Rather than integrating the PID into the front of the R Cinquantotto, Rocket opted to create a touchscreen device which can be removed from the side of the machine as desired. The touchscreen device is a lot more than a PID controller, however. With it in place, you can turn off the steam boiler, set on/off times for different days of the week, turn on ECO mode to save power, and switch between the water tank or a direct water line connection. Separate from the PID, a subtle shot timer is located directly above the power switch and will begin counting when the brew lever is engaged.
At its heart, the R Cinquantotto features a 0.58 L brew boiler and 1.8 L steam boiler, which pump out shot after shot and fuel a powerful steam wand. Said steam wand is no-burn, along with its hot water counterpart.
As on their other machines, the E61 present on the R Cinquantotto features Rocket’s innovative dual pre-infusion system, which utilizes a static chamber as well as a mechanical working piston which progressively pre-infuses to ensure a fully saturated, crema-rich extraction. The R Cinquantotto also features a commercial-grade rotary pump, which, on top of being incredibly quiet, offers the option to plumb the machine directly into a water line.
