Overview: Rotary vs. Vibratory Pumps

In The Great Espresso Machine Wars of 2011, the bloodiest battle was that between the rotary and the vibratory pump. Seriously; things got real. You didn't hear about it? Well, it's really not something we like to rehash -- and there were definitely lessons in there for all of us. But even though we're not yet prepared to talk through it (too soon!), we don't mind taking a couple of pumps apart and asking one of our favorite engineers for his input on how these bad boys work. Watch as Gail and Bill Crossland go through the internals of a vibratory and rotary pump, discussing how they work, why you might select one over the other and what to expect from them. Then we measure the sound differential between the vibratory pump on the Rocket Espresso Premium Plus and the rotary pump on the Rocket Espresso Evoluzione to learn if the whole 'it's quieter!' argument really holds water. Finally, we pull shots to see if there is a noticeable, practical difference in flavor between the two styles of machines.