Encouraged by Ken Fox's posts as well as a few other things, I'd been toying with the idea of buying a Junior for years and used whatever excuses and opportunities to play with them as frequently as possible. While I never lived with one, I wasn't exactly a virgin either. Last winter, when my old Pasquini went to meet its maker in Bezzera heaven, I consulted Chirs Coffee and we decided I should buy the brand new Casa.

The La Cimbali Jr DT/1 Casa currently sold by Chris Coffee is not quite the same machine reviewed by Dan Kehn in Home Barista's review section.

There are three obvious differences:
1) Double needle gauge indicates both pump and boiler pressures;
2) "Improved" steam tip; and
3) 4 second pre-infusion

In my opinion pre-infusion alone merits a second look at Dan's excellent review and some minor revisions in the ratings.

1. Gauge
Some people may find the new gauge significant. If you're one of them, the importance of the change speaks for itself.

For other people (like me) either reading is of peripheral importance other than when first setting up the machine or attempting to diagnose a problem. They certainly made checking for proper operation during setup easier; and would make diagnosis of some problems faster. Since the gauge's properties didn't figure in Dan's review, and don't effect Junior's day to day operation, the change isn't an issue here.

2. Steam Tip
Dan's review DT/1 was set up slightly differently than the Casa, which slightly complicates what would otherwise be a very simple discussion.

Dan exchanged his DT/1's stock arm and tip, with an arm and tip from a La Spaziale S1. He ran his boiler pressure at 0.9 bar. At Chris's request, La Cimbali revised the Junior's commercial tip by plugging (or not drilling out) the central hole. Chris ships the Casa with the boiler pressure at 1.1 bar (with a dead band of plus or minus 0.1).

[N.B. Dan probably used skoshi less water for his cooling flush routines than I do -- no doubt a function of the different boiler pressures]

The new steam tip is far friendlier to the typical residential user than the old one, and I suspect the Casa at its "as shipped" boiler pressure generates more steam than the review sample.

While the Casa still lacks some steam speed and capacity compared to HXs with huge boilers, like an Elektra Sixties or a Nuova Simonelli Appia, it is still quite fast. 7 oz of milk, enough for a huge latte, takes less than 15 seconds in a 20 oz pitcher. More, it is a very easy tip to operate. With two twists of the valve, silky chrome is practically automatic.

Since quality micro-foam is so fast and easy at the "stock" boiler pressure with the new stock tip... The review's Cappuccino Lover's rating should be bumped from 8.5 to 9.0.

3. Pre-infusion
The biggest difference between the old DT/1 and the new DT/1 Casa is a user engageable (but not user adjustable), 4 second, line-pressure pre-infusion.

Works. Like. A. Champ.

It takes some pressure off barista technique. I'm not really sure how important that is since most of us are as good as our skills allow nearly all the time, while the rest of us sink to our ordinary level of inattentive sloth as soon as the spotlight is off. Furthermore, once the pump takes over it still brings the water in a serious rush. While things are better than they were, there are easier machines out there. Casa baskets still won't fill themselves.

Given an adequate skill set, employed with adequate care, the pre-infusion cycle minimizes the differences in the cup between shots which are slammed out at coffee bar production rates, or pulled with several minutes between them as in a (normal) home. Compared to the old Junior, that's huge.

I'm sure Dan would agree with the importance, and Ken too inter alia.

There's no apparent downside. No loss of capacity to reveal nuance, nor to diminish whatever forgiveness the coffee allows -- even at a normal home pace.

Consequently (and the reason for this post), the review's Exceptional Espresso rating should be adjusted to 9.0/*9.5 for the Casa, and the Morning After rating should be raised from 7.0 to 8.0.

Thoughts?

BDL

If you're ever curious to see Ken Fox's PID'd Cimbali Jr. in action, it now lives in Van Nuys, pumping out espresso for Michael Teahan and Angelo Minicozzi at their wholesale parts shop. Michael restored it to health after its boiler froze at Ken's Idaho home.

Marshall,

Pass along the contact info and some time when I'm in the SFV, maybe I can check it out.

Rich (BDL)

I could be biased or a stooge, but... y'all are taking it on faith?

No one wants to see Dan (or someone else at HB) take a look at the M21 Junior DT/1 Casa, and see how it compares to the OLD UNIMPROVED model?

Is it so unimportant? Is the day of the big buck HX machine passe? Is this the end of Rico?

BDL

Being a very satisfied owner of the newer model I don't need the update to validate my personal opinions, but I think a quick update would benefit prospective owners given the potential improvements in the espresso and cappuccino scores.

DBs generate alot of interest certainly and the Junior currently runs $400 or so more, but maybe owners at this price level are simply too busy enjoying coffee from the Cimbal to write at length about their experiences??

Bill

Edited 9/27

Hey Bill!

I think a quick update would benefit prospective owners given the potential improvements in the espresso and cappuccino scores.

Me too.

Being a very satisfied owner of the newer model I don't need the update to validate my personal opinions

On the other hand, validation wouldn't hurt. Did I mention that you're an intelligent and perceptive man with an excellent espresso machine?

What are your impressions of the Casa vis a vis Dan's old review? Are they different? Would you upgrade the scores as I suggested? Something else?

BDL