Caporegime
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Not sure who translated that, it doesn't say Happy in Chinese at all lol
Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread
- Thread starter Siliconslave
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Associate
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Such a shame...
After almost 5 years of daily service our Barista Express has died (i think) Turns on and grinds fine, it can use the steamer but as soon as I try and pull a shot it causes the main power to trip. I did actually notice some water dripping out of it the day before but was unsure if it was just a bit from the drip tray overspilling.
Hoping to be able to get it repaired as it seems me saying I want it to break so we have a reason to get a better one happened at a really inconvenient time
This morning without fresh coffee was a struggle.
Hoping to be able to get it repaired as it seems me saying I want it to break so we have a reason to get a better one happened at a really inconvenient time
This morning without fresh coffee was a struggle.
Caporegime
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I must admit that if my Gaggia do that, I would be out there getting a new machine lol
Found someone in Bristol who will inspect it. They've said if it's above £200 to get repaired they'd advise us to just buy a new machine and not charge us.
I may have already investigated getting a dual boiler and niche zero. Finding the money is a separate issue though
I may have already investigated getting a dual boiler and niche zero. Finding the money is a separate issue though
Caporegime
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- 20 Oct 2002
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- Wish i was in a Ramen Shop Counter
Found someone in Bristol who will inspect it. They've said if it's above £200 to get repaired they'd advise us to just buy a new machine and not charge us.
I may have already investigated getting a dual boiler and niche zero. Finding the money is a separate issue though
Side note though, it's never a bad idea to keep something manual like a hand grinder with a V60 on hand for situation like this.
Sorry back again with a question for you all.
Although I'm still working through my Nespresso stockpile, I've been looking at my original choice of electric coffee grinder; Sage Dose Control Pro. I'm now looking at the DF54 and the Fellow Opus. There might be arguments for each.
However one thing that appealed about my original choice was that you could stick the Sage portafilter in the Sage Dose grinder. I noticed the DF54 might support this too which appeals, but in this James Hoffman YouTube video (which includes reviews of all 3; well the other Sage grinder) he advises against this and prefers using the included catch cup.
Beyond preference, why is this?
Although I'm still working through my Nespresso stockpile, I've been looking at my original choice of electric coffee grinder; Sage Dose Control Pro. I'm now looking at the DF54 and the Fellow Opus. There might be arguments for each.
However one thing that appealed about my original choice was that you could stick the Sage portafilter in the Sage Dose grinder. I noticed the DF54 might support this too which appeals, but in this James Hoffman YouTube video (which includes reviews of all 3; well the other Sage grinder) he advises against this and prefers using the included catch cup.
Beyond preference, why is this?
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Is it these machines that have the plastic water fittings inside which harden over time, eventually crumbling and tripping the electrics? If it’s this, you can get brass replacementsAfter almost 5 years of daily service our Barista Express has died (i think) Turns on and grinds fine, it can use the steamer but as soon as I try and pull a shot it causes the main power to trip. I did actually notice some water dripping out of it the day before but was unsure if it was just a bit from the drip tray overspilling.
Hoping to be able to get it repaired as it seems me saying I want it to break so we have a reason to get a better one happened at a really inconvenient time
This morning without fresh coffee was a struggle.
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Associate
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I guess the worst case is she's a goner and you'll have no choice but to order that dual boiler and Niche Zero you may have already investigated
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I’ve opened up a Barista Pro. The Express doesn’t look too different. I don’t remember it being particularly difficult to get into, but it did have a LOT of screws! See if there’s a YouTube vid you can follow and decide from there
There's a UK Sage repairer that I called up when I had problems with mine, they did some troubleshooting with me to work out if it was worth sending to them or trying to fix myself - turned out it was fixable but they were very helpful. It was a couple of years ago so I can't remember their details but a quick google should help find them - I think they had fixed prices IIRC.
I've been trying some pretty good vfm beans from cworks coffee - the chocolate brownie blend - coming in at around £18/kilo delivered (when subscribed) has anyone else tried these?
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Had a look around John Lewis to see what they had in for coffee machines, not many in the Liverpool store. Quite like the idea of the Oracle Jet as it'll give me decent espresso and have my partner an easy to make coffee.
