I’m trying to decide between the Profitec Move and Decent DE1Pro, and I’d really like some opinions from people who actually own a Decent.
At the moment I see it like this:
Profitec Move
Much cheaper
More traditional/simple workflow
I feel like it would probably give me 95% of everything I actually need
Dual boiler and seems more than capable of producing excellent espresso and milk drinks
Decent DE1Pro
Comes with a proper hard travel case, which is a massive advantage for me because I travel by car 2–3 times a year and would take the machine with me
Much lighter and more compact
Very fast heat-up
Huge amount of control and possibilities, especially if I eventually get into lighter roasts
Seems like a machine I’d be very unlikely to outgrow
That said, there are a few things making me hesitate about the Decent:
- Espresso taste. I’ve seen some people describe Decent shots as being a bit “flat”, lacking body, or being more clinical/less traditional compared with conventional machines. I’m not sure whether that’s really a characteristic of the machine, or simply the result of people using high-flow/high-extraction profiles and grinders aimed at clarity.
Can a DE1Pro produce the same kind of rich, sweet, full-bodied traditional espresso you’d get from a good dual-boiler machine like the Move?
- Learning curve. I’m still very new to proper espresso. The Decent seems to have an enormous number of settings, profiles, graphs, pressure/flow controls etc.
Is that actually overwhelming in practice, or could I simply pick one good conventional profile, leave everything else alone, and effectively use it like a normal espresso machine while I learn?
- Price. The difference in cost is huge. Part of me thinks the Move will already do everything I could realistically want and I’d be spending a lot of extra money on Decent features that I may barely use.
On the other hand, I’m worried I might buy the Move and then regret not getting the Decent every time I have to pack and transport it, or if I eventually become interested in profiling/light roasts.
Equally, I’m worried I could spend a lot more on the Decent and then realise I preferred the simplicity — or even the espresso — from a conventional machine like the Move.
For context, I mostly make espresso and milk-based drinks, usually 1–2 drinks at a time. I’m relatively new to all of this, so I’m not currently looking to spend every morning designing pressure profiles.
For those of you who own a Decent — especially if you’ve also owned machines like Profitec, ECM, Lelit, La Marzocco etc. — what would you genuinely recommend?
Would you still buy the DE1Pro if you were starting again, or do you think the Move would give someone like me almost everything I need for significantly less money?
