My deluxe coffee maker:
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I must admit that Iām flummoxed by people who say theyāve never tasted coffee.
I have a friend who hasnāt. When we all meet for breakfast, he has tea with lemon.
How can he have gone 60 years not even curious.
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I bought a Jura X8 about a year ago. Sure itās overpriced, not the very best out there and one can nitpick a few issues - but all and all Iām very happy with it. Iāve noticed in this thread that the hardcore coffee aficionados roast and grind their own beans, keep the beans specially stored in vacuum containers for 7 days max, etc etc. but the simplicity of the Jura fully automatic bean to cup is the solution for my temperament.
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Neat!
I have never seen one personally in action. I can easily understand being delighted with it.
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I have been considering getting one of these. Thereās a great video showing it in action.
https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/philips-3200-lattego-superautomatic-espresso-machine
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Amazing stuff
And itās cheaper than a Degritter. 
Stories of the art, science and ritual of coffee preparation keep rolling. Hard to believe a caffeinated beverage we all take for granted today was the newest sensation in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries (thinking Austria in particular in the mid to late 1600s). To this day the best cup Iāve ever tasted was in ā¦ Vienna. I admit Iām predisposed to the dark, strong coffee of the Continent. Always will be.
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I, too, have experienced the best coffee in Vienna. They take coffee very seriously.
As they do for amazing pastries.
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Another Mini Vivaldi II user here. Great machine that has been on practically 24/7 since it arrived December 2013. Just gets on with the job, much like my mazzer mini grinder that Iāve had even longer. What I like about the Vivaldi is you can easily fix things such as the odd leaking hose or a bit of dirt that causes a valve to leak. A new group head gasket once a year is all it really needs. If I had bought a fully automatic I think it would be in the landfill by now.
Problem is you get used to a good shot and then are almost always disappointed when you order one post dinner at a restaurant.
Best Hifi upgrade is a decent coffee machine - i have been running a VBM super for the past 10 years didnāt really miss a beat until the end - after a good service son now using and since handover hasnāt missed a beat - was very excited when a new model came out about 2 years ago out Italy with covid and local testing / local modifications had just been released . Only issue with first release sometimes there are issues and has been back to the importer a couple of times - hoping the last one has fixed a few small hose issues - lets just say not super impressed when paying this type of $.
The great thing with this machine is it has profiling different pressures thru the extraction cycle - some of the better coffee beans under one profile can get a cup of you going in the morning and same beans on a different profile can be that nice relaxing evening cup.
Nothing better than sitting back to a have a listen with a decent coffee ā¦
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Cool, thatās like a mini Slayer.
I would have gone to a slayer but unlike hifi cables they are harder to hide 
Slayer machines are amazingā¦
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Another interesting fact regarding Australia and Australian coffee and its controversial ā¦
Get ready ā¦ We donāt like Starbucks ā¦ Currently today there are around 20 stores in the whole country and they are mainly in key tourist spots. I spent some time down in Dallas out at the hanger for South West Airlines they had a Starbucks on site and by the end of my time they had a Gareth Australian special on the hidden menu - took about a week to get right with the help of one keen Barista, was very popular ā¦
Funny how tastes can vary around the world - Someone mentioned earlier about coffee in Vienna - could not agree more had some amazing coffee in Austria
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Abstainers live with the hope of recompense in Heaven! 
Good to see a fellow Vivaldi fan and absolutely agree. Mineās been a daily driver since ~2016 and, until recently, only needed the annual gasket, which I changed out for a more pliable silicone replacement.
A few months ago the vibratory pump went out. Clive Coffee has an easy to follow repair video (LUCCA A53 Mini / Mini Vivaldi: Vibratory Pump Replacement) and I was able to source new for $32, shipped.
Replaced several parts on my previous Jura and, in comparison, they were considerably more expensive (thankfully, I was living in Germany at the time and prices were ~30% less than in the US). All things considered, I enjoyed the Jura as it made an ok (for me) cupā¦but, convenience was the major selling point. However, like you, it would have gone to the trash many years ago if I wasnāt a DIYāer. Fortunately, my son is like minded and after gifting to him heās kept it going.
The Vivaldi is worlds apart different in cup quality and Iāve never regretted the purchase.
+1 for Vienna and one of my top 3 lifetime cups was accompanied by an unforgettable view of the Domkirche St. Stephan. Great memory from an epic European backpack trip w/my son in 2013.
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I went to school in Salzburg. Coffee there was also superb, but Vienna still rules.
An excellent view to enjoy with a good cup of coffee.
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Melange at Cafe Sperl 
Absolutely! Took my son there, too. Mustāve been amazing studying in the birthplace of Mozart! I did my first year of college in Munich. Many of the places Paul writes of in his book were my old stomping groundsā¦but a decade later.
Last time living in Germany was in 2014-2018. I belonged to 2 international ski clubs. Oneā¦I was a board member and, exactly this time each year, we organized 2 trips over the Chrismas/New Year to a small village called Alpendorf (neighbor to St Johann, St Veit, Wagrain, etc), about 35 minutes south of Salzburg. Weād ski Sportwelt Amadeā. Closest area of the sportwelt in relation to Salzburg was SW and called the Hochkƶnig region. Bluebird days were a treat.
Bringing this full circle and back to coffeeā¦most of the coffee in the chalets/eateries wasnāt up to Vienna standards. Food, Bier, Schnaaps and the viewsā¦to die for!
You, Elk, Iād wager, were a lucky man.
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