forbeskm wrote:one downside over the pavoni is it has a bigger boiler so it takes longer to heat up....

Compared to commercial machines the difference in heat up time on home lever machines is quite small (10-13 min for my Pavoni versus 90 minutes for my Bosco). I would turn on my home machines based on when I wanted a shot and would not keep it on the whole day.

Mike, if you are truly in doubt for what you would pick for a lever machine but still want to attempt the plunge and is willing to learn, a used La Pavoni is your best bet for a lever machine. Even when everyone seems to be salivating for the Cremina you can produce similar if not identical results on a Pavoni for a cheaper price. Once you pull enough shots I can be very consistent on my Pavoni. It is only when you pull multiple shots does the Pavoni start to lose to the Cremina without serious intervention (ie cold wet towel on group). If you do need multiple shots then I recommend an Elektra Micro Casa a Leva, a home spring lever machine. It will overheat less, especially with a teflon group gasket.