Rocket Espresso Australia has always been one of the popular brands for espresso machines, and if you are in the market for an upgrade to one of that caliber, then the Appartamento should be a machine that you are excited to get your hands on. If you are looking for a hand-made Italian espresso machine that mixes high-quality espresso with a lot of style, then Rocket is your best choice.
The Rocket R9 is one of the most highly technical commercial espresso machines on the market, able to produce perfect espresso shot after perfect espresso shot, even under high-volume conditions. What sets Rockets appartamento espresso machine apart from many of the other commercial espresso machines is that it is, essentially, a two-boiler, multiple-group machine rather than a more common heat exchanger design. This means Rocket Appartamento can use just one tank of water — it does not have a plumbing attachment.
The Rocket Appartamento Espresso Machine uses a vibration pump, which makes sense cost-wise, but does require that you keep your tank filled, since you cannot plumbed in. Rocket Appartamento espresso machines utilize pressure-transducer technology for accelerating steam-boiler re-start times, and it relies on volumetric dosages, not shot times, to be programmed.
The Rocket Appartamento is built from the same components found in the Rocket Evoluzione series, and it continues to feature an E61 heater-grouphead, a thermosiphon system, heavy-duty portafilter, and a copper boiler. There is a single and two-spout portafilter, a single- and two-shot filter basket, a back flushing blind cup, Rocket Espresso-branded microfiber cloth, water-hardness testing kit, Rocket-branded espresso machine cleaning tablets, group head cleaning brush, mug rail, aluminum flat-base flat-top solid-brush tamper, a USB unit from Rocket, and an instruction manual. Well, besides its obviously impressive build quality and attention to detail, Rocket Appartamento uses components found commonly found in commercial machines.
For more details on the Cronometro Type V, check out our full Rocket Mozzafiato review. Overall, it is an ideal choice if you are looking to get into the prosumer segment of the market. The phrase “prosumer” is often used to describe an espresso maker such as the Rocket Appartmento, so I am going to begrudgingly jump on that bandwagon.
We will go as far as calling the Rocket Appartamento a starter-level machine, one that is appropriate for both novice and seasoned espresso makers. As a former professional barista, this kind of espresso machine is about as close to the professional experience I could possibly have without having to totally remodel my kitchen. The Apartments will give you everything you need to make a great espresso and cappuccinos every day, without having to sacrifice any of the kitchen space.
The Rancilio Silvia is one of my favourite machines to truly get excited about making espresso. Like much of Rockets lineup, the R 58 Cinquantotto incorporates their proprietary Dual Pre-Infusion System, which is something you do not see in other espresso machines. The Cronometro Type R, previously known as Evoluzione R, is the highest-end Rocket machine, featuring most of the same technology that allows for a higher-end double boiler.
Rocket espresso machines have a traditional Italian style, great build quality, and beautiful aesthetics. They know that people want high-end machines, high-quality parts, that are easy to maintain and fix.
Rocket Espresso uses these self expanding foam panels to help protect the machine when it is shipped. The drip trays on Rocket are really good, they look awesome, but Rocket Espresso could and should have made their machines accommodate some extra water, particularly with the HX machines, you may need to cool down the flush prior to making shots. The maker, Rocket Espresso, actually suggests not doing the purge, because the maker feels that you cannot completely clean descaler solutions out of the machine once they are there.
To prevent getting any minor scratches or dirt, you will always want to use microfibre cloths to wipe down the appartamentos. Once you are comfortable using a steaming attachment, you can snag some impossibly silky microfoam for that special espresso macchiato you have.
I cannot count the times I have chastised a respected producer for including a plastic, fragile espresso tool in their pricey machines. Do not get me wrong, appliances-grade machines such as the Breville Oracle Touch and the DeLonghi La Specialista Maestro can indeed impress.
Rocket Espresso takes full advantage of the fact that it is possible to keep this machine as low-profile as possible, with the feet being shorter, yet still very visible at the bottom. The feet in Appartamentos are also a lot shorter than in the rest of A Rockets models, making the whole machine a lot shorter, which allows you to fit it into smaller spaces. Being approximately 1.5 inches narrower and nearly 2 inches shorter than most of Rockets espresso machines makes the Rocket Appartamento perfect for people who have limited counter space or cabinets that are hung down lower.
For the brew, it is awesome that it is enclosed, but it is slightly awkward that you cannot get this indicator on top, when it comes to the steaming, though that really only affects you if you are the type that is going to brew and steam several drinks in a row (being able to see the pressure of the steam, and how fast it is recovering, is great — it is just not possible on Rockets appartamento).
