# First home setup help!



## TheTexican (Sep 23, 2020)

Hey guys, another noob here looking to become the next home barista and pull the trigger on my first home setup. As others, of course I'm having a tough time deciding on which machine to invest in (shocker) and start this journey so I'd love to hear from the aficionados here to help me make a sound decision based on my needs.

My needs/requirements/budget are the following:



Budget: ~$1,700 USD



Probably only pulling 2-4 shots/day. Probably wont entertain that often to the point where I'd be pumping out 6+ drinks in one go



Decent steaming power needed: Need to make milk based drinks. I love straight shots but the wife only drinks lattes/caps



No grinder needed (for now): My friend gifted me a Sette 270 that I'd like to try it out first fully knowing I'll likely upgrade shortly (open to hearing if this doesnt make sense)



Maintenance/Accessories (lower priority): Would love something that has available accessories I can play with as I improve my skills. I'm decently handy but ease of use/straightforward maintenance cycles would be a nice plus



Physical footprint (lowest priority): Something that looks sleek and isn't massive on my counter top would be ideal so I don't get yelled at by the wife 


The short list of machines I've researched so far that seem like potential options:




Lelit MaraX



Rocket Appartamento (Serie Nera)



Profitec 500 PID


Lastly, should I consider DB machines? I've heard longer start up times, potentially larger physical profile may be a con, happy to hear if based on my needs the DB machines make more sense/are better value. Profitec 300, Lelit Elizabeth, and ACS Minima come to mind based on my limited knowledge.

Would love to hear thoughts based on experience and if there are other machines I may be overlooking that would be better value for my needs.

Thanks!


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## allikat (Jan 27, 2020)

With the dearly beloved liking her milky beverages, then an HX or Dual Boiler machine sounds like it will fit the bill nicely. I'd skip the Rockets myself, as they seem overpriced for what they are. A PID is definitely a big plus on any machine.


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## Stanic (Dec 12, 2015)

For a small, feature packed dual boiler, the Lelit Elisabeth seems like a good idea. If you want more classic looks with a bit more maintenance, the MaraX is great, and I'm very happy with mine.

Both have a silent (for vibration type) pump, and allow for pre-infusion, ability to adjust temperature and small footprint. The Elisabeth is wide and not too deep while the MaraX is narrow and deep.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

TheTexican said:


> Hey guys, another noob here looking to become the next home barista and pull the trigger on my first home setup. As others, of course I'm having a tough time deciding on which machine to invest in (shocker) and start this journey so I'd love to hear from the aficionados here to help me make a sound decision based on my needs.
> 
> My needs/requirements/budget are the following:
> 
> ...


 Welcome. Your suggestions seem great, although they are all HX machines. The MaraX is the different one because it's clever, and you don't need cooling flushes, as it has programming and a probe in the HX loop to monitor that temperature, keeping it stable and ready to brew. You can, however, use the machine as a normal HX machine (you turn off the functionality called "brew mode" and use it in "steam mode") and you'll then need to deal with cooling flushes. Don't believe the nonsense you read about the Pro 500 not requiring cooling flushes. They do. The smaller flow restrictor can only delay the inevitable.

as for the Rocket... personally.... I'd stay away. They ride on a brand name. Powdered coated frame is prone to rust. Stick to stainless steel.

I have the Elizabeth. It's great. A lovely entry level dual boiler, packed with features and more compact, unlike the Pro-300.

as for grinder.... you'll be absolutely fine with the Sette 270. You should not need to upgrade it, unless it gives up on you.

https://coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpress.com/2020/03/10/lelit-marax-review-in-progress/

https://coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpress.com/2020/05/08/lelit-elizabeth/


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

The Profitec 500 would be my choice out of those three without a doubt. Great machines and beautifully put together the PID will be a nice feature to have.


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