Multiple Brands - Gemilai, Miicoffee, Turin - CRM3007Z

Are you kidding? Apex v2. Blows bambino and GCP away.

I was using this setup for two years and loved it for its ease of use. However I switched to Apex V2 two months ago and get significantly better coffee from it. Still I kept the bambino as well, love that machine.

Same aswell! Great machine. Went from ECP3420 -> Apex v2 -> Bianca v3 with EG-1. Went all out so I don't need to upgrade for many years. Best quality, no problems for the past months I've had it.

If the main criteria is the quality of espresso, I'd buy a machine with PID, e.g. Profitec Go, Apex V2, Lelit Victoria. If you think that she will make lots of lattes, maybe a Heat Exchanger like Lelit MaraX. If she will make milk beverages but the quality of her espresso is a must, I'd choose a dual boiler with PID like Lelit Bianca or Elizabeth, but then only the machine will consume your whole budget. Grinders are even more important, you're right. I'd recommend a DF64 because in the future she may try different burrs if she wants. And in the US, the DF64 are relatively cheap. Shardor is even cheaper, but the build quality is not the same, and it's a newer model, we don't have enough data to tell about longevity. I have both and I'm happy with my Shardor so far. But if you can, buy the DF64. Long story short, Lelit Victoria is being sold for 800 by Whole Latte Love, a Df64 you can buy for 400 from Amazon, then you can buy some accessories like a Normocore Tamper, a knock box, puck screen, tamping station, barista mat, a WDT tool, some nice espresso cups like Loveramics or Kruve, with your remaining budget. In case you're interested, I recommend this video about building an espresso setup: https://youtu.be/FcA8APz2khs?si=jpLjhj-UqNHNPSeA

**My setup is finally complete!** I finally finished the setup I've been planning for a while. I don't plan on changing anything else, at least until something breaks. **The Setup:** * **Machine:** MiiCoffee Apex V2 * **Grinder:** MiiCoffee DF54 * **Organization (3D):** Coffee Blocks project (from Printables), serving as a Tamper Station + Organizer + Knock Box. There are clearly a lot of 3D-printed projects here, from an angled base for the grinder to even a 49mm base I made for my Muvna Tamper, which I needed to work with the Step Down Basket I bought. I live in Brazil, so my entire setup is either from AliExpress or imported via Amazon (Grinder and Machine). **About the Furniture:** The furniture of choice was a **double pantry cabinet** that fit almost perfectly in the space I had. My goal was to store my drinks and have my dedicated coffee space, which can also beconverted into a drink-making station for parties at my house.

At least, until this moment i'm very happy with it. 58mm, "E61 like" grouphead, adjustable OPV and water flow. I think is the most complete machine in the prince point. BUT is a new machine, nobody knows how well this will stand the test of time. I don't think it will be easy to find replacement parts if there are any problems. But I've seen some comments saying that they are quite common to find in China, so perhaps importing would be the only way. I took a chance and went with it, but if you're someone who likes to tinker and explore, maybe buying another machine and making mods to achieve the features of this one would be an alternative.

I have both and got them from Sigma coffee. Comes with a two year guarantee

I recommend MiiCoffee Apex V2 and Turin Legato V2 are essentially the same and either one is a solid choice you won’t feel the need to upgrade after just six months. The DF54 and Starseeker E55 are excellent grinders worth considering. As for the Bambino, I find it overrated and overpriced. Its temperature stability isn’t great, and it struggles with lighter roasts. You even need to pull a blank shot before pulling your espresso, which just feels like too much extra work.

I really love my apex miicoffee v2 / Turin legato. Best part is that it has a separate steam circuit. So while it's not a dual boiler, you never have to purge your boiler if you want to pull a shot after making a latte. Been a great quality of life improvement in my house where some of us make cappucinos and some make Americanos back to back.

Get the apex miicoffee v2. It's 500 and has a lot of features. I upgraded to that from a gaggia. I like making a lot of milk drinks and one of the good things about this machine is that it has a separate steam thermoblock, so your boiler doesn't get overheated. So it's a lot easier making back to back to back drinks without needing to purge the boiler.

I have an Miicoffee Apex V2 and I love it!! I set up the pre-infusion where I want it, then set its extraction time very long. That way I can use that button like a manual button but with pre-infusion. My only complaint is the vibratory pump is very loud. It’s not a problem for me, since I live alone, but could be a problem for others.

Gemilai/Miicoffee/Turin Legato but in version 2, with better pre-infusion and adjustable opv. It’s about 500€ of the cheaper and smaller variety the Hibrew machines like the H10A Plus are reportedly good. But they do have plastic parts in the group.

I would suggest Miicoffee Apex V2 or the Bambino Plus I am currently using the Apex. Both are great machines that will not break the bank. The V2 give you a few more things to adjust and play with.