Rocket Espresso Machine No 1 Total Guide – Singapore

Table of Contents

• Rocket Espresso Machine No 1 Total Guide – Singapore
  • Where are Rocket espresso machines from?
  • What’s an E61 coffee machine?
  • Why are E-61 espresso machines popular?
  • What’s equivalent or an excellent alternative to Rocket Coffee Machines?
  • Where is Bezzera from?
  • What’s Bezzera answer to E-61 grouphead?
  • Why are Bezzera machines so respectable?
  • What makes Bezzera machines different?
  • What types of heating solutions does Bezzera produce?
  • What’s the best replacement for Rocket Appartamento?
  • Conclusion

Where are Rocket espresso machines from?

Rocket espresso machines feature mainly the E-61 grouphead. It’s one of the brands on our consideration list for retail in Singapore in the past. The brand was established in 2007 and is made in Italy, although its owners are actually from New Zealand. Even though the brand is relatively new, it caused quite a presence in marketing throughout America and the rest of the world.

From some of the information found online, it originated from an old company from Italy called ECM Italy that produced E-61 machines. It has become defunct due to financial difficulties. Its rights and ownership were sold or transferred to two individuals who formed two separate companies. They are ECM Germany (also makes Profitec) and Rocket espresso company.

What’s an E61 coffee machine?

The E-61 refers to the brewing chamber directly interacting with the coffee ground to extract the espresso. It was developed by a company called Faema in 1961. You will need a grinder to grind coffee into a portafilter, tamp and fit into the group head to extract. Portafilters are handles with a basket to collect the coffee ground and attach it to the machine.

The following photo is an example of an E-61 Group.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of the E-61 grouphead.

Advantages:

• Thermal stability (If the machine had idled long enough for at least 30 minutes).
• Slightly easier extraction due to pre-infusion.
• Easy to operate.
• Components are easily available for service.

Disadvantages:

• Longer start-up time due to the thermosyphon system, at least 30 minutes to fully stabilise.
• Significant fluctuation of temperature, especially if the boiler is too tiny (Below 2 litres)
• Many small components required for servicing..
• More oil and remnants are trapped within the pre-infusion chamber.
• Higher chance of a dirty-tasting espresso from pollutants retained in the brew chamber.
• Leaching of toxin metal into the boiler from water circulation of exposed brass in the thermosyphon system.

Why are E-61 espresso machines popular?

Since the patent for E-61 has long expired, many companies purchased the group from OEM producers, assembled and developed their brand. Due to this widespread adoption and marketing, it gains a lot of exposure and awareness worldwide. Many baristas were trained from E-61 machines.

It was a revolution when it debuted, and they are still some of the best coffee machines you can get today. But newer machines have been invented over the past 50 years. Some are designed to be more reliable, with better features, more efficient, or more serviceable. However, many of those newer machines are often patented and are less widely marketed or known to the international market.

Lastly, E-61 machines have excellent aesthetics. The stylish exposed group is a beautiful addition to any kitchen countertop, and the classic Italian design adds a touch of class.

What’s equivalent or an excellent alternative to Rocket Coffee Machines?

What most customers expect from Rocket espresso are their E-61 machines because that’s what they mainly have. For example, the Rocket Espresso Appartamento, Rocket R58, Rocket Giotto, Mozzafiato Evoluzione R, etc. They are all E-61.

If you trust the quality of the Rocket Espresso Milano company set up in 2007. You may wan to know about Bezzera which has survived the two world wars

Luigi Bezzera was the first inventor of the modern-day espresso machines we see today. They are also found on our website in our espresso machines section.

The same family still runs the company since 1901, focusing on accomplishing just one thing, making premium espresso machines. So features you can expect from Rocket could be found from Bezzera.

Where is Bezzera from?

Bezzera is located in Italy; its Milan factory still sits on the street named after him, only 20km from Milan’s city centre.

What’s Bezzera answer to E-61 grouphead?

Bezzera does produce E-61 espresso machines, in their original form or with flow control for pressure profiling.

Bezzera is known for making two other types of groupheads. They are the Bezzera BZ Thermal efficient group, a remastered version for the E-61 that corrects some of the significant issues like the slow start-up time, making clearer tasting espressos due to lesser areas for remnants to retain.

Bezzera BZ Thermal Efficient

Bezzera BZ Thermal Efficient coffee machines are designed specifically for a few things in addition to great-tasting espressos. They are designed to be easier to service, quicker and smaller.

The 20 small parts in the E61 group, had been replaced by an electronic solenoid, a simple switch that turns on and off via electromagnetism. This component is hardy, easy to replace and affordable.

Instead of the thermosyphon system that traps a lot of limescale in the grouphead. The BZ has a small heating cartridge that constantly keeps the group warm, even if there’s a great displacement of water in the boiler from heavy usage. Heat recovery is always faster due to the extra heating element and smaller boiler required.

