Mignon Libra

I always say Eureka Mignon Libra, now $800. I have a 16 month old 55mm version, still flawless operation, zero retention, can walk up and have the shot in 10 seconds. The hopper holds a 12 oz bag, which assumes you'll drink that in a week or less so as not to go stale. Grind is very quiet, build is

The grinder is the most important thing, more than the machine. But good ones are expensive. There are many recommended here, but I always recommend Eureka Mignons for their heavy, commercial look, reliability, and overall good grind. But they have a very big range of models. A Zero is cheapest for

was gifted a White Micra with a Eureka Mignon Libra 65 AP and if you're going by just aesthetics I think they go great together with both emblems being red badges on the back and matching white.

So, the grinder is setup and grinding. Coming from a Eureka Specialita Turbo no tears yet. Look, I enjoy gatekeeping from time to time as much as the next guy. I get it, it's not a $3K Mahlkonig, it's not built as robustly as commercial machines, and the location of final assembly is different. Havi

The grinder is more important. I went all the way up to a Mignon Libra (55mm, $800) for grind by weight simplicity and now they have a 65mm for just $50 more. Fast, quiet, looks pro, heavy duty and reliable. I literally just posted on super budget machines: https://www.reddit.com/r/espresso/comments

It can change a bit between beans. I recommend the ARO aluminum grind dial for the Mignons (Amazon product B0CLCB8VQ6) so you can better see exactly what the setting is. I've used one on a Libra for 18 months and love how visible and repeatable it makes settings, but it also looks pro.

I got the Eureka Mignon Libra AP 65mm. It’s expensive but it fit the bill for me. Here’s what sold me: Grinds by weight, 2)uses 65mm flat burrs with a different, "all-purpose" cut, producing higher flavor definition, better clarity, and improved acidity, which is excellent for light-to-medium roasts

I had a Fellow Opus once. If you can get up to a Eureka Mignon Zero, Specialita, or Libra you won't regret it—fast, quiet, heavy duty, looks pro, and zero retention. Basically end game until you can taste burr shapes and which side of the mountain a bean grew on. ;) I always recommend the ARO alumin

I love my Libra. I also like that it can pinch hit as a single doser when I’m switching between different beans. I also added the single dose hopper which is a lot nicer than the standard hopper plastic and can still fit several drinks’ worth of beans when I need it to.

Okay, so one route you should consider, given that your budget is not unlimited, is getting either a Gaggia classic pro e24 or a Rancilio Silvia and installing a gaggimate on it. If you are comfortable with basic wiring (no soldering or crimping required, just unplugging and replugging) and a little