Hello,

I just joined up after lurking for about a week. I am in the market for a machine and grinder, and have hit a (minor) snag. I can't seem to find a retailer in Los Angeles. Google maps and the words "espresso machine", "espresso maker", or just plain "espresso" hasn't been much help. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks!
Qi

Michael Teahan of Espresso Resource fame is located in Van Nuys.

There are these guys I found, but they appear to deal in commercial machines
http://www.espresso-la.com/index.htm

I saw Vario's for sale at the Intelligentsia in Venice. I would guess they have machines there too, but I don't remember seeing one.

Williams and Sonoma carries some machines, but nothing I would be interested in, YMMV.

Randy

Just order online. Save yourself 10% sales tax.

Most of us here probably buy our toys on line--that's what I've done. What kind of machine are you looking for? If you are looking for a good HX type of machine you can always shoot up to Slovang (probably not that far away) and check out Salvatore. They are made there, and if you ever need any maintenance on the machine you are set. The Salvatore's are very quality machines, with a great warranty. I bought my dad one about 6 years ago and it is still going strong without any problems. Also, Astra makes quality espresso machines (http://www.astramfr.com), and they are nearby in Canoga Park. They have two HX machines that would work. Astra Gourmet--its on the large side. I had one for about 5 years and it was a great machine. It has a rotary pump, with a reservoir and a 4 liter boiler. It is extremely well make. Their smaller HX machine is the Astra Pro, which also should be very good.
I would highly recommend either one of these companies. Their machines are more expensive than many other HX foreign made machines, but the quality excedes many of the other machines, and you would have service nearby if ever anything happened to the machine.
Rob

+1 on the Astra. I love my Gourmet!

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the responses. Sorry, I shold have been more specific in what I was looking for. I was hoping to find a place similar to Seattle Coffee Gear, but local. We have a fair share of local roasters, and am kind of surprised I couldn't find more of a specialty retailer that caters to espresso machines.

I looked at the places mentioned and they're a little above me, price wise. I'm trying to keep it under 1200 (total), so an HX or commercial machine would be a no-go. I also live in an apt, so space (and power draw) is an issue too.

A little background info. I had a Saeco (Magic, pressurized portafilter) paired with an Infinity Burr. My sister wanted a setup to avoid the 20min drive to Dunkin Donuts in the morning for her morning latte, so I gave her mine since the Saeco/Infinity combo was good enough for what she wanted. I "upgraded" to a super-auto, and that lasted about 3 days before it was packed back up. It was def much more convenient for the morning, but it just tasted bad. Burned through about 2 pounds of CCC Toscano and Groundworks espresso in the process.

Qi

(PS, I had a different version of this msg that I tried to post that got lost in the void thanks to my shakey internet connection, I had to redo it, but if it shows up magically... "WHOOPS!")

Oh, and that shot, I'm surprised my work firewall didn't ban it. Its like espresso porn.

What about Salvatore's One Black - a smallish home-style HX machine for about $1100?

Thanks NYer, I was pretty surprised how tasty that cell phone photo turned out. Maybe one day I'll pull out the SLR and take some real shots.