Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

Another new toy for the endless search for coffee nirvana. lol

I notice that i keep getting indent on the puck after a shot, so i bought one of these and on Amazon i got one for £11, actually you get 2 in a pack making them like £5 so not expensive at all, same spec as the more expensive branded ones from thickness to size to holes. Works really well. Obviously it stop direct water blasting into the puck now so the top of the puck is very clean, and what is more notable is that the puck comes out also super clean from the portaflter, even immediately after pulling a shot.

I am very impressed for the money for the improvement it gives.

mErgjJD.jpg
 
Those holes are probably not from "jets." The water doesn't have enough velocity to do that. What is more likely is you have channels forming which is releasing the pressure quickly, like a hole in a balloon or something, and the grind in that channel is suddenly in now lower pressure, loses compaction and thus moves more freely leaving the hole.

e: to add that pressure builds up (relatively) slowly in espresso machines.
 
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Dj_Jestar said:
Those holes are probably not from "jets." The water doesn't have enough velocity to do that. What is more likely is you have channels forming which is releasing the pressure quickly, like a hole in a balloon or something, and the grind in that channel is suddenly in now lower pressure, loses compaction and thus moves more freely leaving the hole.

e: to add that pressure builds up (relatively) slowly in espresso machines.
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You are probably right, but this does help with seemingly no downsides and it's cheap too.

What is most impressive is the puck comes out CLEAN now.
 
pre-infusion helps with uniform puck-infusion , although as Dj said pressure apparently only builds slowly - unless you have a rotary pump ?
I occassionaly give a quick touch on the brew pump button a few seconds before engaging it fully, but have not experimented more ..


jpaul said:
listened to the food programme yesterday https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0014p3g
talking about folks like myself living in a caffeinated conciousness, seems to be a phrase coined by Roland Griffiths Ph.D. now looking for a podcast to learn more
https://podcastnotes.org/tim-ferris-show/griffiths/
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yikes ....

Caffeine Use Disorder: A Comprehensive Review and Research Agenda
DSM-5 Caffeine Use Disorder Research Diagnosis
A problematic pattern of caffeine use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by at least the first three of the following criteria occurring within a 12-month period
...
8. A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain caffeine, use caffeine, or recover from its effects.
9. Craving or a strong desire or urge to use caffeine.
 
A question asked plenty of times before - I'm looking to upgrade my Moka pot to a proper espresso machine and would like some guidance. I'm swaying more towards a semi-automatic bean to cup, rather than completely automatic. It seems like a good starting point as opposed to jumping straight into a separate machine and grinder.

I've read recommendations in this thread and watched videos from James Hoffman (including the £250 setup one). I'm drawn to the Sage Barista Express as it seems beginner friendly, has lots of features and it looks great too. Reviews generally all positive and it has been praised in this very thread. New it's around £525 but I noticed a post about Indoodirect on eBay, the authorised Sage reseller, and a refurbished model is available for £280 which seems like a complete steal?

In John Lewis today I also noticed the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte. I can't see any mention of it in this thread and reviews are sparse, but the reviews I did read all seem positive. De'Longhi currently have a promotion where you get a free barista kit, mostly a bunch of tat but it's better than a kick in the teeth.

Anything else I should consider?

If it makes any difference to recommendations, I mostly drink flat white or espresso straight. Beans I tend to buy from Atkinsons.

Thank you.
 
V
jpaul said:
maestro - wasn't familiar, is just a thermoblock then, not double boiler which I'd expected given astronomic £1k price - https://youtu.be/JFWx0CmjX8E?t=20
so I don't see the additional value over a barista express.
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3/6 month be warranty aren't they ? so yes I'd go for that, 2 models of the BE with/without the normal non-pressurized baskets, but they are not too expensive if it is w/o.
 
Robi said:
A question asked plenty of times before - I'm looking to upgrade my Moka pot to a proper espresso machine and would like some guidance. I'm swaying more towards a semi-automatic bean to cup, rather than completely automatic. It seems like a good starting point as opposed to jumping straight into a separate machine and grinder.

I've read recommendations in this thread and watched videos from James Hoffman (including the £250 setup one). I'm drawn to the Sage Barista Express as it seems beginner friendly, has lots of features and it looks great too. Reviews generally all positive and it has been praised in this very thread. New it's around £525 but I noticed a post about Indoodirect on eBay, the authorised Sage reseller, and a refurbished model is available for £280 which seems like a complete steal?

In John Lewis today I also noticed the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte. I can't see any mention of it in this thread and reviews are sparse, but the reviews I did read all seem positive. De'Longhi currently have a promotion where you get a free barista kit, mostly a bunch of tat but it's better than a kick in the teeth.

