This is the machine cafés buy when they need two different drinks brewing at once without a barista juggling portafilters, and it handles that job with genuinely impressive engineering: dual grinders, dual boilers, 28 programmable recipes, and a build that shrugs off a thousand drinks without breaking stride. The grinder clogs on fine settings with medium or dark roasts, forcing you to vacuum it out every few days or stick to coarser grinds that compromise espresso extraction. Buy it if you need true simultaneous brewing for an office or you find a used unit under $1,000 and don't mind the maintenance rhythm of a commercial workhorse. Skip it if you just want excellent espresso at home without adopting a café's cleaning schedule.
This is what you buy when you're done with starter machines and want something that'll still be pulling shots in a decade. Three-year, four-year, five-year ownership reports tell the same story: rock-solid reliability, commercial-grade steam power that makes budget machines feel like toys, and shot consistency that justifies the $3,000 ask. The E61 group needs regular cleaning and lubrication to stay happy, descaling is complex enough that Profitec recommends dealer service, and a handful of owners have dealt with screen or pump electronics going wonky after extended use. If you make multiple milk drinks daily and want a machine you maintain rather than replace, this is the one.