# Machine upgrade ideas



## Greenpotterer (Nov 29, 2009)

Just the perusings of a deluded soul or wishful thinking if you prefer. at the moment I have a Baby Gaggia but tending to make an increasing number of milk based drinks, thanks to "the ladies who are in charge". They finally realise that coffee making is not just a passing fad.

So the $64,000 question is which machine budget of around £500 hopefully, don,t mind second hand from a decent source but hoping to keep it for a few years

Thanks gaz


----------



## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

I went through this question a lot in my head the last few months. As I see it, these are your options:



*Rancilio Silvia*:
Can be had new for £425 from HasBean, capable of pulling a great shot and more steam power than the Baby. There is a huge amount of information on it around as it's so popular so that's always helpful. The downside is that it isn't actually a huge step up from the small Gaggias, and especially as you are concerned about making milk drinks you will still be waiting for the boiler to get up to steam pressure which isn't ideal.


*Fracino Cherub*:
A very nice looking machine. Has a large (2l ish) boiler with a heat exchanger, so no waiting for steam. It should be available for around £650 (from thecoffeebean online store amongst other places (avoid coffeeitalia and myespresso)) which is a bit out of budget but is the next step up from a single boiler machine. On the plus side, Fracino are a UK company and I believe are quite helpful if you need parts/advice. The negatives as I see it are that it isn't a true e61 brew head, just a copy, so you don't get the nice lever preinfusion option I believe you can use on other e61 machines, and also there isn't much info out there about it.


*Expobar Office Pulsar*:
Available from Bella Barista for just over £600, another heat exchanger machine but a smaller boiler than the Fracino. The main reason I didn't consider it is because it's pretty fugly in my opinion! I've heard it's great value for money though. Expobar are a Spanish company, but I believe any servicing and spares can be done through Bella Barista, they are a very helpful company.

Play the *ebay/forum waiting game*:
If you wait, a bargain might just turn up. If you buy from a coffee forum member you can usually trace (via their posts) a machine's history and make sure it has been descaled/backflushed/generally looked after. The downside is that you can be waiting a long time before the right machine turns up!


Others may have better advice, but the above are just my thought processes really. I ended up semi deciding to just get the machine I really wanted (an Expobar Leva Dual Boiler from BB) then realising actually I can't really afford it and went for a lovely Gaggia Factory lever machine instead


----------



## DonRJ (Apr 3, 2010)

Lookseehears list pretty much covers the new options. The Silvia is an improvement on the Gaggia having used both, I do get a noticably better espresso out of the Silvia but for multiple milk drinks it would not be the best upgrade.

I rather like the Cherub having tried one out (it steams very quickly which is scary at first) and may yet go for one myself and have found it at this site for £634 i/c VAT delivered so close to the Expobar Pulsar in price - https://www.cateringps.co.uk/cps_itemsubcategories.asp?ItemSubCatID=154. I have spoken to the company directly when I was new machine hunting and they were very helpful and quick to respond, TBH I would have had one but for my Silvia coming up for £300 and me not being able to resist.

As for the Expobar, it reviews well but I would have to have a go , the fact that Bella Barista sell it should mean decent support. I have a terrible feeling that if I went there to look my head would be turned by something else and I would end up spending more dosh, eg an office Leva.

Have fun hunting and keep us posted.

Don


----------



## sandykt (Dec 3, 2009)

Lookseehear, a great response and speaks for everyone really.

With upgrading, its always "oh, if I spend an extra £x, I could get an X" and so it goes on. I have the Silvia and I'm very pleased with its performance - especially the power of the steaming wand. My next upgrade will hopefully be a "forever" (well, until next time!) upgrade and so a trip to Bella Barista will be on cards. Until then, I will drool looking at their website.

I would keep ebay/forum members in mind as you never know when a bargain will come along - usually when you have no money in your wallet!


----------



## BanishInstant (Oct 12, 2009)

I can recommend a HX machine for producing milk based drinks. We had family come to visit recently and I was knocking out drinks one after the other. Okay, its a rare event to have to produce so many, but also means that even if only producing 2-4 coffees there is no recycle time.


----------



## Greenpotterer (Nov 29, 2009)

Thanks for all the replies some interesting ideas there. think that the gaggia would just about fit luckily it wouldn't matter too much as it wouldn't be in the kitchen, I am slowly taking over the utility room.

a major consideration would be ease of use, I'm a bit of a faffer I like the ritual, and the occasional good shot. My wife and daughter are more practical and want a latte asap and as easy as possible.

Sure it would be clearer if I could actually see/play with the machines in the flesh so to speak but where to go???

Thanks again

Gaz


----------



## sandykt (Dec 3, 2009)

Bella Barista are based in Northampton so they might worth a visit, take your credit card as back up!!


----------



## Greenpotterer (Nov 29, 2009)

Thanks Sandy

if I'm heading "down south" for me anyway may just call on said company

Gaz


----------



## JDM (Jun 29, 2010)

I urge you to avoid Myespresso. I bought a Silvia from this outfit in 2009 which stopped working after seven months and proprieter refused to cover under guarantee - accusing me of misuse before even inspecting it!. Drury Coffee used to supply this model but interestingly, stopped supplying it due to reliability issues, they had alot of returns from batches supplied in 2009.

Having said that, I had my Silviarepaired and it is working like a dream - but who knows for how long!

Best of luck in you search.


----------



## Greenpotterer (Nov 29, 2009)

thanks JDM customer service doesn't seem to be a priority to say the least


----------



## RolandG (Jul 25, 2010)

If you want to see the Rancillio Silvia, I'd drop HasBean an e-mail. Steve's just down the road from us, and if you ask nicely he might be able to arrange for you to visit and have a look at one.


----------



## Greenpotterer (Nov 29, 2009)

Hi Roland been down to Steves before and found him very helpful still researching yet

Gaz

btw to completely change the topic are you working locally now?


----------



## RolandG (Jul 25, 2010)

yep - caffe bello in trentham garden centre. It's been good of them to give me my first job in coffee, and I've picked up a lot in the time I've been there. I'm getting an espresso machine (Gaggia Classic - Silvia is just too much money to consider 3 the moment) for christmas, so looking forward to playing and practising all the bits I can't do at work







How about you?


----------



## Greenpotterer (Nov 29, 2009)

working in Macc not in the coffee industry unfortunately may call in if I'm shopping with the missus sometime

Gaz

Cracking coffee and cakes in there btw


----------



## KopiLuwak (Nov 4, 2010)

i recommend the Melitta Manual Coffee Maker. it's inexpensive but reliable.


----------



## Greenpotterer (Nov 29, 2009)

KopiLuwak said:


> i recommend the Melitta Manual Coffee Maker. it's inexpensive but reliable.


Not heard of that one Kopi thanks I will look it up any chance of a link

Gaz


----------

