Izzo - Alex Duetto IV Plus

When i sold my coffee house after ten years I briefly had a breville at home for a few days or weeks and quickly returned it and upgraded. I would advice OP to start at the highest level possible for best ROI.

I don't know much about level machines, having come from the busy cafe world. So when I sold my place and was looking for pro level gear at home, I was highly encouraged by commercial espresso sales/repair people to go with any E61 group head machine and once I tried all the popular ones below those, I finally broke down and bought my first one. Almost any brand is fine if they're licensing that group head. I personally pulled the trigger to go with a dual boiler rotatry one so it has lots of power and is quiet... and the E61 means it's very simple to repair, many things you can even fix yourself with a youtube video and easy to acquire parts. This is ours: Alex Izzo Duetto IV. You can probably find them used for 1500-2000, and well worth every penny. We now have a Ceado grinder, but a used Mazzer Mini for 300-500 is a great match. I know it sounds like a lot - and it is - but you'll never need to upgrade and play the horse-trading game again. Here's a pic of ours - a bit messy at the moment. https://preview.redd.it/jw9ad73tgmif1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=30b49abae14923e6676ec82657c2893577154ae3 \[Here's a link to the E61 at Chris Coffee\](https://www.chriscoffee.com/products/izzo-alex-duetto-iv), who I endorse 1000% after having dealt with MANY commercial and prosumer places. P.S. Simpler used E61 machines can be found for as little as $1k.

If you can find a few more $ the Izzo Alex Duetto Plus is a very solid dual boiler PID E61. Has a switch to turn off the steam boiler if not in use. Mine has been flawless. All metal interior, can plumb both sides and great looking. It is an under the radar machine when compared to all the talk. Chris Coffee has them and reviews.

I agree on plumbing. I plumbed both sides of my Izzo Alex Duetto and it makes the process more enjoyable. T’d off my RO system for the supply. Used a diamond granite bit for the job.

Consider this and the link to "choosing an espresso machine rationally" [https://www.home-barista.com/advice/izzo-alex-duetto-iv-4-year-review-t102661.html](https://www.home-barista.com/advice/izzo-alex-duetto-iv-4-year-review-t102661.html) Plus, you have to get a good to excellent grinder. Another rabbit hole for you. As important or more so. I have a Quick Mill Vetrano. My first one lasted almost 20 years. Another great unit that doesn’t get enough chatter on these forums is the. Izzo Alex Duetto. It’s a tried and true built like a tank. I had the Bianca for a couple weeks. It felt flimsy to me. So I exchanged it for the Vetrano 2B Evo. Chris Coffee has a one month return policy they honored with zero friction. Mark over there is a really good advisor. Their customer support is next level. So keep in mind the Vendor you are buying from. And think about what water you will be using. I agree with this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3-ixio7fSg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3-ixio7fSg) and to me flow control adds unncecessary complexity. Beans and grinder way more important Maybe a Quick Mill Silvano with thermoblock for steam will fill the bill. Get an excellent grinder. I have a Niche Zero and an old Mazzer Mini. Another plug for Chris Coffee

The Duetto gets lots of love because it's an extremely well-made machine. Every part is standard (nothing proprietary). And, if a part fails it can just be swapped out by something that's an industry standard. Technicians and repair people love them because when something does go bad they will most likely have the part in stock and can put the machine right back into service. Additionally, it's on its fourth version and it's been made simpler and more reliable with each subsequent version. Honestly, it doesn't get the love it deserves. It's just as capable as any E61 machine and repair people love them.

Always be picky and patient, your machine will eventually come by from someone who’s not looking for top dollar. Also, prosumer machines are often highly repairable, but having your machine fully serviced can quickly cost $200+, take that into account when buying. Usually from the ad you can tell if someone has no idea what they have (‘cappuccino maker for sale’), have some idea (‘regularly cleaned and descaled’) or really care for coffee (pictures showing interior, replacement history). With the first category, it’s usually low quality appliances, but pearls can be found, often requiring some repair. Second category are often priced higher but still may be on the brink of breaking down. Third category you’ll know best what you’re buying and every once in a while an attractive offer comes by. I bought an Izzo dual boiler, rotary pump, PID for €700. Had been standing idle for a while with water inside. First repair after a year was around €200. Now I descale it myself and have been using it for 4 years. Selling would get me around €700-900 now. Around that time I picked up a Niche Zero for €650. Selling now would probably get me €450-500, but that’s not bad for years of using a great grinder.