OT: Espresso machines

One of the best espressos I ever had was on an old simple hand pulled machine. I can't imagine those cost much. The other great one I distinctly remember was a glitzy coffee bar in Palermo, near the docks, that had Illy branded all over the shop-- assume the macchina was also Illy but don't remember. We have a quality burr grinder here but do pour overs- that's how I've been making coffee for 50 years at home. I think our current bean comes from Costa Rica- lots of flavor but not super high caffeine. 

@Erik_squires- Yes, I’ll try to find a photo. They are referred to as "manual" machines. There's a whole bunch on the Net about them. You have to boil the water, grind the beans, etc. The machine is just used to 'pull' the shot into a cup. 

But, no vacuum tube! :)