Izzo Alex Duetto IV Plus

The Alex Duetto IV Plus is Izzo's dual boiler, with the café E61 group: one boiler for coffee and one for steam, so milk and coffee can be made together without getting in each other's way. The pump is rotary and its pressure can be adjusted from outside; water comes either from the mains or from the tank. The body is double-walled stainless steel.

A PID holds the temperature within a degree and, during extraction, also works as a timer; two gauges show boiler and pump pressure. Each boiler has its own drain plug, handy for maintenance. There is room for a cup up to 10.5 cm tall, and the box already holds two portafilters, a 58 mm tamper, a blind basket, a brush, a cloth and a cover for the machine.

It is for someone who wants a small café machine, with independent coffee and steam, ready for long sessions. The 2.3-litre tank needs frequent refilling under heavy use: where possible, plumbing it in is worthwhile. Like every E61 group, it needs switching on in good time.