What is the Rocket Appartamento TCA?
The current version of Rocket's Appartamento, a compact Italian espresso machine that brews and steams at the same time.
The Appartamento TCA is a heat exchanger espresso machine with a redesigned E61 brew group, a 1.8 l copper boiler with an energy-saving covering and a vibration pump. TCA stands for Temperature Control Adjustment, the feature that sets it apart from earlier Appartamento models. Rocket describes it as the next generation of the Appartamento, designed with Valerio Cometti and V12 Design, and it is handcrafted in Milan. Rocket does not show a price; Seattle Coffee Gear, an authorised dealer, sells the stainless versions for $2,300.00 and the black ones for $2,350.00.
If you are searching for the Appartamento Serie Nera, the earlier black edition: Rocket's own site no longer lists it, and it sells the TCA in a black body instead. This review covers the TCA, based on what Rocket and an authorised dealer publish. We have not tested it hands-on.
What Temperature Control Adjustment does
In a heat exchanger machine, brew water is not drawn from the boiler. It runs through a tube inside the boiler and heats on the way, so its temperature follows the boiler. Raise the boiler pressure and the boiler runs hotter, and so does the brew water.
Rocket's TCA uses exactly that relationship. Its brochure describes a hybrid PID system that sets boiler pressure to one of four presets between 0.9 and 1.2 bar. The lowest preset gives a cooler brew, which suits dark roasts that turn bitter when brewed hot; the highest gives a hotter one for light roasts that taste sour when underheated. Why the right temperature changes with the roast is explained in water temperature for coffee.
This is a genuine improvement over the older Appartamento, which had no temperature control at all. It is not the same as a dual boiler machine, where PID holds a separate brew boiler at a temperature you set directly. The TCA gives four steps rather than a number, and it still behaves like a heat exchanger: brew temperature follows the boiler.
The E61 group and the boiler
The E61 is the classic group of Italian espresso machines, a heavy group head designed to hold its heat. Rocket has redesigned the group for the TCA. The authorised dealer lists pre-infusion and a 58 mm portafilter, the size used by commercial machines, so tampers, baskets and accessories are easy to find. Gentle pre-infusion helps prevent the uneven flow described in espresso channeling.
The 1.8 l copper boiler is large for a machine this size and is covered to save energy. Because it is always hot enough to make steam, you can pull a shot and steam milk for a cappuccino without waiting for the machine to change mode. Steam and hot water each have their own tap, which Rocket says it has refined for this model.
Living with it
- Warm-up. The authorised dealer lists 20 minutes. Heavy brass and a large boiler take time, and a smart plug timer is the usual answer.
- Standby. A selectable 30-minute eco mode saves energy when the machine is idle.
- Water. Rocket's product page states a 1.9 l tank and its own brochure states 2.5 l. A tank reserve sensor warns when it runs low.
- Cup clearance. The dealer lists 3.5 inches, so this is a machine for espresso cups and cappuccino cups rather than tall mugs.
- Size and weight. 270 x 448 x 358 mm including the cup frame, and 22 kg.
- Power. Rocket's page gives 1200 W for the 115 V model.
- In the box. Single and double spout portafilters, single and double baskets, a backflushing basket, a tamper and a group brush.
- Warranty. The authorised dealer lists a 3 year manufacturer warranty.
Rocket Appartamento TCA vs Lelit Mara X V2
The Lelit Mara X V2 is the closest rival, and on paper the two are very alike. Both are compact Italian heat exchanger machines with a 1.8 l boiler, a vibration pump and a 58 mm portafilter, and both let you choose the brew temperature: three settings on the Lelit, Warm, Hot and Extra Hot, and four boiler pressure presets on the Rocket.
The differences are price, warm-up and style. The Lelit sells for $1,699.95 from an authorised dealer, $600 less, and has a double manometer for pump and steam pressure. Lelit states a 24 minute warm-up against the 20 minutes the Rocket's dealer lists. The Rocket has the E61 group, the eco mode, a copper boiler and Rocket's distinctive circular side panels. If budget decides, the Lelit is the better value. If you want the E61 and the Appartamento's look, the Rocket justifies its premium.
Rocket Appartamento TCA vs La Marzocco Linea Micra
The La Marzocco Linea Micra costs $4,500.00 and uses two boilers with PID, so brew temperature is controlled directly rather than through boiler pressure. It adds app scheduling and a hot water spout in a similar footprint. It is the better machine for someone who wants every shot at the same temperature, and nearly twice the price. The Rocket leaves about $2,200 for a grinder, which for most people improves their espresso more than a second boiler would.
Is the Rocket Appartamento TCA worth it?
At $2,300.00 before a grinder, the TCA is a mid-priced Italian espresso machine with the features that matter most: a large heat exchanger boiler, the E61 group, a 58 mm portafilter and now a way to set the brew temperature. The price includes a premium for Rocket's design and build, which buyers of this machine usually want.
It is worth it for someone learning espresso who makes milk drinks and wants a machine they will enjoy looking at for years. It is less good value for someone who only wants the capability, who gets nearly the same from the Lelit for less, and it is the wrong machine for anyone who wants coffee at the touch of a button. Budget for a capable grinder too; the ones we rate are under best grinders for espresso.
Who should buy the Appartamento TCA (and who should not)
Buy it if
- You want an E61 machine that can brew and steam at the same time.
- You change coffees and want a hotter or cooler brew for light and dark roasts.
- Design matters to you and the Appartamento's side panels are part of the appeal.
Skip it if
- You want coffee within a few minutes of switching on.
- You want to set an exact brew temperature on a dual boiler.
- You want the lowest price for a heat exchanger machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does TCA mean on the Rocket Appartamento?
Temperature Control Adjustment. It sets boiler pressure to one of four presets from 0.9 to 1.2 bar, which sets the brew temperature.
Is the Appartamento TCA the same as the Appartamento Serie Nera?
No. The Serie Nera was an earlier black edition of the Appartamento. Rocket's site now lists the Appartamento TCA, which comes in a matt black body with black or copper inserts, as well as stainless steel.
Is the Rocket Appartamento TCA a dual boiler?
No. It is a heat exchanger machine with one 1.8 l copper boiler, so steam and brew water are available at the same time.
Does the Appartamento TCA have an E61 group?
Yes. Rocket describes it as a redesigned E61 brew group.
How long does the Appartamento TCA take to heat up?
An authorised dealer lists 20 minutes. Rocket's own page does not give a figure.
