Without hesitation, a new La Pavoni with a manometer, probably one of the professional series with the larger boiler than the europiccola. I would pair that with a Pharos grinder
The La Pavoni has a reputation for difficult and cantankerous – the new ones with the synthetic liner in the group are not. One day when i run out of things to do I will hook it up to the thermometer and show you
Its not for serving up a lot of espresso, but for one or two people it is perfect
If you have a La Pavoni of any kind and are struggling with it you are always welcome to stuff it in a bag, get on the tube to Greenford and we’ll help you master the basics – i have a huge amount of respect for the little La Pavoni for the simple reason of its durability in the marketplace – how many products do you know of that sell for what, 50 years or so, almost unchanged? It is an incredible achievement
What is most definitely true is the synthetic liner in the bore greatly improves the thermal stability of the La Pavoni – it should not be dismissed as a cost saving measure as the synthetic material used appears to be pretty expensive, possibly more expensive than brass