Share your espresso machine history - Page 2

Need help with equipment usage or want to share your latest discovery?
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randyr5
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Posts: 250
Joined: 6 years ago

#11: Post by randyr5 »

I had a Spidem (Saeco) superautomatic for several years. After it died I did drip and pour-over for several years.
Then I got a Lelit Diana. Nice machine, but really wanted an E61 HX.
Currently own a Lelit PL62 Mara. Got it during 1st-line's great sale last year.

If I get the upgrade itch in the future, it will probably be a Bianca-style machine.

Ric858
Posts: 80
Joined: 9 years ago

#12: Post by Ric858 »

This is fun! Let's see...

Machines:
1. Started w/ a Krups - 1yr (who knew this was the gateway machine that leads down the rabbit hole?!)
2. La Pavoni - (didn't know what I was doing, sold it after a couple of months)
3. Francis Francis X1 - 5 years (good little machine, but still didn't really know what I was doing)
4. Saeco Xelsis - 3 years (super convenient but the coffee was crap in retrospect)
5. Profitec Pro 700 - 3 years and counting (discovered HB and fell way down the rabbit hole!)


Grinders:
1. Preground w/ Krups & La Pavoni
2. KitchenAid KCG0702CS w/ X1
3. Xelsis had its own
4. HG-1 w/ profitec pro 700
5. Mono Flat w/ SSP burrs coming in a few weeks (can't wait!)
"Coffee is the lifeblood that fuels the dreams of champions."

JonF (original poster)
Posts: 240
Joined: 15 years ago

#13: Post by JonF (original poster) »

Good idea to add grinders to the thread . . .

By now I had discovered Home-Barista, so my changes were much better informed. I decided to skip a lot of the intermediate steps this time around:
1. Buy pre-ground
2. Baratza Vario
3. K10 Fresh (current)

Arriving Monday: HG-1. I will keep the K10 hopper partially full with my AM favorites from Redbird, but use the HG-1 to expand my horizons.

EDIT: I forgot one! In my office I have a Nespresso. I do NOT like this. Funny how I am actually like coffee from a Keurig, but not espresso from a Nespresso.

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grog
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Joined: 12 years ago

#14: Post by grog »

Krups (mid 90s).
moka pot (another 10 years or so).
Pavoni Europiccola (2010, I think).
The Europiccola led to a lever obsession and at least a dozen different home levers, and others that were rebuilt and immediately sold on just because I found the rebuilding process to be so fun.
Then I was gifted a La Cimbali M20 Eleva 2 group last year. Having a commercial lever group has ended my upgrade-itis, for now anyway.

Started with pre-ground coffee, then a whirly blade chopper/grinder.

When I got the Europiccola I also got deep into hand grinders, specifically mid-20th century German grinders (PeDe, Zass, KyM). At some point I had at least 100 different ones.

Then I got a Pharos, followed by a Mahlgut MG-1, and now a MonoFlat SSP.
LMWDP #514

mivanitsky
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#15: Post by mivanitsky »

Ok... I'll play!

1. Krups steam toy. I made this Saeco basket and bottomless PF modded, literally a week before the seminal publication of the use of bottomless PF as diagnostic device. Lucky timing on my part. I still have it somewhere, but it is probably full of spiders.

2. Gaggia Paros. This thing was basically a low-end Gaggia burr-grinder, and a low-end Gaggia Baby, rolled into one thing that looked like a table. It made pretty good espresso, especially paired with a grinder that sucked less than the built in one. I bought one of these each for me and my father. I ended up giving mine to my brother eventually, and he got a MC4, and I got a Mazzer Mini E to pair with it.

3. Reneka Techno. This was a great machine. DB, good temp control, line level preinfusion. Basically a better looking LMLM, 15 years ahead of its time. Almost. I used it as a work machine, and only sold it last year.

