The General ACS Minima Thread

One interesting tidbit about the Minima. The espresso cup “riser” (i.e. platform) is 13cm x 10cm x3cm so you have to get a pretty small scale to fit on that. Or maybe it is easier to use without the riser? Currently in process of purchasing it so I am trying to think about the workflow as it will actually carry out.

Say lessss. you answered my question

As there are plenty of ACS Minima owners here I have a question for you all regarding payment. ACS issued me a proforma or what I would call an invoice. they then included bank account details to a bank in Lithuania. Not that that matters to me but after inserting the IBAN information for ACS’s recipient bank, my bank said it looks like a scam. I’m not thinking it is at all. But just wondering if any of you had similar process in your purchase?

The best way to check is to phone ACS using a known contact number on their website (not one that’s been emailed to you) and ask them to confirm their bank details. That should mean that there is no chance of a scam

gregE Not a scam, Paolo uses a Lithuanian account.

Love all these suggestions to confirm. Thanks all

gregE I had the same concern (and a lengthy phone call with my bank’s counter fraud dept!) when I was purchasing my Minima last month.

As others have said - not a scam.

I’m now the proud owner of this golden boy:

Ah, you bought a nice machine there, very popular in Saudi.

clamage My one regret is I didn’t realise that flow control was now offered as a factory option, so I’m saving up again for the Lelit kit.

That is a shame…probably cheaper getting ACS to fit it.

clamage that looks amazing!

gregE I love it!

I’m going to try and make some custom knobs and PF handles from ebonised oak. I’ll post here when I’m done.

clamage I opted for no flow control, even though I was open to it. In hindsight, I do like the simplicity of it all as it is. Good output regardless.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286439452512?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=xf_Y0nhRRLe&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=8nPtpNt4SJC&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

clamage My one regret is I didn’t realise that flow control was now offered as a factory option, so I’m saving up again for the Lelit kit.

I fitted the ecm flow control to my synchronika. Had it fitted approx 1 maybe 2 months. Realised I’d read too many comments and watched too many videos.

Returned the machine to stock and sold it 😎

Some machines just work. i suspect the minima is one of them

I added the coffee sensor flow kit but it needed too much movement to affect the shot.

Adrianmsmith Interesting - I’m definitely guilty of getting sucked in by the same kinds of comments/vids.
Did it just not do what you were hoping/expecting or did it not work / make it worse?
I have the Robot and love the control it gives, but I do struggle with light roasts (and I do like these). My hope was that the temperature control/stability of the Minima plus flow control might give me what I’ve after. But a big part is also that I loke to tinker…

clamage Yes, I have a Robot as well, and really appreciate the feel it gives. The manual flow may give you what you are looking for on the Minima, but the results from backing off on flow (e.g. manual flow valves or flow controlled machines) versus backing off on pressure (levers, pressure profilers like the Vesuvius, etc.) may be different.

Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I find light roast can be a pain in the rear because they are light - not because of the machine. At the end of the day it might be the bean and the roast, with limited options on what you can really do with it.

One idea you could try on your Minima is to do a salami shot, and discern the tastes through the different phases of the shot. If the tailing 6-10 seconds of the shots yields some unpleasant tones from the lighter roast using its flat 9b of pressure, then perhaps some restricted flow (or just cutting the shot off short) might help.