# Hello Coffee Forums, looking for upgrade advice?



## Bertie (Jun 30, 2015)

Have been surfing the forum for a while, learning and improving my coffee making. I have the go ahead for an upgrade but am getting somewhat tied in knots, hoping to get some advice from you good folk:

I have been using a Gaggia Baby Class for 5-6 years, which is getting a bit tatty, and struggling to get consistent espresso. Have a Gaggia MDF grinder, beans from Grumpy Mule usually, and getting decent espressos, but reckon I can do better. I had initially been thinking of Silvia +/- PID upgrade, but forum consensus seems to be that it is not a big step up for the money, got me thinking HX machines, budget £1000 absolute max (preferably less but want this machine to last a long time). I want something easyish to maintain; happy to strip down my gaggia, change seals etc. so don't want to be committed to return to retailer maintenance. Mostly drink espresso /americano, less so milk drinks, though this in part due to struggle getting decent results from gaggia, and when doing Lattes etc, there's usually a few to be done. Happy to go secondhand too.

So;

E61 groupheads- seems a classic design that just works, easy enough to maintain, get spares, but only just within range;

Looking at;

Expobar Leva HX, looks solid if a little industrial (quite like that look really),

Fracinos- Cherub / Piccino, former is not E61 is it? but E61 style? Piccino I think is double boiler, not sure if I can switch off steam boiler if only making espresso which might be logical given mostly espressos.

Might be looking at grinder upgrade subsequently, but MDF shouldn't totally compromise this upgrade should it? Permissions for this kind of upgrade are not easy to come by so need to prioritise the machine!

Sorry for the long post, grateful for any comments, advice, suggestions.









John


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## JayMac (Mar 28, 2015)

Cherub is an e61 HX whereas the Piccino isn't an e61, but is a DB.

you are at the fun phase in f money spending.







Good luck and enjoy!


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## coffeebean (Jan 26, 2010)

Can do you a Piccino for £650, a Cherub for £750, an Ariete for £850, a Vibiemme Domobar Junior HX for £900 and a Vibiemme Domobar Junior 2B for £950 - give me a shout if you want any info on any of them! Andy


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## Bertie (Jun 30, 2015)

JayMac said:


> Cherub is an e61 HX whereas the Piccino isn't an e61, but is a DB.
> 
> you are at the fun phase in f money spending.
> 
> ...


The grouphead looks different on the cherub than e.g. the Ariete, is E61 a style or a very specific design? Fracino brochure doesn't seem to specify?


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## Bertie (Jun 30, 2015)

Thanks coffeebean, those are tempting prices, takes me into range of an Ariete; as above, really, are the Ariete and Cherub identical except for wooden knobs???


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## coffeebean (Jan 26, 2010)

The Ariete has flick valves, Cherub has taps. The Cherub has a switch to start the pump to pull a shot, the Ariete has a lever on the side of the group. The innards of the machines are the same, the Cherub has painted sides unless you upgrade to a stainless one whereas the Ariete is stainless as standard.......and with the wooden knobs, looks amazing!


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

Bertie said:


> Might be looking at grinder upgrade subsequently, but MDF shouldn't totally compromise this upgrade should it? Permissions for this kind of upgrade are not easy to come by so need to prioritise the machine!


If I was in your position, I'd definitely look to upgrade the grinder in order to get the best out of your new machine. Looking at the used prices some good grinders have recently sold for I think you would still have a healthy budget for a machine if you bought a grinder too.


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

risky said:


> If I was in your position, I'd definitely look to upgrade the grinder in order to get the best out of your new machine. Looking at the used prices some good grinders have recently sold for I think you would still have a healthy budget for a machine if you bought a grinder too.


Great advice in my humble opinion.


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## Bertie (Jun 30, 2015)

Thanks for ewplies, yes seen couple of Super Jollys- I guess a big step up from MDF? Not really researched grinders - I know the MDF was a revelation over preground.

Those Vibiemmes look gorgeous, not come across them in my googling.....


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

Yeah a Super Jolly would be a good step forward and probably the minimum grinder you'd want to pair with the kind of machines you're looking at.


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

What about the Elecktra MXPC selling at the moment.

Ian


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## Bertie (Jun 30, 2015)

Risky- Have you any recommendations of places to buy in South Scotland? I see you're Ayrshire, I'm in Dumfries. Might pay a visit to Machina Espresso in Edinburgh; anywhere in Glasgow???


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

@Machina Espresso are on here and well worth contacting to get some hands on with machines.

'Espresso Services' is based in Glasgow but I have never used them.

@jeebsy might be able to advise on places in Glasgow.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Bertie said:


> Risky- Have you any recommendations of places to buy in South Scotland? I see you're Ayrshire, I'm in Dumfries. Might pay a visit to Machina Espresso in Edinburgh; anywhere in Glasgow???


 @funinacup


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Twotone got his Expobar from Espresso Services but i'm not sure how much other home kit they do. They do have a lot of the Fiorenzato grinders in though which are sweet


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## Bertie (Jun 30, 2015)

Many thanks everyone. Ideally would be nice to see some of these in the flesh, difficult to get a feel for build and size from pictures. I guess that's the online age though, lots of great personal info but more buying "blind".


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Machina should have an Expo to try, if not you're welcome to come round to mine


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## Bertie (Jun 30, 2015)

Thanks jeebsy that's very kind, my sister lives in the West End so might take you up on that if I'm up there. If heading to Edinburgh will drop in to Machina Espresso. Will also try and get down to the market- is that Mansfield Park?


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