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Red_Fred posted:Espresso machine owners: do you get your machines serviced regularly? I have had a Rocket Cellini Premium Plus V2 since 2012 these were a really good deal back then at around $1,500. It has been a tank pretty much, but I would someday like a quieter a rotary pump version. Stock up on the correct Rocket steam wand valve as they wear out every 8 years or so - Rocket has several types. Replace the gasket every few years, I just get the red silicone ones from amzn. Other than that, backflush often and descale as needed for your water quality. Keyser_Soze fucked around with this message at 15:31 on Oct 28, 2022 |
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Oct 28, 2022 00:19
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On my Gaggia Classic, in the last 5ish years I have had to replace two pumps for leaks, and the group gasket got hard and stopped sealing this year. I also had to replace the steam valve, it too started to leak. It’s possible that some aggressive descaling could fix the valve, or there may be a seal I can replace in there. None of these required any special tools and I figure the average goon could do any of them with a good parts diagram or youtube video. On the descaling subject, I read somewhere somebody said they put a tiny amount of citric acid in the tank every time they fill it up and it keeps it descaled but doesn’t affect the taste. Anybody else do this? I put a tiny bit in this tank and I’ll report back.
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Oct 28, 2022 02:23
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If the steam valve is leaking where it meets the machine, there is a gasket you can replace; if it's leaking from the body of the valve or from the wand you have to replace the whole thing. Build quality on those is sus, I've seen a number of brand new ones leak right away and have had to RMA them. If you're replacing multiple pumps due to leaks then they're not being installed correctly to begin with; make sure the outlet is threaded tightly onto the pump, but not so tightly as to strip it, and put some loctite on the threads to be safe. The Ulka pumps in these (all) machines should last 15-20 years easy. Unless they're allowed to leak on themselves. Putting citric acid in every tank is overkill, just descale it 3-4 times a year (more frequently if you have hard water) and you'll be fine. The Classic doesn't grow scale quicker than any other machine, it's just more prone to catastrophic failure once scale has been allowed to collect.
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Oct 28, 2022 03:37
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The steam valve leak was internal, the wand dribbled constantly. I replaced the pump in this machine when I got it, and I didn’t put any sealant/locktite on the brass adapter then which may have been the problem? I put thread sealant on the new new one. It’s possible the old pump is fine and that fitting leaking was the problem, it still worked, I just got a new one because I’d be a real grumpy boy if this went offline for very long, and there was definitely rust happening on the motor housing by the time the leak started manifesting outside the machine. I put at most .5g of citric acid in the tank, which is 2L. I wonder of I will taste it? I sometimes dump my kid’s milk in the pitcher if he doesn’t finish it. Didn’t know he got goat milk today until it was too late. Was drinkable but I can’t recommend it.
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Oct 28, 2022 04:35
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Awesome, thanks everyone. I’m pretty fastidious about doing a quick water back flush each night and then a weekly detergent clean. Also, I check our water a few times a year to ensure it’s not too hard.
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Oct 28, 2022 05:42
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oops i accidentally hoffman and now I hate my espresso setup  I'm trying to find ways to squeeze the most out of what I have currently. I don't drink a *ton* of espresso, but especially over the winter I like probably a latte or mocha every couple days and as I've been drinking less coffee I've started liking the idea of a morning espresso. I've got a delonghi dedica, which is basically the cheapest thing you could concievably call a "real" espresso machine (or at least that's what I interpreted from the review hoffman gave it). I read a thing a while back about things you could do to improve it a little and picked up a decent-er tamper and an unpressurized basket for it. However, I'm mostly stuck with using supermarket preground espresso (the lavazza vacuum-sealed bricks), which I think is my main impediment currently. Additionally, the basket was a cheapo off amazon and after watching his video about basket quality I'm thinking that might be something that I should probably improve (it's pretty obviously inconsistently drilled). I'm wondering if I should just go back to using the pressurized baskets for the supermarket coffee - it seems like the point of them is to "cheat" at getting a good extraction, which I feel like is sort of needed with the lower quality/older beans, as even with a solid tamp they're not providing the necessary resistance. I considered picking up a decent hand grinder (the cheapish hario one that hoffman uses) but I'm wondering if that'll be an effective use of money given that my machine isn't making the greatest espresso to begin with. tl;dr is it worth it to put the money into nicer beans, a better basket, and a hand grinder if my machine is on the lower end of useful, or should I just sock that money away for a machine on the better-reviewed end of things and stick with the pressurized portafilter and lavazza preground for now?
