# The finest espresso machine known to man?



## domjon1 (Feb 14, 2013)

Ha ok, maybe a slight exaggeration but having had my Duetto for a few days now I have to say I am pretty amazed with it.

What an unbelievable bit of kit! I expected there to be a bit of a learning curve but it's just great shot after great shot with the minimum of fuss. Took me a day or so to get used to the left hand drive steam wand but getting pretty consistent with it now. Even the missus is impressed with it, perhaps because my general misanthropy has been replaced with "come in, have a coffee"









Anyway, pointless post but I'm still a bit excited. Seems to be a few knowledgeable types in this particular corner of coffeeforums so I'm sure I'll be picking your brains over the coming months.

P.S. When am I supposed to stop looking at it?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Nice to hear your enjoying the new machine!!!


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

It's a great machine no doubt about that! Funny how the learning curve is less than you think - I found the same going from Classic/PID to R58. The temp and pressure stability just makes it so much easier to get great results shot after shot. Love the enthusiasm in your post - reminds me of when I got my shiny new toy on the bench for the first time. And I still look at it every day and think "cool..." Pretty much the only downside is the extra time it takes to warm up. I have mine on a timer in the morning.


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## domjon1 (Feb 14, 2013)

Yeah not looked into timers etc yet but tbh I'm happy to have an Aeropress first thing while I wait for the beast to warm up. A naked pf is the next purchase so I can weigh output on the fly, not a lot of clearance under the stock pf.

Was just looking through my PMs to see when I bought my classic in readiness for selling it on (waiting for mremanxx's to sell first) and was suprised to realise I'd only had it about 6 months...the onset of upgradeitis was pretty rapid in my case.


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## Chockymonster (Jan 21, 2013)

It is a great machine. I have mine all nice and warmed up for me by the time I get downstairs. It does make things far more civilised!


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## paul_w (Feb 23, 2015)

Welcome to the club! I've had my new Duetto for approx 2/3 months now and really am loving it, I seem to be consistently drinking the best coffee I've ever had.

Teamed with an M3 grinder I think I would struggle to improve on the set-up


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## Zephyr (Apr 19, 2015)

hotmetal said:


> It's a great machine no doubt about that! Funny how the learning curve is less than you think - I found the same going from Classic/PID to R58. The temp and pressure stability just makes it so much easier to get great results shot after shot. Love the enthusiasm in your post - reminds me of when I got my shiny new toy on the bench for the first time. And I still look at it every day and think "cool..." Pretty much the only downside is the extra time it takes to warm up. I have mine on a timer in the morning.


I would like to hear more about classic > R58, i'm about to do the same, and a new grinder! I'm still on blades lol. I'll be singing I think after 1st cup. its too bad rocket sold out right now.


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## timaldridge8 (May 17, 2015)

Reassuring as I'm looking to buy in the next few days too!


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Sorry I've only just spotted this! My classic had a PID so was pretty easy to use for one milk drink, but very annoying for 2+. Even with the PID it was occasionally hit & miss. When I got the R58 I was initially a bit intimidated by it, and the maintenance etc, but the day to day reality is that if you have the dosh and the space for it you'll smile every time you go into the kitchen. Compared to the Classic it is a lot easier to get consistently good shots, due to the thermal inertia, especially back to back and off course there's steam power in spades so you can smash out 3 or 4 cappuccini in no time. Shower screen is super easy to pop out (push fit) and back flushing with water is easy so the machine is very easy to keep clean. Okay descaling is a bigger deal with a db machine, and back flushing with cafiza on any e61 lever operated pump machine really wants the lever to be lubed after any chemical cleaning but it is a small inconvenience for the enjoyment it brings. You definitely need to have a grinder that's 'worthy'/commensurate with the machine though or you won't get the benefit, so I'd say if you are looking to buy one, get a grinder of at least SJ or 65E level first, then upgrade.


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## teejay41 (Mar 9, 2015)

domjon1 said:


> Yeah not looked into timers etc yet but tbh I'm happy to have an Aeropress first thing while I wait for the beast to warm up. A naked pf is the next purchase so I can weigh output on the fly, not a lot of clearance under the stock pf.
> 
> Was just looking through my PMs to see when I bought my classic in readiness for selling it on (waiting for mremanxx's to sell first) and was suprised to realise I'd only had it about 6 months...the onset of upgradeitis was pretty rapid in my case.


I searched around for timers recently and the cheapest I found was this one. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311171338878?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT It works just fine and has switch contacts adequately rated for the large (resistive) load of boiler heaters. I try to make sure though that the steam boiler heater's switch is off overnight so that only the brew boiler is powered up in the morning. Kinder to the timeswitch, saves electricity and takes only a few minutes for steam up anyway, when I'm ready.

I also have several lcd timers but for morning espresso switch-on I prefer the mechanical one.

Tony.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Never thought of doing that. The Rocket allows you to turn the steam on and off via the PID display but I'm not sure I can be bothered! Mine's on a 7-day timer. M-F it turns off just before I leave for work, weekends it comes on an hour later and stays on till mid afternoon.


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