I have been watching the excellent videos of Jim Schulman about the Bezzera Strega. Especially I liked the statement that the Strega could be played like an instrument - and after that "kick" I decided to go and order one.
BUT
I had in mind to get either the tank version with the vibration pump - as obviously shown in his videos - or the "TOP" which has a tank and can be connected to the water supply.
However the Bezzera dealer told me "you better buy the machine without electric pump and connect it to the water supply"
Technically I could do so, using a water hose of about 10 feet and a water filter
but since I make only 4-5 espressi per day, I feel that the tank version is better for me. So I can fill always fresh water in my tank.
If I would use the hose I'm afraid that to much water is waiting in the tube and in the filter so that in fact it's not really fresh water any more when it comes into my cup.

Moreover I was told that only the tank version offers me the possibility to
descale the machine myself - the way I'm used.

Dear Jim Schulman - you made a nice video about the question "who should buy and who should avoid (the Strega)" Maybe you can make another one with a title similar to this:
"I you decided to but the Strega - which version shall you get" and show all advantages and disadvantages of the 3 different versions.

Moreover I think it's an interesting topic to be discussed in the forum and I will be glad to read many comments and suggestions.

I haven't tried the different versions, so I can't really make a video about it.

The plumbed in model has direct competition from Izzo, Quickmill, and Londinium, as well as from any number of vintage single group commercial lever machines. I do not have a lot of experience with these machines, but have gotten superb shots from many of them. I also attended a get together in the Bay Area where the pump version Strega version was head ot head with conventional levers. The shot comparison was too close to call in a single session. This is true of all competent equipment. When a piece of gear is well made and has many happy owners, the difference between it and other similar gear will require a long time to discern. Moreover, the differences will not be in absolute quality but in style and annoyances.

Most people who get anxious about these choices are relatively new to espresso, and both their desires and fears are entirely imaginary, that is unfounded in experience, and founded entirely on words and images they haphazardly chanced upon. The small differences in the pump Strega and conventional lever machines -- that the preinfusion takes longer, that you can develop higher P/I pressures, and that there is pump noise at the the start of the shot -- are necessarily meaningless to anyone who hasn't had a year or two to get experienced in these machines.

Based on this, my advice is this. Buy anything you please. Stick to it at least eighteen months. Then decide what's important to you and what isn't. Prior to buying a lever, or in the first few months of ownership, you will not be able to separate your imaginary from your real preferences.

Dear Jim

many thanks for your fast and detailed reply - I appreciate very much.
I like to buy the "TOP" version with both options and I was just puzzled to hear the advice of the seller "you better buy the plumbed only"
Meantime I saw a notice on a coffee forum in Germany:
"If you like to run the "TOP" without pump - just remove the power supply to the pump and it will work - the water will go though."

I will wait now a bit - maybe some other home-barista's will post me their experiences.

very kind regards
lungo

There seems to be a disconnect here. The dealer is hinting that the top model has reliability issues when run as a plumb in. The forum post hints that the pump becomes active when it should not. I have no personal experience on the reliability of these models; but if the issue behind these warnings is the Ulka pump's state when not in use, it is hard to imagine anything more trivial.

A few people on this forum have run the Strega plumbed in; and I hope they will chime in when they see the thread.