latest Update

April 2009 – Nuova Simonelli Oscar Specifications

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Updated: 13th Feb 2009

Look at what our friend from Penang, Venky manage from the powerful Oscar:

Not bad man. Just to proof that if anyone has the passion and interest to learn, they can make a good cuppa 🙂

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Visited my friend Venky in Penang couple of weeks back. His long awaited Nuova Simonelli Oscar Espresso Machine has just arrived. This is what you call a Prosumer Machine, meaning for Professional Consumer. Whereas, the Gaggia Baby that I have or the Rancilio Silvia are known as consumer machine / home machine.

Do not be misled by its small size. This Oscar is capable to adequately serve most small cafes in Malaysia. In fact many small cafes over-spent on a commercial 2 group stainless steel machine cost in excess of RM15K and make less than 50 cups of coffee a day.

This baby here can handle easily 100 cups throughout the day. But of course, this is a machine with a 2.# liter water tank inside (commercial machines are plumbed-in), and you need to refill the water if the traffic is high. But then, what’s wrong with manually filling water couple of times a day if it save you more than RM7,000++.

Oscar with a silver ABS plastic body. It is heavy but not too heavy. Can be carried by a single adult. Combine with a Mazzer Mini, good and fresh coffee beans and proper skills… excellent espresso is achievable consistently.

Only 2 buttons. One to power on, the other to start and stop the brewing process. The big knob there is for steam.

Fully commercial grade 58mm portafilter and a 4 holes steam wand. The Oscar, being a heat-exchange machine, can steam on demand. With a 2.* litre boiler inside, you have no worry of running out of steam. In fact, the steam is so powerful, I need a few tries before adjusting to it.

One downside to this machine, if you have not notice by now, there is no hot water dispenser. Well, I suppose this is a concern one need to consider. The reason the Oscar is priced so low for it’s capabilities, something has to give. Hence, no stainless steel body and no hot water dispenser. For extra RM2K, you can get a La Scala Butterfly with sexy stainless steel body and water dispenser too.

For me, to get hot water, buy a RM200 thermos would solve all the problem.

Finally, here’s a couple of cappuccinos made with Highlander’s Supremo Blend, brewed and frothed with Simonelli Oscar. With the current fluctuating exchange rate, you can get the Oscar for around RM5.5K to RM6K.