ntan - Thanks for the detailed reply. Very much appreciated
I'll definitely consider this when I move into the new place. The placement for my plumbing isn't ideal, seeing as the general plumbing rule of thumb is "Shit doesn't travel up" applies. I need to figure out my plumbing situation due to the snakes and ladders of the setup, and ultimately where I want to put it. I'm in the middle of planning a kitchenette to accommodate my espresso setup, so it will depend on that. Your setup is quite an impressive investment, and by far, one of the best I've seen. cafe22's as well, given his constraints (I'm assuming he lives in a condo/townhouse.)
Re: Acme cups - I've lusted for them for a while, but given that I am the only coffee/espresso drinker in the household, I've never bothered to upgrade to nicer cups. The best cup is one that Expresso gave me, made by ANCAP Italy, and a gift set from BMW made by Kahla Germany. lol
Upgrading from the Rocket to a LM has been tough mainly because of 1. cost of entry 2. cost to maintain 3. I hate to admit it, but I still love my second wave coffee. While I do enjoy the occassional third-wave specialty coffee, my preferences lead back to second wave coffee. The Rocket does a great job of pulling second-wave espresso, and I love it for its simplicity and reliability. Edit: I used to leave my machines on 24/7, but that expedited the need to replace seals and gaskets and stuff, and if you've ever taken apart an espresso machine, you'll learn quickly that Italians are masochists. Don't ask me how I know.
