Are you a Rocket fan unsure of whether you should purchase the Cinquantotto or the Appartamento?
Truthfully, they’re both fantastic espresso machines that would excel under different circumstances. To help you choose the one that will be most appropriate for you, we’ll be comparing the Rocket Cinquantotto vs Appartamento.
By the end of this comparison, you’ll know:
- Features common to both the Cinquantotto and Appartamento.
- What the differences are between them.
- Our suggestions on how to choose between them.
Quick Summary
Rocket Cinquantotto
A stainless steel case combined with a touch screen PID temperature controller makes the Rocket Cinquantotto truly sleek and modern. Inside, there’s a powerful dual-boiler system that ensures it can make back-to-back drinks in a small commercial setting or high-tech home.
Rocket Appartamento
The Rocket Appartamento is a classic espresso machine beloved by home baristas all around the world. Its circular cutouts are sure to catch the eye, and its gleaming stainless steel case makes it tough enough to use at home or in small businesses.
Similarities
E-61 Commercial Group
Making espresso takes a lot of ideal circumstances coming together. In every single espresso-based drink you’ve had, grind fineness, pressure, and temperature all had to be controlled.
An E-61 brew group handles two of those factors for you: pressure and temperature. Both the Cinquantotto and Appartamento have this type of brew group.
They’re great for a couple reasons. For one thing, they soak the espresso grounds before the full pressure of the water is applied in extraction.
What this does is settle and smooth the grounds in the portafilter. Even if you or your employees made a mistake in tamping, it will be erased, promoting a balanced extraction.
As for temperature, the brew group will constantly circulate water from the boilers to the group head. This stamps out any pockets of cold water, which can taint the taste of your espresso.
304 Stainless Steel Case
Another thing these beautiful espresso machines have in common is a high-quality 304 stainless steel case. In terms of day-to-day use, this means two things: cosmetic value and durability.
You can see the first thing with nothing more than a look. The Cinquantotto and Appartamento are both gorgeous, sleek machines that would look great on a counter anywhere.
Stainless steel cases also promote longevity of the machines. It protects the insides from external damage in style.
Non-Compression Hot Water and Steam Valves
Either the Cinquantotto or Appartamento come equipped with non-compression hot water and steam valves.
This will help you breeze through steaming and foaming milk. The valves consistently produce ample steam to make the silkiest foam.
Best of all, the valves are easy to replace. They’re made to last you for a long time, so it’s not likely you’ll need to do that anytime soon, though.
Cup Warmer and Cup Guard
One of espresso’s greatest disappointments is how cold a delicious drink can get. Whether you’re preparing drinks for a customer or for yourself, you want them to stay as warm as possible for as long as possible.
It’s for that reason that knowledgeable baristas will pour hot water into empty cups. The hot water keeps the cup warm until it’s dumped out and the espresso is added in its place.
A cold cup can shock the warmth out of your drink. But you won’t need to pour hot water into cups with the Cinquantotto or Appartamento.
At the top of either one, there’s an integrated cup warmer. It’s a shelf that you can set your cups on which will also warm them up in between drinks.
Low Water Sensor
If you’re using a pour-over espresso machine, you’ll have to add water by hand when the level gets low. This can be especially annoying if you run out of water unexpectedly – say, in the middle of a rush of customers.
Furthermore, running your espresso machine without water in it can damage the boilers. To help you protect your espresso machine, the Cinquantotto and Appartamento have low water sensors.
When the water level drops far enough, the sensor will flash brightly, letting you know in advance. You can’t get caught off guard with these machines.
Differences
Angled vs Straight Feet
This is more of an aesthetic difference than anything else, but the bases of the Cinquantotto and Appartamento are something you might notice immediately.
The Cinquantotto has newly designed angled legs that stick out diagonally from the base. On the other hand, the Appartamento has legs that stick straight down like pillars.
It won’t have an effect on daily operation. However, it does change the look of the machines, which could matter to you if you have a particular decorating scheme in mind.
Rotary vs Vibratory Pump
Inside each espresso machine, there’s a pump that generates the pressure necessary to extract espresso. The pumps are also another difference between these two Rocket machines.
The Cinquantotto has a rotary pump. It allows the machine to operate more quietly than alternatives, and it’s also very long-lasting.
