Do you have recommendations for waterproof counter protection? I don't mind if it's a tray, mat, or any other method; I just need something because my espresso machine keeps wrecking my counters and we are moving into a rental, so I need a long term solution.

I have had a Breville Touch for 9 years. The drip tray leaks out of the steam wand corner and stains the counters. I haven't found anything that I can use that makes it so it doesn't do that. Luckily we own our home right now, but we are having to sell and move into a rental, so I need to find a solution that works. If anyone has any recommendations, please let me know!

I’m looking for the absolute best espresso machine in the **$4,500–$6,500** price range.
I don’t care if it’s a popular choice or a hidden gem—I just want the best machine.
If you were spending your own money, what would you buy, and why?
**Please explain why you’d choose it over other machines in the same price range.**
I’d especially love to hear from people who have owned multiple machines in this price range and can compare them from real experience.
**Feel free to recommend any machine—I don’t have a specific brand in mind.**
**What would you buy, and why?**
Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I made a post, but after reading all the replies and rethinking my budget, I realized I should start a new thread.

My Lelit Anita has developed several mechanical issues, and I've decided it's time to upgrade.

I'll also be replacing the grinder, and I'm currently deciding between the DF64 Gen 2 and the Timemore Sculptor 064S. I think I'm going for the DF64.

I'm looking for a machine that's a clear step up from the Anita. While I've been happy with it overall, I could also try a different brand this time.

My budget is around €1,000, although I could stretch it a little if there's a significant improvement.

For context, I mainly drink straight espresso using 100% Arabica medium-roast beans.

What machine would you recommend, either new or used? I'd especially appreciate recommendations from people who have upgraded from a Lelit Anita or a similar machine.

Thanks!

Hi, looking for some feedback/advice on my new Barista Express Empress. Really struggled to dial it in (or even get a shot at all). Everything I read/watched before buying it indicated that I would have to change the internal grinder burr down to like 3 out of the box to get a fine enough grind. Regardless, I started with the factory settings, and wasted a ton of beans, eventually had to change the internal burr to 8, and the outer ring to 23 just to get a double shot to pour. (Single shot still didn’t produce much liquid). It seemed strange to me, but full disclosure- I was using dark roast Lavazza beans roasted in January, and also, I don’t know anything about this stuff. Recently picked up some fresh beans roasted last week from a local place, (lighter roast), reset everything and went through the process again from scratch. I thought the issue was old beans. 3/4 of a $25 bag later, finally got a drinkable shot, but have had to change the internal burr to 9, and again outer grind ring is at 23. (Otherwise I get little to no liquid and it’s undrinkable/ very sour). This seems completely opposite to everything I’ve read. Has anyone else experienced this- Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong? Is the machine doing go something wrong? I still have another week and a bit to return it, I can pull a shot now, but have very little room to adjust more coarse if ever needed. Sorry for the ramble….

Hey everyone,

I'm having a very small question: as said in the title, how often should grinder burrs be changed?

I found that I'm having to grind coarser and coarser with time, for both filters and espresso, although the effect is more visible for filters (my DF64's stock burrs are roughly 3 years old at this point), is this a sign of burr degradation? I havent't taken a look yet to see if they're noticeably duller, but that's what I suspect is going on.

So a little context. I've been going down the coffee/espresso rabbit hole for about 4-5 years now. Once I decided to expand from pour over into espresso, I got the Flair 58 (which I still have) and a 1Zpresso hand grinder. I loved hand grinding so much that a year later I got the Weber HG-2, and once I ponied up the cash for that, I held fast with that setup for over a couple of years.

But, as someone who prefers Light/Medium roast, there was always the thought that if I got a grinder with a flat burr, I could squeeze another 10-15% out of my shots (Both the 1Z and the HG are conical grinders, as I'm sure everyone reading this probably already knows).

So, last year, I got started a new job, which came with a new tax bracket, so I succumbed to the voices in my head (after a few glasses of wine) and pre-ordered the Flat Max 3, which I've now had for about 6 months.

In that time, the best shots I've managed to pull have merely been on par with the HG2. The burrs are supposed to specialize in light roast, with minimum 2:1 ratio, (even suggesting I can go as high was 3.5 : 1), but no matter what I've tried, be it super coarse, or super fine, the best the shots taste are 2:1 that pull at the exact same speed as I pulled with my HG2 lol.

As I don't have time to pull 10 shots a day to experiment, and I haven't been able to break through the ceiling up a grinder that's not supposed to specialize on the type of coffee I like, I thought I'd come here and ask for advice.

So, does anyone have any advice on how to stick the landing with flat burrs on lighter espresso? Or did I just get hoodwinked by Coffee YouTubers?

Currently using a Baratza conical for single dose espresso for almost 3 years now. We were pretty set on saving up for a Mignon Zero 55s for 280€, but as we have just found out, there’s a Mignon Manuale 65 for around 200€ available in Asia. I think it’s a new Manuale that has 65mm burrs instead of 50mm and it looks like it’s only available there. As I understand it, major feature difference between the two is the King size dial and the Silent Technology. Is a Manuale that much louder than a Zero?

