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Decent DE1XL and Izzo Valexia Leva

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  • Decent DE1XL and Izzo Valexia Leva

    I'm fortunate to enjoy both futuristic and traditional espresso machines as represented by the Decent DE1XL with its Android tablet and the Izzo Valexia Leva with its La San Marco double spring lever mechanism.

    I’m grateful to site sponsors John Buckman of decentespresso and Antony de Fina of Casa Espresso for supplying and supporting me with each of these machines.

    I promised yochiya a comparison so here goes.

    I used Kenya AA Lena beans, dark roasted with a moisture loss between green and roasted of 18.5%. I used a Weber EG-1 for grinding. I poured four espressos on each machine. I used the Traditional Lever preset on the Decent. I will probably not sleep for a week.

    Firstly, whilst it’s true that the Decent has various Lever machine presets (meaning that it emulates those machines’ typical temperature, pre-infusion pressure and time, pour pressure and time) there are simply too many other variables to make a direct “apples to apples” comparison.

    For example, the basket size on the Decent is 58mm and on the Izzo is 54mm. And those baskets have different depths, different gaps between the top of the puck and shower screen and come from different manufacturers and the holes are therefore engineered differently.

    Additionally, it’s virtually impossible to get the temperature of the water in each machine identical at the group head or to get the pre-infusion pressure identical and the tamping pressure identical from one shot to another.

    Another variable was that to achieve a 1:2 espresso ratio with a 30 second pour from each machine, I had to grind a lot finer for the Decent than I did for the Izzo.

    That said, here are my conclusions.
    1. Both machines can produce “God shot” expressos. I’m aware that there is perhaps nothing more subjective than opinions about espresso and clearly, that superlative and the ones that may follow are only my opinion. But my oh my, full-flavored, thick, crèma-laden, chocolate-raisin-toffee espresso oozing from each basket into the cups and then over my taste buds, is an experience that both machines are fully capable of producing. I could not say that I preferred the espresso from one machine over the other; I love the espressos from both machines.
    2. The Decent offers unmatched versatility due to it being programmable via the tablet. Temperature, pressure, and flow rate can be pre-determined for every second of every shot. That is simply extraordinary. And so can the duration of pre-infusion (the Izzo can do that too of course) and the duration of the pour. Not to mention the presets such as Scott Rao’s “Blooming Espresso” or his “Rao Allonge” and many others from the Decent Diaspora community mean that potential for experimentation is virtually infinite.
    3. That versatility is countered by the physical, sensual experience of the Izzo Valexia Leva that can’t be matched by a tablet-controlled machine. The bare essentialism and physicality of pulling the double-spring lever down, pausing for pre-infusion and then releasing the lever is a magical pleasure, every time.

    Other conclusions follow which I'd class as being less categorical and more subjective include:
    1. Both machines are easy to clean and maintain
    2. Both will likely never be made obsolete by manufacturers upgrades (for different reasons: John Buckman has stated as such and the lever design is already 76 years old)
    3. Both embody high quality design, engineering and build
    4. The Izzo demands a higher quality puck preparation
    5. The Decent offers more scope to extract the best from lighter roasts
    6. The Decent Diaspora community on basecamp.com offers unparalleled peer-user support
    7. The Izzo emits a presence that commands attention from every visitor (regular expressions of "wow")
    8. The Decent stimulates curiosity and intrigue from every visitor (also "wow", but only after I explain what it is)
    9. My wife is certain that I have I have lost my marbles (she is not a coffee drinker) and has the local psychiatrist on speed dial, just in case
    I'm aware that I'm not offering much in the way of fresh insights for those who have experienced both the Decent and La San Marco lever machines but this post may help those who have only experienced one or the other, or indeed neither.

    Which machine would I recommend if it were only to be one or the other?

    For those who want to dive deep down any number of espresso rabbit holes, who have both the time and energy to explore and were a little more tech-minded than the average person, then clearly it would be the Decent.

    For those who enjoy a simpler espresso experience and who are prepared to pay more attention to puck preparation and who love a more physical espresso experience, then the Izzo is my recommendation.

    That said, it will be a cold day in hell before I part with either of them.

    Happy to take questions and very interested in opinions and experiences of any and all.


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  • #2
    Oh yes!

    Thanks for this, answers all my questions and solidifies my upgrade direction once the time comes.

    Great write up.
    Beautiful machines.
    May they offer years of service.

    Comment


    • #3
      great write up. got to love that versatility in the decent, but i am definitely drawn to the lever! must be tough choosing each morning!

      Comment


      • tompoland
        tompoland commented
        Editing a comment
        It is actually. A quality problem, as they say.

    • #4
      Tom that is a great, unbiased and detailed write up. It seems to really capture the strengths of both machines. So pleased for you that you are enjoying both to the fullest!

      Comment


      • #5
        Out of interest if you had to make a dozen espressos back to back for a gathering at your place which option would you choose digital or analogue?

        Cheers

        Comment


        • tompoland
          tompoland commented
          Editing a comment
          Not to sit on the fence but for fun it would be the Valexia, for consistency under time pressure, it would be the Decent.

        • 338
          338 commented
          Editing a comment
          Sander, not part of how practical it is to make those coffees, but on one of those machines visitors will often ask 'to have a go' when their coffee is made.

        • WhatEverBeansNecessary
          WhatEverBeansNecessary commented
          Editing a comment
          338 - it's funny because I think most people are intimidated by my lever and guests never ask to have a go because it seems a bit overwhelming (that I am a bit protective haha)

      • #6
        Am I the only one who thinks the Decent wins in terms of aesthetics? Not really a fan of the looks of Alex coffee machines, eg, disproportionatelylarge drip tray.

