# Nuova Simonelli Oscar 2 - First Impressions



## Big-t (Apr 17, 2016)

Having owned and thouroughly enjoyed a Villaware machine which consistently turned out coffee that bested or equalled most commercial establishments (not independants though!) It was indeed a sad day when it started to die.

I have been searching some what extensively for a new machine that could be up and running quickly and give me the ability to pull a shot and steam milk at the same time.

The Oscar 2 won out on price and initial reviews plus it's steam wand.

Having been told it was a quick machine to get up to temp it is still some way off the Villaware which could kick out 2 lattes in 5 mins from cold.

The Oscar 2 is more like 15 minutes but ideally 30.

I have been using Illy beans, largely because the Villaware produced amazing coffees from them and because they were on our shopping home delivery list and it was convenient.

The Villaware needed a grind at 7 on my MDF with 14g's of coffee.

It took a few hours and 2 cans of beans to dial in to a 5 on the MDF with 16g's of coffee.

The steam on this is a beast and can get milk to temp in seconds, literally! It lever operated with a degree of control. Jug no 2 of milk came out perfect and tasted beautiful but subsequent attempts have been hit and miss due to my lack of skill in machines with this much power.

The water reservoir is pretty big but under the cabinet means you need a jug and a steady hand to top up.

I shall report back as I get more skilled at taming it.

T


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## Angelique Noire (Feb 12, 2015)

Any chance of a piccie or 3 please







?


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## Big-t (Apr 17, 2016)

In fetching blue.


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## Angelique Noire (Feb 12, 2015)

Ooh aah, I really, really, really like the look of that.

I'm pretty sure they are not yet available in Oz and I am thinking hubby is hoping it stays that way.

She's gorgeous, congratulations and thank you







.


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## h1udd (Sep 1, 2015)

that is such an improvement on the old machine


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## Angelique Noire (Feb 12, 2015)

I've developed a strange attraction to the old machine.

I'm not sure what it is, I have never even seen one in the plastic. Go figure :/!


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## Big-t (Apr 17, 2016)

It really is an improvement. The old one whilst capable had a few quirks aside its look that would have made it difficult to sell to my wife such as the requirement to leave the steam wand open upon start up.

The illy beans are making much better shots having been out of the can for a day now.

Rave signature blend on order!

T


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## Big-t (Apr 17, 2016)

It's worth pointing out that the build of the old machine was still fantastic, the plastic used is of a high quality and clearly built to withstand heavy use.


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## Angelique Noire (Feb 12, 2015)

Still no water tap?


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

Big-t said:


> It took a few hours and 2 cans of beans to dial in to a 5 on the MDF with 16g's of coffee.


Just when I thought this forum couldn't surprise me any more...


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## Big-t (Apr 17, 2016)

I think if you were coming from a setup with a similar grind setting and quantity of coffee you would be able to get there much faster. I kept lowering the grind settings and pulling multiple shots to check consistency and then changing the dose in 1/2g increments and with the same multiple tests plus a 10g grind between settings to clear out the last setting.

At least now with other coffees I should already be fairly close.

T


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

Big-t said:


> I think if you were coming from a setup with a similar grind setting and quantity of coffee you would be able to get there much faster. I kept lowering the grind settings and pulling multiple shots to check consistency and then changing the dose in 1/2g increments and with the same multiple tests plus a 10g grind between settings to clear out the last setting.
> 
> At least now with other coffees I should already be fairly close.
> 
> T


I'm not sure I understand you. Using Illy beans isn't going to help matters. How do you even dial them in? The shot that tastes the least of burnt-down tyre factory is the best?

And why were you constantly changing dose?

Dialling in one bean doesn't guarantee you'll be close to dialled in for another bean.


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## h1udd (Sep 1, 2015)

Big-t said:


> At least now with other coffees I should already be fairly close.


coffee beans are smart .... One or two will be similar in grind, then they will adapt and throw you a curve ball ..... Watch out for those pesky light roasted pacamaras that require your burrs to be touching .... Or a dark malabar that even if you put whole beans in the PF it chokes the shot


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## Stevie (Nov 18, 2015)

Nice machine, but i'd keep it to what its really about - the coffee, and start using some decent beans!


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## Big-t (Apr 17, 2016)

Crazy as it might sound I actually got really tasty shots from the illy beans, not bitter and not too tangy either with a nice mellow nutty taste.

I consider them the best of the supermarket bunch for my tastes. The fact they are so accessible and largely consumed as a latte or similar in my house means you can't go far wrong. That said they are definitely suited to home machines rather than the prosumer kit.

I received my rave coffee tonight and the grind remained the same, only the dose changed to 14g rather than 16/18. So only 4 extractions to dial in!

The old machine required a grind 5 steps higher than the Oscar which is why it took longer to dial in initially.

The thing I really like about the Oscar is its consistency and a lack of requirement to temp surf. On my old machine I always steamed the milk first before extracting a shot in order to get the taste right.

T


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

Big-t said:


> Crazy as it might sound I actually got really tasty shots from the illy beans, not bitter and not too tangy either with a nice mellow nutty taste.
> 
> I consider them the best of the supermarket bunch for my tastes. The fact they are so accessible and largely consumed as a latte or similar in my house means you can't go far wrong. That said they are definitely suited to home machines rather than the prosumer kit.
> 
> ...


Again, why are you changing the dose?


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## brymstone (Apr 18, 2016)

Big-t said:


> In fetching blue.


Wow.. that looks pretty gorgeous!


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

risky said:


> Again, why are you changing the dose?


He is a maverick.


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## Big-t (Apr 17, 2016)

Maverick indeed!

On a more serious coffee related note







I always start at 14g and once I have tried a few grind settings I then bugger about with the dose to fine tune it for taste. Im going to get a Mazzer next to give me more granular grind settings which should further simplify things but otherwise this way seems to work just fine.

Having said that, I managed to get the most perfect shots of coffee this morning whilst running on autopilot and minus any actual measurements.


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

Big-t said:


> Maverick indeed!
> 
> On a more serious coffee related note
> 
> ...


Have a read:

Beginners Reading - Weighing Espresso - Brew Ratios

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=22879


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Big-t said:


> Maverick indeed!
> 
> On a more serious coffee related note
> 
> ...


And just think if you'd measured it you could have recreated it.


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Missy said:


> And just think if you'd measured it you could have recreated it.


Thats such a good point.

I doubt I couldve been more skeptical about using scales,, now I couldnt do without.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

If you are varying your dose by up to 4g to tune your extraction then either your grinder isn't capable (have you had a look at the Burrs recently, I've seen some totally smooth MDF Burrs before) or you are making things difficult for yourself.


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## Big-t (Apr 17, 2016)

I usually measure and weigh religiously, its the only way to get consistency.

As for the Lack of measurements on that morning, well I blame my kids for that!









The mdf whilst capable could do with more fine adjustment. I have recently stripped it down and the burrs are still good post clean.

T


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