I am wanting to spend around $1500 dollars on a grinder and espresso machine. Here's some requirements, heat exchanger or dual boiler, nice build quality. For the grinder I want something that looks nice and will make really nice grinds.

I think for that price you can get either or, but not both, considering your requirements.

Welcome to H-B!

Are you willing to phrase your question as "What's the best espresso kit I can get on a $1,500 budget?"

Throwing additional constraints on things at that price point potentially pushes you into significant compromises.

Have you already read and watched How to choose an espresso machine and grinder at the "right" price ?

How often do you make milk drinks?

How many espressos do you make in a session?

Are you planning on sticking with typical "espresso" blends, or thinking about using lighter, single-origin coffees?

¿Que?

Equipment: Brim, Rancilio 2 group, Fiorenzato

$1500 is not going improve on your profile equipment

I actually got rid of my 2 group machine and fiorenzato so hoping to find a machine that better suites me!

I make 1 milk drink a day and pull 4 shots. I was looking at a used Nuova Simonelli Musica and a eureka mignon _____. The reason I leave that blank is because I am 75% sure I want a eureka but don't know which one.

Quickmill Silvano Evo and a Baratza Sette 270. 1500 almost to the penny. Kind of a double boiler, and high quality grinds with an accurate timer and low retention.

easton2 wrote:I actually got rid of my 2 group machine and fiorenzato so hoping to find a machine that better suites me!

sold because?

What do you want to achieve? Superb grind, quiet and low retention ring my grinder chimes. IMO, designed for single dosing is a must.

Beware of FanBoy recommendations...

Given your shots-to-milk drinks ratio, I'd also suggest the Silvano Evo. It's a hybrid machine that allows you to brew and steam at the same time. The drawback is that the steaming is a bit slow.

I messaged Chris' Coffee and a nice rep knocked 10% off my purchase, bringing the price below $1K. I'm pairing it with a DF64 grinder, which I bought for <$500 off Amazon. Unfortunately the price has gone up a bit, but it shouldn't push your total over $1,500.

The QM Silvano Evo does seem like it could fit the bill, giving you enough breathing room to squeak under $1500 with a grinder, although you're dealing with a thermoblock for steam so the power isn't that great and you won't have a hot water tap. Probably the closest to a double boiler/HX you can get while still leaving $$$ for a grinder. If you can up your budget a couple hundred bucks, the Lelit MaraX is a fantastic value at $1550 - it's a HX machine but functions more like a double boiler, using a PID to keep temps within 2C using a low/med/high switch, and doesn't require cooling flushes. Some sellers, including Chris Coffee, even include a flow control kit.

The DF64 is a fairly affordable single dose option, or you could get a cheap Eureka Mignon Specialita/Silienzio from espressocoffeeshop.com. It's priced in euros and does have some shipping cost, but it's MUCH cheaper than buying from a US seller.