Nuova Simonelli, my new toy!

http://www.baristalab.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/600x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/n/u/nuova-simonelli-musica-life.jpg" height="600" width="600" />

Image is not mine, copied from BaristaLab.com 

Today is an exciting day! I have just acquire a new espresso machine and it is the Nuova Simonelli Musica from a defunct restaurant. It was a really dirty machine, even though it is only 1 year old, the group head is already caked with coffee ground and oil. The steam wand has the classic baked on milk that I have seen so many time before in my previous experience with restoring used espresso equiptments.  I spent a good part of today afternoon just to clean up this machine.

 However, after the clean-up, it looks like new and  I actually like the asthetic a lot. Its styling is very sleek and modern which is a good contrast to other vintage lever espresso machines that I own. Also, it is the first Heat-Exchanger espresso machine that I own and I'm very excited and will try to do good comparision of this machine to other lever machines that I currently own (Pavoni and Ponte Vecchio Lusso).

I actually have a chance later in the afternoon to pull several test shots and actually I got the espresso and the milk right in the first try! What impress me a lot was the ease in which steaming milk on this machine. The espresso also turned out great. Actually I have too many espresso and cappuccino from the Musica and that is the reason that I'm still awake at 1AM typing this blog!!!