Ecm Classika

Overall, the internal engineering is an element that sets ECM machines apart from their competitors. So overall, the ECM Classica deserves a close loo...

If your budget goes as high as $1,650 then the ECM Classika is the real deal. I love mine. On the odd occasion where you DO want to steam milk, it’s quite convoluted but the process grows on you.

I have an ECM Classika PID with flow control. Sidebar, I cannot recommend ECM highly enough. The build quality is gorgeous. You set the brew and steam temps separately, and it has a shot timer integrated.

If you are only occasionally making milk drinks, you can't beat the ECM Classika which is a single boiler. If you don't want to have to wait for the machine to heat up for steam, and cool back down to brew, then get a DB such as Breville Dual Boiler, Lelit Elizabeth, or Rancilio Silvia Pro-X.

I'd add the ECM Classika, my final machine duel was Mara X vs Classika, the Classika was pretty close to winning because I found it at the same price as the Mara X with flow control already added, and Mara would have been another 300 to get it. I may have went with a manual and JX-Pro instead for my first machine as a test of "will I really stick with and enjoy this hobby", but those are still the machines I'll be considering if I want to go semi again down the road.

If you're just looking to make 1-2 vanilla lattes in the morning, I don't think you need to get a $3000 double boiler machine, even if you can afford it. A high-end single boiler machine like a Quick Mill Alexia Evo or ECM Classika will have the same build quality as most $2000-3000 machines, will take up less space, use less energy, and shouldn't make a vanilla latte of lesser quality. I don't think it's worth paying $1000 more for a second boiler, for its own sake.

i went from a breville barista express, to an ecm classika with flow control. so i think i can offer some basic comparison. i'm only 2 months into the ECM, but i think i have a good idea of where i'm at, and where i can consistently end up with it. the ECM does take longer to heat up, but i don't mind as i can find other things to do, or just arrange my other coffee setup tasks around this.

If you truly don't care about milk the ECM Classika or even Puristika are probably the best available single boiler units, and will give rock solid espresso each. Also manual machines and lever machines could be a good shout if you don't mind doing a bit of work, the ability to directly control the extraction will yield very good results in the cup. Outside of those, the options available aren't going to be great, honestly, because the next price tier up is mostly heat exchangers, then dual boilers.

i just got an ecm classika with flow control, and i just ordered a df64. so i'm close to getting to your mid 2020 picture. i can't imagine upgrading my machine beyond that because the la marzocco in your next picture just sounds like it has less features.

So I've had the the machine used daily for about 4 months now. Thanks to COVID I'm home next to my machine all day every day.

The good:

-The build quality is unquestionably top notch

-The look is classic and I dig the old school machine feel. The shiny makes me happy

-Makes a top notch shot of es...