Alex by Izzo - rotary pump you don't have to plumb in!

[chris]

Since we introduced the Vetrano over a year ago many people have asked for an espresso machine with a nice quite rotary pump that they did not have to plumb in.

Say hello to Alex by Izzo! She has a quiet rotary pump and doesn't have to be plumbed in. However she can be plumbed as simply as connecting the braided stainless steel water line and flipping a lever.

Vist our web site here http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/espresso/alex to find out more about Alex.

[keno]

Chris,

This machine appears to be modified for the US market since the Euro specs show it with a vibration pump instead of a rotary. Interestingly, the Euro link says it makes a sound when the water tank is out. Does the US model have this feature?

http://www.gruppoizzo.it/home.php?sez=14&lang=en

On your website, one of the pics shows a box with Sirai labeling. Does it have a Sirai pressurestat? If so, why do you list an upgrade to a Jaeger p-stat? If not, what is that box and what p-stat is it spec'd with?

Nice looking machine.

Cheers,
Ken

[chris]

The link you pointed to shows a rotary pump where to you see vibration?

As far as modifications go, yes they made changes to this machine for me to make it more what the American consumer is looking for.

Here are some of the changes they made:

• Swivel steam and hot water arms.
• Drip tray optional drain not mandatory.
• Larger drip tray.
• Drip tray that is removed by sliding out not lifting up and out.
• Addition of second manometer for the pump pressure.
• Changes to the pump motor mounts to make it quieter, which is one of the main reasons US consumers buy rotary pump machines.

There were also some other changes we made internally with respect to how components are mounted or the ones they use.

Your other question about the alert, yes that is still in there. When the machine is running off the water tank the two lights that indicate if the heater is on or off both go out, power to the rotary pump is cut, and the alarm starts.

[Psyd]

So, say I were to give up the two-group, (and get a huge portion of my kitchen back...) and replace her with Alex, would I still have the thing plumbed in and on all day long, 24-7 ? And, if I were tempted to do a party elswhere, could I have a quick disconnect on the water line and just disco the drain and the water supply, plug the drain and pack her (still a 'her', right?) up in the truck to plug her in a 11V circuit and fill the water tank, flip the switch, and pull shots?
Hurry up, Chris, I'm trying to figure out if I should start drooling yet...

[cannonfodder]

... and pack her (still a 'her', right?) up in the truck to plug her in a 11V circuit and...

You probably need an additional 99v

[bgn]

Very cool Chris. How can we learn more about Izzo as a company? or what can you tell us about them?
Thanks,
Barry.

[HB]

And, if I were tempted to do a party elswhere, could I have a quick disconnect on the water line...

Most potential buyers are likely more interested in the rotary option without the need to plumb it in, but there's no reason you can't tote it around from time-to-time. I recognize the same drain setup as the Vetrano. Unhook with two quick connects, put the drain plug in, turn the switch over to "reservoir" and you're off.

[chris]

Here is a link to Izzo's web site. http://www.gruppoizzo.it/home.php?sez=1

They are a strong player in Naples Italy with their coffee and it is an area of Italy where you will find more lever action commercial piston machines than anywhere.

Like this one manufactured by Izzo:



As for the question about being that simple to disconnect and take with you and use as a manual fill, yes it is that simple.

Disconnect the water line.
Flip the lever
Put the plug in the drip tray
plug into any 15 amp outlet
fill the water tank.

Direct plump rotary pump lever action machine with drain will travel.

[miKe mcKoffee]

Is Alex commercial use certified? IE legally able to use for catering etc.

[mgwolf]

Chris,
I thought the biggest issue with rotary pumps/reservoirs was their ability to burn out in a few seconds if they ran out of water, which could be a high risk in a manual fill machine. Does the Alex have some type of safety switch or warning to tell you that you're empty to prevent pump damage? Michael

[keno]

Michael,

Good point. I guess that's why it has an auidble alarm for the low water level. See above in thread.

Cheers,
Ken

[HB]

I thought the biggest issue with rotary pumps/reservoirs was their ability to burn out in a few seconds if they ran out of water...

Although vendors will strenuously point out the hazards of running a pump dry, the pump won't seize in a few seconds. For example, the Procons are spec'd to tolerate 2 minutes. That said, I am absolutely not advocating that you run it dry, as it certainly can't be good for the longevity of the pump.

[chris]

If you are running the Alex off the water tank the power to the pump is cut when the water runs low. Water runs low, lights go out, no power to pump, no power to heater, and alarm goes off.

As far as using this machine for catering goes, I would not recommend it. You need something more powerful. My choice for 110 volt single group machine for catering is the Nuova Simonelli Appia.

