Congrats - I'm sure you'll very happy for quite some time!

Congratulations on your new machine! May it give you many mornings of fine espresso.

It would be great if you could talk about what you like about it so far. Thanks!

SandraF wrote:It would be great if you could talk about what you like about it so far. Thanks!

Sure!

Likes

• The rotary pump is bliss, coming from a decade of fillings-rattling Ulkas.
• The whole thing is nicely made and put together, everything seems solid.
• The bigger cup tray is nice.
• The shot timer is really nice.
• The drip tray has two little magnets securing it in place with a very satisfying click.
• The fact that the pressure can be adjusted without any disassembly is fantastic.
• Brewing continues even after low water level alarm, which is a fantastic change from the Vivi, which just abruptly ruined your shot. I have not investigated what the exact mechanism is, and the manual mentions nothing about this.

Dislikes

• With the power button on one side, and the pressure adjustment screw on the other, any user who places the machine in a corner is screwed. Why not move them to the front, or at least the front of the side?
• The drip tray has a low point which is not obvious, which will probably lead to some spills when procrastinating emptying it.
• There's a hole in the bottom of the drip tray, for the plumbed in scenario, which is closed off by a rubber grummet. I fear this grummet will one day lose its rubberiness, leading to a spill.
• The manual is near useless, and I don't think it's just the English translation.
• Adjustment of the PID feels like setting the time on a microwave from 1983.
• If one looks really closely, the fit and finish could be improved. The gauges are not fully flush with the front plate, for instance. Its decidedly Italian rather than German, if that makes sense.
• Refilling the water tank could be easier.
• It's a little big.

Overall I think it's a lot of machine for the money. I think a strong contender is the Lelit Bianca, which is similarly priced, a little narrower, and has the movable water reservoir, for better or worse. And the paddle, of course.