Hi!
Usual long time lurker first time poster introduction
I hesitated prior to posting as my query is essentially very similar to all the other "what machine should I buy threads", but after trawling and searching through the archives I decided to throw my situation out there.
Im looking to upgrade from a hand-me-down Breville Barista Express, which I feel has served as a really nice introduction into the world of home coffee. Im looking to spend as little as possible - but as much as is required.... I know all the expert advice is that the upgrade bug will invariably strike again at some point, but as a starting point Id like to buy a machine that will serve my needs, and last, for a long time.
Our use case is that I drink 2 to 3 milk coffees a day - regular visitors may add a few extras in from time to time, but it would be a very rare occurrence that a gathering would ever require more than 3 drinks being made in succession. The wife and (young) kids dont drink coffee but add to the milk steaming load with babychinos and turmeric lattes
I do enjoy tinkering in general, but in this case, and I would expect for the next 10 years, I see myself being happy just bedding down a solid process and repeating it. Im not someone with an expansive palette - I know what I like, but I cant necessarily tell you why..... I dont imagine I'll be chopping and changing beans all that often - I had coffee that I really liked in a local cafe a couple of years ago and have been using that bean ever since.
So far, Ive been looking through the $2-3k HX range, and keep ending up back at the Lelit Mara X. At around $2.2k, Im really struggling to see what the extra $800-1000 actually buys me within the HX range, by moving into say a Rocket Apartamento, Izzo Vivi, or Crem One (at $2.8k), an ECM Mechanica Slim (at $2.9k), or a Profitec Pro 500 or Rocket Giotto (at $3.2k).
While I think Ive been over every retailers website in existence, those are the machines I keep finding myself clicking back on.
Other than looks (I do really like the Rocket looks) Im struggling to convince myself I need anything higher up the line than the Mara X.
For what its worth on the grinder side I think Im relatively sold on a Eureka Mignon Specialita - I love the way it looks and there doesnt seem to be too many negative reviews out there - although I know this could be another topic in its own right!
I know this type of open ended question never has a definitive answer, but am I missing anything in my considerations?
Cheers
Baz
Usual long time lurker first time poster introduction

I hesitated prior to posting as my query is essentially very similar to all the other "what machine should I buy threads", but after trawling and searching through the archives I decided to throw my situation out there.
Im looking to upgrade from a hand-me-down Breville Barista Express, which I feel has served as a really nice introduction into the world of home coffee. Im looking to spend as little as possible - but as much as is required.... I know all the expert advice is that the upgrade bug will invariably strike again at some point, but as a starting point Id like to buy a machine that will serve my needs, and last, for a long time.
Our use case is that I drink 2 to 3 milk coffees a day - regular visitors may add a few extras in from time to time, but it would be a very rare occurrence that a gathering would ever require more than 3 drinks being made in succession. The wife and (young) kids dont drink coffee but add to the milk steaming load with babychinos and turmeric lattes

I do enjoy tinkering in general, but in this case, and I would expect for the next 10 years, I see myself being happy just bedding down a solid process and repeating it. Im not someone with an expansive palette - I know what I like, but I cant necessarily tell you why..... I dont imagine I'll be chopping and changing beans all that often - I had coffee that I really liked in a local cafe a couple of years ago and have been using that bean ever since.
So far, Ive been looking through the $2-3k HX range, and keep ending up back at the Lelit Mara X. At around $2.2k, Im really struggling to see what the extra $800-1000 actually buys me within the HX range, by moving into say a Rocket Apartamento, Izzo Vivi, or Crem One (at $2.8k), an ECM Mechanica Slim (at $2.9k), or a Profitec Pro 500 or Rocket Giotto (at $3.2k).
While I think Ive been over every retailers website in existence, those are the machines I keep finding myself clicking back on.
Other than looks (I do really like the Rocket looks) Im struggling to convince myself I need anything higher up the line than the Mara X.
For what its worth on the grinder side I think Im relatively sold on a Eureka Mignon Specialita - I love the way it looks and there doesnt seem to be too many negative reviews out there - although I know this could be another topic in its own right!
I know this type of open ended question never has a definitive answer, but am I missing anything in my considerations?
Cheers
Baz

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