[Spyder]

I also did ALOT of research on it when I first acquired it. Nuova Simonelli really reinvented the wheel on HX technology with the Aurelia. Their Competitizone version of the Aurelia is as good as any machine could get, but even the standard Aurelia is leaps and bounds better than maybe 90% of the machines out there now.

I have worked on two La Marzocco machines, a Linea and an FB/80... and can honestly say the Aurelia is easily as good as those. BUT the features/design of the Aurelia are what push it over the top for me.

[bigmike787]

They have an extensive writeup on your machine over on Coffeegeek. There are a few flaws they point out there, but I can't imagine that the average barista would find the things they point out as flaws. There were more than a few strengths they point out. It got dinged for not having an external PID though. I've thought about adding a PID to my machine, so I know what's going on at the grouphead. Information on La San Marco machines is hard to find and I'm not going to start tappping holes in my machine without know where they'll end up.

[Spyder]

Well there are flaws in every machine/grinder/etc in the eyes of somebody. I don't buy into the PID thing as a good barista knows his machine inside/out and really it's just a luxury, certainly not a necessity.

That's the reason I don't bother with CoffeeGeek or Home-Barista. Nitpicking to a .1 degrees/grams just isn't practical or necessary in the real world. Most of them wouldn't stand a chance at being a barista in a busy cafe setting. Perfection would get in the way.

[bigmike787]

I would agree with that as a general statement. I'm not nearly as bad as some of the guys on there, but I do love great coffee and will chase it. The retail world is a whole different animal. I considered going into the biz when I was fresh out of college. I was afraid starsux would run me out of business though, so I waffled. My vision was to have a Cuban style coffee house, kind of like you see in Miami, but with a twist. Austin is a very beatnik type town, so they eat up that kind of thing. I'm also a cigar lover, so I would have sold cigars in some form or fashion. Now I'm going on 40yrs old and corporate America owns my soul.

[JoeSponge]

Originally Posted by Spyder

...

Why not use the Aeropress you already have, buy a better grinder (if you can afford a super auto you can afford a much better grinder) and top it off with hot water from a kettle?

Double pluses for the AP. I drink double shots straight at work -- an even occasionally get a pseudo-crema coffee pron. A couple of those a day really makes me look forward to work. [ At home (with my wife), we start with a large mug o' coffee and use the as a basis for the press, and just press right on top of the remaining hot water... two shots in how water -- an Americano. Or an Americano Tropical -- add a good-sized spoon of extra virgin coconut oil and lots o' cinnamon on top of the remaining water before pressing on top. ]

With the AP, a lot of people just slosh some water at it, and then don't understand why there is a raving following. The AP is like a mini-Science Kit for me. I know what my fav. coffee is, what the best temp is for it (including the little pocket food thermometer -- EACH time), and how much coffee to how much water to put in. Result? extraordinary coffee 95% of the time (well, higher, but I didn't want to sound ridiculous.

The best non-expensive roast we use at work is Whole Foods' 365 French Roast ground on their store grinder as the second espresso notch. Highly scientific. The AP will take any coffee you throw at it, but you'll be able to tell the difference -- you can probably tinker past it and get good coffee from it. I am talented enough to get BAD coffee from it, but it took a lot of practice and some bad coffee to get there!

Of the great reviews at CoffeeGeek, ONE of 'ems mine! I wonder how many more I can buy before the Fed thinks I'm trying to corner the market...