I need some buying advice.

After several weeks of debate with my chief financial officer (my wife); we reached a final budget of max 5,000 for my new home espresso equipment. I like the reviews and external aesthetics of the Profitec 700 (which seems to provide great bang for the buck). If we end up with this machine, which grinder should pair well with it?

Let me know if I should look at other machines like the vesuvius or others...

Thank You!

Sorry to not jump on the recommendation bandwagon, but this had been discussed over and over again; usually turns into a hot air thread. Valid input can be found in the thread linked below....and there are plenty others if you want to search.

Best espresso machine grinder in cup at budget of $3000 $6000 and $9000

Javierati,

To go with the Profitec Pro 700 (around $3K) I think the Mahlkonig K-30 Vario (around $1600) would pair nicely.

The Vesuvius and the Mahlkonig would put you over budget...and with no $$ left for assorted accessories -- not even coffee beans!

= You being sad just looking at your machine & grinder but not being able to USE either of them...

So, avoid being bean-less and forget the Vesuvius.

Good luck,

-- BR

Thanks for the advice. I will read the link to also see what people are talking about. The Mahlkonig K-30 Vario is a great choice. I agree, it will pair up well.

And yes. I want some beans to go along with the equipment. It is in my wife's best interest to create a recurring monthly budget for that. Lol

$5K probably means something like $3K for the machine, and up to $2K for the grinder. Look at these things in terms of "use" and "in the cup" qualities.

There are plenty of good grinder choices approaching $2K. The best choice for you will depend on several factors including how much counter space and height you have; whether you plan to single dose by weight or hopper feed; and whether you have any preference for a flat or conical. With some guidance from you, I can help you narrow the field.

The Mahlkonig K30 goes for about $1600. If, for whatever reasons, you decide on a flat burr, think about waiting for the new Peak; ~$2300. It should represent a step above the K30. The Anfim Super Caimano Barista, for the same money, is another outstanding flat burr -- also better than the K30.

Without any criticism of the choice implied, I'm interested in what you led to select the Profitec 700 of all the many possibilities. One thing I can tell you is that a reservoir-fed E61 DB isn't a cost effective choice. If you're not planning on plumbing you might want to rethink.

Rich

Hello boar_d_laze thank you for your comments. Let me tell you about my expected setup and volume.

I am looking to buy this equipment for my home. My wife and I are coffee lovers and we expect to drink about 4 cups a day, usually cappuccinos. With close family members and friends the total volume should be around 6-10 cups a day.

I am not an expert barista but do like good equipment. The rancilio Silvia is a good machine but I think I have reached a peak with it. I want to upgrade. At first I was thinking big with machines like the gs3 or slayer but I was soon brought down to earth and have a budget now.

I want to plug in my machine but I expect to use it with reservoir at first (a couple of months). What is the problem with the reservoir?

I have the Profitec 700 first in my list mainly given the excellent reviews posted here on home barista. The built seems to be top class with attention to detail. The aesthetics are appealing too. It is double boiler and has a pid. Feedback from the forum is that it has excellent temperature stability and overall consistency.

That said. I am learning every day and I am open to consider any other machine at the same price range.

The grinder seems to be loved by all. I have yet to see a bad report on it. Not sure how much more bang will I get going higher on the grinder.

The problem, if you want to call it that, with not plumbing your machine is two-fold; 1) intake, and 2) drainage...

INTAKE: you have a reservoir that needs to be cleaned at least once a week. That means, removed and washed with soapy water. The reservoir can (and likely will at least once - more if you have more than one barista) run dry when least convenient...like when you're in the middle of pulling a shot while entertaining. Filtration can also be an issue, as many people resort to putting a small ion exchange resin filter in the reservoir, and this is a lousy solution. Plumbing your supply, means, no more reservoir cleaning or refilling, the ability to run the supply line through either an all-in-one filter or a series of filters, and treating the water to optimize it for coffee (both taste and scaling potential). Ability to do a decent pre-infusion, if you're going to end up with an E61 machine.