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Oct 28, 2022 14:50
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I would prioritize things in this order: 1. Beans. Get them fresh (roasted that same week, ideally) from a local cafe or roaster. If the person selling them can’t tell you the roast date, go somewhere else. If you don’t have a grinder at home, get them to grind them in the store for you and use them within a week; if you’re grinding at home then whole beans stay pretty ok for up to a month. Supermarket beans are almost never fresh because the supply chain really doesn’t allow for it. 2. Grinder. I don’t think the hario is very good value for money but if you must get one, get the slim - the fat one is very unergonomic. Better is to save up for a 1zpresso (my choice) or timemore grinder. The hario grinders absolutely cannot do an espresso grind so you want to keep using the pressurized portafilter basket if you go that route. 1zpresso grinders can do espresso grind if they’re marketed for espresso. 3. Basket. Go back to the pressurized basket unless you’ve already spent on a good espresso-capable grinder. If you have, only then you might want to buy a precision basket. IMS or VST are the manufacturers that make the best quality and widest range of baskets, which run around $30, but there are some cheaper good options like this part from rancilio, but make sure you get part number 40100102. They used to (maybe still do) provide part number 40100010 with silvias and it’s no better than any other cheap basket, but the redesigned basket is one of the best deals in espresso. It’s the first upgrade I ever made, when a silvia was my daily machine.
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Oct 28, 2022 15:31
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ChickenWing posted:oops i accidentally hoffman and now I hate my espresso setup Going to recently roasted beans (not from a grocery store) that you grind on demand is likely going to be your biggest jump in quality. You'll still have some annoyances trying to do unpressurized baskets in a 15 bar machine, but it can still get you better results than old ground coffee. I've never really considered hand grinders, but several people here use them. "Entry level" electric espresso grinders that are good enough will probably cost more than the Dedica. I used a Baratza Sette 270wi for a couple years before getting a Niche. The Sette 270 produces solid results if you use it like a single dose machine, but is loud af and the wi model isn't worth it. The integrated scale sucks, and you shouldn't leave beans in the hopper going stale anyway. Edit: Regarding baskets, as you're probably aware the Dedica uses a 51mm portafilter. You'll have less options available in that size, but IMS does make them in 51mm. If you're thinking of upgrading machines later, you'll want something with the standard 58mm portafilter. Just be aware some accessories you buy now may not fit down the road. Bandire fucked around with this message at 16:00 on Oct 28, 2022 |
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Oct 28, 2022 15:47
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Give the Illy pre-ground espresso a try, it comes vac sealed in tins and my experience was very consistent grind and I drank it fast enough it was fresh enough.
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Oct 28, 2022 16:52
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Illy is pretty drat expensive but it's probably the best supermarket brand
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Oct 28, 2022 17:00
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ChickenWing posted:oops i accidentally hoffman and now I hate my espresso setup Something that I haven't seen anyone else mention so I'll bring it up - I'm pretty sure OP's machine uses a nonstandard basket/portafilter size like a 52mm. I honestly don't know how much you want to start spending on a proper tamp, basket, etc when at the end of the day you probably have a 14bar pump with wildly inconsistent temperature as well. I had a delonghi before my gaggia. I honestly feel like there's a real ceiling in what you can expect from that machine and maybe it's a good idea to start saving a little and look for a grinder + machine deal around christmas? Otherwise yeah I'd just use a pressurized basket and whatever grounds.
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Oct 28, 2022 18:46
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VelociBacon posted:Something that I haven't seen anyone else mention so I'll bring it up - I'm pretty sure OP's machine uses a nonstandard basket/portafilter size like a 52mm. I honestly don't know how much you want to start spending on a proper tamp, basket, etc when at the end of the day you probably have a 14bar pump with wildly inconsistent temperature as well. I had a delonghi before my gaggia. I honestly feel like there's a real ceiling in what you can expect from that machine and maybe it's a good idea to start saving a little and look for a grinder + machine deal around christmas? VelociBacon posted:Something that I haven't seen anyone else mention so I'll bring it up - I'm pretty sure OP's machine uses a nonstandard basket/portafilter size like a 52mm. I honestly don't know how much you want to start spending on a proper tamp, basket, etc when at the end of the day you probably have a 14bar pump with wildly inconsistent temperature as well. I had a delonghi before my gaggia. I honestly feel like there's a real ceiling in what you can expect from that machine and maybe it's a good idea to start saving a little and look for a grinder + machine deal around christmas? I had a very similar machine, spent a bunch on accessories, baskets, etc, and upgraded and had to toss it all. Regretted it for the most part.