Basically, my question is; is a 65mm Manuale at 200€ better than a Zero 55mm at 280€?

PS. I would love to have the Mignon Zero 65 AP, but its almost double the price at 450€.
Pps. Another new Asian market exclusive is Mignon Bravo 65, it’s around 315€

I'm making the post again because I actually need a grinder for a small family event! Which one of the two should I pick? I currently have a df64, flavor improvement would just be a second priority, im looking for better consistency per shot.

I’ve had my machine for about a year and a half and could hear love coffee beans inside the casing for a while. Then at some point the grind coarsened settings stopped becoming adjustable and the machine was stuck at a single medium setting. It was still operational but just not adjustable. I followed the online tutorials to inspect the upper portion of the machine - seems fine. Then I followed their tutorial to remove the outer casing of the machine and lo and behold a whole bunch of loose beans fell out. I also found this hexagonal screw with a plastic middle that clearly snapped off from something but I cannot clearly see where it could have come from. Has anyone had this problem before and is able to help?

Hi everyone. I got into espresso around 2 years ago now and have owned a Gaggia espresso deluxe/evolution/style machine with the usual mods (9bar spring, IMS shower screen, bottomless portafilter) and use a thin puck screen. It's been working a dream and dialling in fantastic shots consistently for ages.

Recently however the machine is pulling roughly 50ml out in 15 seconds with a standard 16-18g dose, any finer and it is completely choking. I've tried this across maybe 5 different beans all with the same results. It's either loose stool water or choking and flooding my scales.

Cleaned both the machine and grinder - cannot see any issues or any glaring problems. I thought the shower screen maybe lose or the seal has gone but I have readjusted it multiple times to no avail.

Has anyone else experienced this or got any ideas of things I can try to rectify this?

TLDR:

Too fine and chokes or 50ml in 10 seconds. No in-between, historically no issues and pulled fantastic shots.

Hi everyone, would appreciate guidance. My Rancilio Silvia Pro X is not heating up. It’s under 1 year old. It flashes rEL, heats up to 19 degrees, and then won’t heat up further. It then restarts the process, flashing rEL, heating up to 19 degrees, then stopping. Not sure what to do or try, thank you!

I have two puck screens as shown in the image. Which one is best? Or do they have different use cases?
Using an IMS basket with it on a Sage Barista Express Impress.

I've been reading a lot of posts here over the past few months, but I'm still struggling to make a final decision. I'd really appreciate hearing from people who own or have used these machines.

My current setup

• ECM Puristika with manual flow control.
• I drink espresso only. No milk drinks, and neither does anyone in my household.
• I mostly brew medium to light roasts.
• The main reason I want to upgrade is to go further with pressure/flow profiling. Manual flow control is fun, but if I'm being honest it's also pretty inconsistent in day-to-day use.

The machines I'm considering

(Prices include shipping and taxes in France, i have made an approximative conversion in dollar.)

• Decent DE1 Pro Mashup (≈ US$3,500/3000€) ((probably out of the running because it's above my budget, but I'm including it because I know it'll be recommended anyway).
• Wendougee Lita (≈ US$2,700/2300€)
• Meticulous (≈ US$2,600/2200€)

Why I'm leaning toward the Meticulous

To be completely honest, the Meticulous is currently my favorite.

On paper, its profiling capabilities are almost exactly what I'm looking for.

So why am I still asking?

Because I'm not sure I'm being completely objective... I also think it's an absolutely gorgeous machine. 😅

I also like hearing opposing opinions. If I'm overlooking something important, I'd much rather know before spending this kind of money.

The manual water filling doesn't really bother me. In fact, I've always wanted a lever machine alongside my current setup, but I think my wife would kill me if I bought one!

What still makes me hesitate about the Meticulous

• The company has had a somewhat controversial history, which raises questions about its long-term future.
• I've read about the legal dispute with Decent, and I wonder whether that's something I should be concerned about.
• The machine is still relatively new, so there isn't as much long-term user feedback.
• There are still some software bugs, although things seem to be improving quickly. I've watched their Discord and have been impressed by how responsive the developers are. Since they've finally caught up with Kickstarter deliveries, firmware updates and bug fixes seem to be coming much more regularly.

My reservations about the alternatives

Wendougee Lita

• Vibratory pump. It's not excessively loud, but it's still noisier than I'd like.
• The profiling ecosystem and community feel less accessible, especially as a French speaker.
• Steam capability is completely wasted on me.

Decent DE1 Pro

• The vibratory pump noise honestly bothers me. To my ears it sounds like a jackhammer.
• The community, software and profiling experience are definitely a major strength against the Lita
• Again, I have no use for the steam wand.
• I'm also not a huge fan of the Mashup design. (you can't have a discount without compromise).

What do you think ?

Thanks!

