Well, after reading on this site for what it seems to me like weeks on end, I have finally decided on what I think will be an excellent combo. I started with a $1000 "budget" thinking that I was going to spend all the money in the world only to quickly realize that was a simply a "starting point". That quickly moved to twice that only to find out that my wife would not tolerate the sight of any of the offerings in that price range. That included the grinders, which she was quick to point out "look like a piece of the car's engine"!

We sat down and went through all the videos posted about espresso pulling technique in both the lever video thread and the other thread as well to show a bit better what those machines and grinders looked like in real life. Her comment were the following:

1. That is good to see those videos because a lot of the machine and grinders look better than on the vendor's pictures
2. "Most of those people in the videos are kidding themselves if they think they are making good coffee. They are playing with equipment doing science experiments"..........
3. Those things are huge in comparison to what she is used to.
4. They seem like very overpriced coffee makers LOL.........

Can't say she is wrong or far off in all 4 comments

In any case, I have narrowed the search to a Compak K3 Touch doserless grinder (on Chris's Coffee recommendation) and the Mini Vivaldi II by La Spaziale with the pre-infusion chamber installed. Both in red, which according to the picture side by side sent from Chris's Coffee is a pretty darn close match in color.

Before I pull the trigger, is there any final recommendations or objections about either equipment I should know about? I had read lots of reviews and posts about both, but I am sure I may have missed some important ones.

Good choices, not only for the gear but for whom your purchasing it from.

I had a mini II for just over 2 years and loved it but just bought the machine of my dreams from Chris, a brand new GS/3, which is still putting a huge on my face.

FYI, if you use an AX card to purchase your kit they'll extend your warranty for another year, free gratis. I only use that card for "major" purchases and while I've not had to use that extended warranty yet, as you can well imagine, it's a very reassuring feature to have.

WOW, only one reply? It must be that nobody else besides Keith here has a Mini Vivaldi II? I thought I was going to get like 20 posts right off the bat telling me how good or how bad they are and what else to get instead

If you're looking for some totally "unbiased" feedback on purchasing a La Spaziale machine, try posting your question on the http://s1cafe.com/ website.

That site is devoted only to the following machines; LaSpaziale S1 Vivaldi, Vivaldi II, and Mini-Vivaldi's. So you'll pretty well know in advance what they'll say but it is an extremely helpful resource for anyone who has one and needs any assistance, or simply wants some tips as to how to get the best performance from their machine.

FYI, you can peruse the Mini Day One Problems thread, as well as both of the Mini's warranty issues threads to see what problems others have encountered with their machines; which simply put is some brilliant pre-purchase research.

I hope that information helps you in making your decision but just one more observation; CCS has a full 2 year warranty on the Mini II, which imho they wouldn't offer if it was prone to problems.

dgasmd wrote:I thought I was going to get like 20 posts right off the bat telling me how good or how bad they are and what else to get instead

The La Spaziale S1 / Vivaldi / Vivaldi II / Vivaldi Mini have been around long enough that they've been covered in prior discussions (e.g., I searched on "vivaldi" and limited it to the Buying Advice forum per the suggestions in forum search tips; it yielded a lot of "Vivaldi vs. this" type of discussions). The Vivaldi has also been reviewed on this site here and includes an interesting comparison of it against a popular HX espresso machine, La Valentina. Bottom line: The Vivaldi is a solid performer and has plenty of fans, not just those on the s1cafe forum.

Since you apparently want to consider all options, the most popular alternatives are based on the 58mm E61 group. This includes the Vibiemme DoubleDomo, Expobar Brewtus, and Izzo Alex Duetto. In terms of espresso, it's a safe bet these will perform similarly. On the steam front, the Brewtus is slower than the DoubleDomo. It's fast enough for a cappuccino, but if you're wife/friends are into large lattes, consider a faster steaming model (the Vibiemme and Vivaldi are quite fast; I haven't used the Duetto so I can't comment).

Just in case you're not overwhelmed by choices yet, then there's also the significantly less expensive Breville Double Boiler. It's new to the market and reviews are just trickling in. As a newcomer, there's already been a couple reports of "teething pain" issues. With one of the previously mentioned models, you benefit from a very long track record to base your decision on.

Thanks for the feedback and the links as well as the other links in those readings. It seems like every time I read something here, there are several other links to read as well. While some are incredibly verbose threads and post with little tangible substance, some are indeed very good and educational. Especially for a self admitted ignorant person in the subject. I particularly enjoy reading the official reviews like the one you pointed to above as they seem to be far more objective.

Again, thanks to you and Dodger1 for the info.

I just got a Mini II in along with the Compak K3 touch. Love the Mini, great shots out of the gate and very powerful steamer. My only gripe with the K3 touch is that it's a bit clumpy but it's built well and will last. You may want to consider the Vario at the same/slightly less price range.

Nuprin wrote:I just got a Mini II in along with the Compak K3 touch. Love the Mini, great shots out of the gate and very powerful steamer. My only gripe with the K3 touch is that it's a bit clumpy but it's built well and will last. You may want to consider the Vario at the same/slightly less price range.

New doserless grinders do clump a fair amount, especially when new. My Macap M4D had serious clumping for the first few pounds but got better with age. Although unappealing visually, clumps are comprised of coffee that has already been ground, and as soon as you touch it with a tamper they are gone. So the point is moot, IMO.

The exception to clumping right from the start has been my Vario, which has produced great results, both in the portafilter and in the cup. Though not as robust of a build as a Compak, it performs well.

Compak or Vario almost makes no difference. Until you use the other you will never know what you are missing, so you are sure to be happy with whatever you choose.

uscfroadie wrote:New doserless grinders do clump a fair amount, especially when new. My Macap M4D had serious clumping for the first few pounds but got better with age. Although unappealing visually, clumps are comprised of coffee that has already been ground, and as soon as you touch it with a tamper they are gone. So the point is moot, IMO.

OK, since you are a fellow road cyclist, then I MUST listen to your advice. I think I am pretty set on the choice of the Mini and the Compak K3. Thanks again for all the advice and suggestions.