Profitec - Pro 700

ECM / Profitec pro700, I got mine in 2017, it gets used every day multiple times a day, I turn it on at 6am ish and back off at 1-2pm ish everyday. I get it serviced every 1-2years for about $400-500 I just replace parts as they ware out. 8years later it still belts out amazing coffee.

Profitec Move is solid and consistent, great for home use, go for ECM/Pro 700 only if you really want fully programmable shots.

I would probably go for a two machine setup. For your budget, I don’t believe there is a one size fits all solution to espresso that is usable for the entire office. A semi-automatic espresso machine is just too difficult to use for the masses, and the commercial grade super automatics are expensive. To start, I would get a nice Fetco drip machine for the bulk of people that just want a good cup of coffee. Focus on supplying actual good coffee, and this machine will be awesome for most people. For the espresso nerds who don’t mind learning to operate a semi-automatic machine, get a high end dual boiler “light commercial” machine like a Linea Mini, Micra, or Profitec Pro 700. I would get a grind-by-weight grinder to go alongside it for throughput optimization.

Until recently I had a Profitec 700 v1 and hadn't looked around for anything else. I bought it used and unfortunately had some scale issues. Watching a few videos, I was able to open it up, take it all apart and clean every corner of it without much fuss. Amazing machine, left it like new. Used it for about a year without issues. Didn't think much of ECM vs Profitec quality comparisons as the Profitec is amazing. Came upon an opportunity on a Synchronika I and took the plunge. I took a couple of weeks to decide which one I was going to keep as internally they're basically the same machine. ECM is a little nicer but not by much, the top tray, I actually liked Profitec better, ultimately what won out was the ease of opening it up, ECM can be done from the top, on Profitec you have to unscrew from the bottom but I would've been very happy with either. As far as your predicament, the new ECM Synchronika II does have the advantage of faster heat-up with assisted heating in the group while the Drive has included flow control. I don't care much for the fast heat-up as I use a smart plug to get it ready in the morning. Flow control can be added to Synchronika easily if that's of interest. So, I'd say, if there's a significant price difference, I'd go for the cheaper one unless you prefer the looks of one over the other.

I have had a Profitec 700 Pro since it came it which has been 10 years I think. Thousands of shots, used every single day, zero issues. I’ll buy another one when this one quits.

Both I and a friend each have owned the Profitec Pro 700 for over 5 years and I had the ECM Synchronica at the office. Similar insides, just different external UI. The 700 is less of a looker but I found it to be even more solid, low maintenance. I drink a bit more than you… but mine stands up great to every day all day on… I have a smart switch on the plug. So it turns on and off on a schedule but it’s also tied into my homes smart rules. So if I get up early, the hall motion sensor sees people are up and flips on the espresso power early. If I leave and lock up the house… the espresso machine turns off. But when I get within 5km geofence of the house, it turns back on.

I got my (barely) used Profitec Pro 700 for a bit more than that. You should be able to find used PP 500s within your budget. It has the looks you’re looking for and makes tasty espresso. It’s a heat exchange machine (unlike 600 and above, which are dual boilers). It’s got E61 grouphead, great steam power, optional PID. Could be a good option for you

Skip the Linea Micra honestly - you're paying a ton for the brand name and it's not really worth it for home use For that budget I'd go Synchronika all day, the looks grow on you and the build quality is legit. You could also check out the Profitec Pro 700 if the Sync's looks are a dealbreaker Your Opus isn't gonna cut it for espresso though, you'll want something like a Niche Zero or DF64 minimum. That's probably another $600-800 right there The Hario scale is fine for now, don't stress about upgrading immediately. For accessories just get a decent tamper, distribution tool, and maybe a bottomless portafilter to start

I have owned several machines of different boiler configurations over the years. I currently have a dual boiler at home (Profitec Pro 700) and a single boiler (Gaggia Classic w/ Gaggimate PID) at work. If you’re doing 1 drink at a time, single boiler is totally fine and the time it takes to be ready to steam isn’t bad at all especially if you use that time to prep your milk or do some cleaning. The dual boiler is really nice for making drinks for multiple people and the steam power is just better. I have owned a HX machine in the past (NS Oscar) and the steam was amazing, but the lack of PID on that machine made it harder to get temps in the right ballpark and coffee was probably over extracted most of the time. A newer HX machine with more temperature control might be a solid option, but there are so many good options for less expensive dual boiler machines (Lelit Elizabeth for example) that I think make HX machines a little harder to recommend at the moment.

If you want true simultaneous steam + shot go dual‑boiler, otherwise a good HX (Lelit Bianca style) can work and is cheaper; lots of dual boilers do exist in 120V but fewer and slower recovery, so 220V helps if you can install it. WPM ZP‑1 is a solid pro grinder but maybe more than you need if you’re not doing crazy heavy use; look at Rocket/Profitec/R58 or Profitec Pro‑700 territory and try to test shots first.