Appartamento TCA

https://preview.redd.it/8oy4cdg5oo7g1.jpeg?width=2304&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5777d3dbf07d163cfcf95095e4b281c7c89f834 TCA owner here ...bought from Seattle coffee gear. had my TCA for about 14months now. my thoughts: \~20min heat up using a smart plug with daily morning auto-on. tbh, haven't heard it takes 40mins to heat up as others saying here personally, rocket machine aesthetics are real nice with cool side panel designs. One major pet peeve, tank water runs out without ample notification, there's no external water level indicator.... and you may end up refilling too late like me. machine only uses an internal refill sensor, too low position inside water tank and tends to stop extractions mid shot :( this happens to me like once a month, but you kinda have to keep count between tank refills manually. TCA feature kinda unnecessary, I never really change between the 4 temp preset profiles, I've set it and forget it after 1st month....cuz funky and inefficient workflow to change temps. steamer super strong, but turn dial from 0-100% can be quite hard to control milk froth. I'm still learning/experimenting and had to change from 2hole to 4hole tip for better results. Lastly, you might be fine buying non-TCA or Nero models, with lower cost. then invest more in a better premium grinder (which is more important long term imo).

You want an E61 grouphead machine. Rocket machines are common, easy to source parts for and not crazy expensive, the Appartamento TCA would be my pick. Just make sure you get a good grinder as well - Eureka make true BIFL grinders at decent prices. 

I have the Rocket Apartamento TCA for over a year and I'm very happy with it, take into account that is a E61 Heat Exchange machine so it takes around 40 min to heat up to be ready, I find also that a E61 thermometer is needed so you have good guidance on when is ready 👍 And you probably already know but a good grinder is even more important so make sure you have something like a DF54 at least.

that's interesting indeed, I purchased the Rocket Appartamento TCA (do you also have the TCA?) on March 2024, I didn't adjust the OPV (did you?) because when I checked with a barometer it was nice 9 bar

I wanted an upgrade from a Delonghi Dedica and I have limited space in the Kitchen my wife accept a better coffee machine in exchange of getting one aesthetically pleasant so that was the trade off :D

March 2024, and at least mine I can assure it takes 40min (specially in winter) to get the thermometer group to 92C

well, in my country the DF54 is 270€ and the Rocket 1500€, is still a huge difference but the DF54 was one with the smallest footprint (I have limited space in the kitchen) and capable enough to dial a great espresso (that I brew every morning), idk where you get the impression that is not a nice grinder

you can get a E61 thermometer (like the one from geisinger) and stop guessing :D

From the pourer perspective, although I like my ZP6, it's not great on all coffees. I didn't like my Fellow Ode as the grinds went all over. I end up using my timemore 078S for some of my pourovers and it's definitely good to have options-- so keep that Philos! For the prices you got both of the items, I'd advise keeping them unless you know for sure what kind of espresso machine you may want. And agree that you should use both for some time before parting ways. caveat-- unless you absolutely need the money.

that bezzera looks pretty nice... to give you context, I started my espresso journey from a cheap-o <$50 Mr. coffee, then breville barista express, then breville double boiler, then appartamento, and now ECM sync II. would I have appreciated what I have now back then? no-- but now I do, and what you have on hand would serve your future person pretty well, even if you decide to sell it 1-2 yrs from now, you are more than likely to recoup the cost. to me you are investing smartly because you got a great deal on that machine and can net 0 even a few years later. I enjoy pulling shots on some of the single origin "pour-over" beans as it concentrates the flavors, and then I may decide to add water to open it up. I also bought a flair 58 and it's still in the box because the thought of going through the work to make one shot... maybe someday.

all of this was sequential so I can't say for sure. the BBE convinced me to get an external grinder. I couldn't control the total shot time so I got a BDB. but the BDB being button pressing was slightly boring. Appartamento was difficult due to temp (no PID). now with the ECM, it's only myself to blame, or the grinder. :) it's possible to get a good shot from a cheaper espresso machine but it takes more work and then it would also lack consistency. it's also possible to mess up on a good machine, but less so.

I have an absolute Lamborghini, but probably not the one you think, this one: (Rocket Appartamento) https://preview.redd.it/f6nkrj9xgvwg1.jpeg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5cffe2cd7af9e7fa48b54b84808c04a7a5467724

This is a very generous gift! Before getting into it, respectfully are you absolutely positive the couple is interested in espresso to this degree? These are endgame machines that would suit someone who is already an enthusiastic hobbyist, but not great for someone who just wants a quick coffee and isn't really interested in making it a hobby in itself. The other main thing I'd note is the grinder is often considered just as if not more important than the machine itself, and their grinder is not going to be able to do justice to any of these machines. It would probably be better to split the budget and allocate more money towards a high-quality grinder and then a slightly less expensive machine. For example you could get a Lagom P80 and Breville Dual Boiler for ~$3200 combined. A scale for weighing input/output is important at this level too and can run $100 - $300 depending on how nice you go, so it might be worth accounting for that, or the recipients might end up needing to buy it themselves. Accessories (nice stirring tools, funnels, tampers etc) can add up slightly as well. Regarding water, *some* brands of bottled water may be suitable although I'm not sure which ones - it would be important to look up the mineral content to make sure they're not prone to causing scale. Distilled water is NOT safe for espresso machines, it can cause corrosion in the boilers and isn't good for taste anyways. It is possible to add minerals to distilled water to make a perfectly scale-free water with suitable taste (look up "Pavlis water") but again not sure if the couple is really interested to that degree. Of the machines you listed, the Appartamento is inferior to others and is not in the same tier. I don't have experience with the others but would note that a Lelit Bianca V3 is personally my upgrade wishlist machine for now. I have a Breville Dual Boiler today, which is an exceptional machine in pretty much every regard and why I noted it above, it's just not a 20-year lifespan machine in terms of build quality.

if steam wand is the priority Lelit Bianca or ECM Synchronika are worth looking at in that budget, both have commercial grade wands that actually perform, Rocket Appartamento is another solid one, wand is noticeably better than anything Sage makes and pairs well with a Niche.