Best coffee related purchase of 2024

Adrianmsmith

Thanks for the suggestion! I have spent the last several days looking into different machine that I hadn’t heard of, one being the ACS. You have an extremely nice set up!

LMSC

This is a good point! I had narrowed it down to two but I ended up adding several more machines to my research list after the responses I received. I think I might have a front runner but I will sift through the information a bit more before I either pull the trigger or open a new thread. Thanks for your help!

dfk41

Wow, thanks for taking the time to explain all of that to me. I feel very ignorant saying this, but it was all new to me and eye opening. I am located in the US so, some of the logistics would impact me directly.

You also introduced me to Nurri machine, so I added it to my research list several days ago.

Lastly, I followed the link and read your article. Thanks for sharing your experience. I am sorry you had to go through that. I did not know the difference between a Heart Attack and Cardiac Arrest before reading your article. When I finished reading it, I sent it to my spouse to read it as well. I keep thinking about the chance events of you making the maderia cake that you brother asked for, and then having him there for you at the exact moment that you needed him. It is astounding!

Thanks again for sharing of if this information with me.

pjw

Thanks for your honest feedback on these machines. These two machines were the only two that I was considering a week ago. Although I am still considering them, I have now added to several more to the list.

It is reassuring that you use machines regularly. A few people have mentioned that they use their Streitman more occasionally when they have more time. So it was nice to hear that you use it weekly. Though I am wondering if I should get a machine that might be a little easier for someone to starting on their espresso journey.

Either way, I am planning to do a little more research and then open a new thread with questions.

Thanks for answering my questions. It was very important to me, as you are one of the few people I have come across that has both machines. Your responses were very helpful to me!

illuminarttea Though I am wondering if I should get a machine that might be a little easier for someone to starting on their espresso journey.

Strietman is really easy to use, but expensive.

Another option to try manual levers (but this machine requires more skills then CT2 IMHO) is Robot - https://www.cafelat.co.uk/products/cafelat-robot-barista

I too had an L1. I bought @dfk41 L1 and then a newer model in better condition came up so I sold one bought one. I loved them both. Then @Cuprajake decided to sell his ACS EVO1 and well it would have been churlish to refuse. So I sold Londium1 no 2 as well. I Londium1 do come up for sale from time to time and they are hugely enjoyable machines. Very simple. Built like tanks and with free lifetime support. What’s,not to like. It’s horses for courses really. The EVO is much more expensive and complex. Much more to go wrong and much more expensive to fix. But in the cup? Significantly better.

Grahamsphillips

I never purchased a Londinium, was talked out of it by various opinions on this very forum 😎. I had a ecm synchronika, ACS vesuvius pressure profiler and an ACS evo1.

Then, similarly to Graham,

@Cuprajake decided to sell his Evo2 end it was a opportunity not to be missed 😘 and certainly not regretted.

It gives the freedom to use the spring lever as you want, from fully manual though to fully automatic.

I think , as of now, the ACS evo 2 or vostok gives all the options anyone could wish for, short of a robot arm to pull the lever for me!!

Last autumn got the itch for a new grinder for espresso. Had a look at a near new EG 1 but @DavecUK guided me away from it. So decided to pull the trigger and order a Kafatek Flat Max which dropped through the letterbox in November. It’s better than my EKs for espresso but it’s a close call when making pour over as the EKS is fitted with Silver Knight burrs which give good clarity. I had intended parting with the EKs when the Max arrived but will probably hang on to it as I would probably regret parting with it.

Testing tomorrow? 🥰