Home-Barista.com reviewed the La Spaziale S1 when it was first released back in April 2005. By all accounts, the La Spaziale S1 was a very successful espresso machine with Chris' Coffee Service selling over 500 units before introducing the Vivaldi II.

Over the years, Chris' Coffee Service has worked closely with La Spaziale to refine the product line based on feedback from consumers. These incremental changes in conjunction with the recent additions of programmable preinfusion and programmable temperature offset differential prompted us to update the buyer's guide with a fresh look at the La Spaziale Vivaldi II. I'll revisit the original review, including comparisons with a representative espresso machines typically on an aficionado's short list.

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Great review Ian!

I am seriously considering this machine. Have you got the drain option hooked up to your home S1?
Is the 40 minute warm up for both boilers from room temp? I hear the timer is a bit of a pita and that you cannot use a "normal" timer but than again, that would not be a huge difference to me being self employed and a bit of a tea drinker as well. Both myself and my GF like the milk aspects of espresso so it would be hard to beat the DB devices.

Thanks again!

Jeff

Lockman wrote:Great review Ian!

I am seriously considering this machine. Have you got the drain option hooked up to your home S1?
Is the 40 minute warm up for both boilers from room temp? I hear the timer is a bit of a pita and that you cannot use a "normal" timer but than again, that would not be a huge difference to me being self employed and a bit of a tea drinker as well. Both myself and my GF like the milk aspects of espresso so it would be hard to beat the DB devices.

Thanks again!

Jeff

Both boilers will be up to temp within 10 minutes in 20a mode but you are waiting for the rest of the machine to warm up. 30 minutes is probably long enough but I usually end up with a 1-1.5 hour warm up as my wife turns on the machine for me when she goes to work.

I don't use the tray drain option on mine as the tray is very easy to pull out & replace. I've had up to 48 ozs in the tray & still made it to the sink without spilling anything. There are issues with the drain line which you might want to discuss with the folks at CC if you decide to buy the S1.

I've had my S1V2 for about 1 month now and am very happy with my decision.

I don't have the drain option since the machine is near a sink and the tray is easy to remove and dump. What little I've read about the stock option is that it's not that great and people have had better luck with a DIY solution.

It may only take both boilers 10-15 minutes to hit their temperature (in 20-amp mode) but I'd say the 40 minutes is about right to make sure the entire brew path is heated. I've been leaving my brew boiler on 24x7 and turning the steam boiler off when it's not needed. It only takes 5-10 minutes to come up to temp for steam or hot water. Not the optimal solution but it's the best one for me to have the machine ready in the morning and for those spur-of-the-moment coffee desires.

I also have found, as have others, that draping a towel over the cup warmer keeps the steam boiler from cycling so often. It also keeps the cups very warm without heating the underside of the cabinets.

I do notice that, if the steam boiler is off, the brew boiler takes a little longer to rebound from warming and blank shots. I'd need to check the diagrams but the brew water may pre-heated by the steam boiler before hitting the brew boiler, resulting in a quicker rebound.

If you'll be making milk drinks, the VII has loads of steam power. Some people have replaced the standard steam arm with a longer version and/or the standard wand tip with one with smaller holes. The latter will slow down the steaming speed. I drink mostly straight espresso or Americanos so haven't gotten either yet. Both parts are available from Chris' Coffee Service and they may in fact install them for you if you buy them and the machine from them (call to confirm).

Lastly, not to detract from Dan's and the HB folks' great work here, check out the The International LaSpaziale S1 Vivaldi Cafe site for more information than you wanted on the Vivaldi line.

jpreiser wrote:I do notice that, if the steam boiler is off, the brew boiler takes a little longer to rebound from warming and blank shots. I'd need to check the diagrams but the brew water may pre-heated by the steam boiler before hitting the brew boiler, resulting in a quicker rebound.

There is no pre heating circuit for the group boiler water in the S1. Instead La Spaziale used a small group boiler (.45ltr) heated by an 800 wt element so response is very quick. The longest I've seen my group boiler take to fully recover after a double or 2-3 oz flush is 50 secs & typically it's closer to 30 secs.

I'll chime in for the Mini Vivaldi gang (don't hear much about it here). My Mini steam boiler is only half the size (1.2L vs 2.5L). It has the same steam power but only takes 3.5 minutes to warm up. If your looking for fast warmup, you just can't beat the Mini. I just keep the .45L brew boiler on all the time and switch on the steam boiler on the occasion somebody wants a milk drink. (No timer required).

Just another option. It's not for everybody since it is a pourover and uses a more noisy (but cheaper to replace) vibe pump. Also the steam boiler and heater is a sealed unit which means descaling is a little harder to do (and not as thorough). Another limitation is the hot water delivery. You can only take .2L at a time with a 1 minute rest in betweeen.

But if you're into portability and milk drinks, it's a great choice. If you want the full plumped-in-an-out cafe experience, then go with the Maxi.

Great input. Thanks!

Ok, so I wouldn't really need the timer at all. It will be next to the sink so the drain pain could always been done later. Since the counter is not even finished I would go for the maxi. However, my SO is very into tea and that might be a problem. Can the boiler do a shot or 2 and still provide enough water to make a pot (or a cup)? It looks so tiny in the pic's.

Lockman wrote:Great input. Thanks!

Ok, so I wouldn't really need the timer at all. It will be next to the sink so the drain pain could always been done later. Since the counter is not even finished I would go for the maxi. However, my SO is very into tea and that might be a problem. Can the boiler do a shot or 2 and still provide enough water to make a pot (or a cup)? It looks so tiny in the pic's.

If you are taking about the S1 Vivaldi the steam boiler holds 2.5ltrs & you can draw off 32oz any time its up to pressure through the hot water tap. The group boiler is the small one & its only used for pulling shots/flushes.

Info here: http://www.chriscoffee.com/produc...espresso/vivaldi_2
and: http://s1cafe.com/s1v2/

Lockman wrote:However, my SO is very into tea and that might be a problem. Can the boiler do a shot or 2 and still provide enough water to make a pot (or a cup)? It looks so tiny in the pic's.

John is right, the steam boiler is huge on the S1. However, steam boiler water is both overheated (well above boiling) and stale (been sitting for hours or days).

Every tea brewing recipe will advise you to start with fresh, cold water. There are many ways to boil water in the kitchen. In particular, electric kettles are inexpensive and convenient. Get your wife an electric kettle for tea. She deserves it.

FYI, for hot water, I use a Chef's Choice 675 electric kettle. This is the same model Alton Brown uses on the Good Eats show. Not elegant but heats water very quickly and the wide opening makes it useful for other tasks.