So when all is said and done, the final price difference is approximately $750 between the machines (with my necessary upgrades and such) and I don't think I could justify a double boiler for that extra price. So unless someone tells me i'm crazy, I will probably order the Bezzera Mitica after my next paycheck (just got back from a two and a half week vacation in australia and new zealand so funds already took a hit).

brianl wrote:The total cost for this is about $1,911.02 and also includes a fairly worthless grinder.

From what I've read, and heard from others here on HB and CG, the Lelit PL53 isn't worthless. It's not a Robur, K10, E92 or even a Vario, but it's stepless and can grind for espresso. I believe it's part of the Trespade conical family. And I remember reading another Trespade held its own in the Titan Grinder project testing against a Robur. Although, the PL53 has a reputation for being a bit messy and noisy.

So why not keep it as a dedicated decaf grinder? If you plan on using both regular and decaf beans. I have two dedicated espresso grinders: my K10PB for regular and my Vario for decaf. It saves me having to jump around with grind settings. And allows me to pull shots(decaf) late at night without staying awake too long.

Otherwise, if you won't be drinking decaf, try selling it locally. It can make for an entry level grinder for someone looking to start economically.

Check out this HB thread that touches on the Lelit PL53:
Grinder arrived broken, suggestions?

I know i've should have phrased that better, my fault. It was one i considered before getting the Vario and my mind can only go up from here. Haven't gotten the decaf bug yet.

I have hyperacusis, so super loud grinders are basically out of the question. However, it seems like that promo with the grinder ended and you can just use the 9% off promo they have for everything else. I can absorb the $100 loss in value of the grinder vs cash (270 vs 170) but at least I don't have to go through the hassle of selling it.

It seems like you are enjoying the magica. Mind sharing your flush routine (or pointing me to where you have mentioned it before)? Did you get a group thermometer? If so, from where?

brianl wrote:It seems like you are enjoying the magica. Mind sharing your flush routine (or pointing me to where you have mentioned it before)? Did you get a group thermometer? If so, from where?

Hi brianl,

I'm still learning my machine (things are busy between work and being a dad), but I'm settling into a nice routine that gets me pretty consistent results. I'm currently aiming for 200F every time I pull shots. Once I feel more comfortable, I'll start fine-tuning and trying to hit other specific temps -- in the 195F to 204F range -- depending on the coffee.

For the time being, I let my machine fully warm-up (45 minimum...60 minutes even better). It idles between 202F and 205F, depending on the ambient temperature in my house. Most commonly it idles around 203 or 204F.

If I want to do a quick flush n' go from a full warm-up (meaning I flush then pull the shot immediately) I'm getting a 200F brew temp with the following routine:
-Flush 13 to 15 seconds, then stop. Then immediately pull a shot. Erics thermometer should read around 200F during the shot.
***(while flushing the 13 to 14 seconds, the thermometer reading will jump up to about 211F to 212F or so, then around the 13 sec mark it will start dropping. I stop flushing at that point, right when it reads 210F.) Then pull the shot and the resulting brew temp will be 200F.

I've also been getting good flush n' wait results from a full warm-up (meaning I flush...then prep the shot, and pull 2.5 or 3 minutes later) I'm getting 200F brew temps with the following routine:
-Flush closer to 16 to 18 seconds, then stop, prep your shot, and wait 150 to 180 seconds..then pull the shot
***(while flushing the 16 to 18 seconds, the thermometer reading will jump up to 211 to 212F or so, then stop flushing at 204F. Then prep your shot and wait until 150 seconds, or better, 180 seconds and then pull)

Subsequent shots, if more than 5 minutes later, will require a 4 to 7 second flush or so. Closer to 10 minutes, and you'll need 10 seconds.

This is all somewhat approximate, as I haven't been able to spend as much time as I'd like experimenting with different flush routines.

***Also, important to know: during a flush n' go. The temp reading on Eric's thermometer is actually 2 or 3 degrees lower than the actual brew temperature. But during the flush n' wait, the thermometer's temp reading is actually 2 or 3 degrees higher than the actual brew temp.

But here's my previous thread on learning to flush my machine with Erics thermometer. Another helpful Magica user in Romania posted very detailed flush routines and results. He's done a lot of detailed research into how the Magica recovers from flushes. I'm still trying to make sense of everything he posted. But, so far, when I've followed his suggestions, they were spot on.

Help! Erics thermometer routine & flushing E-61 HX. Am I on right track?

I ended up ordering the Vetrano DB. I received a small bonus at work that really helped bring this machine into budget.

Thanks for your help everyone!