After being a home barista for many years, i finally got sick of the waiting time for my machine to heat up, and the hours i put into making a great espresso. I sold my 2 thousand dollar steamboat. But after 2 years of Nespresso, i want to buy the cheapest machine possible....(and a very good grinder)...for that occasional real espresso. Is there a really low cost machine out there that will give me some satisfaction?
Grinder? thanks for all suggestions.

If all you really want is an occasional real espresso shot why not find a great local cafe? Seriously.

Or are you looking to drop $2-3k+ into an espresso machine and grinder again? BTW FWIW a $2k home espresso machine isn't really high end but rather a mid-range decent prosumer machine. No offense intended. For example my home half way decent, ok pretty decent, Quick Mill Vetrano 2B currently sells for $2400 and I definitely don't consider it high end or my home dream machine which is close to $9k. The 2B is paired with an $1100 grinder, very good one of the best flat burrs out there, but still not necessarily the epitome of home espresso grinders.

Just my 2c...

Why didn't you just put it on a timer and leave it on?

Although I think Mike's setup (both at home and his cafes) are fabulous, I have a setup that defines the law of diminishing returns. At less than $350 for a la pavoni and $253 shipped for a Pharos (okay I spent some time mounting it in a highly useful grinder stand with extra wood I had lying around) I make shots that I enjoy as much as ones at cafes pulled on 5 digit coffee gear.

{Edit: Rather than investing in fabulous high end gear, I spent the same again to have a great office setup.]

I recommend a Pavoni Europiccola and a OE Pharos.

How about a Caravel and a Vario?

Chert wrote:Although I think Mike's setup (both at home and his cafes) are fabulous...

Home is ok with Vetrano 2B and Mazzer Major, way started thinking about a Vesuvius after reading Dan's in progress review followed by other researching which would be much more attainable than a Slayer. Cafe(s) getting upgraded first though! Just replaced the old Charbucks hand me down 3gr PID'd Linea Downtown with a 6yr old 3gr FB80 a couple weeks ago, picking up a 2yr old 3gr Synesso Cyncra day after tomorrow to replace the old Charbucks PID'd 4gr Linea at the Roastery bar and November 30th picking up a 3yr old GB5 3gr for our new location opening sometime first part of the year! Anyone need a dual PID'd 4 group Linea? Keeping the 3gr as a backup and will set it up as a training machine...

When I was 'forced' to downgrade somewhat from a true commercial plumbed one group due to moving, I was between getting a R58 or a LaPavoni lever. Seriously. Even a Creamina I would trade down to. Small, simple, easy to service, no electronics to go wrong.. what's not to like? Though as usual I don't go half way and got a GS/3

Grinder is a tricky one as really you do get what you pay for, so a ugly banged up SJ would be a great deal. And yes I would rather have a awesome grinder with a simple lever machine than a so so machine and grinder.

You do know that levers are no less capable than any other machine right? Getting a Cremina would hardly be a trade down in drink quality from the top end, and the build is legendary. Same goes for a Pavoni, or caravel, mcal, or any of the other levers.

I have a caravel that's ready to go in under 10 minutes. When I had a pavoni it was as well. My daily machine is more or less indefinitely on.

I'd look at the Knock Feldgrind as a budget hand grinder that should be capable of giving pretty good results in the cup. Like others, I'm of the opinion that the small home lever machines punch way above their weight in terms of shot quality. A vintage Pavoni, Caravel, or Peppina are all capable of excellent shots once you learn to drive them properly, and can be picked up for less than $500 if you are an effective ebay stalker.

pacificmanitou wrote:You do know that levers are no less capable than any other machine right? Getting a Cremina would hardly be a trade down in drink quality from the top end, and the build is legendary. Same goes for a Pavoni, or caravel, mcal, or any of the other levers.

Indeed, sorry if I couldn't be clear. What I was trying to say was basically I'd still be very happy owning a cremina and had seriously considered it. Though I'd still get a "real" commercial spring lever (Bezzera, L1, etc) if anything as the capacity and consistency aspect is worth considering. Nothing against levers at all.