Put a ribbon around the wire in your favorite color and call it a decoration and a day!

You can easily convert that 220 outlet to 120 (at your breaker box) and use it for whatever - grinder, another machine, etc

peafarmer wrote:He also said that the 120 volt machine was for practical purposes just as good, just like some of you said. That made me think: why do they even make the 220 volt machine, then?

The main difference is recovery time, and that only matters if you're rapidly making 6+ back-to-back "big gulp" type lattes. Most commercial espresso machines that run on 120V compensate by having a bigger steam boiler. The 220V ones have both a huge steam boiler and zero recovery time. For example, the 2 group Strada can steam paint bucket-sized lattes from both sides and the steam pressure will not drop. That might matter if you run a busy cafe with really fast baristas, but not in a home environment.

peafarmer wrote: He also said that the 120 volt machine was for practical purposes just as good, just like some of you said. That made me think: why do they even make the 220 volt machine, then?

Because the US is not the only country in the world, and many including all of Europe have 220 VAC in our outlets...

Thanks, guys. I have both a 220 V and a 120 V receptacle at that location. Also, these cables are already run behind the drywall, so I would need to cut the drywall to put a ribbon on the cable as CarefreeBuzzBuzz suggested.

I will use that power (ir)regardless of whether it makes any sense. I have that right.

I've widened my search, now looking at new Londinium I / R24, Rocket R NINE ONE, both on European voltage. These are significantly cheaper than a new 220V Slayer, and seem very capable.

Many of my family members like milk drinks. I imagine that the Rocket is very good with steam. Does anybody know how good the steam is on the Londinium machines? My son is spoiled. He uses a La Marzocco Classic two group machine at the bakery where he works part time, so I am hoping to get close to that steam quality. We had a VBM Domobar which just died, and I was never able to steam well enough with that to do art. I know this is not the right forum for this question, will also post under lever machines tomorrow.

Thanks,
Andy