Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

Dj_Jestar said:
Yes I have two bags of it sitting on my sideboard. Lovely coffee. Fast becoming my staple.

Currently working way through a bag of Anfilloo Suddi at the moment. Best coffee I've had in years. Seriously good.
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Just had my first cup of the Suarez, it was lovely. As an espresso, it's got a real sweetness to it.

I was a little disappointed with it as a flat white though, but then I'd had a few red wines after dinner so probably not the best time to be trying to discover its flavours :p
 
jpaul said:
can we be nosey and ask where you bought it ?
looked as though you could maybe import one for e80 + postage, so might be ~£70 ? (hopefully still with 5 year guarantee)
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I asked a few places about the warranty as one Danish site selling it said 5 years, and the response I got was the same after they contacted the UK importer - that there's some ambiguity as to warranty periods on various websites but they wanted to confirm the grinder comes with a 2 year warranty and it's only the pour-over brewer they do that has the 5 years.

I didn't see it that cheap elsewhere - at least the Aroma (Wilfa CGWS-130B) which is the all-black newer model which has an upgraded motor, not the silver/black WSCG-2 which is the older model - I got mine from here with free postage.
 
EdwardTeach said:
Thanks for the explanation. I think I may skip a hand grinder then. I will probably go for a cheapo electric for the time being.
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The Wilfa I got was the cheapest electric grinder I could see recommended by actual coffee people that didn't seem like it would suck - it was either that or a Baratza Encore - in terms of getting a decent quality grind and the machine not crapping out after 5 minutes. Obviously if I was planning on making Espresso I'd need a much better grinder full-stop, but for now I'm just an Aeropresser.

If you're looking to spend as little as possible, stick with the advice I got from here when I started and get a burr hand-grinder as you'll get better results and it's not going to break down like a lot of the cheapo electronic ones do. Picking something like the De'Longhi KG79 on Amazon you have loads of 5 star reviews from people who've just got it, then a lot of 1 start reviews from people who've had it a while moaning it broke down after they'd had it a while. Easier just to save a bit more and get something that'll last v.s. buy cheap buy twice/thrice.
 
Hi guys, long time no brew for me. Been moving house and undergoing a significant renovation so no kitchen for a while. My Gaggia Classic has been unused for about a year or so, maybe less. What should I do to get it clean and serviced when I break it out again?
 
alex24 said:
Hi guys, long time no brew for me. Been moving house and undergoing a significant renovation so no kitchen for a while. My Gaggia Classic has been unused for about a year or so, maybe less. What should I do to get it clean and serviced when I break it out again?
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Descale, change the rubber gasket. I got my gasket from link below last week.

https://www.gaggia-parts.co.uk/epages/es147467.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es147467/Products/NG01001

https://www.gaggia-parts.co.uk/epag...?ObjectPath=/Shops/es147467/Products/21001682

Perhaps a new shower head if it's really clogged up.

https://www.gaggia-parts.co.uk/epages/es147467.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es147467/Products/DM0704

I also got one of these too as mine was looking worn

https://www.gaggia-parts.co.uk/epages/es147467.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es147467/Products/DY0036A
 
Raymond Lin said:
I back flush every other month? I live in an area with very little to no limescale. In 10 years there is only a tiny bit on my show disc holder plate.
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Just watched a smokey barn video on back flushing, didn't realise it was so simple. Any recommendations on products? Or just go for the Gaggia stuff?
 
Egon said:
Just watched a smokey barn video on back flushing, didn't realise it was so simple. Any recommendations on products? Or just go for the Gaggia stuff?
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I actually use this.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/o1p/Urnex-Cafiza-Coffee-Equipment-Cleaning-Powder-900/B005CG8FMM

1 tea spoon amount, you can also can add a table spoon or 2 into a big bowl, add in some hot water and throw in all coffee stained metal parts into it and let it sit for 10 mins. It will have an effect like acid and get rid of all the coffee marks on metal, careful not have it on plastic, it ruins it.
 
