Vibe pump vs Rotary - Page 6

#51: Post by **Juanjo** » June 5th, 2009, 12:33 pm

Tim

one day you'll have a rotary pump and we will say it together 'rotary pumps are bettttteeerrrr '

PS
there machines with rotary pumps with water tank (no need for plumbing)... yes, they cost more...for a good reason..

#52: Post by **TimEggers** » June 5th, 2009, 12:41 pm

If and when my Anita is beyond repair maybe, but still I can't justify that expense for my application, plumed in or not.

Vibe just does not bother me. Enjoy your rotary.

#53: Post by **Bluecold** » June 5th, 2009, 1:10 pm

malachi wrote: And fundamentally (by your logic) a pump is a luxury. After all, a lever works fine.

Nowadays a lever is luxury, vibepumps cost less to manufacture. But ofcourse levers are waaaayy better.

#54: Post by **Juanjo** » June 5th, 2009, 1:17 pm

BlueCold,

are you saying that lever machines are better than pump machines?

if so you should start a new thread "lever vs pump" so I can disagree with you...

I had few lever machines (La Graziella, La Peppina, Luzzo, La Pavoni and few others) and I was never able to get close to the end result "in the cup" as with my pump machine at the time.
BUT.. I'm pretty clueless when it comes to lever..

#55: Post by **Endo** » June 5th, 2009, 6:05 pm

Juanjo wrote:one day you'll have a rotary pump and we will say it together 'rotary pumps are bettttteeerrrr '

Yes they are "better", in the sense that they can pump water for a longer period of time with failing. But as almost everyone has already stated, they cost more and are "no better" at making espresso.

#56: Post by **MDL** » June 5th, 2009, 7:30 pm

A brew pressure gauge of some sort is required for a rotary pump machine to set the brew pressure. Now, you could argue that this requirement makes a rotary pump even more or a luxury...

I own a rotary, plumbed in machine and love it.
No reservoir to fill, clean or run down.
Much less noise than the rotary pump machine that I had before.
Fantastic brew temperature control (not a PID by the way).
Ability to make as many drinks (milk or not) as I have ever needed without loss of steam or temperature.
Ability to save energy by turning the steam boiler off when it is not needed.

I would also say that an HX machine is not the best choice for a catering situation. In that case you would want a double boiler so that you don't have to worry about temperature surfing as you make coffee, tea and milk drinks.

#57: Post by **Endo** » June 5th, 2009, 9:00 pm

MDL wrote: I own a rotary, plumbed in machine and love it.
No reservoir to fill, clean or run down.

I own a vibe, pour-over machine and love it.
No plumbing to install, or leak (another $300 expense along with the rotary that I avoided).

Sorry guys, there is a flip side to every argument you want to make. While I enjoy debating details of the machine design, bottom line is, at the $2000 level, there are very few bad choices that you can make, and I doubt you would find any is actually much "better" than any other (especially in a blind taste test). Just pick whatever suits your needs, taste and budget. Whatever you choose, your coffee selection and technique will always be an order of magnitude more important (and they come for free!!)

By the way MDL, your Vivaldi is the best.

#58: Post by **zin1953** » June 5th, 2009, 9:26 pm

Not better. Preferred.

#59: Post by **Juanjo** » June 5th, 2009, 9:29 pm

Endo,

yes, they are more expensive, and they may no make difference in the test..
still.. rotary pumps are "better" than vibe..

can't imagine any other reason why a machine with rotary pump cost $300 more..

#60: Post by HB » June 5th, 2009, 9:56 pm

Juanjo wrote:still.. rotary pumps are "better" than vibe.

Quieter in many cases, but I agree with Jason, it's a matter of preference. If the noise is bothersome, outboard the pump. I moved the vibe pump on La Valentina to the cabinet below it. The soft buzz the pump makes is so isolated, I can hear the water gurgling into the brew chamber.

My main espresso machine is the Elektra Semiautomatica. Its vibe pump isn't loud, though I suppose a rotary pump would be quieter. Even if it were available with a rotary pump, I wouldn't buy it. The smaller size and portability are worth the tradeoff.