Rocket Appartamento vs. Rocket Espresso Type V

appartamento-vs-rocket-espresso-type-v-espresso-machine

Should I get the Rocket Appartamento or upgrade to the Type V?

Both machines are heat exchangers, both have vibe pumps, both are made by Rocket Espresso. So why should you pony up and opt for the Type V? In this article we go over the main differences between the Type V and Appartamento.

Rocket Appartamento vs. Rocket Espresso Type V

appartamento-vs-rocket-type-v-infographic

 


Let's Get Technical

  Appartamento Type V
Price ($ USD) from $1,690  from $2,100
Made In Italy Italy
Height 15.75 inches

14.4 inches
Width 9.84 inches 10.8 inches
Depth 17.75 inches 17.7 inches
Weight 44 pounds 44 pounds
HOUSING
Material Stainless Steel Stainless Steel
Drip Tray Stainless Steel Stainless Steel
WATER RESERVOIR
Plumbable No No
Capacity 2.25 liters 2.9 liters
Material Plastic Plastic
Low Water Sensor Yes Yes
BOILER
Design Heat Exchanger Heat Exchanger
Material Copper Copper
Capacity 1.8 liters 1.8 liters
Insulated No Yes
Heating Element 1300 W 1200 W
Automatic Fill  Yes Yes
PUMP
Type Vibratory Vibratory
Recommended Brew Pressure 9 bars  9 bars
Adjustable No Yes
PID Temperature Control
Equipped? No Yes
GAUGES
Steam Pressure Gauge Yes Yes
Boiler Pressure Gauge No Yes
SHOT TIMER
Equipped? No Yes

 

Dual Gauges

Perhaps the biggest difference between these two is the fact that the Type V contains both brew and steam pressure gauges. 

Why should you care? 

Well, if you've never had a machine like this before, having that brew gauge will be incredibly convenient to help you understand what you're doing right and wrong. On the Appartamento, you won't be able to see your bar count during extraction. Being able to see that will give you an idea of what needs tweaking (grind, dosage, tamp pressure, etc).

Let's say you're getting nowhere near the recommended 9 bars. Instead, you're floating in the 4-5 range. All this is, of course, assuming you're using the Type V as you can't ever see your bar count on an Appartamento - you'd be guessing at best. 

Back to the scenario. 

A bar count below 8 is telling you that water is getting through your coffee grounds way too quickly most likely resulting in an over extracted, horrible tasting shot of espresso. 

The fix? 

Adjust your grind to the finer side, possibly increase your dosage (amount of coffee you're putting in your portafilter), and even increase your tamping pressure. 

Then - test.  

PID Temperature Control

Type V has it. Appartamento doesn't. 

What is PID?

PID allows you to control the temperature in the boiler with the simple touch of a button. If you want to experiment with temperatures and how it effects certain beans, PID is something you want. If you find yourself never using it - don't pay attention to whether or not a machine has PID. 

We've found people spend way too much time focusing on PID. I've personally had a machine with it and never adjusted it once. Not one single time. Still, it is nice to have it there and that's the way to think about it. It's a conveniency. Not a necessity. As long as you give the Appartamento sufficient time to heat up, PID is not needed.

Insulated Boiler

Type V's boiler is insulated. Appartamento's is not.

What are the advantages of an insulated boiler, you ask? 

  • Makes the machine quiter
  • Better thermal stability
  • Protects your boiler

A big deal? No, not really. But certainly an upgrade to consider.

Can you manually insulate the boiler of an Appartamento? 

Due to the smaller footprint of this machine, we don't recommend it without first speaking to Rocket Espresso directly for their recommendation. Doing this without speaking to us first may also void your warranty!

Other Major Differences

Shot Timer - Type V has it. Appartamento does not. 

Body Style Options:

 

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