diff --git a/guides/Vibration To Rotary Pump modification.md b/guides/Vibration To Rotary Pump modification.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..56d48f5 --- /dev/null +++ b/guides/Vibration To Rotary Pump modification.md @@ -0,0 +1,53 @@ +# Vibration To Rotary Pump Modification For Home Espresso Machines +Many vibration pump machines have enough space inside for a small rotary vane or gear pump with an integrated motor. If you're after low noise and potentially more linear pump-based flow profiling, this conversion is often possible! However + +## Things To Keep In Mind + +### Does It Fit? +The first and probably most important question you'll need an answer to is whether or not you'll have space for the pump in question. Luckily, both ProCon and Fluid-O-Tech (FOT), who make these integrated pump-motor combos that are the best choice here, publish datasheets on their websites with measurements. They tend to be about 6-8" in length, which will fit in most prosumer vibration pump machines. However you will need to measure before you buy. With DC motors, you will also need some kind of AC-DC power supply at the right voltage. + +### Here There Be Dragons +1. This kind of modification requires understanding and being respectful of mains voltage electricity. It should not need to be said, but just in case it does: ***Mains Voltage Can Deliver A Lethal Shock.*** Modifications like this *must* be done with the machine off and unplugged from the wall, and all mains voltage carrying wires must have insulators around any terminals. You will need to test the machine with it open. Do not touch any internal parts when it is on unless you know for a fact that it is safe. +2. These pumps offer *hugely* higher flow rates than vibration pumps. You will absolutely need some kind of flow restriction, be that an adjustable needle valve, a fixed gicleur, or a way to reduce pump throughput on the fly. My machine's water debit jumped from roughly 6.7 ml/s to over 9 ml/s, and that's with a roughly 0.7mm orifice gicleur in the solenoid valve. +3. You will need to figure out how to mount the pump in your machine. This can be... tricky. Follow the mounting instructions from the manufacturer. +4. Make sure the pump is NSF rated (this is important for food safety reasons) and can handle the pressure you're asking it to do. +5. If you add a check valve (one way valve) after the pump (which you should, to avoid any backflow through the pump), you *must* have a relief valve for thermal expansion of the water as it heats. If not, your pressurized water lines can burst and spray water everywhere inside your machine. +6. Rotary pumps really, *really* do not like running without water. It can damage them very quickly. Either plumb it in or make damn sure that your machine can't run itself out of water without shutting off. + +## So What Do I Need? + +### 1. The Pump: +#### Which Pump Type Should I Choose? +Both vane and gear pumps are what are known as *Rotary Pumps*, meaning that they use the rotation of a shaft to move fluid through them. However, this is where their similarities more or less end. + +##### Vane Pumps +Vane pumps are used on most commercial espresso machines and some high end home machines. They can have extremely high flow - even the miniaturized ones in question are at absolute minimum 15 gallon per hour pumps, more than twice that of an unrestricted vibration pump. You can easily replace two vibration pumps with a single vane pump - but more on that later. They are quiet and low vibration, and are generally simpler to hook up. However, they lack the ability to easily do flow profiling by varying motor power, as their flow curves are less than linear with most of their range well into the top half of the motor's speed. These are a good choice if you're just after lower noise. AC motor powered rotary pumps are also available, which is a viable choice if you only want lower noise. + +##### Gear Pumps +Gear pumps are far less common on stock espresso machines, but they hold a few important advantages over standard vane pumps. They tend to be smaller, and their flow characteristics are roughly linear to rotational speed. The miniaturized ones tend to use brushless DC (BLDC) motors, which can easily have their speed (and therefore flow) varied. Generally, they're a better choice, but they can be harder to find and the advantages only really come in when you want to vary flow at the pump. They may also not have an integral bypass valve to limit output pressure. + +### 2. The wiring: +If your machine is like most home machines, the pump is directly powered from the control box via a relay or directly from the brew switch. However, this is mains voltage AC power and will not work on a 24V DC motor. For AC motors, the control box likely can't