Profitec Go + Niche Zero

You’re over analysing everything,

Ideally you want a water that is not going to scale

I used rodi with the Dr pavlis water recipe using potassium bicarbonate.

Unless you’re making 10 coffees a day imo you don’t have to go crazy with the cleaning chemicals.

Get the machine, get used to it, learn a bit and by then it will be ready for a clean.

You can read and read, but till you have a play you will drive yourself nuts, believe me I know

Lol keep it simple, your first bag of coffee is likely going in the sink anyway or going to be terrible for a variety of other reasons, so just use a safe and easy water to get hold of to get going with, i.e Tesco Ashbeck.

Then you will stress about puck prep and dialing in first. That’s enough to keep you busy for a few weeks/months. Working out whether the shot is sour/bitter/both, Is it sweet, can you taste any of the notes on the bag? Do you like the body of it? Etc etc.

Consistency is something very difficult to attain I have found, so many variables including your espresso machines temperature stability etc.

For the steam wand. Purge before you put it in the milk to remove residual water. Then steam your milk. Then purge the wand immediately to remove any milk inside the wand and wipe it down with a damp cloth. Simple as that.

Good luck!

With the e61 I used to water back flush end of every coffee making activity, takes seconds and keeps it immaculate

The decent well that’s automated with a single button press 😂

Wow ok each to their own,

On the list you go

Not sure blocking anyone who disagrees with you is the way to go personally…. If someone is abusive then sure. But a different opinion?

Without going political, you don’t silence your “opposition”, at least not in a democracy anyway….

Twotone2 Back flushing does nothing.

Why do you believe this and what do you believe backflushing is meant to do?

Each to their own and I’m not exactly Mr. Clean when it comes to espresso machines but back flushing with Cafiza/Pulycaff etc 100% does do something.

Have a look at a shower screen before and after back flushing and any oils are pretty quickly removed. Same as soaking baskets and spouted portafilters. You can literally see the difference.

Tal when you have been at the end of quote a few nasty tongues like I have in the past year I find it quicker and easier not to read what they write

I have no interest in what they have to say,

Saves me time and the hassle. It’s a coffee forum I visit for fun.

Twotone2 The rats or whatever those animals are look nice

They look like capivaras (capybaras). Biggest living rodent, and native of South America.

I make a concentrate, as it’s easier to dose. And you can store in a cold place,

1g per 100ml of rodi/distilled water

10ml of concentration to 1l of rodi/distilled water

This is for potassium , when you use sodium you have to add more from memory.

Enjoy your journey

I would advice a good tamper one that self levels, and a cheap wdt tool you don’t need spinners or other gadgets, the normcore dosing funnels work well and are cheap, the tamper is ok but a bit wobbly. If you can find a used decent tamper they self level and are about £40 used.

Cuprajake This is for potassium , when you use sodium you have to add more from memory

I keep the same for both :) - works for me. 👍 - but… if I remember correctly, to get the same alkalinity, you’ll need to add slightly more of potassium bicarbonate… if I remember 20% more. So, from memory, I think it’s the opposite of what Jake’s said 😊

MediumRoastSteam I knew it was more one way 😂

NespressotoEspresso For example, can I just buy 5 litres of distilled water and add 0.5g/500mg of potassium or sodium bicarbonate to the 5 litres, then agitate it and after that a resting period of 5-10 minutes, add that mixture to the Go and use it?

You can. But I’d make sure that distilled/filtered/RO water you are buying is safe to drink first.

It also depends on your consumption. 5L for me would last 3 weeks, maybe longer. Whatever you do, make sure you keep the water in a suitable container, in a cool place and well sealed.

NespressotoEspresso - echoing a bit of what Jake is saying, I’ll put a list here of what you’ll need with your machine.

Essentials:

• PulyCaf or Cafiza for backflushing
• a milk jug if you drink milk based drinks
• good water, as above
• a good set of scales, capable to measure to 0.1g accuracy, compact so you can fit on the drip tray of your machine and slim so there’s enough clearance. Don’t go wild - if you have spent £20, you probably spent too much;
• an espresso cup, a flat white/latte art cup to your taste;
• a good tamper, as per Jake’s post above;

What you don’t need, ever:

• nonsense to clean milk residue (her a good standard of hygiene in the first place);
• citric acid for descaling your machine;

what you may consider in the near future:

• WDT tool and funnel;
• a bottomless portafilter;

Later on:

• silicone group gasket;
• better baskets;
• more paraphernalia;
• fancy cups;
• shot mirror;
• puck screen;
• filter papers;

Brainbox biggest challenge was to get the grinder in a somewhat reasonable setting, but as far as I know the Niche Zero has a better fineness setting indication

Not necessarily. The Mignon is perfectly fine grinder - providing you use it as intended. Removing the declumper, single dosing etc… it’s not what it is for. But if you use it as it tells you to - fill up the hopper, grind, keep the hopper topped up etc, it’s an incredible consistent grinder with an adjustment mechanism where you can make very minor tweaks very easily - profiling you stay in the espresso range - which is what it is for.