Perhaps the ultimate home coffee bar machine, the Alex by Izzo with its silent rotary pump can easily be switched between plumbed or tank with the flip of a lever. The Alex is considered a 'prosumer' machine because of its high-quality commercial-grade design, heavy E-61 brew head and its excellent capabilities for steaming and hot water.
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Learn more about the Alex by Izzo:
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Pros
- Brewing with an E-61 - This tried-and-true, professional-grade brew group provides the ultimate in temperature control, allowing you to pull delicious espresso
- Silent Rotary Pump - Upgraded rotary style pump has much quieter operation that standard vibratory models
- Tank or Plumbed In Lever - Easily switched between plumbed in or tank with the flip of a lever located behind the drip tray
- Commercial-Grade Design - Heavy all stainless steel construction
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Cons
- Hot Steam Wand - The steam wand is a standard single wand design that gets very hot to the touch during steaming. It has a heat grip but a no-burn steam wand would be a nice upgrade
- Water Reservoir Design - The water tank is located below the cup warming tray and requires the cups be removed for filling. This is not an issue when the Alex is plumbed directly
- Large Size - The Alex is a big, beefy machine -- be certain to check your available cupboard clearance before purchasing this guy
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How it Works
Impress your guests with your better-than-the-cafe espresso by following these basic steps:
- Turn the espresso machine on; brewing temperature will likely be reached in about 10 minutes
- While you're waiting for the machine to warm up, you can grind and tamp your espresso in your portafilter
- When brew temperature is reached, lift the lever to pull some water through the brew group, warming up all internal components prior to pulling your shot
- Insert your portafilter and initiate the shot by lifting the lever
- Once your shot is complete, push the lever back down to end the shot and release pressure -- you'll end up with a dry puck for disposal
- If you're making a latte or cappuccino, feel free to steam your milk at any time; the heat exchange boiler facilitates simultaneous brew and steam
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Care
For detailed care instructions, please refer to your machine's user manual. We recommend that you also incorporate the following into your cleaning routine:
- Descale every 2 - 3 months. We recommend using Dezcal. If you have your machine set to the 'main line' water source, switch it to 'reservoir' to perform this maintenance. Read: How to Descale an Espresso Machine
- Clean the brew gasket with a cleaning brush daily
- Soap out water tank and drip tray every few days
- Optional: Perform backflush routine and clean the filter basket each week
- Keep the stainless steel casing shiny with a microfiber cloth
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Features & Accessories
The Alex by Izzo is the result of some fine Italian engineering -- here are some of its high-quality features.
Components & Functionality
- Heavy-Duty Housing: Polished stainless steel body features a removable cup warmer and large removable drip tray and grate.
- Commercial-Grade Heat Exchange Boiler System: Brew and steam simultaneously with a large 2 liter heat exchange boiler that includes a 1400 watt element and resettable high-limit breaker. The high-quality vacuum breaker can be put on a timer with no vapor lock, so once this espresso machine is up to temperature, it can brew all day.
- E-61 Brew Group: Commercially-designed for excellent espresso, the E-61 brew group is a master of temperature regulation and also features a thermal siphon design that stabilizes the group's temperature while inactive.
- Low Water Cut Off: If your Alex is low on water, power is cut to the boiler and pump.
- 3-Way Bi-pass Valve & Lever Control: Your Alex incorporates a simple lever design for shot initiation and, once you end the shot, pressure will be released via the 3-way valve, leaving you with a dry puck for easy disposal.
- Dual Pressure Gauges: Easily monitor your espresso machine's performance with the pump and boiler pressure gauges.
- Commercial Rotary Pump: Provides near silent operation.
- High Capacity Water Reservoir or Plumbing Option: Large reservoir holds up to 3 liters of water or flip a built in lever located behind the drip tray and plumb Alex directly to a water source.
- Steam & Hot Water Nozzles: Both the steam wand and the hot water dispenser are ball mounted so they can easily be rotated for convenient steaming operation.
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Accessories
- Two Portafilters: The Alex includes two complete 58mm Chrome-plated brass portafilters, one single and one double.
- Basket Set
Your Alex comes with 3 filter baskets -- a single shot, double shot and blank shot for use in backflushing.
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Tech Specs
- Colors: Stainless Steel
- Power: 1400 watt, 110 volts
- Size: 14.25" W x 16.5" H x 16.5" D
- Weight: 70 lbs.
- Body Material: Stainless Steel
- Warranty: 24-Months Parts and Labor Warranty
- Support: Seattle Coffee Gear
- Origin: Italy
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