Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

I have to say I've always found Square Mile a bit overpriced (especially taking delivery into account) and their blends a bit 'meh'. I haven't tried them in a while though.

My favourite blend was always the Nude Espresso house blend. Made even better by the cafe being just around the corner from me, and the owner/girl there being absolutely banging hot :p
 
So my Delonghi ICM30 filter coffee machine has just packed up (hotplate has stopped being hot). Not sure if this is repairable?

If not, then any suggestions for a similar replacement? Biggest issue seems to be that hotplates on new machines only keep warm for 30 mins (due to EU regulations) - with the Delonghi it would be kept warm for ~4 hours until all of the coffee had been drunk (not ideal for taste, but perfect for convenience).

Can the timer be bypassed on any machines, or at least one with an hour timer, that can be reset between cups?

Budget is £30-£40.

Thanks.
 
pre espresso addiction - Last one I purchased was a krups pro aroma, does not seem to be available in bright yellow anymore, but a reliable well designed easy to clean machine.
(also some of modern - maybe reccyled ? filter papers now just disintegrate during use)

don't know if it now has EU saver, but am ambivalent on this, as I frequently inadvertently leave 1.6KW espresso machine on for several hours a day and the maplin energy plug informed me that was 15p of electricity per day.
 
jpaul said:
pre espresso addiction - Last one I purchased was a krups pro aroma, does not seem to be available in bright yellow anymore, but a reliable well designed easy to clean machine.
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Thanks for that - was about to get that Krups as the manual said 2 hours, but having had a quick google found other reviews from owners that say it is 35 minutes as well :(

Going to try my luck with a used pre-eu regs one, so watching a couple on ebay at the minute - worst case I'll only be out of pocket by a tenner or so (annoyingly I have at least that much sat on my desk in the form of Costa and Taylors pre-ground, that I bought over the last couple of weeks when it was on offer!)
 
/\/\/\/\ I can half answer this question. Upgraded from a Classic to a Silva (V5 I think) Yesterday. The Silva is a better made machine that's for certain. I would say its twice the weight of a classic which is testament to its build quality.

The Silva instructions say not to leave the steam on for too long, as the boiler will run dry & burn out the element. Also to run the pump briefly after steaming to refill the boiler. Not certain if this would be relevant to the classic too.
 
The Silvia really benefits from a PID mod - this reduces the need for temperature surfing that is still needed on the Silvia - I did mine at a cost of about £100 or so as a kit, but you can get the components cheaper if you build your own. Otherwise I've been really pleased with my Silvia/Rocky combo, although that's what I started with.
 
scottomus0 said:
Speed for one. The silva you don't need to worry about temperature surfing like the classic. Better steaming.
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You are right, it took 3 phases to heat up some milk today, but to be honest, I rarely, seldom use the steam wand.

I also just came across this. I think I will keep my Gaggia, the visible water tank i think I will actually miss, also the water heating element outside the tank probably means better longevity. I might invest the money in a better grinder instead.

 
The MC2 is already a nice grinder, I have been eyeing it as a replacement for Rocky, per discussion a few posts back, due to the stepless grind, or moving up to the Eureka mignon.
Had been considering mecoffe PID for >10 year old silivia before I changed to Heat exchanger model, since, as said, does need surfing -
(the pid pre-infusion looks nice & phone control - Internet Of Things software is not released though, if you are into programming)

otherwise Could put the combined Silvia+Rocky money into an Oscar II HX machine ? or 2nd hand HX
It is a pity Sage express is not available without the grinder.
 
Got some The Black Bag- BSCA Select, Brazil from Silver Oak turned out they are a local supplier, so I could just walk in - the jury's still out.

Is it common that darker blends often need a coarser grind ? I thought the pump in the machine was broken initially (and do not have some other coffee to compare) but extraction times were/are > 30s within the normal spectrum of grinder settings I have to employ.

About upgrading espsresso machines - can rapidly become an expensive hobby, and as appliances they always seem disproportionately expensive versus buying white goods say (less economy of scale ?) - so seems a pity there are not more opportunities to try before you buy am I missisng something ?
just have to rely on reviews and hope that your coffee making process matches others eg. learning temp surfing on a non-pid'd silvia.
 
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I thought someone might know here. I tried googling but couldn't find the answer.

I have just upgraded from a Gaggia Pure to a Classic. I bought it used as want the old aluminium boiler.

To start off with, the machine wouldn't pull a shot, water simply drips out of the splash screen. I stripped it down and gave everything a proper clean. It seemed unnecessary as the machine is very clean internally. It worked perfectly after I rebuilt it.

I then adjusted the OPV valve to 10 bar and fitted a Rancilio Silvia steam wand which made it a very good machine compared to the pure. However, the problem returned this morning (around 2 weeks since a clean).

I decided to measure the pressure with the pressure gauge attached to the portafilter. It started off with next to no pressure. However, around 30 seconds later, the pressure started to build very slowly, then up to the 10 bar which I have adjusted it to. The machine then returned to normal.

I suppose measuring the pressure is effectively giving a backflush which might cleaned out the solenoid valve. However, I only used it for a double everyday for 2 weeks with filtered water so the machine shouldn't need cleaning yet. Anyone know what is happening?
 
wildest_jjk said:
Folks,

Looking at buying an espresso machine. Is the De'Longhi EC680 any good?

http://www.delonghi.com/en-gb/products/coffee/coffee-makers/pump-espresso/dedica-ec-680m-0132106104

I'm struggling to find a decent grinder as well :(

Thanks!
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For that money, get a Gaggia classic.

inertial mc2 as a grinder. I've had these 2 for 10 years now and has not gone wrong once. I get the urge to upgrade and then realise its hard to get anything better for the money, even if i double the budget the improvements and small.
 
Raymond Lin said:
For that money, get a Gaggia classic.

inertial mc2 as a grinder. I've had these 2 for 10 years now and has not gone wrong once. I get the urge to upgrade and then realise its hard to get anything better for the money, even if i double the budget the improvements and small.
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Thanks Raymond, can the Gaggia Classic still be bought new though?
 
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