models with flow restrictors installed (the PID version I've seen has definitely a shoter flush, maybe 5 seconds).

But it's convenient that the flush length is about the same length every shot. So if you've found out a good routine for a specific bean you can just count and won't haven to look and listen...

And it's possible to make a shot without any flush at all, but in that case the brewing temperarure is a little influenced by the group head temperature and shot temperature will rise significantly in the 2nd half of the extraction.

Steaming performance is good. But you can buy a 2 hole tip to hold steaming pressure more stable.

And the machine is indeed very well built and doesn't make too much noise.

Good luck!
Bas

I did not see until recently that Anita had entered the picture as I tend to primarily read only your initial post. It takes about 3 months to get acquainted with any new espresso machine and the learning curve is surprisingly similar to a typical machine's warmup curve. I am intimately familiar with Anita (5 years) and somewhat familiar with the BZ07 (I have both). I am not familiar with the Vivi but am with the Alex.

Like Bas, I would say you can produce good espresso on all three machines but from the standpoint of construction quality, value, & ease of operation, my initial response and the recommendations therein stands - BZ10.

Very interesting. Especially coming from you, Eric, since it was your thermometer adapter that was causing me to lean more toward an E61.

I thought that, being a new HX user, one of the other machines coupled with a grouphead thermometer would be the better choice.

If you are already looking at BZ10, for $100 more you can can the E61 Bezzera Medea.