Hello,

We are in the process of buying a "serious" espresso machine for the office.

Our initial choice was the LaMarzocco GS/3, but after months of negotiations with facilities and HR in the end we got approval for a Faema E61 Legend (single group).

From what I managed to find on the web, it looks like a good machine, with similar characteristics to the GS/3, although I couldn't find specific reviews for either the Jubile or the Legend.

I have a few questions before committing:

Is this machine "right" for us ? We have a small group of espresso fans, who will love to brew good coffee, but most of the users will be less demanding, and would probably prefer ease of use over control (we will still keep the current "Tiger" automatic machine for the lazy ones).

I like the GS/3 for the consistency and ease of use, will we get a similar experience with the E61 ?

The other question is about which model should we get Legend or Jubile ?

I think the Jubile would be easier to use (the lever on the Legend could probably scare some users) but I couldn't find any information on what are the differences in operating these machines and what are the trade-offs between them.


Thanks for any advice or pointers to specific reviews or documentation about these machines.


Fabio

Fabio wrote:We are in the process of buying a "serious" espresso machine for the office.

YAY!! Congrats!!

Fabio wrote:From what I managed to find on the web, it looks like a good machine, with similar characteristics to the GS/3, although I couldn't find specific reviews for either the Jubile or the Legend.

What characteristics are similar between these two machines?
(GS/3 vs. Faema Jubilee/Legend)

My previous machine was a GS/3 and my current machine is a Faema Legend and as far as my understanding, the only similarity is the 58mm basket size (and LM portafilters can be made to fit an E61).

Fabio wrote:Is this machine "right" for us ?

It sounds like maybe not the ideal choice for your office.

Fabio wrote:I like the GS/3 for the consistency and ease of use, will we get a similar experience with the E61 ?

Consistency yes, but "ease of use" is another issue. The GS/3 has automatic digital temperature control while the Faema Legend/Jubilee will require the user(s) to learn how to flush the group for temperature management. It's not difficult to learn, but does take some practice. Check the link below for info:

http://www.home-barista.com/hx-love.html

Fabio wrote:The other question is about which model should we get Legend or Jubile ?

I love my Legend because I enjoy playing with the manual-control line pressure preinfusion. The only difference with the Jubilee is volumetric dispensing (auto run instead of semi automatic).

As far as I'm concerned, if someone is willing to learn to flush an HX then it's no problem to use a little lever to activate the brew cycle....but this is just my opinion and YMMV.

You should probably learn about the differences between a double boiler and a heat Exchanger espresso machine before going further. The links below explain it all....
http://www.home-barista.com/espresso-guide.html
Espresso Machines 101
http://www.home-barista.com/hx-love.htm...Exchangers



And by the way, you will need a nice grinder to pair with any decent espresso machine.
Is that also in the budget?

Below is my setup....I think it's gorgeous but it did take some practice to learn how to get best results

Hi Jon, congrats on a beautiful machine!

Sorry to grab the thread for a minute, but I guess its relevant - I must have missed it, but why did you change from the GS/3... are you liking the change? and have you played with altering the adjustable thermosyphon at all?

Cheers, Chris

Jon -

Yes, a beauty it is. Does it have this device on it?

gyro wrote:Hi Jon, congrats on a beautiful machine!

Thanks! I am loving it

gyro wrote:Sorry to grab the thread for a minute, but I guess its relevant - I must have missed it, but why did you change from the GS/3... are you liking the change? and have you played with altering the adjustable thermosyphon at all?

As noted over at CG, I changed for a few personal reasons. I wanted a machine that was more robust and easy to work on, and I wanted to feel more involved with the espresso brewing process.

I enjoy crafting each shot manually and actually considered getting a lever. Plus, it is like playing with a piece of functional art every day. It's a great machine for me.

erics wrote:Yes, a beauty it is. Does it have this device on it?

Yes, and I have tweaked around with the thermosyphon restrictor quite a bit. It's amazing what a huge difference it makes for the flushing routine!

Beautiful setup, Jon. An adjustable thermosyphon has always made sense to me. In fact, I'm kinda surprised it's not standard on high-end HX machines.

It's the difference between an semi-commercial "E61 box" and all the good commercial machines that use thermosyphons. For instance, the top of the line NS Aurelia has a a bunch of interchangeable jets which have the same role as an adjustable valve, while the Appia does not have them.

But Jon's Legend is the cream of the crop. I fondly remember the one Dallis Brothers brings to conventions, on which its possible to pull great shots, good shots, but seemingly impossible to pull stinkers.

Wega --> GS3 --> now Legend.

Great to see the transitions in your gear and still the fab setup, Jon.

Keep an eye on the SS valve below the o-rings for scale. I cleaned one up, the boiler was pretty good, there was a little scale on the mushroom, but the most scale was actually on the adjustable thermosyphon valve. I noticed it first as one group took a lot longer to heat up than the other. I'm sure you'll love it, its a shame you can't see the back of it though since its such an eye catcher. Enjoy, Chris.