The Solis SL70 and its partner grinder, the Solis Maestro Plus grinder are one of the first units that comes to mind when I get asked: ěWhat is a good starting point in the quest for a good minimum set up that I can get away with, in making decent lattes and cappuccinos?î

Out of the box |The Solis SL70 espresso-cappuccino machine will lighten your wallet to the tune of 300 dollars. You get a sturdy unit that is well designed and well laid out. There are few screw heads visible on this unit if you are into the aesthetic thing. Internally, it has a brass boiler with a capacity of 9 fluid ounces heated by an 1100 watt heating element. Now nine ounces might not sound like much but in its class, this is a large capacity. Think about it. When you brew an espresso under ideal conditions, you are only drawing a few fluid ounces of water from the boiler at a time. This leaves plenty of water left over for steaming and topping up your espresso to make an Americano.

Controls | The front panel of the SL70 could not be easier to navigate. Three solid rocker switches make up the electrical components on the front. On the left is the power switch. In the middle is the brew switch. Pressing this activates the pump which forces water through the brew head through the coffee and into your cup. The brew switch performs double duty with the steam knob.

The steam knob is on the right hand side of the unit and when it is opened in conjunction with the brew switch, hot water is dispensed from the steam wand. This is perfect for tea, instant coffee (seriously), hot chocolate and the like. The Solis SL70 has 2 ready-lights for brewing and steaming. A green light comes on when the unit is ready to steam or ready to brew. The Solis SL70 has some additional features that enhances its overall value:

-A reversible drip tray to accommodate odd sized cups and saucers
-A built in plastic coffee tamper. Pack that coffee down tight!
- The Solis ships with standard pressurized filter baskets which are more tolerant of variations in grind and tamp. For the brave or those that wish to have more control over the final product, non-pressurized filter baskets are generally available on special order.
-A pod adapter is available for consumers who prefer the pre-ground espresso portion experience.

First use | The SL70 is usually ready to brew within 5 minutes or so but I suggest a 15 to 20 minute warm up. The espresso coffee brews better and behaves better with a properly warmed up machine. If you have fresh coffee properly ground for a pump driven espresso machine, like the SL70, first and subsequent shots are intense, heady with crema and ready for whatever treatment you have in mind. As far as steam power is concerned, the Solis SL70's capabilities are easily equal to machines twice the price. Steaming cold milk to perfect froth was easy. I frothed and foamed 6 fluid ounces of 2% milk in just under 45 seconds, enough for a double-tall latte or two small cappuccinos.

Results |The Solis has a sturdy pump and a quiet one at that. It has plenty of power for generating the necessary bar pressure to brew rich espresso, shot after shot. The standard Solis SL70 comes with a cast brass portafilter and 3 filter attachments. The Solis SL70 is essentially a manual machine with ěpressure assistî filter baskets coming as standard equipment. Non-pressurized filter baskets are available on special order. They fit the standard portafilter that comes with the SL70.

Facts |ěPressure assistî or pressurized portafilters allow the consumer to use a lesser grade of espresso coffee. Factors such as coffee freshness, grind and tamp are less important with the pressurized coffee filter baskets.

With the Solis SL70, the brew group is made of brass. ěThis is a good thing, why?î In short, brass is slow to heat, slow to cool and tends to be resistant to corrosion.

Plus points| Every espresso machine needs a supply of water and a big reservoir is an advantage. The Solis SL70 has a 3L water reservoir and this is more than enough for several hours of entertaining without thinking about ëtopping upí. The reservoir on the Solis SL70 is thoughtfully designed. You can see the water level from every angle and it is readily removed for filling.

Compare| The Solis SL70 compares favorably to the Saeco Classico in terms of features and performance. Both of them come with pressurized filter baskets as standard equipment. Both are more than adequately powered to plow through most espresso grinds to achieve picture perfect espresso that not only looks good, but tastes great and provides the critical ingredient to build delicious lattes, cappuccinos and whatever espresso based beverages you can think of.

Those with a sense of adventure might choose the Gaggia series (Carezza or Gaggia Espresso) over the Saeco or Solis because of its, tougher to master, unpressurized filter baskets. The Gaggia's produce a slightly more intense espresso but under the guise of great foamed milk in, say, a cappuccino, you would never know the difference. The Solis is one of the perfect entry level machines for people that want ease and great taste with their espresso experiences.

Concluding observations |The top of the SL70 is made of a non-stick metal and it is ideal for keeping a few cups warm. There is nothing worse that cold espresso coffee.

A great big thank you goes to Quality Coffee Systems of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada for the SL70 machine (and the grinder that we will use in the next chapter). If you are interested in this or any other Solis machine you can visit them at their website,
QualityCoffeeSystems - or their showroom in Canada.
In the U.S.A. you can buy this machine from WholeLatteLove.com.