I hear that Vibiemme will introduce a dual-boiler, PID, rotary pump machine with the E61 group next month in Milan...

Br,
Teme

Why not a Dalla Corte?

Does Dalla Corte have a US distributor yet?

Members posed the same question in the thread Dalla Corte Mini over a year ago. The Sovrana Store carried it for awhile; I don't see it on their website now. Google failed to find any US resellers. If it's sold in the US, they're well hidden.

I have an Appia which was mentioned as an option above and I give it full marks. Steams like a locomotive and delivers a quality cup without exception. Not a dual boiler but temp is spot in every pull without a flush.. even after sitting for an hour. A five liter boiler will never allow you to run out steam. Never misses a beat. Yep.. I am so impressed that I am going to get the two group next year.

J

Thanks everyone for the replies. I have not heard of some of the machines mentioned so I have some research to do. The advise that using the units is the best way to know and understand the product is good but not an option unfortunately. I did use a La Marzocco today--hard to go wrong with this machine, but $$$. The Vivaldi looks like a great option for my pocket book and I'm seriously looking into this unit which is available in my country.

I e-mailed Joseph Parrottino at coffeetech <www.caffetech.com> the same options I posted here and he too recommend the Vivaldi, but he also had this to say "If an E61 head in a double boiler is what you want - than you will need
to wait some time - as we are in the process of designing one in Italy at this time - when it will be ready is difficult to say." I wonder what the price will be and what company he is referring to?

Why the E61 brew group by Faema? I have based this choice on many reviews like the following: http://www.wholelattelove.com/articles/ ... _group.cfm

Orian

orian wrote:I want to purchase an espresso machine but can't afford a la Marzocco GS/3... what I really want. I would like to find one however, that has all of the following:

1. rotary pump
2. dual boiler
3. E61 Brew group
4. Plumb in capability

Does such a machine exist for under $4000?

Thanks

orian

Buying a machine based on specs, such as you give above, is like having an operation from a surgeon who operates on you with a surgical textbook next to the OR table, just in case.

Based on what you have posted in this thread it is my opinion that you do not know enough about what you are searching for to be able to even tell the difference in the product produced by any number of fine machines that out there and which do not meet your specs. I would throw the GS3 into that mix as well, as a machine meeting your specs which will not produce "better" shots than any number of the others being operated by experienced home baristas.

Espresso is more than a recipe for a certain type of coffee produced by a certain type of machine. It is a culinary product with a particular recipe that varies depending on what you are trying to make and with what sorts of coffee and what sorts of equipment. There is not one definition of "good" and "better," but many.

In making excellent espresso, one has to have a certain level of equipment, which includes a very good grinder and a good espresso machine. With this level of equipment, the most important other factors are (without question#1, the most important being) the COFFEE ITSELF, and following that, the person making the espresso drink. Somewhere much lower on the list is to be found the differences between what you would get from a lower priced E61 machine vs. something like a GS3, by competent operators.

I have left out of this discussion basic competence as a barista. This is important however if you use Italian-ish type dosing, e.g. ~12-15 g for a double basket, assuming proper grind, the espresso shots more or less make themselves.

If you really want to make the best espresso available, concentrate first on the coffee that you are using, next on the grinder, and only after that would the espresso machine come up, and then it would be less important.

HUGE improvements in espresso quality come from the COFFEE, way before they come from anything else.

ken

Follow-on discussion split to Rumour of Dual Boiler Vibiemme...

Hi!

Not only 'if I were you, I'd buy La Spaziale Vivaldi II'
Actually, I'm not you and I'm just buying it
I went through a similar machine research a month ago and decided it's the final and supreme choice for me. And let me stress: Vivaldi II.

Orian, the good news is that there are a large number of choices that will ultimately produce great espresso if you are willing to put the effort into developing the skills in front of the machine or as Dan has pointed out in the past on the other end of the portafilter. The bad news is you ultimately have to decide on one (or at least for most of us). For my two cents worth I went through several months of research before finally ending up with a M4 stepless (the grinder is just as important) and a Vivaldi SII. I have not been disappointed.

Cheers

Ian