9Barista Espresso Machine Mk.2 vs La Pavoni Europiccola (EPC-8 / Millennium)
The crowd’s default against the challenger.
9Barista
US$699
The 9Barista Mk.2 is a genuinely clever piece of engineering that produces repeatable, SCA-grade espresso without a plug socket — an honest achievement, not a marketing claim. What you must…
Full record & live prices →
La Pavoni
Community defaultCA$950–1,000 · US$700–800
A living museum piece that produces genuinely excellent espresso once you accept the 10-15 minute heat-soak routine and the complete absence of pressure feedback. Buy it for the craft and th…
Full record & live prices →The split
Where they actually differ
On 6 of 11 measures these two tie. The 5 rows below are the entire argument.
Espresso Machine Mk.2
Europiccola (EPC-8 / Millennium)
Ready when you are
Espresso Machine Mk.2 leads, decisively
~4 min· ~10 min
Parts & repair
Europiccola (EPC-8 / Millennium) leads, decisively
Push-button convenience
Espresso Machine Mk.2 leads, decisively
Reliability record
Europiccola (EPC-8 / Millennium) leads, clearly
Milk & steam
Europiccola (EPC-8 / Millennium) leads — neither is built for this
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The counter’s vote
The Europiccola (EPC-8 / Millennium) is the one the crowd demonstrably buys partly for its looks — we report the vote; the judging is yours.
Espresso Machine Mk.2: Compact jet-engine aesthetic appeals to minimalists and travel photographers, but polarizes as gimmicky or overly engineered against the simplicity of lever machines.
Europiccola (EPC-8 / Millennium): Iconic minimalist brass-and-chrome lever aesthetic; "museum piece on the counter" is standard purchase language; design awards cited in specialty press; strong kitchen-approval appeal across…
Only the Europiccola (EPC-8 / Millennium): flow control.
Only the Europiccola (EPC-8 / Millennium): no accessory lock-in.
Where they tie: shot ceiling · back-to-back drinks · forgiving to learn on · built to last · value per dollar — don’t let a spec sheet invent a difference.
On the counter
The size difference, to scale
So — which one?
Take the Espresso Machine Mk.2 if —
- Patience is not your virtue at 6 a.m.
- You want a button, not a ritual
Take the Europiccola (EPC-8 / Millennium) if —
- You plan to fix, not replace
- It has to just work, every day
- You want more dials, not fewer
- Upgrades should never strand your kit
Both columns reading true? Take the one your gut already picked — then stop reading reviews. Fresh beans will move the cup more than this choice will.
Known weak points
Espresso Machine Mk.2
Pressure-relief valve failures documented; replacement parts availability sparse; pressure seal degradation over heavy use.
Europiccola (EPC-8 / Millennium)
Group head gasket wear with age (documented across owner forums, easy to replace), occasional piston wear on heavily used machines (noted in restoration guides, rebuilds available from La Pavoni service network).
For the row-by-row readers
The whole sheet, side by side
Matching rows fade back — the ink is where they differ.
Espresso Machine Mk.2
Europiccola (EPC-8 / Millennium)
Type
Manual
Manual
Heat-up time
~4 min
~10 min
Steam power
0/5
2/5
Brew + steam at once
No
No
Guest recovery
1/5
1/5
Shot quality ceiling
4/5
4/5
PID temperature control
No
No
Milk system
None
Manual steam wand
Removable brew group
No
No
Cup clearance
6 cm
—
Workflow demand
4/5
5/5
Maintenance
2/5
3/5
Noise
1/5
1/5
Build longevity
5/5
5/5
Dimensions
10 × 10 × 18 cm
20 × 32 × 29 cm
Flow control
—
Yes
One owner each
“I spent 6 months basic espresso 'apprenticeship' on a Gaggia Cubika before taking the plunge with a Europiccola. It didn't take long for me to get to grips with pulling shots either although it took me 2 months to learn to froth.”
Wrong match-up? Change one side → — any two on file compare.
Still torn?
This page weighs them against each other. The finder weighs them against your mornings.
Two minutes of questions — milk, noise, budget, space — scored across everything on file. It’s honest when the answer is neither of these.
Take the two-minute finder →