PID Controlled
Stable Brew Pressure
Stable Brew Temperature
Quality construction
Quick warmup (220v)
solid Feel

Small Drip Tray
Shipping Carton Not Sturdy enough.

Free at Last!
That is what I felt like when I pulled my first shot from this machine.  I knew that I would no longer be stymied any longer on how to have a nice cup of espresso at home.  This machine is solid and repeatable.  I allows one to focus on other variables with espresso that do not involve brewing.  9 bar, and what ever temperature I select is simply always available.  What more do you need?  Nothing really, but this machine delivers much more.  

The Set up which I did here at home was super simple.  My Dealer wanted to do it at their shop, but there is really nothing to do as it is all easily adjustable.  Maybe to fix leak on a lessor quality machine?  Just fill the reservoir, open the steam valve and switch the machine on.  The R58 does the rest.  I poured out the first shot and though the second was on the very fast side, it was still tasty.  

It has a solid feel: it is heavy and made from quality materials.  I used a Alex Duetto II on a demo in a shop and the flexing of the whole face of the machine when I locked in the basket caught my eye.   This machine's mirror like face hardly moves at all when locking in.  It feels like a brick.  Perfect.   The two portofilters provided are rock solid. (a single and a Double)

It has great dry steam.  Just purge a little condensation out of the line at first and seemingly forever steam follows.   I usually steam about 180ml of milk for my Latte's, and I never seem to get the steam valve all the way open.  There is lots of power there with the standard small two hole tip provided.  There is a larger Two hole tip provided in the box but I have not tried it as yet.    There is a small hit in pressure if the machine decides to draw in water from the line or reservoir.  The odds of that I think are low, though I have waited for a few seconds for the service boiler to come back up to the green arc before proceeding.   The new water just has to be heated to proper temperature is all.  You can just see it on the big, easy to read dials on the front of the machine.  

I should probably know that I should empty the drip tray every day no matter how large it is.   Since I usually pull just three shots per day, the drip tray really isn't an issue.  And I pull water through the shower screen and portofilter between shots.  Only when I had two espresso drinking friends come over (one Italian)  and they keep my barista low level skills  busy did I ever which I needed a larger tray.  So for maybe office use, it should be hooked to a drain, which it is set up to do with ease.   It is THE only issue that I have with R58.  and I could go for few days an not empty it.  But this humid climate in Bangkok would grow large creatures in there if I left it that long. ;)   Also

My deal and saleswoman is:
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Kusuma  Na nakorn(Ta)
Sales  Manager

Great Earth International Company Limited
2nd floor, Alma Link Building,
25 Soi Chidlom, Ploenchit Road,
Lumpini, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330
T: (66) 2655 1551 F: (66) 2655 1518
MB : (668) 9139 8085
Email : kusuma@great-earth.net
Website: www.great-earth.net
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My R58 was not damage in shipment from Italy.  But the box was very well broken in when it arrived at my doorstep.  I think I was just a little further away it might have come apart.  My Machine was shipped alone and I believe is the first of its kind in Thailand.   So if shipped via a pallet , the boxes should fair better.  
Yes, $3566.00 !  Ouch!  but all the machines are expensive here because of the Import Duty.  My Sale company / distributor gave me a discount as the price should be higher!.   A cheap little plastic Honda is as much as a small Mercedes in the US just for comparisons.