Great looking machine that delivers great coffee, pretty much every time.
Positive Product Points
It's looks Ease of set-up Consistency of quality of coffee Commercial brewing head Rotary pump consistency and relatively silent Swift heat up time The detachable PID
Negative Product Points
Water reservoir could be a little larger Drip tray is a little on the small side V1 of the machine has drip tray seated on small nylon slides. These come off too easily and I can see them weakening over time
Detailed Commentary
This is the first pro-sumer espresso machine I have owned and I chose it after significant research, not least of which from this web-site.
I love the R58. Even as an amateur, it helps me deliver consistently great tasting coffee.
It looks GREAT as well and my wife has even suggested we put it in the lounge, as a piece of art!
Steaming is an art I am still learning but the R58 makes it relatively easy for me, delivering consistent steam every time. I know any variations on the foam I produce is due to me, not the machine!
Some love or hate the detachable PID. I love it. It allows me to set up the machine, then put it away and maintain the 'traditional' look of the machine. It took me a go or two to realise the PID settings are only stored once the machine is switched off and on though. Once I read the manual, it was fine :)
Only minor niggle I have is the brewing lever has become a little harder to lift, since getting the machine. A little grease should fix that though.
I have replaced the tamper that came with the machine. It is a nice looking, metal tamper but I found it seemed to attract coffee grinds.
Cleaning and maintaining it is easy and the accessories supplied with it (blind filter, group cleaning brush) seem to work very well.
Buying Experience
I bought it from a local distributor, Papa Palheta. They are known as one of very few real coffee nerds in Singapore. There are not many here!
They are a little on the expensive side but they provide a great service. They delivered the machine, set it up the way I wanted and even trained me and gave me as many tries as I wanted before they left. They have been available, via email, when I have needed them as well.
Rocket themselves helped with the choice and in answering some of my stupid questions (about the PID). Impressive!
