Best La Spaziale Espresso Machines (2022 Reviews)
Are you shopping for a commercial espresso machine? Or maybe a home espresso machine with the quality, durability, and functionality of a commercial model? Then, La Spaziale is a brand well worth considering.
This review will look at four best La Spaziale espresso machines, two targeted for coffee shops and two for home use. One of them is sure to be right for you, so keep reading to find out which!
At A Glance:
- OUR TOP PICK: Dream
- BEST FOR CAFES: S2 EK
- BEST FOR HOME: Vivaldi II
The 4 Best La Spaziale Espresso Makers
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Dream |
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Vivaldi II |
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S2 EK 2-Group |
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S9 EK 3-Group |
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La Spaziale makes commercial and prosumer espresso makers. So, no matter your needs, there’s a model for you. It’s just a matter of finding the right blend of capacity and functionality for you. Here are our top four, two for home and two for business.
1. Dream – Best Overall
Specifications
Boiler size: 0.45 L brew and 2.5 L steam
- Boiler material: Copper and Brass
- Dimensions (HxWxD): 15.1” x 16.3” x 16.3”
- Pump: Rotary
La Spaziale’s two popular prosumer espresso makers, the Dream and the Vivaldi II, are very similar. But of the two, the Dream is more advanced, with controls that make it dead easy to pull outstanding shots of espresso. That’s why we’ve deemed it Best Overall.
The Dream is a dual boiler espresso machine with a 0.45 L brew boiler and 2.5 L steam boiler, so be prepared for impressive power from the steam wand. In terms of drink quality, the Dream differs from the Vivaldi II in that it uses full PID control for boiler temperatures and has better temperature accuracy.
But the user interface is where the Dream shines. Its responsive touchscreen panel allows a wide array of programming, including volumetric dosing and boiler temperatures. It also has an automatic shot timer, shot counter, and full digital display.
Better yet? You can update Dream’s firmware easily, so you’ll always have access to the newest upgrades.
The Dream has a quiet rotary pump and is direct plumb only, meaning there’s no water reservoir. You must connect it to your water supply. If that isn’t feasible, you can choose the less expensive Dream T instead. The Dream T has a vibratory pump and a smaller 1.2-litre steam boiler, but these make way for a 2.4-litre water reservoir.
2. Vivaldi II – Best Espresso Machine for Home
Specifications
Boiler size: 0.45 L brew and 2.5 L steam
- Boiler material: Copper and Brass
- Dimensions (HxWxD): 15.1” x 16.3” x 16.3”
- Pump: Rotary
The Vivaldi was already a trendy coffee maker, but La Spaziale made it even better, releasing the Vivaldi II in 2006. It promptly won the CoffeeGeek Editor’s Choice Award for Best New Product.
Internally, it’s very similar to the Dream dual boiler, with the same 0.45 L brew boiler, 2.5 L steam boiler, and rotary pump. The reason it’s a few hundred dollars cheaper is because it lacks the touchscreen, the PID control, and some of the programmability.
The most impressive feature is the programmable pre-infusion, which is well known to improve espresso quality and consistency (1). Unlike the mechanical pre-infusion of an E61, here, you can set both the pre-infusion time and volume of water.
The La Spaziale Vivaldi II has two pressure gauges, which report steam pressure and brew pressure. Though it doesn’t have quite the temperature sensitivity of the Dream, the Vivaldi II offers improved temperature stability versus the original model.
As with the Dream, this model is direct plumb only, but a pour-over model is available. The Mini Vivaldi II has a vibratory pump, 2.4-litre water reservoir, and 1.2-litre steam boiler.
What’s With Lucca A53 Mini espresso machine?
Vivaldi II has proven so popular that Clive has released their own versions, the Lucca A53 and Lucca A53 Mini espresso machine. The differences are purely aesthetic. The Lucca A53 has a more modern-looking control panel, with a soft matte finish that is also applied to the drip tray, and it comes with a bottomless portafilter.
3. S2 EK 2-Group – Best Commercial Espresso Machine
Specifications
Boiler size: 10 L
- Boiler material: Copper and Brass
- Dimensions (HxWxD): 20.4” x 27.5” x 20.8”
- Pump: Rotary
For all but the busiest coffee shops, a 2-group espresso machine provides plenty of capacity. Still, many reasons beyond capacity make the S2 EK our pick for the Best Commercial model. Let’s look at why it’s found in top cafes around the world.
The S2 EK has a large 10-litre heat exchanger boiler, which provides powerful and long-lasting steam. But it’s the quiet operation and volumetric dosing that makes this model so valuable in customer service. You can pre-program single and double shot volumes, at which point pulling a shot is as simple as hitting a button.
