My first espresso machine, a Gaggia New Baby, exploded over the weekend after about 3 years of use. I could probably fix it (I think it's the 3-way solenoid), but I'm going to replace it with something that'll allow simultaneous steaming and brewing. We drink americanos and espresso in the morning and cappuccino in the evening.

Shot quality, durability, serviceability (we have very hard water), steam pressure for multiple drinks (2 to occasionally 4) are among my primary considerations. A stainless steel boiler is a must for me as my fiance is concerned about lead from copper/brass. That was her only requirement, so I can't budge on that one.

Can someone help me decide between the ECM Technika IV Profi and the Profitec Pro 500? It will be used with a Baratza Vario grinder. We do not currently have the ability to plumb it, but we may want to do that within 2 years or so. Is there any truth to a rotary pump not achieving proper pressure when using a water tank? I like the look and the joystick control of the ECM, but it's also $600 or so more for basically a 0.2L larger boiler and the rotary pump vs. vibratory pump.

Please help, and thank you! I'm totally stuck and driving myself (and her) nuts.

No one has any suggestions between these two machines or a comment about rotary pumps used on water tanks? Any advice would be appreciated.

I had to make the same decision recently and went with the Pro 500. The main differences are the rotary pump and joystick levers on the Technika. Placement of the dials and a few small fit-n-finish differences not withstanding. Since I was not going to plumb the machine directly to my water line, I didn't see the benefit of the rotary pump. The machines are more similar than different. ECM and Profitec are very interrelated companies, with several of the same managing partners, and depending who you ask, they are actually the same company doing business under different names with slight changes to each model. Also the rotary pump is made of brass (although low-lead level brass) but water will still flow thru the brass rotary pump if that is a concern for you. The $600 difference was too much to overlook, so I went with the Pro 500.

A fairly informative comparison is here: https://www.wholelattelove.com/products ... hgodsUAOkQ

There is absolutely no problem with a rotary pump achieving any pressure you want while drawing from a reservoir.

Thank you both very much- that helps. Jenjava, are you happy with your 500? How long would you say it takes to warm up?

I'm very happy with the Pro 500. I turn it on for 1 hour before pulling a shot. I'd like to get an automatic on/off timer for it. You only need 30-45 minutes to warm up iirc in the instructions... but I like to be sure. The Technika looks like a great machine too, but for my needs the Pro 500 was more than I'll ever need.

Also if you look at this review of the Technika here:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PSReIdVyXjw
The reviewer mentions in the comment section, he would most likely buy the Pro 500 over the Technika if he had to pick between them. Both are really nice machines. No wrong choice here.

I researched various semi-automatic machines for about a year. When it came down to it, the Profitec 500 was the best value compared to all of the machines at the $1,899 price level. It takes about 20 minutes to warm up, it has great pressure and pulls great shots. I have a Baratza ceramic burr grinder and dials in perfectly with this machine. Whole Latte Love is the only reseller of the 500 in the states that I am aware of and it lists for approximately, $1,599 on sale. The sale has been going on for many months now. However, you might be able to get the price down even further. The single steel boiler is large enough and steams and pulls great shots at the same time. I also, believe that the steel boiler is a long term health benefit vs. copper or brass. Mine is not plumbed in but the water tank is easy to get to and refill.

There are no issues running the Technika on the water tank. As far as rotary vs vibratory, I don't think I could ever go back to vibratory based on noise alone - (though the La Spaizale machines manage the sound quite well). I also think I remember reading somewhere about the flow rate of rotary pumps being smoother or a more gentle ramp up as compared to vibratory, but with the E61 that might not be a big issue. Otherwise shot quality should not be different between the machines.

Warm up time of either machine will be about the same - you can get away with 30 minutes, but I usually find 45+ will be more stable and recover between shots faster. You might want to look into a programmable timer if that doesn't work for your schedule.

For me, it came down to a fit and finish preference, and that even though the Technika is not a cheap date, a couple hundred dollars over the life of the machine and a few years down the road if you enjoy looking at the machine more everyday, is not a big factor. I made that decision between the Technika and the Bezzera Mitica, which has nearly all of the same aesthetics and features as the Technika, but a brass boiler, and the price was closer between those machines than the two you are comparing.

The Technika is definitely serviceable, but the panels are not super easy to remove like some other machines. Because the fit and finish is so tight and well put together, there are a lot of different screws to undo and you kind of have to wrestle the body panel off. Regardless of the panels, with this kind of investment, I would think it would be worth it to use bottled water like Crystal Geyser if you know your water is going to cause scale or potential issues. HX machines are not as easy to descale as the the Gaggias, nor would you want to be descaling regularly. Maybe even look into a machine with boilers that have drain plugs?

Also, I just noticed you're in AZ. I'm located in Central Phoenix, so if you think it might beneficial to see the machine in the metal first, you're welcome to come give it a whirl.

gophish wrote: I also think I remember reading somewhere about the flow rate of rotary pumps being smoother or a more gentle ramp up as compared to vibratory, but with the E61 that might not be a big issue.

This is not what is usually written on the subject and fact quite the opposite with regards to ramp up. There was some early myth about pulsatile flow with vibratory pumps but taste testing here years ago showed there wasn't really anything in it with regards to superiority of shots. Perhaps there was a peculiarity of a certain machine buy I'm not sure this is an accurate generalisation.