4. Synesso Syncra 220V one group. I replaced Techno at home with this. Best built machines on the planet. Great machine, of course. Made great espresso. Learned much. Evolved my grinder obsession. Sold it to a nice young couple from SF. She was a barista at Sightglass.

5. Slayer 220V one group. I wanted better preinfusion capability, and a more compact thing in my kitchen. No regrets at all. I still have it. Currently paired with Kafatek MAX and MC3.

And then I went to the dark side...

7. Flair. Pat kept giving me a hard time about needing to get a Lever. Levers are great. He was right, of course. This thing was too cheap to resist. I replaced it with the prettier Signature Model. Gave mine to my MA when I upgraded. Also have Gabor's PP piston. I'll wait for them to get the bugs out, before getting a Pro model. Fantastic company. I use it for all air trips. Paired with Helor 101, or Hiku (TiN burrs)

8. Londinium R. My venture into spring levers. Outstanding machine. Had it been out earlier, I might not have wanted the Slayer. Now I have both. Oh well. LR lives at work, and replaced Techno. Now paired with Kafatek MAX.

9. CT1. OK, I considered a Cremina. I never make milk drinks, and when I do, I can steam with Slayer. So why obligate myself to Fellini moves and take up the thermal issues, when I could have the gorgeous CT1. I stole it from Rocky. There was money involved, but probably not enough. It is my nerding out machine at home. I can tell a lot about an unfamiliar coffee, by seeing what it does on the manual lever. Very Zen. Wouter is awesome too. This machine also caused my coffee environment to metastasize to the other side of the kitchen bar sink.

10. Robot. Everyone should have the Robot. In some ways, easier than the Flair workflow wise. Mine is currently, along with HG1, making the rounds to some of my friends who want to learn the ways of the lever god. Hopefully I'll get it back someday. Also paired with Helor Flux for car trips, when I do not want to carry a Monolith. This machine will live in surgery dept. at hospital, for when I am too busy, or lazy, to walk to clinic for LR shots.

I'll probably buy a 2.0 or 2.1 DE1Pro for giggles. No hurry. It will not replace any machine in my menagerie.

rockethead26
Posts: 363
Joined: 11 years ago

#16: Post by rockethead26 »

2006-7 Got my first machine, an Expobar Office Pulser
2017 - Upgraded to a Profitec 700 Pro

mrjag
Posts: 343
Joined: 9 years ago

#17: Post by mrjag »

2000 - $30 krupps with $20 blade grinder.
2007 - Moka pot. Picked up after a trip to Italy.
2010 - Jura Capresso Z5
2012 - BDB-900 with Baratza Vario. First foray into good espresso.
2015 - BDB-920 with Baratza Vario. I got upgraded to a 920 model under warranty when I sent my machine in for a leaky steam wand.
2017 - BDB-920 with Compak E10. Impulse purchased the E10 while the Vario was being serviced by Baratza.
2018 - BDB-920 with Kafatek Monolith Conical. Decided it was time for an end-game grinder.

Lacoffee
Posts: 165
Joined: 8 years ago

#18: Post by Lacoffee »

Baratza encore and Chemex. 2012

Baratza vario and rancilio Silvia pid 2014

Compak r120 and profitec pro 700 2016
Andrew

espressotime
Posts: 1751
Joined: 14 years ago

#19: Post by espressotime »

Quickmill 820 1988
Quick without built in grinder 1991
E61 single Boiler 2005
Ponte Vecchio Export 2006
Quick Andrea premium2008
Ponte Export 2010
Bezzera Strega 2011
Ponte Export 2013
Izzo Pompei 2013
Ponte Export 2015
Olympia Cremina 1978 Model in 2017

Looks like a 30 year mushroom trip. :?

Contemplating a fifth Export right now.I love that little lever.

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SonVolt
Posts: 686
Joined: 11 years ago

#20: Post by SonVolt »

1) Profitec Pro 700
2) Ceado E37S


I decided to skip upgraditis :D