I’m now the proud owner of the ECM Mechanika Max machine after upgrading a big step from the Gaggia classic. Wow what a machine, had it just over a week now and very pleased with it. I intend to do some energy tests soon to confirm whether it’s best to leave on or turn off each time after making a coffee. We would normally have 3 to 4 coffees a day from 8:00am to no later than 4:00pm each day.

ECM Mechanika Max

DavecUK

coffeelover Welcome to the forum, I’ve had the Max for around 3 or 4 months now…it’s a great machine and very clever. I recommend using it in BC2 mode pretty much exclusively. Mine is on around 10 hours per day and uses about 1.2kW total, I make anything up to 6-8 double coffees a day.

I think you’d find it more convenient to leave it on all day…it’s clever design means it doesn’t use as much power. Especially if you like milk drinks.

coffeelover

Thank you for the welcome, yes mine is in bc2 mode and I also find (probable coming from the Gaggia) I don’t need to boost the steam either as there’s more than enough.

It is looking at the moment that’s its more economical keeping it on all day as the machine is so efficient.

It was the clever design in efficiency that made me take such a big jump from the Gaggia that I bought 2nd hand in 2018 for £70 and modified it with pid, steam arm etc. over the years.

The only mod so far on the Max has been an IMS screen and basket. Perhaps in the future I might look at wooden accents and flow control, but that’s a long way off for now.

Radecki82

After almost 2 years with Belleza Bellona I have started to consider upgrading my machine. Now that I have learned the secrets of brewing tasty espresso and how this all DB stuff works (including my daily routine with cups of coffee) I’m leaning more and more towards HX. My main criteria are: rotary pump, flow control, max width 28cm, programmable on/off or possibility to use smart plug.

Bezzera Aria PID was my first-choice candidate but then I saw ECM Mechanika MAX, looks like it will be upgrading from budget DB to high-end HX ;)

Do I understand it well that if I install Flow Control then neither passive nor active preinfusion doesn’t make sense and both can be switched off? In that case I control water flow (pressure) myself?

DavecUK

Radecki82 Do I understand it well that if I install Flow Control then neither passive nor active preinfusion doesn’t make sense and both can be switched off? In that case I control water flow (pressure) myself?

Welcome to the forum. Preinfusion can still make sense as it saves you having to close and open the paddle…

Radecki82

Thanks Dave.
Taking into account that I will be using a water tank, my understanding is as follows:

passive preinfusion, solenoid valve is open for X sec., then closed for N sec. and then pump is being on, so no pressure at the beginning, it’s just simple pre-wetting
active preinfusion, pump is on for X sec. within lower pressure (up to 2 bars?) and after that time pump starts to work with 9 bars
flow control, customizable active preinfusion manually, for example I can start with 2 bars for 20 sec., then 9 bars for 15 sec. and 6 bars to the end of brewing

I like this idea to combine active and passive preinfusion, thanks to that we make sure that our ground coffee is soaked fully to have even extraction (I don’t like pre-wetting because only the top layer is wet then). On the other hand, using FC, I can decide myself about pressure and time throughout the whole extraction process.

I’m still wondering about temp. stability in long running during the day. Did you measure somehow a real temp of water which goes to group head? Does additional PID probe before the group head work well? For example: BT2 is set, morning espresso is done, machine is still running for 2 hours, I want to make another espresso, do I need to do anything else before that?

MediumRoastSteam

Radecki82 BT2 is set, morning espresso is done, machine is still running for 2 hours, I want to make another espresso, do I need to do anything else before that?

I’ve seen and had coffee from that machine. Dave explained how it works. If you leave the machine idling for 2 hours, it will idle. Presumably it has an “Eco” mode too, I can’t remember. When you wake the machine up, it will do it’s thing and will let you know when the machine is ready to brew, by either asking you to wait until the set temperature is reached, or, if necessary, to flush. It’s quite clever.

Cuprajake

there very clever, but they’re up there in price thats for sure

coffeelover

I have been using the ECM Max for a few weeks now and love it. I’ve also been monitoring its power.

Heating up from cold takes around 25 minutes and costs around 9p each time. Ive had 3 coffee’s today, 1 around 7:40am, another around 12:00 and the last one around 2:45pm. By turning the machine on and off each time it would have worked out around 27p by the end of the day. Instead, leaving it on from 7:15am till 3:00pm worked out at 13p total as can be seen from the graph below:

The graph above also shows the power in Watts throughout the 8 hours it was left on today. It can clearly be seen during each brew how the power increased to around 1400W, but in-between brews it was cycling around 250W to keep the temperature stable.

Below shows a zoomed in reeding of the power in Watts from 9:00am to 10:00 today while the machine was idle.

Regarding the temperature stability, the group head stayed constant all day despite being covered to hold the heat in. The brew temp is set for 90°C and although the machine is showing 91°C on the PID the group is showing almost 90°C. This picture was taken today around 12:00 after I uncovered the group, the machine had been left on for around 4 hours with no cooling flushes.

I have been very surprised how stable and how cheep its been to run this machine, leaving it on all day was something I never wanted to do assuming the energy price but it just goes to show.

MediumRoastSteam

coffeelover - I’d remove that sticker from the group while the machine is still new.

It’s a lovely machine, congrats!

Radecki82

Thank you @coffeelover for this significant comment on the use of the machine 👍

You measure static the group head temperature, I think measuring temp. of water under full pressure would have you get slightly different values. Anyway looks like quite nice achievement for ECM regarding reaching the set temperature and its stability in HX. If I understand User Manual correctly you can also change the E11 offset to have right temperature at output (brewing temp.)

Have you played around with active/passive preinfusion? If so, what are your thoughts on that?
How many cm is the espresso machine at its widest point?
Are you using stock shower screen and basket?
Can I share your pictures and translate some notes on the biggest Polish coffee forum? 🙂

coffeelover

Radecki82 Have you played around with active/passive preinfusion? If so, what are your thoughts on that?
How many cm is the espresso machine at its widest point?
Are you using stock shower screen and basket?
Can I share your pictures and translate some notes on the biggest Polish coffee forum? 🙂

I haven’t had much time to play around with different settings etc.

27.5cm wide

No, I changed the screen to a IMS and I already had a IMS basket

Yes sure, No problem. Let us know their thoughts or send us a link.

coffeelover

MediumRoastSteam

MediumRoastSteam I’d remove that sticker from the group while the machine is still new.

Oh really, do they cause a mark then? Thanks for the heads up.

FadedFrontiers

coffeelover it can melt and leave a bit of residue that takes quite some effort to remove, easier to get off when it’s new!

Radecki82

@coffeelover Thanks. One more question regarding size, is 44.5cm of deep counts to the end of drip tray or rather to the end of portafilter?

DavecUK

Radecki82 Thanks. One more question regarding size, is 44.5cm of deep counts to the end of drip tray or rather to the end of portafilter?

Drip tray

coffeelover

Radecki82 Is 44.5cm of deep counts to the end of drip tray or rather to the end of portafilter?

Yes it is to the end of the DT, it’s 55.5cm to the end of PF

MediumRoastSteam

There’s a review by Lance Hedrick of this machine. I’m yet to watch it.

Radecki82

MediumRoastSteam Thanks for letting me know, I have prepared a cold brew with tonic for this evening, it will be watching soon 🙂

MediumRoastSteam

I just watched it. For anyone interested:

coffeelover

Bella Barista have a ‘Used once’ ECM Mechanika Max for sale https://bellabarista.co.uk/products/ecm-mechanika-max-espresso-machine-used?_pos=1&_sid=c5661880b&_ss=r if anyones interested.