I used to WDT to get picture perfect pours - but with the grinders I have and how small the basket is, I just grind directly into the basket with the funnel on, shake back and fork and tap a few times and I'm good to go. Certainly not as pretty but I don't notice a difference in taste

My EVO Leva arrived and it's lovely, but the safety system doesn't engage. The lever just comes up very hard and fast and makes a loud bang at the top. The shower screen has the screw in it... Am I missing a setup step? Matt

A new Eureka Mignon or used Super Jolly would fit your needs and budget pretty perfectly. You'll also enjoy the purring quiet

A family member already has the Micra. Is it to vain to want something else? Haha Like when going to restaurants I make sure no one else ordered the same dish

Probably should stay under $700. I'm not overly concerned about retention unless we're talking about 5+ grams. The first dose in the morning doesn't need to be perfect

I'm very certain that this isn't very challenging or even difficult for a good design engineer with decent tools to analyze the system. It boggles my mind why a truly temperature stable machine isn't available. PIDs and computing isn't expensive these days. IMO controlling temperature of a group that holds enough water for a single shot should

2nd hand Mahlkonig K30 Vario might be a reasonable choice. Be aware that most hopper feed grinders will have at least some retention

Is the OP interested in direct plumbing & draining of their machine? How about installing dedicated 120vac & 240vac circuits to service this setup? What about a grinder? Probably a LM Micra might be the next logical step at this point in their travels, providing funds are available

I agree with others, stale coffee is most likely explanation here. Freshly roasted coffee directly from the roaster, whether local or by mail, is 100% a worthwhile investment!

Budget range?