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Decent DE1XL and Izzo Valexia Leva

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  • tompoland
    commented on 's reply
    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.

  • Budgiesmuggler
    replied
    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?

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  • barri
    commented on 's reply
    It does Tom

  • jasiano
    commented on 's reply
    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!!

  • tompoland
    commented on 's reply
    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.

  • Bosco_Lever
    replied
    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!

    Leave a comment:


  • tompoland
    commented on 's reply
    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.

  • tompoland
    commented on 's reply
    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.

  • WhatEverBeansNecessary
    commented on 's reply
    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)

  • barri
    replied
    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.

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  • 338
    commented on 's reply
    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.

  • sacsnob
    replied
    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.

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  • tompoland
    commented on 's reply
    It is actually. A quality problem, as they say.

  • tompoland
    commented on 's reply
    Not to sit on the fence but for fun it would be the Valexia, for consistency under time pressure, it would be the Decent.

  • SanderP
    replied
    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

    Leave a comment:

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