Hey guys!

I'm currently on the lookout for a second hand espresso machine. My budget is only around €500. So far I have my eye on a Silvia thats going for €300 or else a Bezzera Elise that's going for €500. The Bezzera looks like a great machine for the price but is it overkill for a home machine? And could it be run from an external reservoir instead of plumbing it in (I'm in rented accommodation). Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Oh, and I managed to pick up a Mazzer SJ at a really good price from a cafe that was closing so I have my grinder sorted so just need the machine now.

Thanks,
Eoin

In terms of quality of the machine a good condition Elisse would blow the pants off a Silvia; well more than 200 euros worth. If you entertain a lot or do mostly milk drinks, the silvia could get annoying since you have to wait a while between "milk steam" mode and espresso mode. With a commercial machine like the Elisse there is no wait.
Does the Silvia have a PID? If not you will have to deal with temperature instability.
You can always "plumb" a machine with a reservoir and a water pump. Flojet pumps are a popular choice for this. Search the forums for Flojet for some good examples.

Also, if the Super Jolly burrs aren't sharp enough to shave a fingernail, you'll need to replace the burrs. That's a common practice when buying a grinder that's been used in a cafe. I've replaced the burrs in two SJ's I purchased used.

Thanks for the advice guys. Yeah I'm leaning towards the Ellisse as I drink a lot of milk based drinks. I was just concerned with the cost of running a commercial machine and if it was overkill for a homeachine. I've ordered new burrs for the super jolly so just waiting for them to arrive Flo jet seems like a viable option. Is it possible that the machine could run ok without the flojet and just straight from a reservoir?

Eoin_G wrote:Thanks for the advice guys. Yeah I'm leaning towards the Ellisse as I drink a lot of milk based drinks. I was just concerned with the cost of running a commercial machine and if it was overkill for a homeachine. I've ordered new burrs for the super jolly so just waiting for them to arrive Flo jet seems like a viable option. Is it possible that the machine could run ok without the flojet and just straight from a reservoir?

Looks like probably yes. Did some Googling for Ellisse manual and found this:

4.2.2 Water Supply Connection(Fig. 03)Make sure that the water supply installation is connected to drinkable water supply with operating pressure ranging from 0 to 6 bar.

Great, thank you, I really appreciate the help. I decided to go with the Ellisse and made an offer to buy but the guy has already just agreed a sale I'm a little put off the Silvia now as I feel as soon as I buy it I'll feel the need to upgrade. I've just had a look at the new Oscar II, its a bit over budget but looks like it would suit my needs a lot better as me and my partner drink a lot of milk based drinks. Theres also the option to purchase it with a fitted OPV and Pressurestat. Will either of these options make much of a difference in the cup? Thanks again for the help.

Eoin_G wrote:I've just had a look at the new Oscar II, its a bit over budget but looks like it would suit my needs a lot better as me and my partner drink a lot of milk based drinks. Theres also the option to purchase it with a fitted OPV and Pressurestat. Will either of these options make much of a difference in the cup? Thanks again for the help.

There seem to be relatively few of us with love for Oscar 1, but I'm in that group. For me, it's been a great choice that makes excellent espresso with little fuss (cooling flush, open steam valve during warm-up, care & consistency in grind & preparation, proper cleaning / backflushing etc). I'm not a novice - I've been drinking espresso for decades and have had many machines over the years. We sold our house and moved to an apartment with a much smaller kitchen - so I bought Oscar used about a year ago, stripped & rebuilt him (a very easy job), and couldn't be happier with my ~USD$550 total investment. If you keep your eyes open, you'll find used Oscars in decent shape (even with many miles on the clock) well within your budget - so that's one good option for you. And for what it's worth, Oscar 1 is far from ugly to me despite many such posts here and elsewhere. The ABS case is industrial chic / Bauhaus in appearance, tough as nails, and very easy to maintain - my wife and I actually think it looks great in our kitchen:



Because I love Oscar 1, I'd be thrilled with a new Oscar 2 and will probably buy one if and when our current machine needs more work than he's worth. Yes, I'd get the "pro pack" (OPV, vacuum breaker etc) - but only because it seems cool to have (I feel no need at all to modify our current machine). The new Oscar is more art deco than Bauhaus, but that's OK too - it's also industrial art to us.

Eoin_G wrote:...if it was overkill for a homeachine.

Some of us have completely lost our minds in the chase of the ultimate shot, so the idea of "overkill" is not a concept we may be able to properly advise you on. I recently bought an third grinder only to see if it would make a substantial difference over my Super Jolly with Duranium burrs. My wife was not happy until I got the new grinder dialed in. Hmmm, this is really good.

The SJ is a solid machine, the new one is better, but only ever so slightly.

Because I love Oscar 1, I'd be thrilled with a new Oscar 2 and will probably buy one if and when our current machine needs more work than he's worth. Yes, I'd get the "pro pack" (OPV, vacuum breaker etc) - but only because it seems cool to have (I feel no need at all to modify our current machine). The new Oscar is more art deco than Bauhaus, but that's OK too - it's also industrial art to us.[/quote]

I'm sold on the Oscar! I'm sure the only limiting factor for the foreseeable future will be my barista kills. I'm going to place my order this weekend, with the OPV fitted. Also, nice profile picture! I'm a big Robert Johnson fan!

jwCrema wrote:Some of us have completely lost our minds in the chase of the ultimate shot, so the idea of "overkill" is not a concept we may be able to properly advise you on. I recently bought an third grinder only to see if it would make a substantial difference over my Super Jolly with Duranium burrs. My wife was not happy until I got the new grinder dialed in. Hmmm, this is really good.

The SJ is a solid machine, the new one is better, but only ever so slightly.

Ha ha, I can see how it could become an obsession! Glad to hear the SJ is a solid machine. I got it at a very reasonable price of 190 euro and new burrs cost me 30, (about 240 dollars in total) so really happy it. Just need to wait for my Oscar now