Cremina

Sold them all. I have to say though, I really regret selling the Cremina 67.. It was an '86 that I had personally rebuilt and restored. Better-than-new condition, likely the finest specemin of a vintage 67 in existence, as nice as new late-model Cremina I also had on the counter. https://preview.redd.it/kb4ulfjgtg2h1.png?width=1001&format=png&auto=webp&s=7b5a46ddc266f8e82bc299ba3b704279234ae6dd

That’s mine. Haven’t even looked at another since I got it. Occasional daydream about having a SL counterpart, but that’s just cloud talk.

I can second the love for a Cremina, and its BFL expectations, since it’s 100% mechanical. No PID, no firmware to ever update, not even a pump that might need replacement decades down the road. And the coffee out of it is phenomenal, once you get past the learning curve.

First of all you watched the wrong people on yt. It's coffee influencers. On yt money talks. All the reviews of machines it's not real user experience, they have the machine for 1 week, play a bit pull 2 shots and think they know all a about it. I suggest get a manual lever machine. A cremina, a Pavoni or a cafelat robot with a top of the line grinder. All this heat up under 10 min, the Cafelat is ready as fast as the water boils. Also a manual grinder like a kinu m47 it's awesome, small compact setup. I use a manual setup and the quality it produces can't be found in a coffee shop. I hope you consider. https://preview.redd.it/ve845w6lhzhg1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9759480de7adc0ba19d3618b28f96acfb8a2fc6b

Cremina is a power house when it comes to milk steaming power

This 100%. I've had one for several years now and love it. Total simplicity, great workflow, awesome shots. No complex and expensive PIDs or other electronics. Mine was built in 1978 and is still going strong. I'm going to put it in my will.

Hot take— Olympia Cremina. Can find them used for $1200-1800 depending on condition and age. The first day or two will be a little fiddly as you get it down. After that, consistent shots won’t be an issue and it doesn’t take me any longer to pull a shot than my Rancilio does. Honestly I would argue direct levers are more forgiving because if your grind size is off, you can still make it work. Now the best part: it’ll last you a lifetime. There really isn’t much to it— a heating element and a switch are the only electronic parts. Even the pressure stat is mechanical. Just swap the piston gaskets out once a year or so, takes 10 minutes.