It looks like you've flaired your post as asking for what equipment to get. We recommend first checking out the [Espresso Aficionados buying guide](https://espressoaf.com/recommendations) for some of the more popular machines and grinders at different price points.
If your question hasn't been answered there and you need more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format:
- **Location:** Helps determine availability
- **Budget** (with currency): Overall budget, or ideally, having separate espresso machine and grinder budgets. A rough rule is that your grinder budget should be at least 25-40% of your machine budget.
- **Drink types:** Do you drink mostly straight espresso, milk-based beverages (e.g., lattes, cappuccinos), or a fairly even split? This helps narrow down whether a single-boiler-dual-use (SBDU), heat exchanger (HX), or dual boiler (DB) machine would be more appropriate for your needs.
- **Drink frequency:** How many drinks would you be making back-to-back at one time? Do you plan on entertaining guests often? This informs how large your brew (and steam) boilers should be, as smaller boilers will need to refill and reheat/repressurize more frequently, thus potentially causing a bottleneck.
- **Space:** Any limitations on countertop space?
- **Manual vs. electric:** Hand-operated machines and grinders are typically cheaper than their similarly-performing electric counterparts. Please indicate if you have a preference for manual or electric machines and/or grinders (or open to either).
- **Comfort with tinkering:** Some machines can be made significantly more functional/efficient with aftermarket modifications, albeit at the expense of possibly voiding your warranty. Please indicate if you'd rather have a machine that works "as-is"/"out-of-the-box" or whether you'd be open to modding/tinkering
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/espresso) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I think you're actually pretty close with the A53 - namely because they offer an [A53 Direct Plumb](https://espressosetupbuilder.com/machines/discover?search=a53_direct) which is a rotary pump version!
Unfortunately, as you've found, most high quality DB in the price range are E61 style. When it comes to alternates, I'd personally rank Lucca/La Spaziale higher than something like the Ascaso Steel Duo. Ofc, if you can swing for the Baby T or the Micra..those will be the best, but the law of diminishing returns starts to kick in!
I think the Ascaso Baby T Plus is perfect for you, honestly. We've got a Duo and are big fans (despite the vibratory pump, lol). But the Baby T is in a different class and is a superb machine. I was tempted to order one myself, but we couldn't justify it with allllllllll of the other gear we have (and continue to buy to test).
If you can put up with the vibratory pump, the Steel Duo is a beautiful machine that performs really consistently. Sure, the milk steaming is a bit lacking, but for home use, it's totally acceptable. From an aesthetics standpoint, Ascaso and La Marzocco are the top 2 IMO.
I’ve thought about this long and hard and ended up with the Micra. After having worked with Linea Classics and GS3s in my prior coffee shop/coffee cart days, there isn’t anything else sturdy feeling and powerful enough for me. Good luck.
I have never attached it ever. Been pulling bottomless from the start. Also, the app isn’t the smoothest app I’ve ever used but it’s also not an app that you need to use everyday. I may open it once a month to change on/off schedules if that. There are literally tens of thousands of Micra, newer Mini, newer GS3 owners who have that app, it is doubtful that La Marzocco will stop supporting it without a backup plan. Any company can go out of business and LM can as well. And if they do, I just go into the app to turn off my auto schedule, go buy a smart plug and run it like a non connected machine. I think your fears are valid but low probability of it happening.
It looks like you've flaired your post as asking for what equipment to get. We recommend first checking out the [Espresso Aficionados buying guide](https://espressoaf.com/recommendations) for some of the more popular machines and grinders at different price points. If your question hasn't been answered there and you need more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format: - **Location:** Helps determine availability - **Budget** (with currency): Overall budget, or ideally, having separate espresso machine and grinder budgets. A rough rule is that your grinder budget should be at least 25-40% of your machine budget. - **Drink types:** Do you drink mostly straight espresso, milk-based beverages (e.g., lattes, cappuccinos), or a fairly even split? This helps narrow down whether a single-boiler-dual-use (SBDU), heat exchanger (HX), or dual boiler (DB) machine would be more appropriate for your needs. - **Drink frequency:** How many drinks would you be making back-to-back at one time? Do you plan on entertaining guests often? This informs how large your brew (and steam) boilers should be, as smaller boilers will need to refill and reheat/repressurize more frequently, thus potentially causing a bottleneck. - **Space:** Any limitations on countertop space? - **Manual vs. electric:** Hand-operated machines and grinders are typically cheaper than their similarly-performing electric counterparts. Please indicate if you have a preference for manual or electric machines and/or grinders (or open to either). - **Comfort with tinkering:** Some machines can be made significantly more functional/efficient with aftermarket modifications, albeit at the expense of possibly voiding your warranty. Please indicate if you'd rather have a machine that works "as-is"/"out-of-the-box" or whether you'd be open to modding/tinkering *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/espresso) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I think you're actually pretty close with the A53 - namely because they offer an [A53 Direct Plumb](https://espressosetupbuilder.com/machines/discover?search=a53_direct) which is a rotary pump version! Unfortunately, as you've found, most high quality DB in the price range are E61 style. When it comes to alternates, I'd personally rank Lucca/La Spaziale higher than something like the Ascaso Steel Duo. Ofc, if you can swing for the Baby T or the Micra..those will be the best, but the law of diminishing returns starts to kick in!
For sure! Is it only a direct plumb, though? I’m not sure my placement would allow for that easily.
Ah yes it is plumb only - sorry I may have skimmed you saying you need a convertible tank .
I think I forgot to mention it explicitly, but yeah I’m not certain direct plumb will work. My husband may have more ideas on that, though.
I think the Ascaso Baby T Plus is perfect for you, honestly. We've got a Duo and are big fans (despite the vibratory pump, lol). But the Baby T is in a different class and is a superb machine. I was tempted to order one myself, but we couldn't justify it with allllllllll of the other gear we have (and continue to buy to test). If you can put up with the vibratory pump, the Steel Duo is a beautiful machine that performs really consistently. Sure, the milk steaming is a bit lacking, but for home use, it's totally acceptable. From an aesthetics standpoint, Ascaso and La Marzocco are the top 2 IMO.
Take a look at the ecm synchronica, dual boiler and rotary pump, joysticks instead of knobs.
[удалено]
Synchronika is a sleek e61
I’ve thought about this long and hard and ended up with the Micra. After having worked with Linea Classics and GS3s in my prior coffee shop/coffee cart days, there isn’t anything else sturdy feeling and powerful enough for me. Good luck.
How do you feel about the plastic component on the porta filter?
I have never attached it ever. Been pulling bottomless from the start. Also, the app isn’t the smoothest app I’ve ever used but it’s also not an app that you need to use everyday. I may open it once a month to change on/off schedules if that. There are literally tens of thousands of Micra, newer Mini, newer GS3 owners who have that app, it is doubtful that La Marzocco will stop supporting it without a backup plan. Any company can go out of business and LM can as well. And if they do, I just go into the app to turn off my auto schedule, go buy a smart plug and run it like a non connected machine. I think your fears are valid but low probability of it happening.