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Oct 28, 2022 19:01
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Okay that's all sorta what I figured - yeah I knew about the smaller basket, I'm very glad I didn't spring for the fancier replacement. Tamp wasn't horrendously expensive, luckily. Thanks for the advice - especially with the illy beans, I haven't sprung for them yet due to the price but I think that'll be my first stop before a local roaster.
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Oct 28, 2022 19:09
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That's a thermoblock model so actually pretty stable, temp-wise. It has a return/OPV valve to bleed off some pressure back into the water tank, and it's probably about as accurate/dialed in as the stock valve on a Gaggia Classic or an early-model Silvia. For a entry-level machine it's more than capable, and replacing it before getting even the basics of fresh beans/grinding down would be a waste of money imo.
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Oct 28, 2022 19:13
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bizwank posted:That's a thermoblock model so actually pretty stable, temp-wise. It has a return/OPV valve to bleed off some pressure back into the water tank, and it's probably about as accurate/dialed in as the stock valve on a Gaggia Classic or an early-model Silvia. For a entry-level machine it's more than capable, and replacing it before getting even the basics of fresh beans/grinding down would be a waste of money imo. I agree with this. Grinder made significantly more difference than the espresso machine when I had the similar one.
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Oct 28, 2022 19:40
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Yep, there's nothing wrong with experimenting to see what you can get out of what you have. I started it with a low end $100-ish Delonghi. A grinder is something you can still use obviously if you upgrade machines. Just be careful sinking too much money into stuff that will get left behind.
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Oct 28, 2022 20:02
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For a camping trip where space so limited that instant coffee is the only option, what are people's recommendations?
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Oct 29, 2022 01:54
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theHUNGERian posted:For a camping trip where space so limited that instant coffee is the only option, what are people's recommendations? I keep Mt. Hagen around and it's pretty decent as far as instant coffee goes. I can drink it black without regretting my decision, at least.
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Oct 29, 2022 01:59
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aw frig aw dang it posted:I keep Mt. Hagen around and it's pretty decent as far as instant coffee goes. I can drink it black without regretting my decision, at least. Seconded, it’s very drinkable and i always keep some on hand for emergencies (forgetting to reorder beans) and travel. The single-serve packets are very handy for short trips
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Oct 29, 2022 02:12
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Also Mt. Hagen here, for bike camping and the earthquake kits
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Oct 29, 2022 02:17
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theHUNGERian posted:For a camping trip where space so limited that instant coffee is the only option, what are people's recommendations? Camping? Surely this is your chance to use a bripe like God and Paul Bunyan intended.
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Oct 29, 2022 02:28
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cptn_dr posted:Camping? Surely this is your chance to use a bripe like God and Paul Bunyan intended. LOL Thanks for the suggestions. I could have sworn that one of the usual coffee roasters had an instant coffee, but of course I can't find it anymore.
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Oct 29, 2022 03:43
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New faff just dropped https://youtu.be/BauWsvlj8qI He collected some compelling data that it increases extraction 4% over no stir/swirl with no impact on drawdown time, so potentially justified faff
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Oct 29, 2022 05:49
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theHUNGERian posted:For a camping trip where space so limited that instant coffee is the only option, what are people's recommendations? if you really wanna piss off anyone who walks by after suffering through a lovely cup of sbux via there's this https://dripkit.coffee/collections/coffee/products/dripkit-variety-pack
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Oct 29, 2022 06:00
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BrianBoitano posted:New faff just dropped I tried this on a few brews yesterday with my WDT tool and it seems to have made a noticeable difference. It's nice because it's basically zero effort.
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Oct 29, 2022 10:55
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theHUNGERian posted:For a camping trip where space so limited that instant coffee is the only option, what are people's recommendations? Cometeer will taste great, it’s expensive and should be refrigerated or frozen though.
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Oct 29, 2022 15:45
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i own every Bionicle posted:Cometeer will taste great, it’s expensive and should be refrigerated or frozen though. I will be on a glacier, so everything will freeze for free. Any opinions on single-serve coffee pouches from counter culture for example?
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Oct 29, 2022 17:32
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Does anyone have a favorite electric grinder for drip & pourover? I've been running a Baratza Encore for about a decade and it's never given me a bit of trouble. Never even had to replace a burr holder. It takes a long time to grind the 40g I use for my morning drip coffee, though, and it's old enough I should probably replace the burrs regardless, so I'm looking around to see if there are better options available now. I'm not a big espresso drinker and don't particularly enjoy the process of making it, so I don't need anything that grinds that fine. I know I could upgrade the Encore to the M2 burrs, which would be about twice as fast of a grind. And I'm aware of the Fellow Ode, which seems right up my alley as far as grind size and speed, although I've heard some complaints that it isn't the most consistent (maybe that was only with the first-gen burrs?). I also hear good things about the Breville/Sage Smart Grinder Pro, though I can't seem to find much information on the throughput of that one. Do you have any recommendations? Under $300 USD would be ideal, but I'm open to spending more if it's worthwhile. Priorities would be faster than an Encore, reasonable consistency, and if it can't be quick it would be nice if it was quieter (although of course I realize grinders are loud).
