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Boardwalk :: Forum List Espresso in General Higher end > 400 dollars
pravspresso
Visitor
 
 machine purchase - 2007/05/10 21:02 Keep it simple:

1) What's the difference between gaggia espresso
which i have http://gaggiaespresso.blogspot.com/
with a PID. vs. a Gaggia Classic strictly in terms
of espresso quality ability.

2) I'm considering an upgrade next year.
Quickmill Alexia w/pid, Rancilio Silvia w/pid
or nuovo simonelli oscar

3) HX vs non-HX which i'm not familiar with and the
whole e-61 talk. I'm leaning towards oscar strictly
due to the mass of reviews which never fell below 8.9
on coffeegeek. The Quickmill seems like a winner but
I haven't seen much feedback anywhere from consumers.

cheers..

any help is appreciated.
  | | Forum posting/replies are available to registered users.
Current Coffee
User

Senior Barista
Posts: 37
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Karma: 9  
Re:machine purchase - 2007/05/10 23:32 argh! I just typed out a rediculously long winded response, and I lost it
Ill try to get it out a little quicker this time.

1) dont know

2) Silvia is great but limiting and requires very high precision. It will be a waste of time unless you get a high end grinder such as a mazzer mini or a macap m5. The steam on a silvia is so-so, and you cant pull shots and stretch milk at the same time. I had a Silvia and then upgraded to an e61 machine.

3) An e61 machine is a heat exchanger machine (HX) using a grouphead that was designed in 1961. There are several manufacturers who use the e61 group.
They work by using a single boiler to boil water for steam, and heat water for espresso. The water from the boiler flows through the 6kg brass heat exchanger on the grouphead. This maintains a totally stable temp. when you want espresso, the pump activates, drawing water through the heat exchanger, bringing it to the optimal temperature every time. They are totally robust, and even a sloppy barista can pull good shots from it. That being said, a great barista can pull amazing shots from it. They also produce huge amounts of dry steam, and if you get one with the right tip, you can easily get great microfoam. I have a La Scala machine, which I am very happy with. It has a lever to engage the water pump, which for me is far more kinesthetically pleasing then a button.
Unfortunately, the better e61 machines (with good boilers, pumps, steam wands, boxes, and all the other parts that are not standard across the board) are in the $2000 range, about double to triple the price of a PID Silvia. You can get an HX for cheaper, but you might as well get a good one.

Just my $0.02 www.currentcoffee.ca
  | | Forum posting/replies are available to registered users.
pravspresso
Visitor
 
 Re:machine purchase - 2007/05/11 04:18 Thx a mil for your reply.

I guess all the talk about going into E61 vs silvia and oscar and ecm boticelli 2 may be worth it for an upgrade.

I'm not looking to purchase another but i do want a substanstial increase in quality and shot control from
my gaggia espresso. I will hand it down to a newbie.
If i only had BREW PRESSURE CONTROL I may have tolerated
the gaggia for another two years.

cheers.
  | | Forum posting/replies are available to registered users.
pravspresso
Visitor
 
 Re:machine purchase - 2007/05/11 08:00 pravspresso wrote:
Keep it simple:

1) What's the difference between gaggia espresso
which i have http://gaggiaespresso.blogspot.com/
with a PID. vs. a Gaggia Classic strictly in terms
of espresso quality ability.

2) I'm considering an upgrade next year.
Quickmill Alexia w/pid, Rancilio Silvia w/pid
or nuovo simonelli oscar

3) HX vs non-HX which i'm not familiar with and the
whole e-61 talk. I'm leaning towards oscar strictly
due to the mass of reviews which never fell below 8.9
on coffeegeek. The Quickmill seems like a winner but
I haven't seen much feedback anywhere from consumers.
ONE MORE THING>>DOES ANYONE>>ANYONE HAVE A QUICKMILL ALEXIA???????????...WITH SOME FEEDBACK FOR ME?

any help is appreciated.
  | | Forum posting/replies are available to registered users.
Boardwalk :: Forum List Espresso in General Higher end > 400 dollars

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