Advice on Isomac

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Advice on Isomac

Postby LeCayla » Sat Aug 26, 2006 5:03 pm

Hope there are lots of people ready to give me advice out there!!! Having an absolutely rubbish Dualit Machine at home we have decided to invest some hard earned cash!!Trying to do research on the web has given me too many mixed views and a headache!Do we go for a fully automatic like Jura or Isomac or Izzo Vivi?Ultimately we want a twin boiler and a realyy good steamer,my husband has a thing about microfoam!! I also like the odd americano but only with good crema.The ideal budget would be no more than £500 but we may be willing to push the boat out a bit further for a really good machine.At the minute I'm swaying towards the Isomac so any help is greatly appreciated.
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Re: Advice on Isomac

Postby Davec » Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:21 pm

LeCayla wrote:Hope there are lots of people ready to give me advice out there!!! Having an absolutely rubbish Dualit Machine at home we have decided to invest some hard earned cash!!Trying to do research on the web has given me too many mixed views and a headache!Do we go for a fully automatic like Jura or Isomac or Izzo Vivi?Ultimately we want a twin boiler and a realyy good steamer,my husband has a thing about microfoam!! I also like the odd americano but only with good crema.The ideal budget would be no more than £500 but we may be willing to push the boat out a bit further for a really good machine.At the minute I'm swaying towards the Isomac so any help is greatly appreciated.


Well putting aside the fully auto Jura, which leaves the other 2 machines, neither of which is twin boiler. It sounds like you want a heat exchanger (HX) machine, assuming you want to be able to make cappas, americanos or espresso all without mucking about switching the machine into steam mode. In other words steam and hot water always on tap.

So, if its a HX machine, the Vivi you mention is a good machine and the Isomac Millennium or Tea are also nice machines. If your thinking about the Isomac Zaffiro.....it's cheaper because it's not a heat exchanger machine (has to be switched into steam mode, with a wait of a minute or two to steam), after steaming you have to perform a boiler refil procedure and can't pull any shots for a while until it cools down (about 5-10 minutes).

Of the two machines:

Isomac Millennium - Good steamer, very nicely built, looks great and very well finished, but a premium price. Internally nice quality. Spares more than the Vivi

Izzo Vivi - Good Steamer, very well built, looks very good, pretty well finished, not quite as shiny as the Isomac. Internally nice quality, wiring much superior to Isomac and most prosumer machines. Spares are amongst the cheapest of any machine (e.g. boiler heater element only £17).

Oh if you get a Vivi, try and purchase an Expobar single hole steam tip with it at the same time, fits perfectly, works great for smaller milk quanities and only costs a few pounds.

If money is no object, go with what you like the look of Vivi or Millennium. If your budget conscious, the Vivi is an excellent machine representing very good value for money.

I have only really talked about the 3 machines/brands you have mentioned. There are lots of other machines out there, but I have had personal experience of both the Vivi and the Millennium. The Jura I have played around with....but really your better of getting one of the other machines. Machines like the Jura I am sure are extremely good....but I don't believe will give you the same coffee experience of the Isomac or Vivi and you probably wont be happy with it.
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Postby Guest » Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:24 pm

Thanks for the advice,I'm open to any suggestions on other makes.I've readgood reviews on Paquinas,but they only seem to be available in the USA!
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Postby lukas » Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:27 pm

That sounds good, guest. What's your name, by the way? A member here is currently selling his Expobar Brewtus II, so why don't you join and have a look around?
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Postby Guest » Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:35 pm

Hi Lukas,I'm Cathy!
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Postby bruceb » Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:49 pm

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Good luck finding the right machine.

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I decided I needed a bit of a change so I roasted some Monsooned Malabar. That was a change!
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Postby GeorgeW » Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:10 pm

Cathy it seems to me with your needs that you would do well to have a look at the Brewtus 2 that Eric is selling. I would have thought it would be perfect for you and it is only three months old.
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Postby CakeBoy » Sat Aug 26, 2006 11:30 pm

Hi Cathy and welcome. It must all be a bit daunting for you trying to decide what to buy. We have all been there. As the boys have said, it would be worth looking at the almost new Brewtus II that is for sale. You will not get anything else of that standard for similar money and it is barely used by a TMC member who looks after his equipment properly. I am sure Eric would let you go and have a look/try-out with no obligation at all. At least you will then have had some hands on experience of what is available whether or not it is the machine for you. You would be most welcome if you join the forum :D
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Postby Guest » Sun Aug 27, 2006 6:49 am

I agree that the Brewtus seems a great buy and I would love to be able to see its operation,however,I live in N.Ireland which always poses a probable especially when it omes to postage!!I will still be considering it if it could be delivered.
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Postby CakeBoy » Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:15 pm

I wouldn't have thought it would be any more expensive to ship over the water as it is all the same mail system. Maybe someone near you has a Brewtus II that they would be willing to let you have a look at?
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International muffin blagger

Iberital L'Anna 1 Gp Hand-Fill | Wega Orion 2 Gp | Bezzera 1 Gp | Rancilio Audrey PID | Spidem Trevi
Iberital MC2 Timed | Macap M4 DS & MXA DS | Mazzer SJ | Starbucks Barista Grinder (Dualit E60/Solis 166)
Pinhalense 2x500g Gas Batch/Sample Roaster | Gene Cafe | IMEX CR-100
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Postby Guest » Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:49 pm

Calling all people living near BT20!!! Anyone with a Brewtus or any other recommended machine that I can try out?
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Postby BAB » Sun Aug 27, 2006 6:30 pm

Dunno if it's considered appropriate to mention suppliers here but...
I live in the South of Ireland and have had LOADS of heavy stuff including my 2Group machine delivered here by
www.postvan.co.uk
Everything arrives quickly and in good order and the costs are reasonable. With a budget of £500 you're not likely to be getting into spending more than 10% on transport and I'm sure that any other machine will have costs associated with it. The Brewtus does have the advantage that it gets you your two boiler set-up straight away.
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