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Oct 29, 2022 19:48
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For basic rear end pour over I've been using a $100 capresso infinity for years.
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Oct 29, 2022 23:01
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Honestly the upgraded burr is probably the way to go. Sure it’s nice having a fancy new machine but you’re absolutely going to get the best value just throwing in the new burrs.
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Oct 29, 2022 23:08
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I recently got a Fellow Ode with the gen2 burrs (thanks grahm), and its pretty great. Capresso Infinity isn't terrible for the money either.
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Oct 29, 2022 23:49
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ChickenWing posted:Okay that's all sorta what I figured - yeah I knew about the smaller basket, I'm very glad I didn't spring for the fancier replacement. Tamp wasn't horrendously expensive, luckily. Agree with this, if you have the $ just go for the nicer thing. I went through so many junk grinders and scales before I bought nicer ones.
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Oct 30, 2022 02:48
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Thanks for the replies so far! I've seen people in this thread mention Eureka Mignon grinders and it looks like there's one called the Filtro that seems designed for my use case - are folks generally happy with their Eurekas?George H.W. oval office posted:Honestly the upgraded burr is probably the way to go. Sure it’s nice having a fancy new machine but you’re absolutely going to get the best value just throwing in the new burrs. This might well be what I end up doing. Like you said, it'd be nice to have something new but if there's nothing super compelling out there vs upgraded burrs then that just leaves me more $ and time to spend on the brewing side, which is still fun. I figured I should scope out the landscape, though.
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Oct 30, 2022 03:04
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theHUNGERian posted:I will be on a glacier, so everything will freeze for free. I just moved and brought the Verve single-serve instant pouches for the first few days, they're totally solid coffee. I've also had reanimator pouches in the past if an east coast roaster is easier to get.
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Oct 30, 2022 10:48
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JohnCompany posted:I just moved and brought the Verve single-serve instant pouches for the first few days, they're totally solid coffee. I've also had reanimator pouches in the past if an east coast roaster is easier to get. Cool, thanks.
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Oct 30, 2022 15:17
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I am flirting with the idea of a Niche Zero. With this sort of thing, is it practical to swap back and forth between pour over and espresso grind sizes?
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Oct 31, 2022 10:42
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Sir Sidney Poitier posted:I am flirting with the idea of a Niche Zero. With this sort of thing, is it practical to swap back and forth between pour over and espresso grind sizes? Totally fine. Just make sure you make a note of which setting you were using before changing between filter and espresso. I also ended up using a sticker to create a second dial marker on the back of the ring, so that I could track coarser grind sizes more easily. One more thing: When switching between espresso and filter, make sure you purge the grinder with a few grams of beans to get rid of any remaining grounds from the previous setting. Edit: Because I can't make a post in this thread without mentioning the Lagom Mini: Have you considered the Lagom Mini instead of the Niche? It's cheaper and pretty great.
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Oct 31, 2022 11:36
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Gunder posted:Edit: Because I can't make a post in this thread without mentioning the Lagom Mini: Have you considered the Lagom Mini instead of the Niche? It's cheaper and pretty great. I didn't know of its existence, but looking at the options for obtaining one in the UK it seems as though with our loving comical exchange rate and also the tax payable on import it'd end up not far off the same price.
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Oct 31, 2022 13:41
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Gunder posted:Totally fine. Just make sure you make a note of which setting you were using before changing between filter and espresso. I also ended up using a sticker to create a second dial marker on the back of the ring, so that I could track coarser grind sizes more easily. Did you sell your niche, or are you using both? How do you compare them?
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Oct 31, 2022 13:45
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hypnophant posted:Did you sell your niche, or are you using both? How do you compare them? I've been using both, side-by-side for a while now. They make different styles of espresso. The Mini's moonshine burrs tend to make "new" style espresso that's more clarity focussed than the burrs on the Niche. If you appreciate old-school espresso, then maybe the Niche is preferable, or perhaps the Obsydian burrs for the Mini would be better. The Mini is on loan from a friend of mine, and tbh, I might just save up for the P64 instead of getting a Mini, but that obviously costs a lot more.
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Oct 31, 2022 13:52
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