From our service records, the ratio of units that require servicing on the E61 compared to the BZ group-head is 11:1!

Bezzera Strega

If you like the best espresso machines that combines longevity and quality of extraction, you will have to consider the Spring Piston lever espresso machines, like the Bezzera Strega.

This concept was formed even earlier than the E-61, in 1942. The beauty of this machine is the way it extracts in varying pressure; it cuts off the sourest and the bitter ends of the coffee and releases a broader spectrum of flavours.

This machine requires minimal cleaning and has the durability that lasts the longest among all espresso machines of the same league. As it is the mechanical spring that does the extraction by compression, instead of the force exerted by a pump.

Why are Bezzera machines so respectable?

It is one of the only few factories in Italy with a complete production plant that can build an espresso machine from scratch! A watch company is only respectable if it can invent its watch movement. In the same way, Bezzera not only has the E61 group; they have the expertise to develop their more efficient system or espresso machines that produce better espresso and are more reliable.

They have been OEM producers, producing for other brands, including Pasquini, ECM (previously) and more. They have over a century of experience understanding what’s essential for espresso machines and are capable of producing safer and more effective espresso machines of cafe quality. In addition, their engineers have optimized the chassis and layout of the internal components to be always accessible to service, which means improved serviceability and a much longer lifespan for your machines.

What makes Bezzera machines different?

Wise engineers will know that the more mechanical features are added to a machine, the more parts are added and the higher chance for failure. Which in turn reduces its reliability and also increases the cost of repairs.

Bezzera is one of the few companies that has a specialized R&D department in making machines. Rather than focusing on including more unnecessary features to capture novice customers that only read from the feature list. Bezzera would only consider adding a feature if it gives enough benefit to the customer to reward the risk of adding more parts to fail.

Bezzera pays a lot of attention to the simplest things that even discerning consumers are often unaware of. For example, making full use of their understanding of hydrodynamics and the science of coffee to get better coffee with good engineering designs instead of adding more spares.

They also pay a lot of attention to the safety and strength of the material used. For example, avoid regular brass but use food-grade brass or brass that has been plated. All machines are also individually tested before sending them out of their factory.

The side panels, drip tray and chassis, are always made with thick stainless steel, and the boiler is always made of pure copper. Brass fittings, sealants, and gaskets are of certified food-grade quality that surpasses the industry’s standard. They produce both commercial espresso machines, as well as compact home espresso machines. Though the domestic espresso machine range is smaller, they still use professional internal components without compromising on the quality.

What types of heating solutions does Bezzera produce?

Bezzera has a line-up of heat exchanger and dual boiler, but most are heat exchange due to being more reliable, and heat exchangers brew espresso with a declining temperature profile. A declining temperature profile could produce a better result with darker roast coffee, which more casual drinkers prefer.

The heat exchanger machines allow the barista to extract expresso and froth milk at the same time. The amount of steam for frothing is always great for lattes or cappuccinos. For demanding usage, they have machines with rotary pump and PID controller, one can connect to the tap. The PID controls and allows the temp to be adjustable.

They also have a line-up of machines with an internal reservoir and use an inexpensive vibration pump. As a result, they are affordable without compromising the quality and features you expect from a cafe environment machine. For example, rather than using a timer which can be inaccurate, they usually use volumetric control to measure. Machines also have an automatic refill to ensure that the boiler stays dry.

They also have the famous Bezzera Strega, which gives a vast amount of pre-infusion when the group saturate with water and can do pressure profiling just like commercial machines in Italy. They are known to be incredibly tough and built like a tank.

What’s the best replacement for Rocket Appartamento?

If you like Rocket Appartamento mainly due to its tiny footprint, then the Bezzera BZ thermal efficient range should be a much better choice. The Bezzera can start up twice as fast and recover lost heat more quickly. The Bezzera machines are also a lot more affordable and easier to service in the long run.

Suppose you like the Appartamento machine due to E-61. Then, you can go for the Bezzera Magica or Bezzera Aria range. The Magica has a 2 litres boiler to stabilise the temperature better. The Aria has a similar small foot print as the Appartmento and comes with a dual gauge to allow you to have full control over the machine’s status. Both machines utilize professional parts used in commercial range.

The Rocket Appartamento features only one gauge that shows the boiler’s pressure. There are no readings on the brewing pressure which the user will be clueless if his extraction is done at the proper pressure.

Conclusion

If you prefer to have an E61? Why not check out the Bezzera? And it’s coming from a brand that has been around for almost a century of solid reputation. From the original inventor of the modern espresso machine. You not only pay a better price, but you are also paying for a known, reliable brand and a piece of history.

If you need to know more about machines other than a specific Rocket espresso machine, check out our website www.finecoffeecompany.com for our extensive collection of machines.

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