This automatic operation leaves more time for steaming milk, preparing syrups, or interacting with customers. And just as significantly, it improves consistency, one key to a successful cafe, according to Lauro Fioretti, Product Manager at Simonelli Group (2).
It’s very important that your equipment is able to reproduce exactly your extraction profile every single time, in a very easy way.
With all that technology, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that the S2 EK is very reasonably priced, perfectly accessible for small and mid-sized businesses.
4. S9 EK 3-Group – Best for a Busy Cafe
Specifications
Boiler size: 15 L
- Boiler material: Copper and Brass
- Dimensions (HxWxD): 20.4” x 39.3” x 20.8”
- Pump: Rotary
If your cafe is so jam-packed that only the largest, most expensive, most feature-packed espresso machine can meet demand, then congratulations on your success and allow me to introduce the La Spaziale S9 EK 3-Group.
The S9 EK is a fully automatic coffee machine with programmable volumetric dosing. Its three groups are electronically heated and fed by a massive 15-litre heat exchanger boiler, which uses electronic temperature regulation. It has two fully articulated stainless steel steam wands and a dedicated hot water tap. Two baristas can work side by side, churning out perfect lattes all rush-hour long.
The S9 EK has a sleek, attractive design, available in five colours — brown, white, black, red, and silver — to suit any decor. A machine this large can easily be the centrepiece of your cafe, so aesthetics matter. Just ask Stefano Della Pietra, a designer for La Marzocco (3).
Aesthetics play an important role and go hand-in-hand with the functional purpose.
The design includes dual pressure gauges, track boiler and pump pressure, and a digital display that reports boiler temperature and other statistics and messages.
How to Choose the Right La Spaziale For You
The brand makes a huge range of coffee makers, but it’s surprisingly easy to narrow down your options. This buyer’s guide will walk you through it with just a few simple questions.
Is it for commercial or home use?
Machines destined for home use are smaller and less expensive. They don’t get the same repetitive use as commercial machines, so they don’t need to be as robustly built. For the same reason, they have smaller boilers and only a single group head. This is not to say you can’t interchange home and commercial machines.
The only hard and fast rule is that commercial machines must be certified by the NSF and ETL. These certifications ensure worker safety rather than quality.
La Spaziale isn’t the only company making both home and commercial machines. You might also be interested in other Italian brands like La Marzocco, La Cimbali, Isomac, VBM, or Dutch manufacturer Kees van der Westen.
What sort of capacity do you need?
It’s the rare home user who needs more than one group head. But if you’re buying for a cafe, think about how many customers you plan to serve per hour.
- For a restaurant, small cafe, coffee cart, or catering company: one group and one steam wand might be plenty.
- For an average cafe: 2-group machines are standard.
- For busy coffee shops: consider a 3-group model. Though pricey upfront, you’ll earn your money back in happy, promptly served customers.
Will you plumb in your espresso machine?
Commercial espresso machines are almost always plumbed in. If you’re running a busy cafe, you don’t want to waste time filling a water tank and emptying a drip tray.
La Spaziale’s home coffee makers have the option for direct plumbing or using a water reservoir.
Direct plumbing is convenient and leaves room for a bigger steam boiler, but it isn’t always an option depending on your home. So verify your home’s plumbing layout before you buy.
The Verdict
La Spaziale is known for espresso makers that are easy to use and built to last. Sound like what you’re after? You’re in luck because their product range covers both home and commercial machines of all sizes and prices. The Dream packs advanced features into a compact footprint suitable for home use, our top pick.
FAQs
Like many of the world’s finest espresso supplies, La Spaziale machines are made in northern Italy.They are the fifth largest manufacturer of espresso coffee equipment.
Yes, you can use a commercial espresso machine at home. However, for most people, a commercial machine will be larger and more expensive than necessary.
An automatic machine allows you to pre-program shot volumes. The barista starts the shot, and the machine automatically stops when the right amount of water is used. With a semi automatic machine, the user both starts and stops the shot.
References
- Joseph, H. (2019, December 10). Longtime Espresso Pro Michael Teahan on Pre-Infusion, the Problem With SO, and Much More. Retrieved from https://dailycoffeenews.com/2019/12/10/longtime-espresso-pro-michael-teahan-on-pre-infusion-the-problem-with-so-and-much-more/
- Petrich, I.L. (2018, November 16). How to Improve Consistency When Making Espresso-Based Drinks. Retrieved from https://perfectdailygrind.com/2018/11/how-to-improve-consistency-when-making-espresso-based-drinks/
- Pines, H. (2018, April 23). How Do You Design an Espresso Machine? Insights From 5 Manufacturers. Retrieved from https://perfectdailygrind.com/2018/04/how-do-you-design-an-espresso-machine-insights-from-5-manufacturers/
