Looks different than regular chrome machine - goes well with a white appliance kitchen Very robust Unpressurised PF Easy to clean Built in water softener
Negative Product Points
Rather basic - no pressure or temp gauges Push button for steam instead of rotary knob Takes a long time to heat up Can be finicky, hard to consistently achieve really good shots Uses different group to commercial Cimbalis- suspect other parts are non-commercial too
Detailed Commentary
Mechanically the Domus is bullet proof. I've purchased a 1998 build model that doesn't look like it had a proper clean or descale ever. After trying extensive soaking I eventually had to cut off the panarello wand. But the seals were all good and after a good descale and backflush and screen clean the machine is putting out nice sweet water, no taint. So it gets my vote for excellence in robustness.
I had been using a Breville Roma with an unpressurised filter and a Sunbeam conical grinder so my standards were fairly basic. Stepping up to the Domus the first thing I really noticed was the steam pressure for texturing was so much stronger and you can do some really nice microtexturing, once you take the panarello off. My poison is the double expresso, and after practicing with a kilo of beans I reckon I can get a pretty good shot with OK creama. It did take a lot of practice though. I'd have to echo what another reviewer that the machine is finicky and ~15% of shots I'd call outstanding.
Tips I've found: - let it heat up for 30 min - Judge extraction by examining stream for blonde point rather than set timing
