1. ( 7 of 7 found this review helpful ) Posted: Mar 30 2005

   I have just received the machine from Illy USA at a very attractive price (considering I order the Illy beans regularly anyway, their price on this machine with a one-year coffee subscription is a excellent indeed). I have been needing to replace an espresso machine every 2 years ca., I figured, I might as well try out one considered to be in the light duty commercial catagory. After the first few cups I learned the proper pressure on the temper and out came from the machine coffee that any Italian coffee bar would be proud of. It could be my imagination, but, the brew from this mahcine seems to be stronger (more bitter) then the Saeco, Krup, and Solis ($300 range machines). Although the crema is not as much when compared with the others I used before. Also, being able to leave the machine on all day long means instant hot water/steam which is very nice for a small office environment. I used the hot water mainly to heat the cups. It does however, take about 7 minutes to reach its operating condition (to bring a mass of water to the proper temperature and pressure in the internal boiler) when first turned on every morning and the noise from the pump that transfers water from the holding tank to the boiler is quite loud. There are some minor flaws that I could see so far. The fit and finish on the machine is fine but not perfect. There are corners on the rear that could be finished a little better and some spot welding marks should be polished out. The water tray (the one below the group head to hold liquid that drips off after a brew) is very small and needs to be emptied quite often. This is a new machine; thus, I cannot report its long term performance and endurance. My past experience with the $300 range machine is that they last about 2 to 3 years before something expensive to fix breaks. I shall see if this seemingly robust machine will last. So far, I am very satisfied with it.

2. ( 9 of 9 found this review helpful ) Posted: Feb 22 2005

   I bought the Pasquini Livia 90 Automatic in 2002. The version I needed was for 240 volt operation so it was shipped from Italy. At the same time I also ordered the grinder and 2 drawer base. I had spent a lot of time reading reviews and comments on several sites for a wide variety of machines. The number of reviews which compared their brands to the Pasquini Livia machines was what really sold me on the Pasquini. You don't compare your machine(s) to lesser machines, you compare against the best. If so many various reviews used Pasquini as a target then it must be well worth a look. I am glad I did, it is an extremely well built and reliable machine. I have mine on for 12 to 16 hours per day and make and serve quite a lot of espresso and cappuccino to family and friends. The Pasquini is also used for tea, cocoa, instant soups and anything else that calls for the use of near boiling water. The machine gets it right every time, any variation in quality is due to the coffee, the milk or the user. It took a bit of time to learn how to use it effectively but it has never disappointed me. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is due to the choice of a plastic water storage reservoir in the machine. I think that a stainless steel tank would be a better choice due to the effects of age, heat and vibrations which caused some cracks in my original tank. Pasquini replaced it free of charge even though the machine was out of warranty! A stainless steel tank would add to the noise level though and it already is not a stealthy machine. The pump is by no means quiet, but it certainly does the job and I'm sure will continue to do so for years to come. I recommend Pasquini without reservation based on the machine and the service I have had when dealing directly with the company on several occasions.

3. ( 2 of 7 found this review helpful ) Posted: Nov 29 2004

   i found coffeegeek.com and chriscoffee.com very helpful in researching espresso machines. also wholelattelove.com but just for comparisons on their site.

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