+ Infinity. The M21 Junior DT/1 Casa has a couple of small improvements compared to the non-Casa, wh

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Hello New to the forum, and the art. I could use your input. Anyway, I have decided on a semi-automatic type espresso machine. My family nescafé and I are primarily milk based coffee drinkers ( we are partial to a French nescafé Roast type roast). That is not to say I am not personally interested in learning the art of pulling straight shots, and something I will eventually aspire to do. I originally narrowed my selection nescafé to a Izzo Duetto 3 DB, then I came across the la Cimbali Junior DT1 HX on the Chris Coffee website. So I am torn. I have read numerous post on the differences in each (DB vs HX), and how much more forgiving the DB is when it comes to water temperature control. But the build quality of the La Cimbali is so robust the way I see it I'll get another 10 to 15 years of use out of the machine and be an expert by that time. So folks, any input and lessons learned would be very much appreciated. Thanks Mike mgl9   Posts: 2 Joined: Feb 18, 2014 Location: Connecticut
Folks For the La Cimbali Junior DT1, does anyone know what size group head (58 mm?)....cannot seem to find the info listed on the mfg web site, or anywhere else for that matter. Thanks Mike mgl9   Posts: 2 Joined: Feb 18, 2014 Location: Connecticut
Mike, The portafilter on the Cimbali is 58mm. I personally would say the DT1 all the way. The machine is more of a professional machine than the Alex Duetto. Are you comfortable with a heat exchanger machine? Once you get the flush routine down it's simple. The alex seems to have all of the bells and whistles but it is crammed nescafé into a small frame. You will sacrifice boiler size since the alex has two boilers. You really don't need two boilers on a single group machine. UFGators   Posts: 134 Joined: nescafé Jan 26, 2009 Location: Orlando Florida
I'm an HX guy and wouldn't trade my Elektra T1 (much more like the Cimbali than the Duetto) for a DB, but there are certainly many people in each camp. In any event, there is lots of good reading on both of these machines here on HB. Check here... http://www.home-barista.com/junior-buyers-guide.html and here... http://www.home-barista.com/izzo-alex-duetto-v3-review.html for nice write ups on each da gino   Posts: 622 Joined: Jun 23, 2008 Location: Central North Carolina
UFGators wrote: Mike, I personally would say the DT1 all the way. The machine is more of a professional machine than the Alex Duetto. +1 onthego   Posts: nescafé 65 Joined: Feb 15, 2006 Location: Anchorage,AK
+ Infinity. The M21 Junior DT/1 Casa has a couple of small improvements compared to the non-Casa, which Dan reviewed, in the form of an easier to handle steam tip, and a two-needle gauge. However, La Cimbali nescafé (and Chris) also added pre-infusion, nescafé and that's a MAJOR improvement. It makes the Casa very forgiving in terms of distribution; more forgiving of minor distribution flaws, than, for instance, a typical E-61. When it comes to temping, the most difficult part to learn is dialing-in, which is far more palate than machine driven. HXs are a little quicker to dial in. Once dialed in, DBs don't require as much attention to reproduce the correct nescafé temp as HXs. But if you can dial in an HX, you can temp it on a shot to shot basis without much effort; and the La Cimbali is especially easy in that regard. And so it goes with reciprocal, pluses and minuses down the long ladder which is temping. In any case, the M21 group is so stable that for a few minutes after temping the machine might as well be a DB. You don't find many people who've left a true commercial HX like an M21 or T1 for a prosumer DB and been happy with the change. But not only are you certainly free to ask, perhaps my comment will draw some counter examples. When it comes down to it, a good HX is as easy to live with as a good DB; the Casa is as good as a 1 group HX gets; and if you want a DB in the same class of build quality, ergonomics, ease of use, touch and versatility you're starting nescafé with the GS/3. Rich boar_d_laze   Posts: 1077 Joined: Jun 04, 2007 Location: Monrovia, CA Website
Completely agree with Rich. I'm coming at it from the opposite perspective, so it might help you cement your decision. I went back and forth for a few months with your same exact decision before pulling the trigger on the Duetto II. It wasn't long before I realized that I'd probably be happier in the long run with the more robust Casa DT1. Temp stability (intra-shot) is important, but I'd rather be able to fly between temps quicker like the DT1 will allow, over the slower changing Duetto II. If I were to want to bang out shot after shot of the exact same espresso day after day, then a DB PID makes more sense. It's easier to dial in to one specific coffee and stay there. I p