JohnB. wrote:Zero interest in wi-fi controlled timers/outlets/hubs/ect. I live in a large 270 year old home with a massive brick fireplace(5)/chimney structure dead center. Not wi-fi friendly. You can set up the ET1705C to do any timer sequence you could want. Can I call it from my car? No. Do I care? No.

I have used that intermatic timer before at my shop to control a compressor and air dryer. It is built like a tank and never let me down even after a major power surge that took out the Vector drive on a turning center that was 'protected.'

I too have leaned toward an intermatic for my new machine but given the outlet location and the alternative location to hide the intermatic under the counter it is impractical to pull out the drawers just to change the timing sequence.

You don't need to use the wifi all around the house you can simply direct connect to the z-wave box that you mount hidden away behind or below or even in the machine (might be a bit hot for some machines so I won't do this on a 5l boiler lever).

Then you easily setup unlimited timers and parameters on a simple app. When you want to change it turn on the app on your phone or tablet and change it. No opening the box, reaching around the machine, etc. And now they are sub $100 so it is hard to justify the intermatic.

Plus you can use any z-wave switch remote or hard wired remote anywhere you want if you do decide to have a hub and thus you don't need reach the box to turn it on or off out of timing sequence if you don't have your phone or tablet handy.

These come down to their SSR and the two I listed are high quality based on the reviews. Would I run a 40amp pool heater on the aotec one? No but I would on the GE version. But I will only be pulling 1750 watts so aotec will certainly do for me I believe.

Appreciate the advice but my world doesn't revolve around my phone or apps. Set the Bosco timer up several years ago & haven't changed the programming since. It sits directly under the Bosco in a large cabinet. If I want to override the timer for a late shot I open the door & push the timers' on button. No need to search the house trying to find my phone. Only other device on a timer is my Speedster which runs off a 240v digital greenhouse timer I bought years ago for $19.

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I do not think IOT security is up to any minimal acceptable standard and probably never will be. The simple electromechanical devices work just fine and are proven technology.

An albanian hacker alters your espresso machine on off sequence then flys into the united states to break into your home and pull a single shot in the middle of the night. Then for a laugh he changes your timer to only turn on the machine for at 10pm to 2am during your bedtime and locks you out of it and so you change your entire work schedule to do a night shift to match the new on time of your espresso machine since you dont want to miss a heavily lever shot.

LOL can you imagine??

I am sticking with my $15 timer. It does not need to be precise as long as it turns on an hour before I wake up at the minimum. I consider myself pretty techy and what not but I personally am not a fan of the SMART devices for stuff like TV, outlets, Alexa, etc. I like flipping stuff on myself thank you very much.

Love the Bosco, I'm jealous. There's a lever in my near future, though it may have to be a touch less expensive. In fact I'm researching them now.

As to timers. I used to use one and it did what it was told. At some point it got unplugged, can't remember why. Probably when I moved the machinery around.

I work with IOT and communications for a living. So I use my finger to turn the machine on. Having it warm when I get up isn't a problem... I have cats, and they like to wake me very, very, very early to be fed. So I feed them and go back to bed. When I get up again all is good.

truemagellen wrote:This is great to hear as I have been debating what z-wave to get vs building one on my own as I ordered an Izzo Alex Leva that arrives next week and it's 110v 20amp.

As you are obviously an experienced lever user, would love to hear the reasons why you chose the Izzo Alex Leva over the other contenders.

Pardon my rambling on this...it is more a conversation I had with myself

I had Bosco high up on the list as well as the Profitec 800. I only had commercial group Dippers which I guess I could go on about in great detail but mainly I believe they have the best temperature stability and ease of use. Stability is due to the simplicity of large group mass, the boiler to group flange designs, and the larger boilers.

So this cut out the thermosyphon or hx system and/or cartridge heater machines (which I must applaud Bezzera for their creativity on that front as that is probably the future of a compact stable machine). As for ease of use no starting the thermosyphon if it stalls, no quick flushes before a shot on an HX (minor but I didn't want to deal with it). Something my wife can walk up and pull a shot without any tinkering. Something I can also imagine every single component in my head if I need to troubleshoot.

Bosco has a large frame which is more like the Izzo Pompeii and Pompei is very similar in looks (not the newer Pompei which is PID and bright colored side panels but also large). I prefer the size of the Izzo Alex Leva and the Profitec 800 on the counter top in our tight kitchen.

Plumb in preferred so the Alex Leva without tank was not an issue but the Profitec internal tank is great I guess if I were to move it around for an event (but then again I have a Flojet for running machines at the office I could use).

I had some concerns with the Profitec due to the smaller boiler size which in theory would be compensated by the PID being able to hold the temp up to heat but perhaps it could also overheat on a multiple flush situation where the group over heats trying to stabilize the water temp (I doubt in a residential setting this would actually occur unless someone was doing unnecessary flushes). On the other hand I believe Profitec is a brilliant company and I think very highly of German Kitchen appliances and engineering so I believed I couldn't go wrong with their product either.

Silence, I wanted PID to avoid the pstat clack but of course there is the autofill solenoid clack but it is not as loud.

So now with it narrowed down to these two the Izzo Alex won me over (with the help of Tomc) due to the following:

1) Looks, I love the exposed spring on the La San Marco Group showing off the mechanism, and the styling on the panels on the side of the machine.

2) Origins, the machine really looks like an Italian machine and it is from Napoli which you could say is the heart of Italian Espresso. It is a bit over the top with its cup tray double height (which you can swap to the single height duetto tray) but has modern touches to the finish. It is still a family run company whose main business is coffee and a few different iconic machines. In this way Bosco is the same. I just wish Boscos lead time was a week or two like Izzo.

3) The famous/infamous cup tray steam theatrical device . I find it brilliant, hilarious, and such an Italian touch.

4) The smaller basket diameter/portafilter size. This is perhaps more of a nostalgic one. I do believe it is more forgiving to tamp technique and there may be other benefits but I will have to report back on that.

5) I will add price but I had already gone to Izzo before price was considered. I was able to get the Izzo for less than the Profitec to my amazement when I contacted retailers directly for discounts. I don't want to violate any forum rules so I guess PM me if you want more details if that is allowed.

Hope that helps answer a bit. If you have any follow up I'll be happy to respond. Maybe I should start my own thread since I don't want to overly fill up this great thread...I am super excited for this Bosco and IamOiman!!

That was helpful, thanks.