If you are a home-barista or a coffee-cart barista with a moderate flow of customers, you may be looking for a review of the popular Vivaldi II. This buyers guide will help you root through some details that are important to consider when spending a large amount on a quality machine.
In the planning phase of the coffee cart I did a lot of research to find the perfect espresso machine. After hours and hours of reading about what I thought I would need, I landed on the La Spaziale Vivaldi II. The following includes details that have made an impact on my experience with the Vivaldi II and is certainly not meant to be an exhaustive overview of the specifications. You can find that in many other places. Here is my honest, personal review and a little more insight into why I chose this machine.
Whether it is your first espresso machine or you’re a seasoned barista, this machine may be exactly what you want. It is simple enough for a novice to figure out with information aplenty on the internet. But customizable for a barista who likes to dial-in to the Nth degree. It is a great machine for the home barista who is exciting about getting a nice layer of crema on top of their shots.
The Vivaldi II is a double boiler machine with a 2.5 liter steam boiler and a 450 ml group boiler. Double boiler home espresso machines have become more popular over the years with a handful of machines on the market today. This means you now have the capacity to steam milk while your machine pulls the perfect shot of espresso.
POSITIVES
With a direct plumb line you need to either connect to your building’s water line or use a flo-jet and 5 gallon jug of water, like me. If you want to fine-tune your shot, you can program a pre-infusion to get a nice even layer on your puck before the pressure kicks in. You can also customize the temperature of the water and volume.
The size of this single group machine is another factor that helped me pull the trigger. With a small footprint and only 16.5” wide and 15” tall it fits easily next to the kitchen sink (where I had it before the cart was built). It is easy to transport to events because it weighs in at about 70 lbs.
Unlike most high power espresso machines, this little powerhorse uses a 20 amp plug and if you buy from the right wholesaler they’ll include a 15 amp adapter in your starter kit. This means you don’t have to figure out where to plug in your machine! Any outlet will do. This is major!
I give myself about 15 minutes to let the machine come to full-temp before brewing a shot. In my opinion that isn’t much time at all! Both boilers hold their temperature well and the detection is really precise. This helps steam milk perfectly and with changing variables to make the best espresso possible.
NEGATIVES
I’ve been using this machine daily for the last 4 months and tested the limits for the first time last week at a private event. After having it running for about 2 hours and serving about 18-20 drinks, the machine completely shut off. I am working on the issue but after more reading I have found it isn’t an uncommon issue. The lights don’t come on at all. This means something has blown and I am hoping there is a quick solution. I learned that the fuse can be really sensitive. Some wholesalers even ship the machine without the fuse installed and teach customers to install it themselves at home. I am working with a technician on the issue and I am hoping its a simple fix of replacing the fuse. Thank the heavens for warranties!
The machine has a stylish look but one tiny detail that irks me is the font on the buttons. Why did they choose comic sans on such a sleek machine?! Once I have more time you might catch me scrubbing off the labelling and adding my own.
OVERALL
Once my electrical issue gets solved I am sure to have many more delicious shots of bean juice. The Vivaldi II is my first real run with a barista-worthy machine and I hope it will continue to help me bring yummy espresso to a lot of customers. The wholesale team has really helped with answering any and all questions I have had from plumbing, to moving, to programming my machine. Whatever machine you end up with, make sure you buy it from the right people.