        Comment


        • tompoland
          tompoland commented
          Editing a comment
          That's the wonderful thing about coffee, it's so subjective. Also, I have to say that for some reason the Valexia is not as photogenic as the Decent. When you see it "in the flesh" it's a very impressive piece of kit.

        • jasiano
          jasiano commented
          Editing a comment
          I do think the Decent looks 'better' in photos, primarily because of the finish and modern aesthetic. Things that are shiny and 'old school' looking tend not to photograph well (unless perfect lighting/composition) but inevitably more striking in person.
          Both look pretty cool and even better if you can have them together!!

      • #7
        Tom you did mention brew ratio but forgot to mention that the Decent can automatically "stop at weight" or "stop at volume", that is, if you want 18gms in and 36gms out then you can program it to stop at 36gms or 37.3gms or anything provided you have a recommended blue-tooth scale including their own or the Acaia Lunar for example. This feature and observing flow rates makes it simple to dial in. Also using one of their approved "skins" you can calibrate steaming to stop at a certain temperature without looking at a thermometer or stopping by feel. This and the many programmable profiles makes the Decent a lot more versatile. The one drawback of the Decent which for some might be a deal breaker is that you can't pull a shot and steam at the same time. Not a problem for me as I've always steamed later even on machines that could do both at the same time. So if you had a dinner party then that would slow you down a little. Buying on line and not from a local shop could also be a deal breaker for some but that's happening a lot more these days, for example the Niche Zero or Lagom P64 grinders but as mentioned by Tom, the support is phenomenal. I had a small problem and posted on their private forum and got a quick reply from one of their technicians and even the CEO as well as numerous replies from fellow owners.

        I also think that time (you mentioned 30 seconds) is "old school". I've had some great 1:2 shots on a Decent in much longer than 30 seconds, so trying to compare the two machines based on time as one variable is problematical when you also consider that the Decent has dozens of different presets with different flow/pressure rates at various stages of the extraction.

        As for aesthetics, I do love the look of shiny stainless steel. I had a Rocket Giotto that always got a "wow" when visitors came but the Decent only attracts attention due to the tablet. If the Decent had that same shiny look then that would be icing on the cake. This is my 4th high end coffee machine including a VBM Domobar and the Rocket and to me the Decent's functionality makes it a clear winner. You can run it like a "simple" E61, 9 bar machine or have it as complicated as you like with flow/pressure changes on the fly or programmed to occur automatically during the extraction.
        Last edited by barri; 18 October 2021, 09:33 AM.

        Comment


        • tompoland
          tompoland commented
          Editing a comment
          Indeed, agree with all of that. There is a lot that I "forgot" to mention but the reality is that to include all of the Decent's features would add a level of complexity that was outside what I wanted to achieve with the post.

          In regard to 30 seconds, yes I understand that it is old school, not my first rodeo as they say. However please note that I also included the parameters of 1:2 ratio, in this case 18g in and 36 out and to have anything close to a like-for-like comparison between a lever, where you are often removing the cup before the pour has finished, I needed to have a consistent set of parameters so I chose 18 grams in, 36 grams out and a 30 second pour.

          Barri I hope that explains the method behind my madness.

        • barri
          barri commented
          Editing a comment
          It does Tom

      • #8
        Both are very nice machines. Levers are simplistic, and give you manual control during the shot, where you can make adjustments if your grind/dose/prep was out. Very easy for anyone to learn how to use. Maintenance on a lever depends upon use, but can be done by anyone who knows how to use a screwdriver and spanner. Parts are easy to replace, so the machine will last decades. How long the Electronics last on a DE1 is unknown, but no doubt they too will be replaceable.
        The main difference between these two machines is the type of coffee they were designed for. Levers are designed for Italian style of espresso, medium to dark roast, and this is where they excel.
        The DE1 with Scott Rao's input is geared towards light roasted coffee, and the various drinks associated with it. It can also be used for pourover, and the latest is the filter 2.0 profile which has huge potential for filter style coffees.
        For experimentation, the DE1 wins hands down, if that is what you crave. The lever is something that once you master, you move on and concentrate on exploring fine coffees.
        Tom has the right idea, he has two machines that cater for virtually all coffee drinks. No point in comparing and choosing one of the other, the goal should be to have both; the problem is, most houses do not have sufficient space for coffee gear, a prominent bar is essential in the modern home.
        Comparisons will be endless, but the deal breaker usually comes down to the style of coffee one likes. If light roasted espresso and the associated higher acidity is your preference, then the DE1 would be the smart choice. I prefer light roasted filter coffees via the Tricolate, and am waiting to try Filter 2.0 style drinks to compare. Unfortunately high acid espresso (even with balanced sweetness) doesn't agree with me, so I could live with just the lever. My commercial lever comes in handy on weekends when visitors drop by and request the usual milk drinks.
        Honestly, I don't see how anyone could be disappointed with either machine.
        Enjoy the toys Tom!

        Comment


        • tompoland
          tompoland commented
          Editing a comment
          Tx Bosco. Only had the Izzo a few weeks now so still learning how to make adjustments during the pour but thoroughly enjoying the journey of discovery.

      • #9
        Thanks the the simple explanation. I’ve got a decent too, but if I went for a second it would also be a lever. Love the mods you’ve done.

        we could start a whole seperate convo on the bplus - have you tried they on the Izzo?

        Comment


        • tompoland
          tompoland commented
          Editing a comment
          Yes. But the 54mm bplus I have does not fit the 54mm Izzo basket for some strange reason but does fit the 54mm IMS Competition basket. Go figure. I have paper filters for the Izzo basket. The main reason for using both is so I have a cleaner shower screen.
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