biochemgawd Senior Member Joined: 26 Mar 2006 Posts: 63 Location: Canada Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: BDB Grinder: Vario
Posted Wed Feb 27, 2013, 12:01pm Subject: Re: Help for a first timer?
I would also recommend at least checking out IDrinkCoffee - and going to their storefront in Milton. They are true enthusiasts and will let you pull shots on many of their machines on display (including a Speedster!).
Unfortunately you missed their Christmas deals - doesn't hurt to ask for a package deal on something.
Phrasemonger Junior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2013 Posts: 14 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Expertise: Just starting
Posted Wed Feb 27, 2013, 12:52pm Subject: Re: Help for a first timer?
Ah, unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to actually make it into their store - it's a bit of a hike from where I am. That being said, I think I'm sold on the Lelit PL41EM V2 espresso machine and the Lelit PL53 grinder now! It's a little bit more than I wanted to spend, but it seems like an awesome set up. And I Drink Coffee seems like the most convenient place for me to order from.
Thanks so much for the help guys, and if anyone has any more feedback or advice please send it along (I'm probably going to wait until the weekend to place the order; I like to stew over big purchases haha).
D4F Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 1,189 Location: USA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID Grinder: Preciso
Posted Wed Feb 27, 2013, 1:02pm Subject: Re: Help for a first timer?
Phrasemonger Said:
Thanks for the heads up regarding the grinder! I'm thinking I'm set on the Lelit PL41EM V2 espresso machine (seems perfect in price, reviews, and functionality), so now it's just a matter of picking the grinder.
On the I love coffee site, it seems I can get the Baratza Virtuoso Preciso or the Lelit PL53 grinders for essentially the same price. Anyone have any thoughts on what would be a better choice?
The Preciso was the actual question and it works fine and had plenty of adjustment, the Virtuoso does not. I cannot compare it to the Lelit. Many threads on CG recommend the Preciso though a few members have had problems. I am happy with mine. If I were going to purchase a Preciso, I would simple ask for the manufacture date or use a serial number and confirm with Baratza.com that it has all of the updates and new gearbox.
DaninMaryland Senior Member Joined: 3 Jan 2013 Posts: 79 Location: US Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: V2 Silvia Grinder: Vario-W
Posted Wed Feb 27, 2013, 1:25pm Subject: Re: Help for a first timer?
D4F Said:
The Preciso was the actual question and it works fine and had plenty of adjustment, the Virtuoso does not. I cannot compare it to the Lelit. Many threads on CG recommend the Preciso though a few members have had problems. I am happy with mine. If I were going to purchase a Preciso, I would simple ask for the manufacture date or use a serial number and confirm with Baratza.com that it has all of the updates and new gearbox.
Read his original post again which is why i responded like i did, he asked about the Viruoso Preciso, which is not the same as the Preciso. Preciso - yes for espresso. Virtuoso Preciso - no for espresso.
i checked the website he was referring to and they dont sell the Preciso, only the Viruouso Preciso...so my original post is correct. go with the PL53
DaninMaryland Senior Member Joined: 3 Jan 2013 Posts: 79 Location: US Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: V2 Silvia Grinder: Vario-W
Posted Wed Feb 27, 2013, 1:40pm Subject: Re: Help for a first timer?
Phrasemonger Said:
Ah, unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to actually make it into their store - it's a bit of a hike from where I am. That being said, I think I'm sold on the Lelit PL41EM V2 espresso machine and the Lelit PL53 grinder now! It's a little bit more than I wanted to spend, but it seems like an awesome set up. And I Drink Coffee seems like the most convenient place for me to order from.
Thanks so much for the help guys, and if anyone has any more feedback or advice please send it along (I'm probably going to wait until the weekend to place the order; I like to stew over big purchases haha).
good luck, i think you will like this setup a lot. I almost purchased a refurb Lelit PL41 but ended up finding a too good to be true deal on a used Silvia for $75 so it was a little hard to pass up, lol. Definetly prefer the looks of the lelit to the Silvia as well, its a very good looking machine. only heard good things about the grinder you are getting too.
Make sure you get all the goodies ordered too (tamper, cups, frothing pitcher, 0.1 gram scale, and LOTS of fresh beans) so you dont have a shiny new machine sitting there and nothing to make espresso with!
D4F Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 1,189 Location: USA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID Grinder: Preciso
Posted Wed Feb 27, 2013, 1:46pm Subject: Re: Help for a first timer?
Well I could be wrong but my first grinder directly from Baratza was a Baratza Virtuoso Preciso and had Virtuoso on the case front, sent to me as a Preciso. My later model also directly from Baratza says Preciso. If you look at the Baratza troubleshooting site for getting the case off of a Preciso, the Virtuoso Preciso case is shown under the Preciso heading. Their explanation was that early models were "Virtuoso Preciso" and that changed to "Preciso" only. Not to be confused with some machines that I saw on Ebay for a while which were Virtuoso with Preciso burrs.
Virtuoso Preciso equals Preciso not equals Virtuoso. Yep they recognized the name confusion and dropped the Virtuoso label on the Preciso.
DaninMaryland Senior Member Joined: 3 Jan 2013 Posts: 79 Location: US Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: V2 Silvia Grinder: Vario-W
Posted Wed Feb 27, 2013, 2:05pm Subject: Re: Help for a first timer?
D4F Said:
Well I could be wrong but my first grinder directly from Baratza was a Baratza Virtuoso Preciso and had Virtuoso on the case front, sent to me as a Preciso. My later model also directly from Baratza says Preciso. If you look at the Baratza troubleshooting site for getting the case off of a Preciso, the Virtuoso Preciso case is shown under the Preciso heading. Their explanation was that early models were "Virtuoso Preciso" and that changed to "Preciso" only. Not to be confused with some machines that I saw on Ebay for a while which were Virtuoso with Preciso burrs.
Virtuoso Preciso equals Preciso not equals Virtuoso. Yep they recognized the name confusion and dropped the Virtuoso label on the Preciso.
thats not what i understood. They originally had the viruoso, then introducted a Preciso that had a different burrs. then they started adding hte preciso burrs to the viruso and called it virtuoso preciso to indicate it had the preciso's burrs. so at one point there was a virtuoso, virtuoso preciso, and preciso... then they eventually just called it virtuoso since they all hadthe preciso burrs now...
that was from my research when trying to figure out which to buy. They both have the same exact burrs now (preciso), but the Preciso has the micro adjustment that the Virtuoso does not have any longer.
i could be wrong, but i am pretty sure that was the evolution...at least from my non-scientific internet based research...
D4F Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 1,189 Location: USA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID Grinder: Preciso
Posted Wed Feb 27, 2013, 2:28pm Subject: Re: Help for a first timer?
To the point of the OP, I would be happy to by the Virtuoso Preciso if I could confirm that it is indeed the Preciso with micro-adjustments. As you saw if you looked under the Preciso case removal PDF the labelled Virtuoso Preciso had a micro-adjustment and was indeed a Preciso :)
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