Anything else I should consider?

If it makes any difference to recommendations, I mostly drink flat white or espresso straight. Beans I tend to buy from Atkinsons.

Thank you.
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Twas probably myself you saw post about as it's where I got mine from. I can't fault it, I've got a buddy with a gaggia classic and a niche grinder. More expensive set up and undoubtedly better coffee but it's much more involved to make a drink than mine.

The BE had a few grips but nothing a few accessories couldn't fix, the biggest being a simple basket funnel removes any grind spillage and is a godsend. I don't get that much clumping so hardly use my Distribution tool but some people get a fair bit so may look to get one of those as well.

Had it coming up to 3 years now, 2 of those years have been WFH and banging through 4 coffees a day (2 each) and it hasn't skipped a beat.
 
Anything else I should consider? ..
Amazon warehouse have a bunch of delonghi ecam 4200 's for £150 - with a scratch - machine has a good reputation 12month warranty - & thread somewhere.
 
Snookums said:
Twas probably myself you saw post about as it's where I got mine from. I can't fault it, I've got a buddy with a gaggia classic and a niche grinder. More expensive set up and undoubtedly better coffee but it's much more involved to make a drink than mine.

The BE had a few grips but nothing a few accessories couldn't fix, the biggest being a simple basket funnel removes any grind spillage and is a godsend. I don't get that much clumping so hardly use my Distribution tool but some people get a fair bit so may look to get one of those as well.

Had it coming up to 3 years now, 2 of those years have been WFH and banging through 4 coffees a day (2 each) and it hasn't skipped a beat.
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If it was your post, thank you!

In terms of the refurb model, what was the overall condition like? I'm guessing it'll come with the odd scratch or maybe a dent, but hopefully in relatively good shape. A saving of close to £250 is quite hard to pass up.

Did you look at any other machines before settling on the BE?

I see a Gaggia Classic + grinder as the next step, as it's maybe a bit too involved at this stage. The BE seems like a great starting point since it's not completely automatic.
 
Robi said:
If it was your post, thank you!

In terms of the refurb model, what was the overall condition like? I'm guessing it'll come with the odd scratch or maybe a dent, but hopefully in relatively good shape. A saving of close to £250 is quite hard to pass up.

Did you look at any other machines before settling on the BE?

I see a Gaggia Classic + grinder as the next step, as it's maybe a bit too involved at this stage. The BE seems like a great starting point since it's not completely automatic.
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ours came in pretty decent condition tbh so couldn’t complain but I know sometimes they can come a bit scratched up.

I did look at fair few others, most pointed me to a gaggia (2nd hand) and a iberico grinder (2nd hand). As far as a bean to cup none really got the rep the BE gets for the price.

upon research I wasn’t sure how into espresso brewing I was willing to dive so the BE won it for me.
 
seems you can also still get the sage espresso maschine alone - duo temp pro, from same ebay shop @200-10%, so add a sage grinder and similar cost as a BE.

second hand/new grinders still seem exhorbitant I should have bought a mignon a couple of years back when the full fat ones were £200, but they are nearer £400 now,
brexit ? *** knows;
the design is more attractive than the rocky I have, it's current burrs are 5years in, using about 12Kg/year, so maybe I need to treat it.
 
London Coffee Festival at the end of the month.
Got my industry day tickets (thank you LCF :)) so will be heading there on the Thursday.

Will be visiting some places I've not been for almost 3 years... Prufrock for one. Love that place. Will also drop in to Origin at the British Library, Nude is just down from the LCF and Caravan is near Kings Cross. So I'm going to be thoroughly caffeinated.

More importantly, I'm going to have to visit Crosstown for Doughnuts. I will need doughnuts. :D
 
Raymond Lin said:
James Hoffmann just did a review on a few bean to cup machines.
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at least he quels the idea that oracle touch is a bean2cup machine - I'd like to know if the delonghi he tests has much better internals than their cheaper ones, or its just a more fancy exterior.

LCF
will be interesting any new home/semi machines there are, with increased WFH demand
Flibster said:
More importantly, I'm going to have to visit Crosstown for Doughnuts. I will need doughnuts.
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you have set up a mortgage £4.5 each .. if we had a deep fryer they'd be my downfall though.
 
That delonghi looks like the pick of the bunch, only let down by the milk frothing but rarely do that myself so if I were to get one, it'll be that one.

And I agree, the Sage/Breville is not bean to cup, if you have to do things to the grind yourself then it's not bean to cup.
 
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