I don't think this forum has a thread devoted to this modern, commercial and, I suspect, most excellent lever espresso machine. Let me start the thread to fill this void. Sadly, I have no first hand experience of it. Do any of you?
KvdW Mirage Idrocompresso

The text on the link also conveys good information about lever groups.

Someone in the LMWDP needs one of these don't you think? (I'm off to search that thread)

Comments?

Stop it!

I just got my La Marzocco! I can't afford to change. You ruined my day!

OK, here's a test. I wanna see if HB'ers can make a dream come true. If everyone were to donate a single five or ten dollars to a central PayPal account, I would be able to buy one of these by my Birthday. Go now, just make a five or ten dollar (more, if you're well off) and let's see if we can band together to get this done by April 26th!

Go Team HB!


'Kay, it was worth a shot...

Count me in Chris....I will double your request to $10 if you let me come to Tucson for a demo and a shot!

Nik wrote:Count me in Chris....I will double your request to $10 if you let me come to Tucson for a demo and a shot!

I'll let you touch it for another ten bucks, mister... ; >

Bluecold wrote:The groups have changed.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49th/sets/...228193889/

Another beautiful work of art for 49th parallel.
I'd like to know how the LaMarz compares to the Kees.
Too bad 49th parallel doesn't have a blog. Their main site is all about beans instead of important news about shiny lever machines.

The 49th Parallel La Marzocco lever is my favorite, though I wish Kees would produce a single group Idro about the size of a Speedster. I would think there would be a good market for this...perhaps I'm wrong.

I maybe be wrong here, but If you ask nicely, he might be able to make you a single group lever anything http://www.keesvanderwesten.com/earlier-work-il-brutto.html

Anthony

There may be something in the works. I saw a pic of a single group Speedster lever that they are working on. I emailed Kees about it and he replied that if they get the temp stability and dynamics sorted out it may be in the works for later this year. I'm saving my pennies just in case. In the meantime lucky me that I live close to 49th and hope to see their lever in action either in the cafe or at the roaster.

This is most excellent news:

I emailed Kees about it and he replied that if they get the temp stability and dynamics sorted out it may be in the works for later this year.

Meantime, I will go visit BC with the family. We've been meaning to do it and I already know that 49th does a fine job from experience at the Trabant Cafe in the U district, Seattle.

This vintage La Marzocco lever is just gorgeous! Thank you for the picture gallery.

Another place to check out the Idrocompresso is at Blue Bottle in San Francisco. They have a three group model at their Ferry Building location. I was visiting the Bay Area in December and had a wonderful shot pulled from that machine.

They say if you have to ask then you can't afford it, but I need to know the price on either of those bad boys shown!

wildbwilson wrote:I saw a pic of a single group Speedster lever that they are working on.

Do you have the link to this photo? Or can you post the photo itself?

KnowGood wrote:They say if you have to ask then you can't afford it, but I need to know the price on either of those bad boys shown!

KnowGood, guessing here in the Mirage, but I'd say it'd be just shy of the cost of a Mistral, so about $20,000. The Speedster is 4,975 Euro, so you'll have to convert using the latest exchange rate and add for shipping and applicable customs fees. Figure about $8,000. As for the La Marzocco...I'd guess that if one like it were for sale it'd be $50,000 - totally a WAG based off a 1953 3-group lever that was on eBay a year ago that needed a serious restoration and was not as attractive a model yet still had bidding go up over $22,000 and did not meet the reserve.

Hope this is what you were asking.

Being a prototype, it is just there to fill the holes in the front.
Frank