Pro 300

I have a Pro 300 and, though not the same machine, it also takes about 10 minutes to heat up from turn on. I just flick it on when I get up, do my regular morning things, like getting breakfast together and so on, and when I'm ready to brew it's probably been at least 10 minutes anyway. The time goes by pretty quickly for me. I wouldn't think it would be too much longer for your Pro machine.

I would swap the Mara X for an Elizabeth and the DF54 for a DF64. Both are pricier but worth the extra money. The Mara X takes longer to warm up and, IMO, provides less consistent outcomes. The Profitec Pro 300 is an excellent alternative too. While I don't love the DF64, it's a good grinder for your use case. You can't go wrong with it within this budget.

I’d say if you want a prosumer machine go for a machine like Profitec Go it’s under £1000, dual boiler and works well it’s small and no iot needed also Profitec are good people they help you to do repairs as a individual https://preview.redd.it/l5uv74q2s14h1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=02859f7be1c100ca4cab3006e8726c84d1b6d551

Yeah I meant the pro300 it’s a bit more around 1200-1400 new but dual boiler thanks for pointing it out

I went dual boiler because the temp control on the brew group is PID. Lelit Elizabeth or Profitec 300. If you had the extra money I would say the Profitec Move or ranchilio Silvia pro x. I love my Move, but that is most of your budget for either of those. They are built like tanks to last. My old Silvia is 15 years old and still running, I just upgraded for the dual boiler and PID control. 300 is the older version of the Move and a great machine. I steam and brew with my Move multiple times a day with no issue. I am not as familiar with the lelits, but a lot of people on here like them. Grinder, that is a whole different story. To single dose or not to, is where I would start. You can single dose with a lot of grinders anyway. I went single dose because I swap beans a lot. Decaf, espresso, pour over. Niche are good. A lot of people are happy with the DF. I liked the look of the Varia my self.

I have been using my Profitec Pro 300 for 7 years now, and I bought it second hand. Dual boiler ready to go in <10 minutes. E61 machines are what need the long heat up.