olivia_bailey•17d agoProlific Poster

Warning: cheap espresso machines vs. a used commercial unit is not even a contest

I spent 2 years fighting with a $300 DeLonghi from Target. Temperature surfing, fake crema, dialing in was a joke. Finally snagged a used La Marzocco Linea from a cafe that closed in Denver for $1800. First shot I pulled tasted better than anything from that plastic machine in 2 years. The difference is night and day on heat stability and steam power alone. Anyone else burned money on home machines before going the used commercial route?

2 comments

2 Comments

caleb_stone17d ago

Take it down a notch, man. Not everyone needs a commercial beast in their kitchen. Ive had a $400 Gaggia Classic for 3 years and it pulls shots that taste great to me and everyone who drinks them. Sure its not a La Marzocco but it also isnt taking up half my counter or making me feel like I need a repair manual to descale it. The difference is real, sure, but youre acting like its impossible to make good espresso without a $1800 machine. Most people just want a decent latte in the morning without dropping car payment money on a used cafe unit. Youre winning but the rest of us are doing just fine too.

the_jamie17d ago

Ha, I still have flashbacks to the time I tried to descale my old Delonghi and ended up taking it apart on my kitchen floor for three hours. My espresso was probably 40% limescale and 60% regret. So yeah, the Gaggia crowd is doing just fine.