Yeah the pre delonghi minis are great, honestly the home machines are staying around the same quality it’s the fact they killed the linea classic which is the most reliable machine to make the Classic S which is a worst version of the PB
I’ve only used home machines a handful of times but have worked in coffee, either as a barista or roaster, for a decade. If I ever buy a home machine, it’s going to be a mini or micra. I learned on a Linea Classic 3 group and they are *tanks*. Reliable machines without the bells and whistles that inevitably go wrong.
I’d continue saving more. 5 grand for a commercial capable setup is gonna get you some haggard nuova simonelli or la spaziale that’s seen better days. You can find rebuilt La Marzocco linea classics (assuming you have access to 220 volt) for 6-10 grand. Have a tech run through it and tune it up. Grab a mazzer Kony/ super jolly or major used for another grand and you’ll be dialed with workhorse gear for 10-12 grand based on your budgeting.
Yeah, I worked in a place that had a commercial La Marzocco and the amount of absolute slop that came out of that machine was awful to watch. Very few cleaned up after use etc and the grinder was never dialed in. Shame really but just not fit for general office life
I had a Bambino, and I've worked in specialty coffee with high end machines. If I'm making just an espresso on a Bambino and a Linea, with the same grinder, and the best possible shot comes out of the bambino, I don't think I'd be able to tell the difference.
But coming from working in coffee, the problems I have with the bambino are consistency, workflow, and milk steaming. The temperature stability, pressure, water flow, are just too inconsistent to get perfect shots every time. Especially if you're making more than one drink in a row.
And also milk is just as important as espresso when it comes to a latte or a cortado or macchiato. I think this sub gets caught up on just plain espresso, which I love, but you can't treat the milk steaming like an afterthought, because it's just as important.
And then just in general the workflow is so awful compared to commercial machines. Everything takes so long, whether it's heating up or filling water or puck prep, and it's just a lot more tedious. I do think it's a great beginner machine, and you definitely can make perfectly good espresso and milk drinks with it. And if you haven't worked in a coffee shop before, maybe you won't be as frustrated as I am about some of these nitpicky things.
Top Espresso Machines on Reddit
1
Breville
Bambino Plus
77% positive of 1,081 users
Fast heat-up, easy for beginners; inconsistent shots, annoying cleaning.
Appropriate_Row_7310
