Simonelli has been producing excellent espresso machines since 1936. It became Nuovo Simonelli early on after a management buyout of the original company. Its design and production facilities have always been in Italy.
Simonelli has always focused on high-end, top quality machines for commercial customers (coffee shops, businesses, etc.) Within the past few years, it has designed some machines for “pro-sumers”—home use for sophisticated users.
Nuova Simonelli Oscar II vs. Nuova Simonelli Musica vs. Nuova Simonelli Appia II
Here we want to compare and contrast 3 popular Nuovo Simonelli espresso machines: the Oscar II, the Musica, and the Appia II. These machines are listed in order of cost, size, weight, and increasing functionality.
Common Features:
Like all Nuova Simonelli machines, these are fundamentally designed like commercial machines. Even the entry level machines, like the Oscar II, have long-lasting commercial designs, although the entry level machines will not have a high through-put capacity. They share some key features:
- Porta filters are commercial size (58 mm) and design.
- Boilers are made of copper.
- Temperature control is maintained with heat exchangers.
- Water Reservoir (ranging from 2.8L in the Oscar to 5L in the Appia II).
- Machines can be plumbed directly into a water source.
- Heat Exchanger design ensures great temperature control.
- Pre-Infusion for especially creamy feel and to make brewing less sensitive to problems in tamping.
- High steam pressure dispensed through best-in-class articulated arm with a uniquely designed slide valve.
- Attractive and ergonomic design (chromed steel for the Oscar, Stainless Steel for the Musica and Appia II.
- Rapid Steam.
- Ease of Use with minimalist but very effective pushbutton controls.
- Cup warmer.
- Parts readily avail parts.
Nuova Simonelli Oscar II Espresso Machine
The Nuova Simonelli Oscar II is designed as a home machine designed to commercial machine standards. You would choose this machine if you wanted the long life and quality of commercial machine but did not need all the bells-and-whistles offered on some machine.
- Designed with home use in mind but with commercial quality.
- Copper Boiler.
- This unit can be used either as a pour over machine or direct connect.
- Has color options of black or red.
- Commercial sized group head and porta filter (58 mm).
- Stainless Steel and ABS body.
- Timed dosage.
- Push Pull Steam – An ergonomic and more user-friendly upgrade to the turning steam wands. Like other Nuovo Simonelli products, the Oscar II has a powerful and fast steaming system.
- Heat Exchanger: The Oscar II uses heat exchanger functionality, ensuring that each espresso shot is brewed at a consistent temperature to give you the best tasting and most consistent shot possible.
- Beautiful User Interface: The Oscar II’s interface displays attractive back-lit programmable buttons. With intuitive functionality, the interface is a thing of beauty.
- Great Steam Pressure: High pressure steam and articulated wand give you the option to froth your milk almost any way you like.
- Reverse Mirror to give you full view of the drink you are making.
- Cup Warmer: The top of this machine a perfect cup warmer.
The Oscar II is 12” wide by 12” deep by 16” high. You will also need open space above the 16” to be able to access the reservoir. Make sure you have sufficient space for this machine.
The design of this product is quite attractive, assuming you appreciate the super modern design.
The steaming system is especially good – powerful, fast, and easy to use.
One customer noted, “the Oscar is built like a commercial machine. ALL COPPER!! A nice large boiler and a heat exchange system which allows you to brew and steam at the same time; and the Oscar steams milk for a Latte in about 10 seconds compared to the Breville’s 45 seconds!”.
The bottom line is that this is a great machine if you don’t need every fancy feature, but you do want a commercial quality solution that should last a decade.
Requires a Gold Level Warranty for commercial use.
Nuova Simonelli Musica Pour Over Espresso Machine
Yet another super-attractively designed Nuova Simonelli espresso machine. Virtually all Stainless Steel.
While only slightly larger than the Oscar II, this is still a large machine. You should check the size of the space where the Musica will reside. It measures 17” H, by 16” D, by 13” W.
The steaming system is very powerful and fast; it might take a little practice. The articulated steam wand is a real improvement over most designs.
- This unit can be used either as a super automatic or as a semi-automatic espresso machine.
- Volumetric Dosing allows the barista or operator to program the dosage. This means that the barista can start the brewing process knowing the machine will end it automatically at the preprogrammed dosage.
- The Bar Pump Gauge makes it easy to check pressure profiles.
- Push Pull Steam – An ergonomic and more user-friendly upgrade to the turning steam wands. Like other Nuovo Simonelli products, the Musica has a especially powerful and fast steaming system.
- Heat Exchanger: The Musica uses heat exchanger functionality, ensuring that each espresso shot is brewed at a consistent temperature to give you the best tasting and most consistent shot possible.
- Beautiful User Interface: The Musica’s interface displays attractive back-lit programmable buttons. With intuitive functionality, the interface is a thing of beauty.
- Professional Portafilter: This machine provides a high quality and durable 58mm commercial portafilter.
- Great Steam Pressure: High pressure steam and articulated wand give you the option to froth your milk almost any way you like.
- Cup Warmer: The top of this machine a perfect cup warmer.
Overall, the Musica is an outstanding (and reliable) performer in a commercial or heavy use non-commercial environment.
Volumetric dosing and the commercial quality of design and construction make the Musica an attractive choice for use in a coffee shop or any business. The easy-to-use features mean little training is needed to operate this machine. The advanced steam system makes steaming operations a breeze.
Nuova Simonelli Appia II Espresso Machine
The Nuova Simonelli Appia II Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine is one of several Nuova Simonelli Appia machines which are full commercial machines that can repeatedly and rapidly produce standardized or custom drinks.
Although typically used in coffee shops or other small businesses, this machine is also attractive to the office environment or even home use.
In a commercial/coffee shop environment, the Appia II allows a sophisticated and high-volume operation with minimal training of your baristas.
- Volumetric Dosing – Allows the barista to program the dosage, even allowing for different dosages on different group heads (assuming you have a machine with multiple group heads). In any case, the barista can start the brewing process knowing the machine will end it automatically at the preprogrammed dosage—freeing the Barista up for other tasks.
- Manual Dosing – Alternately the barista can use manual dosing with a single button that begins and ends the brewing process.
- Raised Group Heads – Allows larger cups to be placed directly below the group head. Also comes with cleaver risers that lock into place to raise shorter cups nearer the group head.
- Cool Touch Wands – This technology significantly reduces the temperature of the wands during the steaming process reducing the time it takes to clean the wand and eliminates a safety hazard for baristas.
- Push Pull Steam – Slide valves on steam wands allow a significant usability improvement to the use of the steam wands.
- Soft Pre-Infusion System – Leads to full flavor extraction and more consistent espresso. Eliminates human error.
- Automated Cleanings – Machines have an automated cleaning process. You can use the digital display to select the desired group or groups to be cleaned.
- Reverse Mirror – Backplate acts as a mirror, allowing the barista to monitor every view of the brewing process.
- Bar Pump Gauge – Makes it a snap to check pressure profiles.
- Water Level Indicator – Easily check boiler water levels.
The Nuova Simonelli Appia II is well designed to fill the needs of a small coffee shop or office. It makes great drinks and is easy to use. Volumetric dosing allow your barista to maximize productivity while still producing best-in-class tasting espresso drinks.
