Metal Drip Tray Mod

[Endo]

Just cosmetic.....but does it look cool or what!

Metal Drip Tray

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[chas]

It looks nice. Did you really mod it somehow or just Photoshop the picture?

[Endo]

No photoshop. Just dryer duct tape added and cut out around the badge. I just wanted to see how it looked.

It would be SO easy for La Spaziale or Chris Coffee to add a nicer looking stainless badge on the front of the drip tray to match the stainless on the top and front of the machine.

I actually like the look of the plastic side covers. It's the front of the drip tray that makes it look cheap and cosmetically unbalanced

[JohnB]

How about that peel & stick stainless overlay they sell for refridgerators, stoves, ect?

[Endo]

How about that peel & stick stainless overlay they sell for refridgerators, stoves, ect?

I was thinking about that too. Only problem is, all I can seem to find is matted brushed stainless and not the shiny type.. I'll need to search around some more.

Ultimately, if they could combine a mirrored stainless accent in the drip tray that was both cosmetic to match the top but also functional (to look at bottomless pours), that would be the best. I'm just not sure the angle is right to accomplish both.

[JohnB]

That would be ideal but as you say the angle of the cover wouldn't reflect the p'f bottom. Good luck finding a polished stainless peel & stick overlay, I've never seen one. You could look for a "chrome" overlay but they usually look kind of tacky/cheap.

[Endo]

You could look for a "chrome" overlay but they usually look kind of tacky/cheap.

Think so? I thought maybe a formed chrome piece of sheet metal with the embossed "Vivaldi" sticker in the middle might look nice. It could be sold seperately and stuck in place with double sided tape.

[JohnB]

Think so? I thought maybe a formed chrome piece of sheet metal with the embossed "Vivaldi" sticker in the middle might look nice. It could be sold seperately and stuck in place with double sided tape.

A real chromed piece of sheet metal would be fine, I was talking about the fake chrome stuff that comes on rolls.

[Niko]

I think it looks pretty nice.
I wish there was more panel choices but it gets expensive really fast.

[Weska]

Nice idea, Endo. And it would make more visual sense of side panels other than black too.

[chas]

I talked to Chris earlier this week about the future of the VII. I doubt there is a Fahrenheit or fraction Celsius mode coming. But he is contemplating something to do with optional side panels. No time frame mentioned, however.

[michael]

between the two, i would much rather have more/better temperature control than new side panels

[Endo]

As you know from other posts, I could care less about better temperature resolution, but I wouldn't mind having a nice, blue LCD front panel with a built in timer function that I could swap in place of the one that's there! It would make it look so more modern in my kitchen and avoid haing to buy that silly overpriced fob timer that doesn't fit anywhere on the machine. Add a sigificant figure to the deg C scale if you like.....as long as it's zero.

I'm not sure about the chrome side panels. I think it would be "over-the-top" in terms of chrome and would make the ugly black drip tray stand out even more. If I wanted all chrome, I would get a Duetto. I'd be happy with simply a new drip tray that drained better with the optional drain kit and had a chrome front on it to better match the top of the machine.

[slo]

between the two, i would much rather have more/better temperature control than new side panels

If Chris came and asks me (like this would happen! ) certainly would request the side panels...At least these would be within my sensory capabilities... Sorry Micheal! now you know where I stand on the °F debate.

I do not know if indeed all chromed side panels would not be a little over the top. I would rather see only some accent in chrome to match the center sections. I personnally like the flat black and chrome/stainless combination.

Hey! I love my Vivaldi just the way it is!

[Endo]

I wonder if Chris reads this forum? You would think he would participate occasionally since it is his #1 selling machine. After all, I've seen him post on CoffeeGeek before.

Maybe he doesn't want to get involved in the 1 deg F debate!

[JohnB]

The way it works is you sell your Vivaldi & move up to a GS3. Then you get the pretty blue display, better temp control, metal drip tray & "different" side panels. Why would Chris want to kill off the upgrade $$ by giving you what you want on the Vivaldi?

[Endo]

The GS3 is $6500 CAN. That's $4500 more than my Vivaldi. That's pretty expensive for some coated side panels and a blue light.

Heck, I'm so cheap I used my wife's Kindle LED booklight to give it that "aquarium look" that's so popular these days.

Kindle LED

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[JohnB]

$6500 is the price you will see on most U.S. websites for the Auto or Paddle but a phone call will quickly shave $1000 off that price. At least that was the case at one of the more popular U.S. dealers when I spoke with them not too long ago.

[chas]

John, I concur. I don't mind buying parts and small items directly off a website, but to save big bucks when purchasing a grinder or an espresso machine, you should always call to get the best price. Never believe that the Internet prices are firm on those items.

[Endo]

Why would Chris want to kill off the upgrade $$ by giving you what you want on the Vivaldi?

I look at it differently.

I heard a while ago that Chris has sold over 3000 Vivaldis. With the Mini now out and outselling the S1, who knows what number they're up to now.

If he's able to hit on a few really popular Vivaldi upgrades (like the simple drip tray mod) with a sizable profit margin, he'll make WAY more than he'll ever get selling a couple of GS3s a month.

[JohnB]

I talked to Chris earlier this week about the future of the VII. I doubt there is a Fahrenheit or fraction Celsius mode coming. But he is contemplating something to do with optional side panels. No time frame mentioned, however.

That makes sense as anyone that really wants 1*F in this price range can buy the Duetto 2, which he also sells. If the Duetto was a 1st Line exclusive then I'd have to think that Chris would be more interested in a 1*F upgrade for the Vivaldi. It's pretty obvious from the continued popularity of HX machines & the general response on this as well as other forums that most buyers don't feel they need it.

[JmanEspresso]

Bummer that finer temp control isn't in the planned future.. But I have to say Im not surprised, nor disappointed.

Wheres the fun if you dont have that lingering thought in the back of your head, that you ignore to the best of your ability, that says no other words besides, "upgrade... upgrade... upgrade". Oh, right.. The fun is in the coffee.....


As to side panels.. I dont think I would want metal side panels. If you asked me before I owned a VII, I would have said yes, w/o a doubt. But, after owning it, and not yet having to clean the panels, ONCE.. No way I want those dirt magnets back. On my Anita, it got the point where I would clean it every other backflush, and just learn to deal. The front wall would get so dirty, splases from the discharge, purging the steam arm, spritzies... It never ended. It DID clean up beautifully, and for the most part, was easy enough.. It was those spaces behind the group and the lever, and those weird angles on the group itself that were a royal pain. Plus, you cant just wipe it all down, because its so hot, any wetness that isn't immediately polished, leaves friggen streaks. NO WAY I want that back. ONLY cleaning Ive had to do, is every few days, take a microfiber cloth to the front, where the control panel is. Oh, and Ive had to wipe some dust off of the top of the side panels, where the meet the cup tray "wall" once.

BUT. I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE a pair of the grey side panels. IMO, the grey looks SO AWESOME. And I realize Im the minority here, most people think it's gross. But I love it.. there is two good pics over on CoffeeSnobs.au, and they just look superb. When I bought the VII, that was my first thing I wanted to buy. But then I found out the price, and decided that if I want it bad enough, Ill paint it for $20 bucks, and take the $180 leftover and treat myself to some auction lots or COE coffees. I was SHOCKED when Chris told me $200 for the pair.

If anyone here reads this, owning a grey Vivaldi, and wants my black panels.. they are YOURS.(as long as I get your grey panels!)