Alternative is a Super Automatic but not to familiar with what's good or not,
Alternative is a Super Automatic but not to familiar with what's good or not,
I got the luxe cafe it’s very good and easy to make good coffees..
I'm been having some very naughty thoughts about treating myself to a major coffee upgrade for my 45th birthday. Like end-game upgrade. It's cheap compared to a Porsche right? 
Realized I've got a bit sloppy with my espresso recently and hadn't properly dialled in my grinder for a while, have just been eye-balling it. I've slowly been letting it over-extract for a while, was surprised how out my timing was when I actually got the scales and stopwatch out. Back dialed in properly and enjoying my espressos daily, although my caffeine intake has got bit silly, so I've just got a bag of nice decaf from Chipp in to reign it in a bit!
Realized I've got a bit sloppy with my espresso recently and hadn't properly dialled in my grinder for a while, have just been eye-balling it. I've slowly been letting it over-extract for a while, was surprised how out my timing was when I actually got the scales and stopwatch out. Back dialed in properly and enjoying my espressos daily, although my caffeine intake has got bit silly, so I've just got a bag of nice decaf from Chipp in to reign it in a bit!
So since getting my Sage Duo Temp (first "decent" espresso machine) a couple of months ago, the gods have finally come together and I've had, simultaneously, a grinder, decent coffee beans, and the time to play with it a bit. I've just drawn my first good espresso, and it's fantastic. I'm hooked.
My Sage Dual Boiler looks to finally be giving up. Leaking from underneath plus no steam (it just beeps when trying to use it). From what I understand, I've done well because these are notoriously unreliable - I've had it 8.5 years and I bought it second hand so it was probably at least a couple of years old by that point.
So what do I get next? Looking at around the £1k mark (give or take).
Profitec look to be reliable and well made machines but the one thing I will miss from the Sage is the front water tank refill option. My machine sits under some kitchen wall cupboards to this saves me moving the machine to fill it. I can't see any other machines on the market like this.
So what do I get next? Looking at around the £1k mark (give or take).
Profitec look to be reliable and well made machines but the one thing I will miss from the Sage is the front water tank refill option. My machine sits under some kitchen wall cupboards to this saves me moving the machine to fill it. I can't see any other machines on the market like this.
[couple of good links here on BE repair https://www.home-barista.com/repairs/breville-barista-express-leaking-joint-on-solenoid-t88946.html ]
yes - I thought earlier posted profitec GO looks real nice - I never need steam & brew simultaneously.
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spent several hours dismantelling/debugging my HX bazerra
( coffee machine failure probably follows death/divorce/moving-house in terms of stress, I need an insurance policy that would provide a temp machine.)
main relay that would heat boiler, briefly came on, when turned on, but then disengaged, and it would not heat up
- shorted pressurestat, not that
- removed relay cleaned sparked/blackened contacts&tested not that (those contacts have a few years under their belt )
- checked boiler high/low & tank probes
- was concluding that one of the relays in gicar had gone (had replaced it's 12v transformer a couple of years back)
then thought ok I'll check it would refill boiler if it was low, siphoned out some water - hay presto it then started working.
seems to me like there is some corner case in the gicar/mcu programming, such that if I do something like turn off the machine whilst it is filling it can get confused ?
OR the relays are on their way out and it is just temperamental.
yes - I thought earlier posted profitec GO looks real nice - I never need steam & brew simultaneously.
--------------
spent several hours dismantelling/debugging my HX bazerra
( coffee machine failure probably follows death/divorce/moving-house in terms of stress, I need an insurance policy that would provide a temp machine.)
main relay that would heat boiler, briefly came on, when turned on, but then disengaged, and it would not heat up
- shorted pressurestat, not that
- removed relay cleaned sparked/blackened contacts&tested not that (those contacts have a few years under their belt )
- checked boiler high/low & tank probes
- was concluding that one of the relays in gicar had gone (had replaced it's 12v transformer a couple of years back)
then thought ok I'll check it would refill boiler if it was low, siphoned out some water - hay presto it then started working.
seems to me like there is some corner case in the gicar/mcu programming, such that if I do something like turn off the machine whilst it is filling it can get confused ?
OR the relays are on their way out and it is just temperamental.