Yet another manual espresso machine from kickstarter (but looks interesting). There are 2 versions. The lever version(like the newton brua with 51mm portafilter) and the hand crank version(like the rossa hc with 51mm portafilter).
The usual portafilter would make it easier to brew multiple shots.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ch ... so-machine

This looks brilliant! Very different from the typical over-hyped kickstarter video. You can see they are true engineers and really care about their product. I hope they do well!

Interesting but look mostly for more traditional sized pulls and 51mm is definitely on the smaller side.

But good luck to them

I've actually switched to 15g doses on my DE1 and think they're ideal. It means I can have more espressos throughout the day, and prefer the way they sit in 100ml of milk. They do mention it will take deeper baskets though from IMS etc, which would allow an 18g dose.

Very happy to see people develop new non-electric levers. And while I love my Robot, I'm looking for a new machine that is less fiddly with regards to preheating and uses a more standard basket.

Some of us will view the small diameter as something positive. Interesting design choices, pity that it needs pre-heating / lacks an alternative for active heating - doesn't look like an improvement over the Robot in that regard. Looks like it could turn out somewhat expensive either way.

Active heating can easily be implemented without modifying the machine/drilling/gluing or stuff like that.

Here you go:

Strega-fying my Brugnetti Aurora, AKA a non-invasive way to add group heater to any lever machine

This machine is handmade with passion in UK by a small team who has a lot of knowledge. No plastic or cheap materials, it's not for everyone because it's not cheap for what it is, it's in the same pot as the strietman. You buy it cause you like the concept, what the producer does, the materials.

As a 41mm (caravel) 45 mm (Peppina) 49 (pavoni, zacconi baby lusso) 51mm (pavoni) 53mm (ACS evo) 58mm (gaggia classic, isomac venus, rancilio silvia, decent espresso, bezzera magica, bezzera mitica +) I would take the 51mm over 58mm machines any-day.

It's nice when there is more choice in the market. I think this machine will find it tough finding a place. 1. It is a kickstarter and there is already stuff similar out there. 2. The 'stuff,' Robot and Flair(s) are proven. 3. I heard a price of around 900 quid--I think that is w/o shipping to USA. This is quite a bit more than the stuff out there. It is also more expensive than something like an Odyssey Argos, La Pavoni and close to Ponte Vecchio Lusso.

As a Robot user, I like the workflow in the video better than the one I do at home. I have to pour boiled water into a cup, which I usually overfill and end up spilling some when I sink the piston into it. Then I have to overfill my basket, which means walking it and my kettle to the sink. I'd rather be able to pour the water into the brew chamber itself and preheat the basket by flushing water through. Less steps and mess.

As for the competition, yes price matters, but the Argos doesn't exist yet either, La Pavoni has safety issues (afraid my toddlers will burn themselves on it), and the PV Lusso is a spring (and therefore not attractive to those who want manual control).

First impressions on youtube (My Coffee Show).