I have owned the Bricoletta (Rotary-pump version) for about a year and a half. It is a great machine! I have the Pro Gold 2-hole steam tip on there, and while it is easy to steam and make microfoam, the steaming time is very, very slow (15-20 seconds for a 5oz cappuccino). Also, it is really tough to get the milk to fold in the pitcher, due to lack of steam pressure. I tried the stock 3-hole tip, but that one seemed to send the steam outward from the wand, not at an angle into the pitcher, and the results weren't great. The steam pressure was much increased, though.

I definitely want a 3-hole tip for this machine to improve steaming time and milk-folding ability (blending the microfoam). What would be a good recommendation?

While I have no immediate tip suggestion, I am in the same position as you (and await suggestions anxiously). In fact, I just sent Jim at 1st-Line an email yesterday (no response yet), asking him for tip suggestions and to quote me on numerous tips to try - 3 hole, 4 hole etc.

I found the gold-pro far too slow, so what I have done in the interim is to drill out the holes just slightly larger. It has helped. But I mean just SLIGHTLY larger. A bit too much destroys the frothing capability I found when I got a bit overzealous.

Grant

Try plugging up some of the holes on the stock tip with a toothpick. (Credit goes to a poster on this forum.) My Bric had a two hole tip stock and with one plugged, I dare say I like it more than the Pro-Gold.

You have to be careful when you start changing out tips. There is a balancing act between the boiler size, heating element wattage, steam wand tube diameter and the number/size of the holes in the tip. When retrofitting a machine with a stock two hole tip with a 3 or 4 hole (or even a two hole whose diameters are larger) you may end up with little more than a wisp of steam. If you go to large your boiler/heater will not be able to produce any pressure or you just run out of steam mid way through the frothing.

The gold two hole has smaller holes (about ¼ smaller than stock) which gives you more time to stretch the milk. The down side is, as you noted, slower steaming. Simply changing back to your stock tip (or the new style Isomac) may fix your issue. I would be hesitant to put a three hole tip on and expect much of an improvement, but they are cheap. So if it does not work out you are not out much $$.

I tried a number of different tips since I got my Bric' in '05. My final tip for the past 4 or 5 years is the stock 4 hole tip it came with (with two of the holes JB Welded closed). Gold and another 2 hole super restricted tip, well too restricted. Great velocity but took too dang long. Problem with the stock tip mine came with it would be fine with a LARGE boiler machine (like maybe 3 liter plus) but just dumped pressure way too fast on the Bric's relatively small boiler. (relative to using 3 and 4 group LM's daily:) You can experiment before permanently sealing the holes plugging one or two with toothpicks.