provide enough current without burning something. +The easiest way to power a DC pump motor is by connecting a switching power supply's primary directly to mains and switching the secondary. Hook an SPST-NO (Single Pole, Single Throw, Normally Open) AC relay's coil up to where the vibration pump attaches either to the control box or to the brew switch. Connect the pump's wiring to the common terminal, and the output from one side of the power supply secondary to the NO terminal. This way, when the brain box sends the command to tell the pump to turn on, it behaves exactly the same way. +For an AC motor, you can do largely the same thing, but skip the power supply - it's not needed. You will need a start capacitor however, though most come with them built in. + +##### What Power Supply Should I Buy? +Generally speaking, you will want at least 150% of your pump's rated motor power. 60W motor? 90W power supply. 80W motor? 120W power supply. You get the idea. If you're going to mount it inside the machine, it must be able to withstand elevated temperatures of at least 70 degrees Celsius. Encapsulated power supplies from the likes of Mean Well and CUI are a good choice for compact internal mounting, but require essentially hacking into the machine's mains power. Externally mounted supplies like larger LED drivers or power bricks can plug directly into the wall, though they are less convenient and take up more space. + +##### Brushless DC Motor Control +For RPM control on brushless motors, you will need [someone else fill this in, I'm not sure what is needed] + + + +### 3. The Plumbing. +There isn't a huge amount that will need to change here versus stock; largely, you will only need the right fittings. Most machines use BSP (AKA Gas) threaded fittings, commonly 1/8 and 1/4. The hose from pump to boiler will either be stainless flex tubing with threaded ends You will need to find what works for your machine as it is not the same on all machines. +Both types will need a *check valve (AKA one-way valve, AKA non-return valve)* to prevent thermal expansion in the brew boiler from returning through the pump back to the tank. Vibration pumps have one built in as part of how they work, but rotaries do not. However, do keep in mind that you will absolutely, one hundred percent, no ifs ands or buts, need to keep a relief valve downstream of the pump. If you don't, thermal expansion of the brew water can cause pressurized water lines, especially PTFE tubing, to burst. Luckily, you can reuse the OPV from the vibration pump for this - and it has no bearing on brew pressure, so you can just set it above the bypass valve on the rotary pump. +With all threaded fittings, PTFE thread tape will be your best friend to seal them against leaks. Make sure to wind it onto the threading the right way (that is, with the seam facing the opposite direction of the threads). + + +### 4. Replacing Two Pumps With One +Some home dual boilers like the Rancilio Silvia Pro and Breville Dual Boiler have two separate pumps for this as vibration pumps generally do not have enough throughput available to supply both simultaneously. If you have a higher flow pump, it can likely act as both the brew pump *and* the service boiler fill pump. To replace both, you will need to add a normally open 2-way solenoid valve (AC of your local mains current value) and another SPST-NO AC relay. The relays will need to be in parallel with one another so both will complete the pump power circuit irrespective of one another's current switch state.The 2-way solenoid is wired in series with the service fill pump relay so it will activate and allow water to enter the boiler. You will need to replace the boiler fitting and fill hose to make this work - a T fitting from the pump output instead of a single output fitting will be needed as well. + +## Example Parts List + + diff --git a/recommendations/midrange-machines.md b/recommendations/midrange-machines.md index 2124f1f..667ae1b 100644 --- a/recommendations/midrange-machines.md +++ b/recommendations/midrange-machines.md @@ -12,132 +12,120 @@ The $1000-2000 price range of semiautomatic espresso machines is full of options Most machines in this price bracket are either Heat Exchangers or Dual Boilers. Heat Exchangers use one large steam boiler, with a separate pipe for heating brew water running through it, so steam pressure and brew water temperature are linked. Dual boilers have separate brew and steam boilers, so the temperatures are separately controlled. Before I go in depth, the short list for pump machines below $2000 is: -- Breville Dual Boiler (huge modding and DIY service community, extremely good temperature stability) - Rancilio Silvia Pro X (great build quality, very solid brewing and steaming performance) -- Lelit MaraX (very small, good