I will post and image in a little while. But you can view the Appia here: http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/espresso/appiaauto1group


We do catering for our restaurant customers if they have a wedding or an event that ask for a coffee station. We provide everything from the machine and coffee to the Barista. At a wedding or an event every body wants coffee the last hour, you get slammed all at once. I personally used the Appia at an event for the C. I. A., Culinary Institute of America, held at Albany Country Club this past summer. It was a fund raiser and there were over 400 people there. The last hour we got slammed, I just keep steaming milk and pouring while my sales manager pulled shots for more than an hour straight. The machine did not have time to breath neither did we and the Appia never skipped a beat, it never ran low on steam power. The machine made steam as fast as I could use it. There is no way Alex could do that.

The post here simply asked if they could disconnect it and take it with them. No problem, I though he was referring to taking it to his mother's house for Christmas or some other special occasion.

[Psyd]

You probably need an additional 99v

I planned on pleading poverty and pan-handling the rest of the voltage here on the fora.
All my posts are hand-made, from all natural materials. The occasional misspelling and dropped or inverted letters aren't typoes, they're features...
Sounds like I'll trade a two-group pro Astoria (plus a checkup from a pro and any maintenance he suggests) for the cost of the Alex shipped to my house. First come first serve...

[javajay]

Chris,
I have a few questions as I am currently looking for a rotary machine. The Vetrano was at the top of the list and then along came the Alex on your site. A search for Izzo both here and at CG turns up very little. Can you comment on the build quality, fit and finish, how well the portafilter engages, etc... Having never heard of the company it's a bit intimidating to jump in without hearing others experiences and reviews.
How does this machine stack up against your Vetrano? Other than Alex's ability to be used as a pour-over in what other ways are the two machines different? If I know I want to plumb how do you point toward one machine over the other?
From the pics I see the Alex boiler isn't insulated and that it sits horizontal. Do both machines use the same rotary pump?
How are the shots from the Alex?
Lots of questions!
Thanks,
Jay

[cannonfodder]

The occasional misspelling and dropped or inverted letters aren't typoes, they're features...

Sounds like Microsoft, it is not a bug, it's an undocumented feature.

[chris]

The build quality is excellent as is their fit and finish. If it were not I wouldn't be doing business with them.

The portafilter fit is no different on this machine than any other machine with an E61 Group. They do not make the group or the portaifliters.

The ability to be used as a manual fill was the main reason why I started importing the machine...... The one down side is a Sirai stat will not fit inside where as the Vetrano has room inside for a Sirai should you want one. The reason it has room is because there is no water tank.

Same rotary pump...

Non insulated boiler. Pros and cons:

Keeps cups warmer. (Pro)
Adds heat to your kitchen. (Con)

Horizontal 2 liter boiler. Pros and cons:

Bigger boiler more steam capacity. (Pro)
I do not know of any cons to a horizontal boiler since most all commercial machines have horizontal boilers.

[Ron_L]

I've been toying with upgrading from my Millenium to a plumbed-in rotary machine, but it will take me a while to figure out the best way to get a water line over to the side of the kitchen that my wife has stuck me in , so I was resigned to running off of a bottle with a flojet and accumulator for the interim. Now you've gone and confused me!

Have you done any benchmarks of steaming performance against similar machines (Vetrano, Andrea Premium, Isomac, etc.) yet?

Oh yeah.. I can't tell from the pics. Can I fill the reservoir without having to take all of my cups off of the cup warmer (like the Millenium)?

[chris]

I have not run any test for steam capacity but I would be very surprised if it were not greater with the larger boiler capacity. You have to take the top cover off to add water.

[javajay]

I have found a vast amount of info on 'Alex' on the european site: http://www.toomuchcoffee.com/index.php Just do a search for 'Alex".
Basically all very positive comments. Seems to be a common consideration in Europe when looking at this price range. Sounds like the build quality is excellent as Chris stated (not that I was doubting but nice to hear from a variety of perspectives).
Chris, this is a tank! 72lbs! Is this due to the boiler? Frame? Casing? Combo of all these things?
A few comments on the above site about the pressure being set at 1.5 bar from the factory, apparently b/c of better recovery in a small commercial environment and serious steaming power, but with the disadvantage of very large cooling flushes. Are you adjusting this and if so what do you recommend? How accessible is the adjustment? Seems like 1.5 bar in the home environment may be overkill. One more thought... If the rotary pump can draw off a reservoir with zero line pressure does this mean one could fit a longer line to the pump and snake it into an 'under the counter' 5 gallon reservoir without the need for a flojet? That would be very excellent.
Thanks for more info. Seems like the Alex is a solid addition to your line-up regardless of the 'don't have to plumb' benefit.
Jay