There are typically two pump systems with which common espresso machines are equipped. The vibration pump on one side and the rotary pump on the other side. Both have advantages and disadvantages, which we summarize concisely here.
The vibration pump is installed in almost all budget espresso machines. The rotary pump is integrated in larger and multi-group espresso machines.
Vibration Pump |
Rotary Pump |
| cheaper | more expensive |
| lighter, smaller | heavier, larger |
| approx. 40 l/h water | approx. 100-300 l/h water |
| less stable | robust |
| louder | quiet |
| should be used regularly |
No taste differences can be detected, as a test by Ken Fox and Jim Schulman shows. We will verify this ourselves in due course.
A real, audible difference between the two machines is the noise level. The rotary pump is much quieter, whereas the vibration pump hums loudly and is thus the epitome of domestic, smaller espresso machines.
A vibration pump is installed in our Rocket Celline Premium Plus for example. While the Rocket Giotto Evoluzione 2 features an integrated rotary pump.