option if space limited) +- Quick Mill Silvano Evo (solid build, and by far the lowest price for two separate water paths) -There are other good machines than these, but they are not as feature rich or as ubiquitous. - -## Recommended Machines: -These machines all are reasonably well specced and well built and won't cause you any additional difficulty brewing. - -### Breville Dual Boiler ($1600 US) -*In Short*: This is the stripped down more manual version of Breville's flagship Oracle automatic machine. It's probably the best machine in this range in terms of temperature stability and user interface - if you can deal with its large size, slow steaming, and questionable aesthetics. +#### Breville Dual Boiler ($1600 US) +*In Short*: This is the stripped down, more manual version of Breville's flagship Oracle automatic machine. It's probably the best machine in this range in terms of temperature stability and user interface - if you can deal with its large size, mediocre build, and questionable aesthetics. **The Good:** - Temperature stability is excellent because of PID controlled boilers and PID controlled group head heater. -- Hot water is dispensed from the brew boiler, so adding flow control via simple modifications ("Slayer mod" or "GS/3 mod") is possible. - UI is very good and easy to use. - Quick heatup time (around 10 minutes from cold to ready on 120V). - The pressure gauge reads from near the group, and is pretty accurate to actual in-group conditions. -- Programmable preinfusion done via TRIAC control of the pump. +- Programmable preinfusion - Common to find used for well under new price - not uncommon to find them between $750-1000 US. -- Portafilters are 58mm, but slightly differently sized than the more common E61-style. Made of stainless steel instead of chromed brass, which makes cleaning easier. +- 58mm baskets, so accessories are easy to find. - Stock baskets are good quality. -- Dual pumps (one for brew, one for steam fill) a large plus. - Huge modding community for things like flow control, noise reduction, and so on. - Steam wand is very easy to use and the steam is very dry. - **The Not So Good:** -- Relatively slow steaming because of limited steam outflow from small holes in the tip (3x 0.7mm) +- Relatively slow steaming because of limited steam outflow from small holes in the tip (3x 0.7mm), however it is very easy to use steam. - Steam wand is not no-burn. - Quite large (roughly 15-16" in all dimensions), which can make it awkward for smaller spaces. -- Steam subsystem uses silicone O-rings which need to be checked for leaks about every 6 months. -- Pretty loud in operation as stock. -- Somewhat annoying to do more in depth maintenance because of its internal layout, which is borrowed heavily from the more automated Oracle series. +- Steam subsystem uses silicone O-rings which need to be checked for leaks about every 6 months - ideally, replace these with AFLAS which is more steam resistant. +- Pretty loud. +- Somewhat annoying to do more in depth maintenance because of its internal layout. - The 3-way solenoid valve is not the greatest quality part and can fail prematurely. Luckily, it's an easy part to swap, and uses a standard base. - Brew pressure is often set too high from factory, usually 10-11 bars. -- Looks are... polarizing. - -### Rancilio Silvia Pro X ($1870 US) -*In Short:* My personal choice for this price range if you don't want flow control. Built like a tank, with very strong steaming performance and great flat profile shots, and a relatively small footprint. +- Looks are... polarizing. +- Portafilters are not a common size. +- Parts are hard to come by, even consumables like group heat collar inserts. +#### Rancilio Silvia Pro X ($1940 US) +*In Short:* My personal choice for this price range. Built like a tank and easy to work on with very strong steaming performance and great flat profile shots. **The Good:** - Both boilers are PID controlled, so tempurature stability is very good. - Progammable soft (no pump) preinfusion. This sort of replicates the E61-style "feather the lever" pre-wetting where boiler pressure pushes water out of the group without activating the pump. - The chassis is powder coated steel, with stainless steel or powder coated steel panels. - Internal build is heavy duty, with a well thought out layout for easy maintenance. -- Pretty quick steaming because of the stock 4-hole tip (4x 1.1mm). -- Brew pressure is set correctly from the factory at 9 bars with no group outflow. +- Pretty quick steaming because of the stock 4-hole tip (4x 1mm). +- Brew pressure is set correctly from the factory to ~8 bars at the group under typical circumstances. - Stock portafilter is quite deep (it can take 22-25g baskets, which usually require a bottomless portafilter). - Two separate pumps for