I've read a whole lot of budget advice on HB and I was hoping to get some advice as well. My budget is around $1500 for both espresso machine and grinder.

Initially, I was looking at the Silvia, but got turned off to it because many people had issues with consistency. Perhaps adding a PID would make it a better machine, but it seems like there are some machines that are better out of the box for around the same price as Silvia + PID.

I've read the Breville BES900XL/BES920XL is a great machine and seems like it would be a good machine, but I am concerned about the longevity of the machine. I would like something that will last me 10 years, so build quality is important to me. I don't want it to break after 2 years and be expensive/impossible to repair due to plastics or proprietary parts.

I have absolutely no problem tweaking parameters, sharpening my skills, etc. I am a tinkerer and love fiddling with things. I don't mind spending the time to learn the machine so long as it is capable of producing a good shot consistently so long as I do my part. (No one wants a machine that will be sporadic in output...that could get maddening).

As for a grinder, I am looking at a Barazta Vario or a Compak K3 or something similar.

What would be a good machine that is within the budget above, has decent durability/longevity and would produce a good shot?

Thanks in advance!

I set my parents up with a Quick Mill Silvano and a Compak k3 touch. I have been seriously impressed with the Silvano, it pulls great shots, and is easier to tweak temperature than on my Marzocco. Steam is adequate for 8-12 ounce lattes. The K3 is also not a slouch of a grinder.

I don't trust the Breville's. From what I have seen they are plastic and cheap components. That said, for the money the dual boiler I have played with makes great espresso.

Jim's response is spot-on. No such thing as a 10-year machine that needs nothing.

Think of your machine as a new car. No new car out there will go 10 years without having any maintenance/repairs. At an absolute minimum you'll have to change the oil. The more basic the car, the less to go wrong.

The Breville (BES900XL) is far more reliable than what you may have read, especially if you take care of it and feed it proper water. Mine has been my most reliable machine, even trumping my Cremina in that it's never needed any repairs after 3,200 shots and counting. I can't say the same for my QuickMill Alexia and Vetrano, La Cimbali Junior, Gaggia Factories, or Cremina. My GS/3 is too new to be considered.

Lever machines are very simple, even more so than the Silvia, but they require more routine maintenance. That's easy to perform, but are you capable and willing to do this, or are you a hands-off kind of person?

Without knowing more about you, it's hard to make a decent suggestion. Please help us understand you for better responses.

Cheers!
Merle

Thanks for all the suggestions to everyone who has posted thus far.

I would want to do the maintenance myself so I have a better understanding of how the machine works. I tinker with all types of electronics for fun (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, building computers, etc), so I am fairly comfortable going hands on with mechanical/electrical devices and troubleshooting and fixing them. (I've also done limited car stuff in the past).

The Silvia was attractive because it seemed like there were some interesting mods for it and it could be a fun machine. On the other hand, as I am new to making espresso, it could be frustrating and discouraging to never get good shots because there were too many variables with the machine that I didn't understand well (due to my newness).

Currently I work in the Tech field and think it would be fun to have a Cafe one day once I get tired of being on call 24/7 and all the other negative sides of being in the computer industry. So this would basically be feeling out whether or not the art/science of Espresso making is something I would want to do as a profession in the future or if it is just a passing interesting (if that makes sense).

Thanks!

Nate

And of course I forgot the important coffee related details.

I've been brewing manual drip for a little over 4 years now. I started out with a crappy Mr. Coffee as most do, then got one of then plastic Melitta manual drips and loved it. From there, got a bigger Chemex for when family was visiting and I now use a glass Hario V60 for my own single cups or a Bonavita when I am feeling lazy.

I absolutely love manual drip coffee and all the flavors that come out in the different regions and roasts. I moved to the Bay Area from the east coast about a year ago and I am going crazy with all the fantastic coffee roasters that I now have direct (and fresh) access to.

So suffice it to say, I am already a huge coffee fanatic and desire to get into the finer art of espresso making.

Nate

Take a hard look at the QuickMill Silvano and Alexia. They are both really nice machines in your price range. If I did not make as many milk-based drinks as I do, I would have purchased one of those machines instead of the Anita. I'm really impressed with the QuickMill fit and finish, and parts are all readily available. As stated above, any machine is going to need maintenance. Parts availability and the ease of working on the machine are the important considerations.

I've had a Baratza Vario now for a number of years, and have been extremely happy with it. Versatile, easy to use, and produces a great grind. The Silvano and Vario would be a fantastic combination that will give you excellent quality shots. The rest is up to your technique.

I found a Quick Mill Anita on craigslist for $995.

From seller: "Nate I think I've had it for about 4 years. I use it daily and I think it's in good shape as it works as well as ever. I use filtered water, brush the head with each use and backflush it weekly. The steam wand was upgraded to a no-burn wand that they use in the Andreja and it has a bottomless portafilter. I also have the original double portafilter that came with it. I just replaced the head gasket and cleaned the screen."

Is this a good deal for a good maker? Is 4 years old ok as it has been well maintained?

I would say its probably a decent deal especially if it comes with a few things. It will make good drinks for you.

Anita is a good machine mine is something like 5 years old and still works great. It has required some maintenance, most notably I have replaced the pump several times. This is not a problem of the Anita specifically as pretty much anything with a vibe pump uses the same Ulka pumps. Many feel the quality on newer ulka pumps is hit and miss, and I have been particularly unlucky. Anyway, that aside, I've replaced group gasket a few times (which is fairly routine maintenance), replaced the expansion valve seat, and replaced gaskets in the E61 lever. All of these are cheap easy things, and you will have to do on any E61 machine eventually. I also need to descale periodically, which can be eliminated with the right water.

They go new for $1600. $995 is probably fair if its in good condition and includes the bottomless filter.

You're probably nearing the end of pump life if its never been replaced, which is roughly $50. Also, if its never been descaled, depending on the quality of water he's been using it may have some serious buildup over four years.