Conversely, a poor barista can pull swill from the most expensive equipment available

HB wrote:Teme,

Welcome out of the shadows! Now I have to ask: Apart from the convenience factor (i.e., ability to dial in a particular temperature), why do you think this new offering would be any better than what you have today?

1) For someone with mediocre skills, a PID would help in achieving correct brew temps more consistently and subsequently help achieve good shots more consistently. I could have gone for a PID Silvia instead of my current Andreja, but at approximately 50% of the coffee we drink being cappas and latte's - I preferred a good HX vs the PID Silvia. With up and coming dual boiler PID'ed machine from Chris, I'd have the best of both worlds - I assume.

2) While I have no doubt whatsoever that a good barista can prepare significantly better espresso than me with poorer equipment than mine, there still are limitations to what one can produce with lesser machines. Put a mediocre driver (that has at least an idea what he/she is doing) in a Ferrari and Michael Schumacher in a Yugo - who do you think will be faster on the track? I would not call my skills poor anymore (perhaps I amgetting close to being average) and as my skills continue improving over time and practice, that difference would narrow down - especially with a machine that makes it easier for me / is perhaps more forgiving.

3) A dual boiler machine is easier to descale than a HX. This argument is not based on knowledge or experience but on my current understanding from what I have read.

4) Rotary pump and plumbing in - I do not have the option of plumbing in my machine, but I hope to in the future. Also, the vibe pump on the Andreja is quite noisy (a common "problem" with vibe pumps) while with a rotary pump the new machine would be quieter and more durable.

5) Then come the "softer" items. A "wow" factor is not what I am looking for, but it does not hurt either. The Andreja has it in spades so I doubt there would be much improvement in this area. Perceived quality in terms of lower noise and the added convenience (or perception thereof) would be my arguments. I can also admit that knowing that I own a quality piece of equipment adds its own "feelgood factor".

HB wrote:In the next Buyer's Guide, I would like to offer some thoughts on the factors separating commercial equipment and prosumer equipment. I call them the 4 C's: Convenience, Consistency, Capacity, and Continuity. My thinking is that home consumers are hyped into a never ending upgrade cycle because they're convinced it's key to better shots, and yet the limiting factor is "on the handle side of the portafilter." Let's see if Chris agrees in his writeup.

HB wrote:PS: I noticed your blog has a "friends of HB" link. Thanks!

HB wrote:
In the next Buyer's Guide, I would like to offer some thoughts on the factors separating commercial equipment and prosumer equipment. I call them the 4 C's: Convenience, Consistency, Capacity, and Continuity.