the brew and service boilers, so it can dispense hot water or fill the service boiler and pressurize the brew loop simultaneously. - - Stock baskets are IMS made, so pretty good. -- Pressure is set to 9 bars at zero flow out of the box. **The Not So Good:** - The PID's UI is somewhat confusing to set for anything more complex than brew and steam temperatures. Keep the user manual, you're gonna need it. -- The turn-on timer is pretty much useless, just using a $20 smart plug instead. +- The turn-on timer is pretty much useless, just use a $20 smart plug instead. - The stock drip tray is a terrible design. Luckily, Pantechnicon sells a 3D printed replacement part, but it is still baffling that they didn't update this from the original Silvia or Silvia Pro. -- The pressure gauge reads boiler pressure rather than actual group pressure, so it should be ignored or at least taken with a grain of salt. +- The pressure gauge reads pressure at the boiler rather than at the group, so it should be ignored or at least taken with a grain of salt. - Steam arm is a traditional type, no no-burn tubing here. -- The stock shower screen seems to hang onto a lot of coffee grounds, so it's worth spending $20 on the IMS Competition screen solely for ease of cleaning. +- The stock shower screen seems to hang onto a lot of coffee grounds, so it's worth spending $20 on the IMS precision (RA200IM) screen solely for ease of cleaning. - Make sure all panels are tightened down all the way to keep noise down - if they are not, they will rattle like mad. -### Profitec Pro 300 ($1800 US) +#### Profitec Pro 300 ($1800 US) *In Short:* An overall similar machine to the Silvia Pro X, but with a slightly rebalanced feature set. Good choice if you want flat profile shots and don't need massive steam power. - **The Good:** - PID controlled brew temperature. - Only the brew boiler is PID controlled; this is okay, because a pressurestat is perfectly adequate for a service boiler. -- 400ml brew boiler and a 750ml steam boiler. This should make for slightly better brew temp stability for long ratio shots, but slightly less steaming capability. - Much better drip tray than the Silvia Pro X. -- 2 hole steam tip with no burn steam arm, and it can take any m8.5x0.75 tip. +- 2 hole steam tip with no burn steam arm, and it can take any m8.5x0.75 tip. +- Excellent build quality. - Ring group is (as far as I can tell) E61 portafilter compatible. - Very nice mirrored stainless outer panels. **The Not So Good:** - Only one pump, so dispensing hot water and brewing simultaneously is not recommended (or necessarily possible). - No preinfusion. Not a huge issue with vibratory pumps since they have a relatively slow pressure ramp. -- The service boiler is relatively small and runs at relatively low pressure, so probably not a great idea to use a 4 hole tip with it. +- The service boiler is relatively small at 750ml, so probably not a great idea to use a high flow 4 hole steam tip with it. +- Drip tray clearance is relatively small. -### Lelit Elizabeth ($1800 US, much less in Europe): -*In Short:* Take a Breville Dual Boiler, give it a standard E61 sized group, shrink it down, and give it a heavier frame. You now have a Lelit Elizabeth. This is less compelling to me than other machines on this list overall, but still a strong contender. +#### Lelit Elizabeth ($1800 US): +*In Short:* Take a Breville Dual Boiler, give it a standard E61 sized group, shrink it down, and give it a heavier frame. You now have a Lelit Elizabeth. **The Good:** - PID control for both boilers. - - Steam powered preinfusion option - it uses the pressure from the service boiler to push water into the group at about 2 bars. + - Steam powered preinfusion option - it uses the pressure from the service boiler to push water into the group to mimic a plumbed-in machine's line pressure PI. - No burn steam arm with 2 and 4 hole tips included. - Very shallow depth (11" without portafilter), so good if you're limited on space. - Portafilters are brass and 58mm, and the ring group is E61 portafilter compatible. - Steam boiler runs at about 2 bars, so the steam is quite dry and very powerful. **The Not So Good:** - - Small service boiler, so you may run out of steam power if doing multiple drinks back to back. Recovery time is short because of its small size, but something to keep in mind. +- Small service boiler at 600ml, so you may run out of steam power if doing multiple drinks back to back. Recovery time is short because of its small size, but something to keep in mind. - Only one pump, so dispensing hot water and brewing simultaneously is not recommended (or necessarily possible). - The stock tamper is a crappy nylon one, which isn't really forgivable at this price point. -### Ascaso Steel Duo PID ($1625 US) +#### Ascaso Steel Duo