Hi All, Long Time Reader, First Post. Upgrading from a Single Boiler Machine to a Dual Boiler Machine. Pairing with a Niche Grinder. Would Love to get the ACS Leva Machine, but the Mrs. shot down due to the price. Coffee focus is light roast single origin, and I drink mainly espresso with a few milk drinks. Machine Budget is $2000 (£1500). Currently Looking at: **Ranchilio Silvia Pro X** or Lelit Elizabeth. Always heard good things about Ranchilio build quality and temp stability, but Lelit is new brand to me. Any other recommendations or comments on current choice would be appreciated!

@"Gtbarringer"#p3141 Welcome to the forum! Liz and Minima are in your price range. Both are excellent machines; while minima is packed with features, it will not be as quiet as Liz. If you want to stretch, then Bianca for £350 more and perhaps Veuvius for about £150 more than Bianca. We assume you already have a good grinder. What about the water? How are feeding your current machine please ? Thx

Presumably the OP is in the US for having quoted the prices in USD. The Bianca in the USA costs USD 3k, The Elizabeth or the Rancilio at USD 1.7k and the Minima approx. 1.8k based on a quick internet search. The Elizabeth is a great machine, very easy to maintain and use. It has the pre-infusion options, so that would give you some ability to "play" with certain coffees, which is nice. However, it's a "dead end" machine, in the sense you cannot really do much to it. It is what it is, and has to be used as intended. The same goes for the Rancilio. The Minima would allow you to add a flow control valve to the E61, which can take you to the next level. As upgraditus knocks at my door (I have the Elizabeth), this is one of the things I would like to experiment with one day. For the moment, however, the Elizabeth has been performing rock solid for the past year and a half. No idea about the Rancilio DB X. Looks like it's a great machine, but it also feels like it's a bolted-on experiment on their single boiler design. IMO, it's early days and I wouldn't touch it, specially given the fact that within one year, they already came up with an improved version, the "X", and added a pressure gauge and pre-infusion option. Personally, I'd let it settle for another year at least.

I already have a Niche and I'm getting a Lelit Elizabeth this year (or a Bianca if I can convince the wife - I know I could have a Minima but I just prefer the looks of the Bianca for a paddle/profiling machine)

> @"-Mac"#p3149 or a Bianca if I can convince the wife this should be your new year's resolution and top priority :-)

> @"MediumRoastSteam"#p3150 this should be your new year’s resolution @"-Mac"#p3149 ![Giphy - jealous bbc one GIF by BBC](https://media0.giphy.com/media/l0MYLraSJ4qyxTqJq/giphy.gif?cid=bb77869fu41kgaowu0cu0ytmf6a5efv3qo53ilzwmeop4iyj&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g) 😉

Thanks for the responses! I now researched the ACS Minima and my decision only is more difficult. Hopefully Dave C. will see this, But Can anyone confirm if flow control can be added to the Minima at a later date? Also - What is the advantage of going to the Lelit Bianca besides finer touch points? I don't see it being any more temp stable or capable (besides included flow control). Please enlighten me :)

> @"Gtbarringer"#p3648 Can anyone confirm if flow control can be added to the Minima at a later date? Flow control definitely can be added, I added the Lelit system to mine, and sure any of the others would work. If you check my review site, you can see it being installed (check about drop down button on Forum header). Minima is noisy compared to Bianca, and is a Caterham 7 in comparison re build/performance. Minima group requires very little maintenance, steaming is slightly more powerful.

i added a coffee sensor flow control to my old minima, i now have a bianca though as i prefer the quieter pump. both were good machines, but the bianca fit and finish is better than that of the minima.

@"Cuprajake"#p3658 Does the minima have pre infusion capabilities without flow control added?

yeah it has a nice rise due to the pump used https://youtu.be/KaH70PoRIHw

Need a help with a tie breaker

Gtbarringer

No worries. Disregard my comment, it was a mistake on my side not ACS :)

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