Advice wanted

Esmae

Hi,

I bought a delonghi espresso machine and quickly realised it was no good for home espresso. I then upgraded to a sage barista express which I have had for the last 3 years.

I’m now in a position to upgrade and need advice with this, I have a budget of around £1000, I want a machine this time not an appliance like the last 2 appliances I have had. I want something that is built to last and parts can be sourced easily. I want something that isn’t too complicated to maintain.

I am purchasing it with some of the inheritance money from my late mum estate, I want a machine that I will use for many years sit proudly in my kitchen and think of my mum when I use it.

The thing is, I’m not experienced like the experts in here and don’t want to make a huge mistake. I’m open to suggestions and welcome them . I do have the simonelli Oscar 2 in mind. I don’t want a single boiler machine and realise with my budget it won’t stretch to a dual boiler so looking at a heat exchange machine.

many thanks for reading

Dumnorix

I think the LELIT Elizabeth is just over £1000 if you can stretch a little bit. What grinder do you have also, as the Sage BE has the built in grinder, so if you don’t have a grinder you will also have to factor in the cost for that.

Esmae

Dumnorix

Thanks for the reply, I do have a grinder the niche. So just the espresso machine in after. Will look at the lelit elizabeth.

MediumRoastSteam

Esmae - indeed. As the previous advice, consider budgeting for the grinder and for some accessories. The other option is the MaraX.

John_Yossarian

If you have the Niche with your budget you can consider the ACS Minima. Dual boiler, built as a tank and will do what you mention you are after.
@DavecUK has done an excellent review of the machine and there is quite a bit of feedback on the forums.

Esmae

John_Yossarian

I will definitely look at this option. I think I am going to forget about the Oscar 2 it’s too hard to find one. Very few places stock it. I have found one company stocking it with the over pressure valve already fitted as upgrade the company is called elektros but I have never heard of it and think it in Italy and unsure about purchasing from them.

Thanks for suggestions.

LMSC

I would include water as a crucial element to address.

Esmae

LMSC

I’m quite a novice but have always used volvic water I live in a very hard water area

LMSC

Esmae When some one like @dfk41 suggests caution re-bottled, I would take a pause.

I do not know much about the bottled. I won’t use for environmental reasons. Waitrose lockhills and Volvic seem the best in the bottled department. But, I won’t use bottled.

Folks elsewhere recommend it. Scales are likely to form eventually and you are going to have to slightly descale often to prevent this becoming a headache later.

Look at this thread. We are spending >1K on a machine, which we want to last for a long time. It’s worth spending some tidy sum, if helps extend the life of our machine - ofc with TLC.

Edit : @DavecUK Hope it is ok to link that thread here.

dfk41

Am sure the water experts will chip in with figures etc, but in espresso machine terms, I do not think Volvic is particularly suitable. You need something for certain. A lot of us use this
https://www.osmiowater.co.uk/water-filters/reverse-osmosis-water-filters/zip-portable-reverse-osmosis-system.html

Looks expensive but certainly cheaper than letting your machine scale up then getting a service engineer out!

DavecUK

LMSC Edit : @DavecUK Hope it is ok to link that thread here.

Of course it’s OK to link to it….no problem.

Esmae

Ok I don’t know much about coffee machines, that’s why I joined this forum to learn. I used to be a member of another forum that I had not looked at for a few years basically was too busy and happy plodding along with my sage machine. I looked on the other forum I used to be a member of and seen everyone had left and came here, hence why I joined.

I clearly have so much to learn thinking I was totally doing the right thing using bottles volvic water 🤔. So what should I be doing filtered tap water?

DavecUK

Esmae I clearly have so much to learn thinking I was totally doing the right thing using bottles volvic water 🤔. So what should I be doing filtered tap water?

I looked at the composition, Volvic might well be way better than tap water regarding scale but is quite expensive. You can get RO systems, either counter top or tankless…don’t get a tanked one. These can be from £220 to £450. Someone recently linked to a cheap one that’s tankless…I think it was this.

for £221 it seems like it would do the job.

Esmae

DavecUK

Amazing, thanks for info it’s very helpful

Esmae

DavecUK

sorry to keep asking so many questions but you are very very knowledgeable and would lo love to know which one you would pick ….

I’m torn between 2 machines and don’t know which one to pick.

ACS minimia

Lelit Marra.

I really don’t want to make the wrong purchase, given where I obtained the funds to purchase this machine and want it be a meaningful reminder and stand proud in my kitchen for many many years.

my biggest requirements is the machine must be easy to maintain and is going to last for many many years if looked after well. I mainly drink 3 or 4 espresso per day but have the odd flat white and make the odd latte when friends come over.

which one is best.

MediumRoastSteam

Esmae my biggest requirements is the machine must be easy to maintain and is going to last for many many years if looked after well.

The group on the Minima requires zero maintenance. All you need to do is to backflush chemically every week, and clean the shower screen.

On the MaraX, if you do that, you also need to take the cam lever apart and lubricate it. It takes 15 minutes when you get good with it, and it’s not really a bother once you incorporate into your routine. But, unlike the Minima, you only Backflush chemically every month or so.

The Minima will give you consistency and the ability of turning the service boiler off for when you don’t want a milk drink - this is exactly what I do with the Elizabeth.

Cuprajake

Minima

Dual boiler so will be best of those 2

Danm

MediumRoastSteam On the MaraX, if you do that, you also need to take the cam lever apart and lubricate it

Apologies to the OP for this small interlude…. MRS - is there anywhere which decribes what you mention in more detail please. Thanks

Esmae

MediumRoastSteam

Thank you that’s really helpful, my mind is made up now. Getting the minimia for sure. Now just to decide where best to purchase from probably Bella barista.

please don’t apologise, glad you asked. Helped me make my mind up.