Mignon Filtro Series

Two grinders is better than one if you switch brew methods. Ode + Mignon = better filter + no dial-in pain. Single “do-it-all” grinders always compromise.

Amazing gift and presentation of the gift. Props to the gift giver.  My situation is fairly similar to yours. At home I make a few espressos for myself while my wife drinks a cappuccino or latte. For this purpose a single boiler machine is going to be fine, but having a dual boiler will make your life a lot easier. The issue with a single boiler is not necessarily its capability, but the fact that changing the boiler temp to steam and then back to coffee takes time and effort. It gets annoying. With your budget, I think you can do better.  Yes, traditionally it has been good advice to spend as much, if not more, on the grinder than on the machine. But these days I think that advice is not quite as pertinent to most people. Affordable home espresso grinders have gotten good. It used to be the Rancilio rocky or get a $1500 Mazzer mini, but now we have the DF64 and all it's variants, the Lagom line, Eureka Mignon, Baratza, and many more to choose from. I say, take $500 for the grinder and spend the remaining $1000 on a nicer machine. If you look through online retainers open box or refurbished listings, you may find something very nice indeed. Let's also not forget that black Friday is very close. I think your $1500 can go far. Much further if you consider buying used from Facebook marketplace or eBay. I know I'd much rather have a moderately used dual boiler than a brand new single boiler. However, if you're intent on buying something now, and it must be new from an online retailer, let me suggest a few products.  Grinder: Eureka Mignon Specialita/Silenzio/Etc -this is one of the gold standards for a classic espresso taste in a package that excels in build quality, style, and ease of use. Seriously, it's quiet and the grinds are static free with barely any retention. I highly recommend.  Machine: ECM Casa V,  Profitec GO,  Lelit Victoria -each of these single boiler machines sits at the very top of the spectrum of single boiler machines. Each have good temperature control (PID), good build quality, and will steam enough milk for a Latte without running out.  Hope you find a setup that makes you happy. $1500 is an above average spend for a first espresso foray, so I'm sure whatever you end up with will be stellar. Many of us have started from $300 or $500 setups and progressed to where you are starting. 

Have owned all the grinders on your list, at one point or another. Agree that Duo might be your best bet. Ability to play with other 83mm burrs is a good hedge against future curiosity. Recommend getting second (filter) burr option, because having the extra carrier for fast(ish) swaps is nice. Cannot recommend the Eurekas. Good build, very pretty, but burrs are proprietary and the grind chamber/chute design is antediluvian. Fine for hopper base on-demand grinding, but crap for single dosing. Even with the mods (tilted base, bellows), retention is terrible. Eureka’s attempts at single-dosing focused grinders are not honest efforts. Just a new model name and superficial accessories. And their new dial is just…stupid. Still not enough ratio to overcome the thread lash in their adjustment screw. The rev counter is nice enough, but a big dial like [this](https://www.amazon.com/ARO-EspressoTM-Eureka-Mignon-Adjustments/dp/B0CLCB8VQ6/ref=asc_df_B0CLCB8VQ6) is much more effective (and not stupid looking, imho) Libra portafilter contact sensor was unreliable. I heard they fixed it, but I had given up already and moved on. When it worked, it was…ok. Weight accuracy wasn’t bad, but irrelevant because it was a hot mess of sprayed grounds. RDT absolutely necessary in my environment (20-50%RH over the year), but the extra moisture caused caking/clogging in the chute. From a taste perspective…it’s ok. Blendy, decent body, not a lot of clarity. Little unkempt and harsh. Good in milk drinks. Niches — good workflow, probably among the best, even compared against titan grinders at 5x the price. Personally, not a fan of Mazzer burrs. Harsh and bitter finish. The Zero doesn’t have any options for their 63mm conical, so you’re kinda stuck. The stock Duo espresso burr was, to me, a cleaner version of Zero profile. Other options: Mazzer Philos. The grinder itself is a bit pricey, and rumor has it that the i200D and 189D burrs are big improvements over Mazzer traditional flavor profile — but it’s a good platform for 64mm burr space, where you are spoilt for choice and the burrs are cheaper than 83mm. Hope that helps

Eureka Mignon Filtro/Notte/Silenzio. Any electric grinder is loud, if you don't want noise, get hand grinder instead. 

Eureka Mignon it is. You can buy a third-party steps dial (Etsy should have it) that would help you go back and forth. 

Second a eureka mignon - Italians make good motors

Nope. I will not be giving my money to them cos I think the move to a Chinese factory is an insult. I got a flat burr eureka hand made in Italy and it was cheaper and better

The Eureka Mignon series will grind to the 190-195 micron range depending on which model.

Probably the cheapest best option is Baratza encore esp or eureka mignion

It depends on what level of grinder you're getting, as well as burr geometry. Like, if you're comparing a eureka mignon and a df64, it might get difficult. But even within the same price point, it's not terribly hard to tell the difference between a conical and flat burr grinder.

Yep, I have two eureka mignons. One is the silenzio for espresso, the other is their filter grinder. Especially with the dial on the mignons, I got fed up redialling when I wanted to swap between brew types. Heck, I’d almost buy a third for a ‘guest bean’ 😂