PID ($1625 US) *In Short:* A unique machine - instead of dual boilers, it uses dual thermocoils (advanced thermoblocks). Great if you need a quick-heating machine and don't have much space. **The Good:** - Dual thermoblocks allow for brewing and steaming without waiting for changeover. -- PID temperature control over both. -- Thermoblocks mean quick heatup time - well under 5 minutes from cold. +- PID temperature control for brew and steam +- Thermoblocks and electrically heated group mean quick heatup time - well under 5 minutes from cold. - No-burn steam wand. -- Side accessible water tank means under-counter refilling is easy. +- Side accessible water tank means under-counter refilling is easier. - Aesthetics are minimalist and inoffensive. - Programmable pre-infusion and auto-volumetric shots. - Small footprint. **The Not So Good:** -- Thermoblock steam is generally not nearly as powerful as boiler steam. -- May not be suitable for high flow shots like turbos as the thermoblock may not be able to keep up. -- Steam valve is a solenoid, not a manual rotary valve - this may be a negative or not depending on your preferences. - - -### Lucca A53 by La Spaziale ($2000 US via Clive Coffee) -*In Short:* A customized La Spaziale Vivaldi II. This is a flat profile machine but is a steam monster - it has a much steam boiler than any other machine here. It is unfortunately hamstrung by its rather oddball 53mm group head and large size. +- Thermoblock steam is generally not nearly as powerful as boiler steam. +- No manual (semiautomatic) option. +- Pressure set high (~11 bars) from factory with not much ability to adjust down. +#### Lucca A53 by La Spaziale ($2000 US via Clive Coffee) +*In Short:* A customized La Spaziale Vivaldi II. This machine has much more steam boiler volume than any other dual machine here. It is unfortunately hamstrung by its rather oddball 53mm group head, large size, and poor cup clearance. **The Good:** - PID control of both boilers (400ml brew, 1.2L service). @@ -150,58 +138,100 @@ These machines all are reasonably well specced and well built and won't cause yo **The Not So Good:** - Rather strange UI, not the easiest to use ever. - 53mm group, which makes accessories more difficult to find than the ubiquitous 58mm. -- looks are polarizing at best like the BDB. - Cup clearance is pretty bad (Gaggia Classic levels of clearance). - Quite large footprint. - Only one pump, so dispensing hot water and brewing simultaneously is not recommended. -### Lelit MaraX ($1700 US, less in Europe) -*In Short:* The best home Heat Exchanger on the market, bar none. The cheapest usable option for E61 flow control. +#### Lelit MaraX ($1700 US, less in Europe) +*In Short:* The best home Heat Exchanger on the market, bar none. The cheapest usable option for E61 flow control. However its low debit pump and poor quality feet do hamper it somewhat. **The Good:** - E61 group, which means most parts are standard and an aftermarket flow control paddle can be added easily. -- PID control with two thermocouples - one in the brew loop, one in the steam boiler. Remarkably good temperature control for a heat exchanger and does not require a cooling flush, despite relatively quick recovery time. +- PID control with two probes - one in the brew loop, one in the steam boiler. Remarkably good temperature control for a heat exchanger and does not require a cooling flush, despite relatively quick recovery time. - 3 temperature settings (Low/Medium/High, corresponding to about 89/91/93C, +/- 2C). - It may seem rather coarse compared to machines that show 1C increments, but heat exchangers at their core are rather unstable so +/-2C is really quite good. - Very small for its boiler size (1.8L) at only 22cm/9" wide and 41cm/16" deep. - No burn steam wand with 2x 0.9mm tip, and can take any M8.5x0.75 tip. The boiler is large enough to handle a 4 hole tip. -- Low noise for a vibratory pump machine. -- Good mechanical preinfusion. -- Quicker heatup times than most E61 machines (around 25 minutes where most are over 30) due to an intentional overheating during the startup phase. -- Relatively easy to do maintenance on internally because of a well-thought out layout. +- Low noise for a vibe pump machine. +- Quicker heatup times than most E61 machines due to an intentional overheating during the startup phase. +- Relatively easy to do maintenance on internally because of a well-thought out layout, and lots of videos on Lelit's youtube channel. **The Not So Good:** -- Steaming performance is somewhat variable depending on where the machine is in its temperature cycle. -- Stock baskets in the past were quite bad so keep in mind if buying used. -- Heatup time, as with any E61 machine, is long due to the group's gigantic thermal mass. +- Steaming performance is somewhat