OT: Espresso machines

We had bought a Breville for around $500 a few years back.  We could never get the foam part right and lost interest.  We gave it to one of my sons whose gf used to be a Starbucks Barista.  They couldn’t get it right either.

  Back to Hills Brothers for us, I guess 

I roast my own beans too and have been using a manual La Pavoni machine for years, it takes a bit of practice but well worth the effort. I have a few friends with the automated machines and they think mine tastes best. No one ever asks for sugar.

it becomes an enjoyable ritual like spinning vinyl.

Do you just want a machine, or do you want something that will last forever? What is your budget? 

IMHO, get a Rocket, it does everything, will last forever, and is beautiful.

Some laughs.  Just for my morning cup of coffee;  here's what I use.  Going on 6 years now.  And yes, I know it doesn't make espresso, but as drip coffee makers go, worth every penny of the $20 I spent on it.

Go to wholelattelove.com

The Silvia is a great machine. I had one for years, now with an ECM one. Any Barista grinder also. The grinder is paramount. No Nespresso, not ever. Get your green beans from sweetmarias.com. Not sweetmaria (porn site).