What I have is re-badged stripped down version going by Proteo Romanza moniker. Even with a limited experience I'm able to pull better espresso than neighbourhood shops. Dialing it in was a chore given that I have Capresso Infinity grinder, so there you go - a cheap set, all together with parts I bought within $100. Upon receiving it I had to buy a steam knob, then I descaled it, cleaned, replaced a faulty valve, and spend a few days dialing the grinder in. As I don't have a set favourite yet I need to adjust my grinding every time I get new coffee, but it is enjoyable experience despite being totally wired for a day. Lack of 3-way solenoid is a hindrance as you cannot pull a second shot without waiting. The other choice is spraying your counter top with wet grinds. This machine sees use mainly on weekends, two espresso for me and a cappa for my wife, were it quieter I could use a shot every morning, bu8t it is kinda noisy, and grinding fresh coffee is even noisier... Considering that my better half loves her beauty sleep I'd rather restrain myself. Sure I dream of a decent dual boiler machine, but with my wife happy with the results so far I would be hard pressed to justify the expense of new machine and better grinder.
Buying Experience
As usual eBay goes... easy payment, decent delivery. You get what you pay for.
