In the market for a new machine. Unfortunately I have a budget of around 400-500$CAD. At this price point I understand that sacrifices must be made. Instead of asking which machine would you recommend I want to know what feature you would not want to live without.

The few machines I am considering all differ in a couple of respects. The way I see it I have to choose between:

-PID temp control (LeLit PL041TEM Refurb 499$, Crossland open box 550$CAD)

-Adjustable OPV (Gaggia Classic ~375$US, Silvia ~500$ Used)

-Big Brass boiler (not Gaggia)

-Decent Steam wand (not Gaggia)

-58mm portafliter that accept various baskets and give more selection when it come to tamper and makes it easier to find naked pfs (not Lelit)

With my current setup, I never really longed for a PID controller since I can't really taste the diff between the hottest and coolest temp that my machine considers acceptable (i.e. the green light is on). I have no experience with an adjustable OPV so it would be nice to hear what those with experience think. If anyone would like to add to the list feel free to do so, I may have overlooked something I didn't know that I shouldn't live without.

By the way, straight espresso is 90% of what I make at home so steaming performance is not that important to me, I have learned to do a pretty good job with a plastic panarello with the sleeve removed.

Thanks

Temperature stable group.

Jump ball Silvia or Crossland.

I'd say temperature stability via P.I.D. or tuned heat exchanger. Adjustable pressure is a close second but won't affect the taste of the espresso as drastically as bad temperature and an adjustable OPV can easily be added for about $30 and a little mechanical aptitude.

IMHO, temperature repeatability is more important than stability. Then again, I've only worked with thermoblock, HX, and lever machines. Never really played with a SBDU or DB.

Maybe I'm missing out.

Wouldn't temperature stability and repeatability go hand in hand? How can you have a machine whose temperature settings are repeatable if the temperature is all over the place (not stable). As far as I know all of the machines mentioned here have heavy brass groups and portafilters so temp stability should not really be an issue (by stability I mean the water/coffee not being over cooled as it moves from the boiler to the cup). What does change with a PID would be the temperature repeatability (the water always starts at the same temperature so you should theoretically get the same results barring all other variables remain constant).

It depends on your threshold, one could get repeatable declining temperature profile (e.g. maybe a home HX). Should I PID my Heat Exchanger?

Any one given function of an espresso machine is working with the other factors. Great temperature control is of little use if the flow starts so suddenly that it disturbs the puck of gives uneven saturation to the coffee. By with a portafilter held to my head and forced to choose, I would say temperature control and repeatability. Of that list, the Crossland could be the best choice for straight espresso. If that open-box has a decent warranty, I think it is the best deal as well. It has only been around for about a year or a little less, so longevity is unproven.

temperature repeatability = temperature stability.

Tomesd wrote:temperature repeatability = temperature stability.

"Stability" can be interpreted at the temperature staying the same during the extraction. Unchanging. That would be a flat temperature profile which is not necessarily desirable. One extraction could be a stable 202, and the next a stable 204, and that machine is exhibiting stable temperature.
"Repeatability" could be seen as performing the same from one extraction to the next. This could be a declining temperature profile during the extraction which many machines produce (particularly SBDUs), but creates this same profile for every extraction.

At least that is the way I apply these terms.

All these responses are myopically focusing on one detail to the exclusion of everything else -- a sure recipe for shots that suck.

Your best bet is to go for the best grinder possible, use the best coffee possible, and makes sure you get a machine does everything roughly right, rather than obsessing whether it's doing one thing precisely right.