variable depending on where the machine is in its temperature cycle. +- Stock baskets in the past were quite bad, so keep this in mind if buying used. +- Despite the clever overheat on startup, heating time is long due to the group's gigantic thermal mass. - Like almost every E61 machine, it lacks programmable shot times or volumes (if that matters to you). - The stock feet are, unfortunately, quite bad. +- E61 group is relatively high maintenance. +- Extremely low water debit (no-restriction flow from group) at about 5ml/s - a result of the low power low noise pump. - Small footprint means limited cup storage on top. -### Bezzera BZ13 PM ($1550 US via Whole Latte Love) -*In Short:* The only other Heat Exchanger I'd recommend, solely because of its relatively small size and quick heatup time. It's also the cheapest option here and by far the cheapest Italian built machine. +#### Bezzera BZ13 PM ($1550 US) +_In Short:_ One of only two HX machines that made it to the recommended list, it makes it solely for its ridiculous build quality and super fast heatup time. Also, it's cheap. + +**The Good:** +- Extremely high build quality. +- Solid steaming. +- Very fast (sub-10 minute) heatup via the electrically heated, thermostat controlled group and lack of thermosiphon. +- Big drip tray capacity. +- No-burn steam wand with the usual no-burn m8x0.75 threading. +- Lots of cup storage on top. +- Low noise for a vibration pump machine. + +**The Not So Good** +- Still a heat exchanger, so you will need to do a cooling flush. +- Cup clearance is relatively poor with a spouted portafilter. +- Uses a different portafilter design than standard (the Bezzera/Simonelli type, specifically). +- Steam wand is relatively short and doesn't angle out very far, which can be annoying. +- OPV limit is set way too high from factory at 12 bars. Easy enough to adjust, but annoying nonetheless. +- Included tamper is the poor nylon type +- Stock baskets aren't great + + +#### Quick Mill Silvano Evo ($1250 via Chris' Coffee) +_In Short:_ A somewhat unique machine, it uses a traditional boiler for brew and a thermoblock for on demand steam. An absolute value king here, being the only machine under $1500 that lands in the recommended category. Nearly identical to the Seattle Coffee Gear house brand Diletta Mio - which is in fact a slightly modified Silvano Evo. **The Good:** -- Electrically heated group for very quick heatup time (about 10 minutes minimum, ideally 20-30). -- PID control of steam boiler, but not brew water exchanger; cooling flush likely required if left idle for long periods. -- No burn steam wand, 2 hole tip as stock. Should take standard M8.5x0.75 steam tips. -- Small footprint. -- NSF rated, so *technically* it could used in a *very* low volume commercial setting - though I wouldn't recommend it. -- Joystick controlled steam and hot water +- PID controlled brew and steam temperatures +- Steam thermoblock can be shut off separately from machine. +- Pressure set correctly from factory +- Build quality is excellent +- Possible to brew and steam simultaneously thanks to dual pump setup +- Water tank slides out to the side for easy filling under cabinets +- Externally accessible OPV adjust +- Quite small + +**The Not So Good** +- Steam power is substantially weaker than dual boiler or heat exchanger machines - or even the Ascaso thermoblock machine mentioned earlier. +- Looks are rather unique. +- Included tamper is a cheap nylon scoop/tamp combo; more forgivable at its price point, though. +- Lacks the signature Quick Mill pulsor (a noise reducing attachment for vibration pumps) +- Cup clearance is poor. +- The stock shower screen seems to hang onto a lot of coffee grounds, so it's worth spending $20 on the IMS precision (RA200IM) screen solely for ease of cleaning. + +#### ECM Puristika ($1549 US) +*In short:* Chic, tiny, single-boiler, espresso only machine. + +**The Good:** +- PID control of boiler temperature, shot timer, eco mode. +- Adjustable OPV on front of machine - 7.5 to 13+ bar. +- Quick heatup- ~15 minutes. +- External water tank +- E61, so flow control is possible. +- Incredibly small, similar to the Olympia Cremina. +- ECM build quality. **The Not So Good:** -- Boiler is relatively small at 1.5L -- No easy way to add flow control, and no preinfusion chamber like on an E61 group. Likely not a major issue. -- Pressure much too high from factory (OPV set at 11-12 bars), though relatively easy to adjust down. -- The group design does not do well with overfilled baskets; don't over-dose your basket with this machine. +- Single Boiler, Single Use. It makes espresso. Nothing else. No steam, no hot water tap/valve. + ## Not Recommended: Compared to the above options, these machines are generally too expensive for the features and functionality they