Back flushing cleans the group head and back pressure value (if your machine has one). You use a detergent such as PuroCaff to do this which removes the coffee oils and residue. Descaling removes scale from inside the boiler and pipework and you need a descaler especially for espresso machines. They are two different processes.
 
gEd said:
Back flushing cleans the group head and back pressure value (if your machine has one). You use a detergent such as PuroCaff to do this which removes the coffee oils and residue. Descaling removes scale from inside the boiler and pipework and you need a descaler especially for espresso machines. They are two different processes.
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You are right :)
 
alex24 said:
Hi guys, long time no brew for me. Been moving house and undergoing a significant renovation so no kitchen for a while. My Gaggia Classic has been unused for about a year or so, maybe less. What should I do to get it clean and serviced when I break it out again?
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My rancillio sat idle in the kitchen for a year due to a faulty relay and family distractions. I repaired the relay, fired it up and made some coffee. Works perfectly. Do a backflush and a descale of you think it needs it (it won't have acquired coffee oils or scale since you last used It), make some coffee and see how it goes.. It's a coffee machine, not a horse :-)
 
gEd said:
It's a coffee machine, not a horse :)
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well Rancilio gives theirs female (English not Italian) names Audrey, Silvia , why is the grinder Rocky ;) )-
am failing to think of other products, even cars, with gender (just Julietta comes to mind...)

Egon said:
Speaking of descalers, how often should you descale? I've only ever used bottled water, I've had the Gaggia 2 months.
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could say how much water do you put through it a day - I use maybe 1litre/day tap and descale every 3 months
if anything, I think the boiler does make more noise warming up when there is scale.

Raymond Lin said:
In 10 years there is only a tiny bit on my show disc holder plate
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not heard that before - with Silvia I never had anything on the brass filter plate, but with HX machine, which seems to be stainless, I get some.

... also two stories of not using machine for many months .. no withdrawal symptoms - thought this was the hardcore thread.
 
jpaul said:
well Rancilio gives theirs female (English not Italian) names Audrey, Silvia , why is the grinder Rocky ;) )-
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Because he "grinds".....
jpaul said:
... also two stories of not using machine for many months .. no withdrawal symptoms - thought this was the hardcore thread.
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Well there is always the Aeropress, thermally insulated Mellita drip machine and Cafetiere to keep me content.....
 
jpaul said:
could say how much water do you put through it a day - I use maybe 1litre/day tap and descale every 3 months
if anything, I think the boiler does make more noise warming up when there is scale.
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A litre a day? Isn't each double shot only about 50ml (2 fl.ounces)?

I don't have a great deal, I'm at work all day, so a cup in the morning and evening on a week day, or 3 cups on a Sat/Sun... Then a bit extra for rinsing after each pull. So probably a litre of bottled water goes through it each week. Possibly more depending on if I'm making drinks for others.
 
Egon said:
A litre a day? Isn't each double shot only about 50ml (2 fl.ounces)?
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Usually pull nearer 70ml doiubles, warm the cup with water before grinding, then warm it again just before pulling shot, so 200ml * 4 shots = so nearer 800ml
so that water does not stagnate in boiler or is heated multiple times (would not re-boil kettle for tea) and for group-head to be cleaneed,
do not look upon it as a bad thing pulling quite a lot of water through machine (well apart from scale consequence)

EDIT : subsequently looked up a couple of ref's and given how a glass of water by your bed, tastes the next day, and that reservoir is next to warm boiler - think I will empty it once a week

https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?3267-How-Long-Do-You-Leave-Water-in-a-Machine
https://www.wired.com/2015/08/big-question-tap-water-go-stale-overnight/
 
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There's way more water usage than just how much goes into a shot. Flushing, rinsing, evaporation - both intentional (steam wand) and unintentional (just from boiling). Coffee making is one of the least efficient uses of water for beverages. I get through about 75cl of water a day for two or three flat whites.
 
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