Profitec Drive: The Evolution of the Pro 700

The Old Profitec 700 review

Profitec, known for its superior and reliable espresso machines, has introduced the Drive as a successor to the highly-rated Pro 700. The Drive maintains the core philosophy of the Pro 700 while introducing several key upgrades and new features like built-in reminders and configurations.

I’d say the craziest feature of this machine is the insanely quick warm-up time of just 10-12 minutes. Okay, this is in paper, right? Who cares, give it 15 minutes. It’s 3 times faster than it used to be and faster than most traditional E61 groups!

Another thing I’d like to get for my Profitec 800, is the built-in on/off timer.

Key Upgrades and New Features

1. Quick Heating Mode: The Drive can be ready to make coffee in 10-12 minutes, a significant improvement over its predecessor.

2. Pre-infusion: Unlike the Pro 700, the Drive offers both active and passive pre-infusion with programmable times.

3. Quick Steam Valves: The Drive replaces the Pro 700’s regular knob valves with joystick-style valves for instant on/off control.

4. Programmable On/Off Times: Users can set two on/off times per day for each day of the week.

5. OLED Display: The Drive features a plain language display for easier access to functions and settings.

6. Flow Control: While available as an add-on for the Pro 700, flow control comes standard on the Drive.

7. Removable Cup Rail: The Drive includes a removable cup rail for increased clearance.

8. Aesthetic Upgrades: The Drive sports a cut-out Profitec logo on the back and a black cup rail for a stylish accent.

Enhanced Programming and Control

The Drive’s OLED display allows for easy access to a range of programmable features, including:

• Brew and steam temperature adjustments
• Pre-infusion settings
• Eco mode settings
• Cleaning and filter reminders
• Timer enable and clock set
• Tank mode selection (reservoir or plumbed)
• Temperature unit selection (Celsius or Fahrenheit)
• Coffee offset correction
• Fast heating enable/disable

Performance Improvements

1. Temperature Accuracy: Tests show the Drive’s brew temperatures are within 1°F of the PID setting.

2. Milk Frothing: At maximum steam boiler temperature, the Drive can froth 5 oz of milk to 140°F in 21 seconds.

3. Flow Control: The stock flow rate is 11 grams per second, with the ability to achieve up to 25-27 grams per second.

Under the Hood

While maintaining many of the Pro 700’s internal components, the Drive adds a battery to hold the time of day in memory for programmability. Profitec continues to follow the “KISS” (Keep It Simple, Stupid) design principle, ensuring reliability and ease of maintenance.

Conclusion

The Profitec Drive builds upon the success of the Pro 700, introducing modern features and quality-of-life improvements while maintaining the core reliability and performance that made its predecessor popular. With its enhanced programmability, improved steam control, and standard flow control, the Drive represents a significant evolution in Profitec’s lineup, catering to both novice users and coffee enthusiasts alike.

Summary

The newest PID-display is a significant upgrade! Easy to use and easy to navigate PID display and LED display for your settings to set up your PID and pre-infusion settings

The Profitec 700 is your home barista passport. This is a machine of high quality, astonishing looks, and great performance. With its massive dual boilers, you can do anything. You can even add flow control if you like.

The main competitors to this machine are: Lelit Bianca and ECM Synchronika. The Lelit Bianca stands out thanks to its out-of-the-box flow control, whereas in the Profitec 700, it's a paid addon. Build quality and steam pressure is superior in the Profitec 700. But, overall, both are great machines and you can't wrong with either.

Links:

• Profitec Pro 700 Drive - Official Link
• Profitec Drive - By iDrinkCoffeeCanada
• Profitec Drive - By WholeLatteLove