offer. If you get a good deal on one used, then it may be worth considering. -### Profitec Pro 500 ($2000 US) +#### Profitec Pro 500 or almost any PID HX machine -*In Short:* Not bad, but too expensive compared to others on the market. Most PID heat exchanger machines are similar to this one. A PID on the steam boiler of a heat exchanger is kind of a gimmick - it does nothing to control the brew water temperature, which still relies on getting the thermosiphon tuning correct and/or flushing the group. +*In Short:* Most PID heat exchanger machines from the likes of Quick Mill, ECM, Rocket, and so on are similar to this one. A PID on the steam boiler of a heat exchanger is kind of a gimmick - it offers basically no more control than a pressurestat and still relies on getting the thermosiphon tuning correct and/or flushing the group. **The Good:** - Large 2L boiler @@ -210,24 +240,11 @@ These machines all are reasonably well specced and well built and won't cause yo - Pressure set roughly correctly from factory. **The Not So Good:** -- PID control, but only of steam boiler temperature. Group thermometer is almost mandatory. -- Price rather high for its feature set. -- Fairly large. +- PID control, but only of steam boiler temperature. Group thermometer is almost mandatory. +- Generally quite expensive for its feature set -### ECM Mechanika ($1900 US) -*In Short:* This machine is indicative of the vast majority of non-PID heat exchangers from the likes of Quick Mill, Rocket, Izzo, VBM, and so on - expensive for the feature set, but built very well. These are old technology and really just shouldn't be considered at their overinflated price points. - -**The Good:** -- Extremely well built -- Large 2.2L boiler -- Same no-burn steam wand as most other E61 machines in this range. - -**The Not So Good:** -- Pressurestat control of the steam boiler has a large deadband and is isolated from the brew loop, so a cooling flush is necessary if it sits idle. -- Not recommended for its lack of features vs price. - -### Nuova Simonelli Oscar II ($1400 US) -*In short:* Built cheaply and inexplicably lacking an overpressure valve, this machine is *so* close to being a value king but lands firmly on the "don't buy" list from truly baffling shortcomings for the price. +#### Nuova Simonelli Oscar II ($1400 US) +*In short:* Wildly overpriced in the US. This machine lands firmly on the "don't buy" list from truly baffling shortcomings for the price. **The Good:** - Low price for a heat exchanger @@ -235,41 +252,11 @@ These machines all are reasonably well specced and well built and won't cause yo - Programmable shots - NSF Certified, so technically usable in a commercial setting - again, not recommended. - Plumb in kit available -- Lever operated steam valve is a plus. - +- Lever operated steam valve is a plus. + **The Not So Good:** -- Pressurestat controlled (again), so flushing is necessary. -- No OPV, so pressure is only limited by the pump (so it can ramp to 15 bars, way too high). - - This can be added, but *really* shouldn't need to be at this price point. - Cheap plastic panels. Even Breville, often derided as "appliance grade", has metal outer panels. - -#### Lelit Victoria ($1099 US) -*In short:* More or less an Elizabeth minus a service boiler. Cheaper because of the lack of service boiler and auto-refill controls. If you want a pre-PID'd single boiler machine, sure, go for it - but if you're handy it would be much more cost effective to just install a PID kit on a used Silvia to get roughly the same attributes. - -**The Good:** -- PID control of boiler temperature, so temperature is stable. -- Pressure is correct out of the box. -- Quick heatup time because of ring group design. -- Group is E61 compatible. -- Very small! - -**The Not So Good:** -- Single Boiler Dual Use; don't buy this if you're wanting an upgrade from a Silvia or Gaggia for milk drinks. -- No auto-refill probe on the boiler. Be careful you don't burn out the element. -- Stock tamper is quite bad, but this is more forgivable given its price point. - - -#### ECM Puristika ($1549 US) -*In short:* Chic, tiny, single-boiler, espresso only machine. - -**The Good:** -- PID control of boiler temperature, shot timer, eco mode. -- Adjustable OPV on front of machine - 7.5 to 13+ bar. -- Quick heatup- ~15 minutes. -- External water tank -- E61! -- Incredibly small, similar to the Olympia Cremina. -- ECM build quality. - -**The Not So Good:** -- Single Boiler, Single Use. It makes espresso. Nothing else. No steam, no hot water tap/valve. +- Wildly overpriced in the US - these are around €720 in Europe, which makes them a more compelling option. +- Copper boiler more scale prone +- Older versions don't come with an OPV installed. +- Uses a less common (Simonelli/Bezzera type) portafilter shape.