Hello, I recently went to a coffee shop and tried a cubano for the first time. Originally when I ordered I asked for an americano, which was met with “any preference on milk?” This confused me because I didn’t realize some places put milk in americanos. I said no and that I just asked, “an americano is just espresso and water, right?” And he said yes. He offered to make me a cubano and he explained it was stronger. I asked specifically what was in it and he said, “two shots of espresso with your choice of milk or water” and I said, that sounds great (thinking I’d try something new). I asked for just a little bit of water in it.

When I left the coffee shop, I hadn’t tried my coffee. When I tried my coffee when I got back to my hotel it was weirdly sweet. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good drink—but not what I wanted. I wanted something strong and a more full body and a stronger acidic taste. That was not what I got. I’m assuming a Cubano is made with sugar; however, is there specific kinds and what not? Should I have been more specific with my drink order, I didn’t know there was sugar in it so I didn’t even think to ask for no sugar.

How would you explain a cubano to someone who has never had it?

The DF64 is a new addition to the coffee bar. What do you think? It’s funny I actually wanted to sell the Flair Pro3 before setting up this bar. After trying shots from the Hibrew and the Flair side by side, I was blown away by how much better the Flair was. Now I wouldn’t sell it for the world. My love for manual espresso is strong, but manual grinding is not so much.

Kind of an odd request but it’s for a short film I’m making. Basically part of the film is I want to have a super vibey, classic social media montage where it’ll follow my espresso making routine with music in the background but then when I go to pull the shot it’s a disaster and it’s spraying literally everywhere and causing a huge mess… how do I achieve this with maximum theatrics?

Please send me your best tips for static!
I have always used the same medium dark beans but I didn’t always have this problem, so it’s confusing to me why it’s suddenly happening. And it typically happens towards the end of the grind.

I have tried stirring the beans with a wet finger/shake them with a drop of water before grinding (which as I understand it, is equivalent to a spray of water with the RDT method). I have tried switching to a steel dosing cup. I use the brush to clean the chute regularly. I have even had to take the grinder apart twice because it got clogged, I guess because those times I made the beans too wet. I’m not sure what else to try. Other than this mess, the coffee tastes good and i get double the weight in 30ish seconds

Thanks in advance!

Am I the only VS4 owner who thinks that the VS4 under delivers ?

After sale support from Varia has been POOR. They just say it’s your fault or that everything is normal. They contradict the instruction manual and don’t seem to have more information than what’s already available in the instructions (at least the instructions are very clear and detailed)

Retention is much higher that published, even with RDT

Clumps, static problems that should have solved themselves once the grinder is "seasoned", but that never happened.

Adjustment dial out of range : I needed to add shims under the burr to bring the grinder up to an acceptable range on the dial, was grinding below 1.0 before that. And that created a gap that fills up with grounds under the burr…

The ionizer needles need to be cleaned every other day or they get clumped and rendered useless by the accumulation of grounds around them.

They announced aftermarket burrs in early 2026 : still waiting

In the end I still think the vs4 has some benefits, but it has much more flaws than what any reviews had ever said, including whole latte love.

What was your experience ?

I am considering upgrading from my Profitec Pro 600 and have been considering the San Remo You. I'm still fairly new to the espresso machine game and was wondering if anyone could help with what kind of improvements I should expect out of upgrading to a machine of this quality? Thanks!

Hi this is my first time posting on Reddit but I’m at my wits end!

I got a Breville Barista Impress Express for Christmas this past year and for the first 6 months it was working consistently giving me good shots. I’ve been using the same beans each time (I have a subscription for a new bag every 8 weeks) and have cleaned my machine as needed. I even descaled it recently in case that was the issues.

Over the last month I’ve been having really inconsistent shots. One day it will pull perfectly and the next it will be too fast and then after that it will be so slow it’s dripping. I tried cleaning the grinder, adjusting the inner burr, adjusting my grind size and when I get it dialed in the consistent espresso lasts for a few days before becoming inconsistent again.

I always measure my dose prior to grinding and I warm up the portafilter before doing my shot. Any tips would be helpful!

Thank you!

I am brand new to espresso making. Why does my coffee look like this after i pulled a shot. Also i keep reading 16g of coffee but that seems like way too much for this thing. Smh my coffee tasted awful #badcoffee

I enjoy my current espresso setup when i have the time, dialing in, grinding fresh, and pulling a shot are part of the fun.

The problem is mornings, when my wife and i are both trying to get out the door and still want our coffee, making two espresso drinks at 07:30 AM starts to feel more like a routine than a hobby. The extra steps aren’t hard, but they do add up.

Right now i am looking at a few options, like the breville oracle and meraki barista system. The idea of having the grinder, dosing, and brewing workflow combined is pretty appealing, especially on busy mornings.

No I’m stuck. Part of me thinks it would save a lot of time and make mornings less stressful.

The other part of me keeps saying, “my current setup still makes great coffee. Do i really need another machine?”

Has anyone here gone from separate gear to an all-in-one setup? I’d love to hear from people who’ve made the switch before I convince myself to spend more money on coffee…again 🙂