Initially - when i've got my first (and so far - only) E61 machine - I had all kinds of struggles, mostly with temperatures. Up until i've fitted her with Eric's thermometer. It has been the most boring and precise piece of machinery ever since. Generally speaking: E61+HX is a very wakky combination with temperatures all over the place. But once you learn the patters - you can literally do anything you want and with amazing stability. Albeit - your brain matter becomes a solid part of the "closed feedback loop" mentioned a few posts up.

Just this morning on one of the cooling flushes I didn't stop despite the fact that the temperature stopped rising - because I knew for sure that there will be another spike... and there was.

That said, the beauty of E61 for me - is in the manual aspect of using it. I do actually enjoy using the lever and wooden knobs, in a sense - it is like driving a manual (and I actually do drive a stick - by choice). Not a question of better or worse, but rather - do you enjoy the process? Do you like being in control? I definitely - do. My g/f - not so much. She's more of a "brainless-just-push-a-button" consumer types who doesn't know - nor cares to know as to what's going on inside the machine... she just wants her cup. I'm kinda suspecting that if it was up to her - we'd be owning a Breville.

Let's not forget that it's the E61 core design that facilitated easy adaptation for nearly infinite flow/pressure profiling at an affordable price. It's been a revolutionary change, and extremely exciting time for home baristas. Thank goodness the E61s are still being made!

I think there is something deeply satisfying about operating the lever.It's something like driving a manual transmission car. You feel more connected to the experience since you are physically controlling part of the process. I can imagine one gets even more of this experience operating a manual lever machine like a La Pavoni but I have not had the pleasure so far.