Hi Tiffany. No worries, the cleaning and descaling process should be the same as any other single boiler machine.

You can get a portafilter from Amazon and just swap the handle from the spotted one. Just make sure the bolt size and length matches up!

Black all the way! My Bianca is all chrome, and while it does look extremely cool, every single spot of coffee is immediately noticeable... Regular cleaning is a must! Matte black is much cleaner looking. As far as value goes, that is very subjective, and I think it depends on your needs. If you are in the single boiler market ($1000 USD and under) and want great steam power, good looks, prosumer construction, and focus mainly on medium to dark roasts, yes I think this is a great value. If your focus is on light to medium roast espresso, I'd go with the Profitec Go, since it includes PID control. The Pippa with added flow control mod and PID, though, would probably be the best single boiler type espresso machine.

Thanks! I don't know if a PID is available specifically for this machine, but it should be relatively straightforward to fit one. I'd use the Rancilio Silvia PID from Auber.

@@WillardTurner would you consider doing the PID mod or you don’t think it’s necessary?

@@mannyt7064 I probably would, but it's not something I think everyone would care about or even notice the effects of. I care a lot about the espresso quality because I drink it straight and do a lot of delicate light roasts.

@@WillardTurner if you do , please post it as I do care . It’s gonna make me decide between the Gaggia classic pro with mod or this to be honest. Which machine would you recommend between the 2?

@@mannyt7064 I don't own this machine any more, but the Pippa with the PID would be a better machine, but it is also much more expensive than the Gaggia Classic.

Hi Nirvan! I'm not sure if the dimmer mod would void the warranty completely, but I'd understand if they considered it voided. I did drill the side panel, so no way out of that. My goal is always to hit my desired yield for the shot ratio I'm aiming for. Time is just a variable that is a product of that yield.

@@WillardTurner thanks Will for the reply, my dimmer's on its way too, couldn't find any aesthetically pleasing option at the local shops!! for the time being, I crack the steam wand open a bit to modulate the flow for pre-infusion, not as good as dimmer but better than nothing as an interim solution :) maybe I can try it at the end of the shot too!

@@nirvanghaempanah9410 That's a perfectly valid way to modulate pressure. I just disliked how much water it would waste, although I suppose you could dump it back in the tank afterward.

@@WillardTurner that's exactly what I do, dump the precious water back in the tank (I make my own brew water from scratch so indeed can't waste it 🤣) btw the dimmer arrived today, already installed, looks gr8 and gives amazing control over flow rate, from dripping to full flow :)

@@nirvanghaempanah9410 Great job! It is very convenient indeed, and extremely easy to install. I make my own water recipe as well. Gotta save as much as I can.

I never added a PID to this machine, but there are plenty of videos online of folks doing it to their machines. It's really pretty much the same or very similar to a rancilio Silvia.

Hi and thanks! The dimmer switch mod I did myself, yes. The dimmer switch is a simple lightbulb circuit dimmer that can be found in most hardware stores. All it does is lower the wattage going to the pump as you turn the knob on the dimmer. The lower the wattage, the lower the pressure it produces. So with this mod, you can control the pressure at will, which let's you do all kinds of cool things with espresso profiling.

If you are brewing lighter roasts often, definitely go with the Go for that PID. If you are brewing mostly medium and darker roasts and plan to steam milk often, then I think the Pippa is a great option for the big boiler and insulated steam wand.

@@WillardTurner Thank you for your kind and fast response - i think i will go with the GO as its more future safe and does offer me more capabilty for a diverse testing of roasts :)

@@MW-df2fm I don't think you can "go" wrong with the Profitec Go. I haven't had the pleasure of using one, yet, but from what I see online, it looks like a great machine. I have upgraded my Pippa to a Diletta Mio, which is very similar to the Pippa, but with a PID controller and Thermoblock powered steam wand. This is the best of Both worlds, and I consider it to be one of the best home espresso machines for the money.

@@WillardTurner sad thing to be said eventhough the diletta Mio is being produced in Italy (as they claim) u can not buy it in Germany, nor any nearby country 😅 Seems like I need to "go" with the GO 😊 The Diletta is a masterpiece and for this money a stunning am out of value!

@@MW-df2fm I didn't know that! The Quickmill Silvano Evo is essentially the same machine with a bit different appearance. The major difference between it and the Go, is the thermoblocks steamer, so if you aren't steaming milk often, the Go may be a better value.