Expobar Office Leva or Isomac Zaffiro

llatsni

I've finally got the go ahead to replace my Gaggia Coffee after 8 years of mostly reliable use. I've learned a lot and enjoyed some wonderful espresso from this little machine, but I feel I've outgrown it. So I'm looking a little further up the food chain at these two. They seem strangely similar and retail at very similar prices (approx 800 euro)... so which should I go for? Are there any other contenders in or around this price?

Paul

Mr Magnolia

Well I have the Expobar Brewtus III and it is a superb piece of kit. Is the Expobar Office Leva a Hx machine or dual boiler?

If your going to spend this much cash on a machine I would look at dual boilers even if you have to push the budget a bit. I had a Hx machine (Nouva Simonelli Oscar) and I was happy with it but the step up to the dual boiler I have at the minute was one I'm happy I made.

What grinder are you currently running?

llatsni

I have my heart set on an e61 group machine... other than that I'm trying to limit myself to 1000 euro (eeek!)

The Expobar Office Leva is a single boiler HX machine otherwise the same as the Brewtus... retails <900 euro

The Isomac Zaffiro is a single boiler non-HX machine and also retails <900 euro... but I have been offered a 2nd hand one for half that, which is annoying!

I'm currently (happily) using an Iberital MC2 grinder, but maybe a classy machine will show its defects, in which case I may bite the bullet and get a Mazzer Mini. The 2nd hand zaffiro would definitely take the edge of that decision.

So confusing. So many options!

Paul

llatsni

Couldn't resist... bought that 2nd hand Zaffiro, well cared for 2 year old machine, originally purchased from Bella Barista. Initial results are (very) promising.

Further testing to be done when my kilo of Finca la Fany arrives from Hasbean

Clinker

Congratulations: enjoy your new machine!

llatsni

Cheers Clinker! It's a thing of beauty, and the espresso is not half bad either

Bought a bag of "Fixx" coffee this morning because I thought the Hasbean order was delayed... HORRIFIC stuff, I actually felt ill after a few sips; should have known better, the beans were so oily and black, darkest roast I've ever seen. Does anyone actually use this at home? If you do you're welcome to the rest of it.

Luckily the Hasbean order came late this afternoon and my first ristretto of the La Fany was truly sublime.

Clinker

On New Year's Eve I was down to the end of my last Terroir packet, with a Hasbean order held up in the Christmas post. I was going to go to Tesco for emergency beans, but then the Post van arrived with 6 bags of lovely beans (Finca la Fany among them)! Phew, saved!!

Slaphead07

llatsni wrote: »

Bought a bag of "Fixx" coffee this morning because I thought the Hasbean order was delayed...

Clinker wrote: »

On New Year's Eve I was down to the end of my last Terroir packet, with a Hasbean order held up in the Christmas post.

Colin at 3FE on Middle Abbey Street (the lobby of the Twisted Pepper) keeps a stock of good Hasbean coffee. For the desparate.