Hi all

Just wondering if anyone here has one of these yet (not sure if they are strictly UK only, being a Bella Barista joint-venture as I understand it)

http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/bellabari ... rettyPhoto

It's between this and the Strega (though BB won't have a plumb-in available for some time). Londiniums look nice but probably too pricey for me....

I remember the Strega thread on here suggesting that the pump implementation in the Strega made it a very flexible machine - this machine has a pump but it doesn't elaborate on how it's implemented.

All thoughts welcome.

Discussed here: New lever espresso machine coming to UK market

Lots of info about the Veloce and its history on the UK coffee forums.

When I looked into getting a spring lever, BellaBarista (great folks, btw) were the only source, so the machine was UK-only, so I ignored it, sorry.

If I lived in the UK, then I would buy a Londinium, and pick the machine up right from the factory. Shipping can cause the odd issue with new machines, especially heavy ones. I am sure that lots of machines get delivered safely, but that has not been my experience. I guess that I am just unlucky in that respect.

Of course, if you don't have the counter depth needed for a Londinium, then BellaBarista carries both the Strega and Veloce, so why not go to their store and see the machines for yourself? Pictures on the computer are no substitute for in-person viewing of the machine in my experience.

......... for good solid info on the differences between the QM VELOCE and the L1 , you should go to COFFEE FORUMS-UK and finger punch the thread > QUICKMILL VELOCE vs LONDINIUM ..... LOTS OF actual users reviews /

Thanks for the suggestion - I'm working my way through the Coffee Forums UK thread now.

Consensus seems to be L1 - finished product, nicely made, pricey; QM - still being revised, bit of a bodge and more prone to tipping, cheaper; both capable in theory of very fine results.