I'm currently working on getting a pop up shop built and ready to go for the summer months. I'm looking to do catering and weddings and so forth. I know, I know, you're expecting ill adjusted equipment and under trained baristas. That however will not be the case.

I am currently back and forth on two different machines. The Londinium 1 and a Synesso Cyncra 1 group. I prefer the looks of the synesso, I prefer the semi-manual over the lever, but the Londinium wins in the price category. The Synesso Cyncra 1 group has been proven to be bullet proof. I've worked on one before averaging 40 milk drinks/hr for 8 hours straight, 3 days in a row. It didn't have a single issue keeping up. However, as I said, the issue is the price. The Londium 1 is about $3500 new whereas a used Synesso Cyncra 1 group cannot be had for less than $5000. To me, the aesthetics of the machine and the semi-automatic nature are not worth $1500 more for a used machine.

Can anyone talk me down from my first lever machine being a Londinium 1 that I will inevitably beat on - serving multiple 12 oz milk drinks? I know the Londinium 1 is advertised as a commercial machine, but is it really? Can it handle multiple milk drinks back to back?

If you have any other suggestions in the $3000-$5000 price range, shoot them this way, I'm all ears.

I've been reading up on carts, pop ups, farmers markets, etc. so much that I completely forgot about this very informative thread re: londinium 1 at a farmers market I'm leaving this here in case others have similar questions.

I have no real experience to offer, but I want to commend you on doing it right.

To me, it looks like you have chosen two opposite ends of the spectrum. The Londinium is fairly simple in design and operation. You may need to train your baristas on how to use a spring lever, but once they get it they should be able to produce quality shots at a pretty fast pace. There are several videos on YouTube of Dristan Alsela using a lever in his cafe that are worth watching. He has a 4 group machine, but it would give you an idea of the flow.

The Cyncra is absolutely georgeous, but how important is that to your customers? Also, it is at another level of tech. I saw mentions of hand held displays and piezo buttons and touch panels. What does all of that do to your training and start up times relative to the cup?

I'm a huge geek and love high tech toys, but when the upgrade bug bit me a few weeks ago I ended up ordering a Londinium R for home use. I have enough tech to play with around here, so I am going to simplify me espresso. It should be here in a couple of weeks, so I'll see how it goes.

I hope that helped. If not, feel free to ignore me

Where are you located? If it is anywhere near Chicago I would love to visit your shop when you are up an running.

Panhandle of Florida, actually! I currently do training and product development at a shop locally, but I want to have a little weekend gig. Something that is my own. Graciously, my boss is allowing me to do this little side gig and isn't looking at it as another competitor. The cart is really looking like a 1 man operation or maybe 2 people to start with (me and a friend), so training on the lever won't be too bad at all.

I'm just going back and forth in my head... I want the cyncra but I don't feel like I need it, especially not used for $1500-2000 more. My end game machine is a synesso to be certain. I just love the way it looks, the upgrade paths, the customizability.... but I would rather get something simpler such as londinium to start with, I believe. Also everyone in my city has la marzoccos or aurelias, therefore I feel like the uniqueness of a lever machine could get a couple more customers walking up to me instead of walking past at the market.

A single group lever in a commercial setting... No thanks.
Synesso is for me the Bentley of all machines I have ever had.
Mine was completely in parts and I cannot imagine that a machine can be build any better than that.
It is bulletproof and you get a fantastic customer service, I have never ever had a problem with my Synesso in 4 years and it was already 3 or 4 years old when I bought it.



The aesthetics are ok for me, the feets / legs need to be shortened by a bit



Never heard anything bad about the Londinium, but with Reiss it is "love me or hate me" but nothing in between.

rand wrote:Panhandle of Florida, actually! I currently do training and product development at a shop locally, but I want to have a little weekend gig. Something that is my own. Graciously, my boss is allowing me to do this little side gig and isn't looking at it as another competitor. The cart is really looking like a 1 man operation or maybe 2 people to start with (me and a friend), so training on the lever won't be too bad at all.

I'm just going back and forth in my head... I want the cyncra but I don't feel like I need it, especially not used for $1500-2000 more. My end game machine is a synesso to be certain. I just love the way it looks, the upgrade paths, the customizability.... but I would rather get something simpler such as londinium to start with, I believe. Also everyone in my city has la marzoccos or aurelias, therefore I feel like the uniqueness of a lever machine could get a couple more customers walking up to me instead of walking past at the market.

Well, that's a little far to go to get a good espresso, but you never know where I will turn up I travel for business and try to find local shops whenever I can. I keep a list of them as folks suggest them. I was asking about shops on the Londinium forum, specifically in Chicago, but someone mentioned Anaya coffee in Melbourne, FL (http://www.anayacoffee.com/). From their web page it looks like they have an L2, and maybe an L1 in the background. If that's not too far, it may be worth checking them out to see how it is going.

Good luck!