In the Appartamento, you’ll find a vibratory pump. It’s a powerful pump, but can be a bit louder by design. If you’re searching for the quietest machine possible, you might prefer the Cinquantotto as a result of this.
Dual Boiler vs Heat Exchange Boiler
If you’re planning on using the machine in a business, one of the features that’s probably most important to you is speed. Your customers expect to get their drinks fairly quickly, and to keep them coming back, you want to meet their expectations.
Even if you’re looking for a machine to use at home, speed might be of the essence for you. No one wants to wait around for a long time while their drink brews.
The boiler is usually what makes an espresso machine fast or slow. These espresso machines are equipped with two different kinds of boilers, and both are powerful. However, they operate a little differently.
The Cinquantotto has a dual boiler system. This means it has one boiler for steaming and one for brewing. Dual boiler systems tend to have unrivalled steam power, but because there are two boilers inside them, they can take a little longer to warm up when you turn the machine on.
A heat exchange boiler is used by the Rocket Appartamento. It has a tube running through it that carries brewing water to the group while keeping steaming water separate. The downside to this system is that it can sometimes be less powerful than a dual boiler system.
However, both will be able to steam and brew at the same time.
Appartamento Panel Cutouts
If you were to set both these models side by side, there’s something else you’d notice instantly: the cutouts on the side of the Appartamento.
These cutouts are nothing more than cosmetic. However, aesthetics matter, especially if you’re using the espresso machine in a business.
You only get one chance to make a good first impression on a customer. The Appartamento’s impressive looks could do exactly that.
This could be important for home users, as well. You might simply prefer the way the Appartamento would look in your kitchen.
The cutouts are flexible, too. You can get them in either copper or white, which makes it possible for the Appartamento to blend in to a wider range of settings.
Cinquantotto Plumb-In or Pour-Over Convertibility
Your espresso machine will need water to brew. Most machines use either pour-over over direct-connect systems to get the water they need.
There are benefits to either system. Pour-over machines require you to add water manually, but they’re also portable.
Direct-connect machines are the kings of convenience, because they hook up to your water line and refill themselves.
With the Cinquantotto, you can choose either configuration. It has a reservoir that you can refill yourself, or you can set it up to be directly plumbed in.
This flexibility can make all the difference. In comparison, the Appartamento is only available as a pour-over machine.
Cinquantotto PID Temperature Controller
Espresso experts love having the maximum amount of control over the process. One particularly important aspect to control is temperature.
Slight tweaks to temperature can produce completely different flavor profiles. With the Cinquantotto, this experimentation is made both stylish and simple through its touchscreen PID temperature controller.
Gone are the days when temperature controllers were ugly boxes you wanted to hide between uses. This one looks like a modern, sleek tablet attached to the machine.
All you need to do to change the temperature in either of the two boilers is tap the screen.
Price Considerations
Our goal at Majesty Coffee is to provide you the best prices online for all things espresso.
For that reason, we offer our Rocket Appartamento for $1,690 and our Rocket Cinquantotto for $3,200.
Which One Should You Choose?
Unless the Appartamento’s circular cutouts are a huge draw for you, then the appearance of these machines likely won’t be the deciding factor. You’ll probably need to consider other aspects to make your final decision.
One thing to consider is control. If you’re going to make specialty blends of espresso, or you want to have the most control possible, the Cinquantotto’s touchscreen PID temperature controller could be a game changer.
Consider atmosphere, too. If your business or home needs machinery that’s as quiet as can be, the Cinquantotto’s rotary pump will be preferable. As a bonus, it’s long-lasting, so you won’t need to make repairs to it quickly.
Flexibility is another factor to take into consideration. The Cinquantotto can be used as either a portable pour-over machine or as a convenient direct-connect machine.
The direct-connect option especially will be an attractive option for business owners. Not only does it make the Cinquantotto easier to use, but it saves your employees time that would otherwise be spend filling the reservoir with water.
If cost is the bottom line for you, then you’ll want to consider the Rocket Appartamento. It’s the more affordable of the two machines, and it’s also a great choice for home baristas.
For the best prices online, take a look at the Appartamento and Cinquantotto machines in our store. Reach out to us at (888) 978-5224 if you need any assistance or additional information on picking an espresso machine of your own.