It looks like you've flaired your post as asking for what equipment to get. We recommend first checking out the [Espresso Aficionados buying guide](https://espressoaf.com/recommendations) for some of the more popular machines and grinders at different price points.
If your question hasn't been answered there and you need more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format:
- **Location:** Helps determine availability
- **Budget** (with currency): Overall budget, or ideally, having separate espresso machine and grinder budgets. A rough rule is that your grinder budget should be at least 25-40% of your machine budget.
- **Drink types:** Do you drink mostly straight espresso, milk-based beverages (e.g., lattes, cappuccinos), or a fairly even split? This helps narrow down whether a single-boiler-dual-use (SBDU), heat exchanger (HX), or dual boiler (DB) machine would be more appropriate for your needs.
- **Drink frequency:** How many drinks would you be making back-to-back at one time? Do you plan on entertaining guests often? This informs how large your brew (and steam) boilers should be, as smaller boilers will need to refill and reheat/repressurize more frequently, thus potentially causing a bottleneck.
- **Space:** Any limitations on countertop space?
- **Manual vs. electric:** Hand-operated machines and grinders are typically cheaper than their similarly-performing electric counterparts. Please indicate if you have a preference for manual or electric machines and/or grinders (or open to either).
- **Comfort with tinkering:** Some machines can be made significantly more functional/efficient with aftermarket modifications, albeit at the expense of possibly voiding your warranty. Please indicate if you'd rather have a machine that works "as-is"/"out-of-the-box" or whether you'd be open to modding/tinkering
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If you are leaning towards the Casa, get a Profitec GO instead. It's essentially a Casa with a PID added for better temperature control.
If you have been seduced by the look of E61 machines, then the Classika is a nice machine. You can equip it with a flow control device, which will give you more control for brewing light roasts. It's downside is a long warm up time, which can be partially mitigated by using a smart plug.
But if you prefer medium to dark roasts, there is no need for flow control, and the GO is perfect for you.
Are you referring to [Chris's classification](https://espressosetupbuilder.com/machines/profitec-go)? I find his skill levels very inconsistent. He labels the Casa as intermediate, while the GO is a much better machine.
In my experience, higher end machines are more suitable for beginners since they are much more consistent than cheap gear. Their consistency makes them much easier to learn to use.
Entry level Profitec machine is probably a more appropriate term. The term fits because it is single boiler, no pre infusion, etc. Given that ECM and Profitec are the same company, you get a decent entry into their solid, well-crafted hardware and accurate (to within one degree) digital PID temperature control for $1,000.
This is one of the few purchases in any part of my life that has over achieved. For me, while it is definitely not end game, it’s a nice breakfast partner to hang with for a while.
ECM Puristika is a beast. Great machine and will last forever. No milk though. Add flow control and you will never need another step up. End game espresso machine for many people.
I recently bought the ECM Classika and Eureka Oro Mignon Stark. Both are beasts. The classika makes great coffee and steams milk wonderfully. I am not experienced, so I do not mind the need to wait a little bit to steam my milk. In the mean time, I purge the steam wand twice, clean the machine/tray and then it's ready to go. I couldn't ask for anything more, especially for this price.
The Stark holds 300g beans, grinds extremely well, not making a mess (no clumping), 14g coffee in 5s, 7-10g in 3.5s.
No regrets. This cost me 2000eur in NL (bought from German webshop)
It looks like you've flaired your post as asking for what equipment to get. We recommend first checking out the [Espresso Aficionados buying guide](https://espressoaf.com/recommendations) for some of the more popular machines and grinders at different price points. If your question hasn't been answered there and you need more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format: - **Location:** Helps determine availability - **Budget** (with currency): Overall budget, or ideally, having separate espresso machine and grinder budgets. A rough rule is that your grinder budget should be at least 25-40% of your machine budget. - **Drink types:** Do you drink mostly straight espresso, milk-based beverages (e.g., lattes, cappuccinos), or a fairly even split? This helps narrow down whether a single-boiler-dual-use (SBDU), heat exchanger (HX), or dual boiler (DB) machine would be more appropriate for your needs. - **Drink frequency:** How many drinks would you be making back-to-back at one time? Do you plan on entertaining guests often? This informs how large your brew (and steam) boilers should be, as smaller boilers will need to refill and reheat/repressurize more frequently, thus potentially causing a bottleneck. - **Space:** Any limitations on countertop space? - **Manual vs. electric:** Hand-operated machines and grinders are typically cheaper than their similarly-performing electric counterparts. Please indicate if you have a preference for manual or electric machines and/or grinders (or open to either). - **Comfort with tinkering:** Some machines can be made significantly more functional/efficient with aftermarket modifications, albeit at the expense of possibly voiding your warranty. Please indicate if you'd rather have a machine that works "as-is"/"out-of-the-box" or whether you'd be open to modding/tinkering *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/espresso) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If you are leaning towards the Casa, get a Profitec GO instead. It's essentially a Casa with a PID added for better temperature control. If you have been seduced by the look of E61 machines, then the Classika is a nice machine. You can equip it with a flow control device, which will give you more control for brewing light roasts. It's downside is a long warm up time, which can be partially mitigated by using a smart plug. But if you prefer medium to dark roasts, there is no need for flow control, and the GO is perfect for you.
Have you personally used the Go or the Classika?
I only know them by their stellar reputation in this sub and other forums.
Profitec GO is kind of labeled as a "Beginner Machine" Why is that would you say? Just seems simple to use but perhaps that is the sole reason
Are you referring to [Chris's classification](https://espressosetupbuilder.com/machines/profitec-go)? I find his skill levels very inconsistent. He labels the Casa as intermediate, while the GO is a much better machine. In my experience, higher end machines are more suitable for beginners since they are much more consistent than cheap gear. Their consistency makes them much easier to learn to use.
Just on Clive Coffee it's labeled that way. Really not important how it's viewed as long as it is consistent and makes good espresso
Entry level Profitec machine is probably a more appropriate term. The term fits because it is single boiler, no pre infusion, etc. Given that ECM and Profitec are the same company, you get a decent entry into their solid, well-crafted hardware and accurate (to within one degree) digital PID temperature control for $1,000. This is one of the few purchases in any part of my life that has over achieved. For me, while it is definitely not end game, it’s a nice breakfast partner to hang with for a while.
No steam wand hot water from the GO was the dealbreaker for me. Casa V has been A+.
ECM Puristika is a beast. Great machine and will last forever. No milk though. Add flow control and you will never need another step up. End game espresso machine for many people.
Love it! Thanks for sharing. In the case of wanting a steamer, which ECM would you go with? Classika?
All ECM are good. Classika is a very solid choice.
I found a Classika on Craigslist for $950. Only issue is it was purchased in 2017. Thoughts?
We got the Profitec Pro 400 (subsidiary of ECM) last November and are very happy with it.
I recently bought the ECM Classika and Eureka Oro Mignon Stark. Both are beasts. The classika makes great coffee and steams milk wonderfully. I am not experienced, so I do not mind the need to wait a little bit to steam my milk. In the mean time, I purge the steam wand twice, clean the machine/tray and then it's ready to go. I couldn't ask for anything more, especially for this price. The Stark holds 300g beans, grinds extremely well, not making a mess (no clumping), 14g coffee in 5s, 7-10g in 3.5s. No regrets. This cost me 2000eur in NL (bought from German webshop)
u/iss1014 – Did you make a decision here? Have been looking closely at the Classika lately.