I'm a bit of an eccentric, I guess: in all likelihood my next macchina will be an old-fashioned spring-lever, not a semi-auto. So that's like going forwards and backwards at the same time!

Phaelon56 wrote: Truth be told... if I had really deep pockets I'd get a one or two group Synesso and a Robur for my kitchen.

I've discovered a cure (70% effective) for the Robur upgraditis:
1. Get one, in a box.
2. By yourself, unpack and load the Robur from the box to a nearby shelf.
3. Make an espresso with the Robur.
4. Taste it. Compare it with the results from your SJ, Mini, or Major
5. Go hug your SJ, Mini, or Major.
6. Live happily ever after.

Yer on yer own with the Synesso. That's prolly next on my list of drool as well.
I've got 220V, filtration, and plumbing, there is no reason not to use it!

Well I believe I started to suffer from it - but found a miraculous cure... I started out w/a combination of a Gaggia Factory & an Ascaso i-Mini, with which I've really been very satisfied. And I had no interest in upgrading for upgrade's sake alone. But I needed a second machine for a second location. So, at the start of the Summer, I let "upgraditis" take hold and, for that second machine, instead of searching out another Gaggia Factory (which I thought would be tough to do given its discontinued status), I "upgraded" to the Gagggia Achille (a refurb), giving in to the lure of having an HX system in a lever machine... However, it turned out the Achille had serious problems - both in terms of problems with the particular unit I received, and in tems of disappointing aspects of the Achilles' overall build quality - especially as compared to the build quality of the Factory (all as documented in other threads in the Lever Espresso Forum). In a sense, the serious problems with the particular unit I received were fortuitous, because my spouse really disliked the Achille's size & styling as compared to the Gaggia Factory. So, ultimately, as the defective Achille refurb I received had to go back to the vendor anyhow, I had the vendor replace it with another Gaggia Factory (also a refurb) instead - and now all is well as it should be and should've been all along. Upgraditis cured... lesson learned. If you're quite satisfied with what you have, not all perceived upgrades are necessarily an improvement...

r-gordon-7

The quickest cure for upgraditis is cash deprivation, it could also be the cause of the latter.