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Originally posted by 7D666C676E7D6B6E636E6D6E0F0 link=1289479977/14#14 date=1293392755
Hey Charlie, can I do a course with you that includes making coffee on these two machines so my choice can be based on some experience, however limited?
Thanks guys for these very helpful comments; this site is just so informative and I appreciate the feedback. Ive been a professional photographer for 20 years and have always put high value on quality build in my hardware so it seems my budget may have to stretch from sub-$700 to a bit over a $1K if Im to get long term value/satisfaction.
Hey Charlie, can I do a course with you that includes making coffee on these two machines so my choice can be based on some experience, however limited? Can the course be included in the price of a purchase? Im at Balgowlah so you are very nearby.
Richard, if your budget will stretch to a PID Silvia, that may be a great option. Whilst I love my Lelit, and it fitted my budget, I know the PID Silvias get a good rap from many people and it may delay the the onset of "upgraditis" if you get one. I would definitely take the opportunity to visit Jetblack and see both machines for yourself.
If you can last a few more days, you can see these machines side by side in our Cremorne shop (re-opens on 4th Jan). Hopefully the greens dry out in the interim. 8-)
A PIDed Silvia takes a lot of the "fuss" out making your cap - you dont have to worry about where the boiler is in its cycle, and the steam stays consistently strong. Thats not to say you cant get the job done with a standard Silvia or Lelit so it depends on how you want to approach your coffee making as much as anything else.
Hi Richard,
The hardware quality was also an important part of the buying decision for me. Im a long way from any repair agent. Both the Lelit and the Silvia seem to follow a tried and proven design with only a few changes along the way. Searches will show internal pics of the Lelit, and although I havent taken a screwdriver to mine, the insides appear to be well laid out. Im hoping to be able to reapir any faults myself, with the help of forum members., there is just so much info out there with many people happy to help it seems.
So warts and all, my impressions of the hardware of my Lelit Combi and how its screwed together? This is my first machine so my observations I guess are based on other appliances and tools, not espresso machines.
The stainless steel body is smart, solid and functional without any sharp exposed edges and comes across - to me - as quality kit. The switchgear is solid and positive. The group handle and group head come across with a solid, quality feel, without burred or sharp edges or obvious plastic mold joins.
The plastic drip trays and stainless steel grids I really like. Solid, deep and easy to clean trays and a simple grid on top that Im sure will see service for years. The S/S base is well formed and good quality. Would have liked a removalable (IEC type) power cord, but the cord, plug and captive gromet is robust and neat enough.
The grinder top hopper is simple but I reckon will last, the shute and the gringer actuator/pf holder is a little flimsy but is discrete and does the job - I have no reason to believe it wouldnt last for years.
Final assembly let it down just a tad - the steam shaft and knob are wonky (can probably be fixed by the user, havent yet) the proud Lelit badge stuck on very crooked (this was fixed by the user) and the bloody grind knob is the wrong one (took me days to work that one out but now I know coarse=fine). The water bottle is a bit of a surprise, its just that - a water bottle - but I didnt know what to expect anyway. Its tucked away and taste free, fed by a couple of quality hoses. I mention these as my fussy observations - but the outright quality Im impressed with. Overall, the outside of the machine comes across as better quality than regular electrical store appliance but with a "hand made" flavor.
Ive got over the little niggles cause its a grand bit of gear sitting on the bench, and depending on the users abilities even churns out a decent cuppa.
While I aknowledge there may be more to "warming up" than I understand, the group, PF - and later the boiler to steam temp - heats up like a rocket with minimal wait for me.
If you read the extensive US threads on Lelit and Silva temp variations you probably wont buy either machine. They go on and on, and its very easy to get off on a tangent for days!
My thoughts are that my tamp, grind, dose, bean is going to have far more impact than temp - but check my post count before you take my advice on that.
Hope this helps rather than confuses - happy hunting
Thanks Mishky; my golf was washed out today so Ive spent most of it still researching coffee machine options. My first choice was the Lelit, but Im also very interested in a Sivia but with a PID attachment. I know Ill be spending over $1k but I hate getting hardware only to find that I need some upgrading. I understand that one of the main gripes about the standard Silvia seems to be getting the right temperature and I understand that the PID makes this much easier. Can any coffee guru help me decide between these please?
Hi richard A. I just bought a Lelit Combi about a month ago and I am very happy with it. It makes great coffee with the convenience of the inbuilt grinder, which is good quality, and takes up minimal extra bench space. I am very happy with my purchase, and can recommend this machine to anyone looking for a good coffee machine on a budget under $1000. Its limitations (which is the same with all single boilers, in the sub $1000 category) is that it is not made for making multiple latte`s in a row. It is however excellent if you just need to make one or two on a regular basis, and on occasion maybe three to four latte`s. If however you need to make four latte`s on a regular basis, maybe you need a double boiler or HX machine. These will cost you close to $2000. But if your budget does not allow one of these machines, then you should definitely consider a Lelit. Good luck, whatever you choose.
Hi all; Im brand new to this website but have several decades of coffee-fussyness behind me which has been largely satisfied by buying my caps from cafes and using a plunger coffer maker at home. My current drinking habits are based on an EM0480 conical burr grinder, freshly-roasted high quality beans and a simple plunger. While I like this style first thing in the morning, I regularly crave a rich double-shot cap around mid morning. Both sons work as part-time baristas (one 20 and one 16) and I have been nagged for over a year to get a "proper" coffee maker. Ive researched the options both here and elsewhere and the leading contender seems to be the Lelit PL041EM (in the short list of the Silvia & EM6910). Im fussy about quality in hardware and hate upgrading too soon because of buying cheaply, but at under $700 this seems a sound compromise. Does anyone want to talk me out of this or invite me to re-consider? Otherwise, can anyone tell me where in Sydney (Im at Manly) I can buy this item at a good price? Preferably at a place where I can do a course as well? cheers, richard
It was definitely a tamper issue, Ive had a play this morning and got 2 great shots after I tapped the group head gently on the bench and tampered then re-tampered if I had to. Hopefully Ill get better the more I use it
Sounds like your dosing and tamping technique isnt quite right.
With my grinder I twist the basket 180 degrees in the group handle whilst I am filling it or I get an uneven flow through the basket (naked group handle helps me identify this).
You could try getting a skewer and "stirring the grind before you tamp them to get them even. I have seen all sorts of "aids" to help with the distribution of grinds but an easy one is a yoghurt cup with the bottom cut out of it.
Yes, The machine is level. When the coffee flows out of the group head into the cups the flow out of the spout differs. The right would flow more than the left and vice versa so it wasnt happening on one side only
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