In a Hong Kong flat, the most valuable thing in the kitchen is often the counter. Between the rice cooker, the kettle and everything else that has earned its place, there isn't always room for a big dual boiler, however much you would like one. That's the kitchen the Profitec GO was made for, and the GO 2.0 is the version we were hoping for.
It is 21 centimetres wide. That's the number that matters most in a small kitchen, and it hasn't changed. What has changed is how much Profitec managed to fit into the same small machine.
Our favourite change is one you notice before you're properly awake. You can now set the times it switches itself on and off, so you can set it for the morning and it will already be warm by the time you reach the kitchen. For a small machine that you want ready when you are, that matters more than any specification.
The two buttons on the front now time each shot for you and can be programmed, and a small display lets you choose to start with a gentle pre-infusion when a coffee needs a little coaxing. If you're an Americano person, the steam wand now gives you hot water too. And when it's time to clean, the machine walks you through it instead of leaving you with the manual.
It's still a single boiler with a ring group, and it's honest about what it is. It suits someone who drinks mostly espresso, or a milk drink or two in the morning, much better than someone making cappuccinos for a table of guests. For the right person, that's not a compromise. It's simply the right size.
It also comes in five colours, which in a small kitchen is not a detail.
If you've been measuring your counter with a tape, bring the number with you. Come to our showroom in Tsuen Wan, see the GO 2.0 next to the bigger machines, and make a coffee on it before you decide. We see people by appointment, seven days a week: send us a WhatsApp at +852 9476 9677.