DRAINAGE: The convenience of dumping a full drip tray diminishes exponentially depending on how far the sink is from the machine (ok, "exponentially" may be an exaggeration). The farther away the sink is, the more likely you are to spill on your floor during the trip. The drip tray fills up quickly, especially when entertaining. Though there's a lot less to say about the downside of not plumbing the drip tray, many people find this part of the equation to be more influential on their overall user experience.

Pretty much every machine in the $2k-3k range is going to be built well, and yield about the same quality in the cup (just my opinion). I think what you need to look at are features available on the machines in your price range, rate each feature as for importance (using a scale that runs from must have to must NOT have, with at least three steps, but preferably 5 - must have, would like, don't care, don't want, cannot have. then go look at the machines and see which one(s) most closely fit the bill. Ask pointed questions about features and/or particular machines along the decision path.

emradguy wrote:INTAKE: you have a reservoir that needs to be cleaned at least once a week. That means, removed and washed with soapy water. The reservoir can (and likely will at least once - more if you have more than one barista) run dry when least convenient...like when you're in the middle of pulling a shot while entertaining. Filtration can also be an issue, as many people resort to putting a small ion exchange resin filter in the reservoir, and this is a lousy solution. Plumbing your supply, means, no more reservoir cleaning or refilling, the ability to run the supply line through either an all-in-one filter or a series of filters, and treating the water to optimize it for coffee (both taste and scaling potential). Ability to do a decent pre-infusion, if you're going to end up with an E61 machine.

DRAINAGE: The convenience of dumping a full drip tray diminishes exponentially depending on how far the sink is from the machine (ok, "exponentially" may be an exaggeration). The farther away the sink is, the more likely you are to spill on your floor during the trip. The drip tray fills up quickly, especially when entertaining. Though there's a lot less to say about the downside of not plumbing the drip tray, many people find this part of the equation to be more influential on their overall user experience.

Excellent points. I do plan to plug in the machine for the exact reasons you mention there. Thanks

emradguy wrote:Ask pointed questions about features and/or particular machines along the decision path.

This can be tricky for a newbie like me. I have made my decision on a prosumer espresso machine with E61 and DB. I like the stainless steel components for the longevity aspect and quality of parts. I also like the classic look with the dials but don't mind a small PID to control temperature and to monitor the shot time. Some machines offer a detachable PID, and this feature seems interesting too. With regards to the handles, I don't care to much if it is a joystick or not like the profitec 700; and the fact that you have to turn the knob a bit before the steam turns on due to it being spring action does not bother me. From what I can read and see, the components and electronics under the hood are very well placed on the profitec 700; this I like a lot.

In terms of in the cup performance, I have seen the different reviews and competitions against the Vesuvius. From what I gather, it is comparable to that machine; and the vesuvius was comparable or actually beat the GS3. So I think I am getting a good machine in the profitec 700.

Besides that basic analysis; what else should I be looking for to compare with other similarly price machines?

From the Profi' review:

Note the driptray isn't designed to be hooked to a drain and its rather shallow, so you'll have to empty it every few days.

For this reason alone personally I would never consider the Profi'. Unless the drip tray can in fact be plumbed out. Currently my Vesusius inlet is not plumbed in. (leasing not buying house currently) However my drain is. Not into sink plumbing but into a 5 gal water jug. Need to empty it FAR less often than drip tray.

Ron and Mike both highlighted important points. But what I had in mind as the problem with running an E61 off a reservoir is that the preinfusion is practically non-existent and -- not to cut too fine -- sucks. Mike's Vesuvius is an exception in that it has pump-drive preinfusion.

If you're going to climb that high up the money ladder, you should at least get something with decent preinfusion.

My setup, a La Cimbali Casa + Ceado E92, runs just under $5K. I'm not saying you should run out and buy the same thing, but wanted to put it forward as one of several possible ultimate kits within your budget to let you know how far your reach extends.

GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER

Rich