Izzo Vivi PID vs VBM Domobar Super HX
Same class, different tax brackets.
About US$449 apart — the split below is what the gap buys.
Izzo
Strong consensusUS$1,600–2,000
The Vivi PID delivers a genuine prosumer HX experience — commercial-grade E61, insulated copper boiler, and dual gauges — in one of the smallest chassis in the class. The trade-off you must…
Full record & live prices →
VBM (Vibiemme)
US$1,699–2,799
The Domobar Super HX is a proven, overbuilt heat-exchanger machine that rewards patience: the 45-minute warm-up and HX cooling flush are non-negotiable rituals, but the payoff is copious ste…
Full record & live prices →The split
Where they actually differ
On 9 of 11 measures these two tie. The 2 rows below are the entire argument.
Vivi PID
VBM Domobar Super HX
Value per dollar
Vivi PID leads, clearly
The price
Vivi PID costs less, clearly
US$1,600–2,000· US$1,699–2,799
Forgiving to learn on
VBM Domobar Super HX leads, clearly
weakerstronger
The counter’s vote
The Vivi PID is the one the crowd demonstrably buys partly for its looks — we report the vote; the judging is yours.
Vivi PID: Stainless steel aesthetics demonstrably drive interest — "dazzling marvel", "kitchen approval" revealed; compact footprint + joystick control cited as purchase drivers in the record.
VBM Domobar Super HX: Polished stainless steel and chrome with pro-grade appearance; described as attractive and "no-nonsense design"; some appreciate the retro-commercial aesthetic but it is not a primary purchase driver.
Only the Vivi PID: PID temperature control.
Where they tie: milk & steam · shot ceiling · back-to-back drinks · ready when you are · reliability record — don’t let a spec sheet invent a difference.
On the counter
The size difference, to scale
So — which one?
Take the Vivi PID if —
- Every dollar has to earn its place
- The difference stays in your pocket — or goes into beans
- You want the temperature argument settled
Take the VBM Domobar Super HX if —
- You want the more forgiving of the two
Both columns reading true? Take the Vivi PID and put the difference into fresh, roast-dated beans — they move the cup more than this choice will.
Known weak points
Vivi PID
vibe pump noise reported consistently; no documented failure catastrophes on record
VBM Domobar Super HX
Steam valve/wand seal failures on isolated units; older units prone to pressurestat deadband widening; copper boiler requires water softening to prevent limescale damage (not covered under warranty)
For the row-by-row readers
The whole sheet, side by side
Matching rows fade back — the ink is where they differ.
Vivi PID
VBM Domobar Super HX
Type
Heat exchanger (HX)
Heat exchanger (HX)
Heat-up time
~20 min
~20 min
Steam power
3.5/5
4/5
Brew + steam at once
Yes
Yes
Guest recovery
3/5
3/5
Shot quality ceiling
4/5
4/5
PID temperature control
Yes
No
Milk system
Manual steam wand
Manual steam wand
Removable brew group
No
No
Hot-water tap
Yes
Yes
Workflow demand
3.5/5
4/5
Maintenance
3/5
3/5
Noise
3.5/5
3/5
Build longevity
4.5/5
5/5
Dimensions
29 × 41 × 35 cm
26.9 × 50.8 × 41.9 cm
Cup clearance
—
11 cm
One owner each
“Pros: aesthetically very pleasing, joysticks are great, compact footprint, more than enough steam power for my needs Cons: vibe pump far noisier than I expected”
“I have been the happy owner of a 2006-vintage Vibiemme Domobar Super heat exchange espresso machine... It's been a great machine — only repair needed was to replace the switch on the 'scale' that turns boiler off when water reservoir becomes low.”
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 →