So there's a lot of people buying Minimas on here at the moment and a few experienced users so I thought a thread dedicated to the Minima with questions / information on the machine would be useful to myself and the others who have recently purchased and are about to take the plunge (and to prevent myself from hijacking other people's threads). One question I have to kick us off is about the brew boiler and PID. For some reason my Minima does not seem to like bring set at 93 degrees. Despite me having it set at 93, the display shows it settling at 94. I'm not sure if this is indicative of an issue or standard behaviour. It occasionally will drop to 93 but then goes up to 94 again

Edit…I've just found the PID Values Explained section at the back of the manual where it explains this is normal.

Mine does the same and I confirmed with other Minima users when I bought the machine.

> @"dutchy101"#p6482 Edit…I’ve just found the PID Values Explained section atvthe back of the manual where it explains this is normal. Very good manual that one…, online version available as well. https://sway.office.com/xofz72xFBgYyiWqi?ref=Link

@"dutchy101"#56 @"HVL87"#57 How have you found the stock filter baskets? I'm already thinking of upgrading, but won't do unecessarily quickly - although that is also partly tamper dependent.

@"PortafilterProcrastinator"#p6679 they are fine. Easier to pull a nice looking bottomless shot - in my opinion that doesn’t mean much. I moved on to a 18g VST to optimise my shots as much as possible.

It's been a bit of a transition for me this week as I've changed from Sage 54mm baskets and didn't have a 58mm tamper until a few days after the machine arrived. I got a new distributor yesterday which has also helped so still finding my feet a bit with the stock baskets, but pretty happy with them so far

Thanks both, if they're a similar ID then I can get a tamper (thinking bravo ATM) first and upgrade the basket later when looking for refinement, rather than just trying to make something palatable!

Yeah - I've got a Nomcore 58.5mm tamper on order and coming this week so will get a better handle on things once that has arrived

@"dutchy101"#p6686 I'd be really interested and grateful to hear how you get on. How are you finding the Minima overall?

Absolutely loving it - so glad I went with it I'm really enjoying using it. How about you? Made my wife a tea using water from the service boiler to drain some water this morning and she commented how much better it looked and tasted (using the zero and remineralised water I've been making up).

The General ACS Minima Thread

dutchy101

I’m using this gripmat. Cheap and does the job.

DIVCHI Multi-Purpose Anti Slip/Non-Slip Carpet Rug Flooring Mat Gripper Pad 30cm x 120cm,Black

PortafilterProcrastinator

DavecUK It was well packaged. Came on a small wooden crate and there was lots of that Polystyrene sheet inside. The machine was in a plastic bag too.

PortafilterProcrastinator

@dutchy101 Thanks, those photos are really helpful! I will try that position too.

Im not very successful at getting the ‘ripping’ ‘shredding’ sound at the moment.

That mat is what I’ll probably end up with. Blends in well with the black machine, but might stick out a bit on the SS.

dutchy101

Fairly sure you can get different colours - maybe a grey would work better with the ss

HVL87

PortafilterProcrastinator The thing that needs serious works is my milk steaming. It is atrocious. I am re-watching Lance Hedrick’s videos.

Question: where do people position their steam want to steam milk? I haven’t found my preferred position yet.

I posted this before but here you go:

That’s with a 3 hole steam tip. Which tip are you using?

Personally I wouldn’t try any funny angles with the steam wand, it just makes it more difficult to be consistent. Just push the steam wand as far back as it goes in a straight line, and rest the wand in the spout of the pitcher as above.

It will take time to become consistent with milk steaming. In fact I was discussing this with @DavecUK and he suggested a longer purge and to begin steaming whilst the heating element is still on (coming up to set temp after purge). This seems to help with consistency so far although I have to steam some more. Otherwise I noticed the flow can be inconsistent and aggressive at times.

dutchy101

Intersting to see and I’m going to try this too - I can definitely see this would be an easier position to maintain but manually steaming milk is is quite new to me and i was trying to recreate an angle in the jug from my previous macine.

I found that the rubber finger holder was getting in the way in other positions but maybe it is better to work around this.

I’ve got a 2 hole tip on mine

HVL87

dutchy101 i was trying to recreate an angle in the jug from my previous macine.

Yeah that’s fair enough.

dutchy101 I found that the rubber finger holder was getting in the way in other positions but maybe it is better to work around this.

What size milk jug are you using? As I’m only using a 350ml pitcher I don’t have that problem. If you go larger I can understand it being an issue.

dutchy101 I’ve got a 2 hole tip on mine

I find the 2 hole needs a slightly different position in the jug - further back in the jug and angling pitcher backwards. I try to move the jug to adjust the angle as opposed to moving the steam wand itself, if that makes sense.

HVL87

PortafilterProcrastinator There are a couple of areas that need another go over, but I am conscious I don’t want to scratch or dull the SS.

I think someone suggested using WD40 to clean the drip tray. @Cuprajake did you end up using it? Maybe I’m wrong.

dutchy101

Yes I’m using a 500ml jug which probably makes a difference. Part of the rationale for my positioning was to get my hand away from the very hot group. Having my grinder on the right of the machine (looking at it) I also want to keep the steam away from that as much as possible.

PortafilterProcrastinator

dutchy101 This was my thinking, but I’ve ended up progressively further over to the left and then it’s awkward with the steam knob.

I’ll try over to the right, but you’re right - I’ll be watching the neck of my hand!

HVL87

@dutchy101 looking at @PortafilterProcrastinator steam wand it looks like ACS have moved the rubber grip further up the steam wand. Unless it’s movable, although I doubt it.

DavecUK

HVL87

HVL87 ooking at @PortafilterProcrastinator steam wand it looks like ACS have moved the rubber grip further up the steam wand. Unless it’s movable, although I doubt it.

It’s movable, they have to slide them on.

HVL87

DavecUK well that solves our problem 😄

dutchy101

Yes that looks correct. Maybe I just need to move mine up a bit

DavecUK

HVL87 It does…unless they have glued them on….Just kidding, silicone doesn’t glue well to steel.

dutchy101

Voila. I honestly thought it was fixed lol

Snooze

This thread is really making me doubt (again and again) my next machine choice! I went from Lelit MaraX to Bianca, back to MaraX but now I’m wondering if I should not get this Minima! In black with wooden knobs it would be amazing. I just sent them an email but not sure if they deliver in Canada. Anyone here they got one delivered in Canada?

Also I was under the impression that a flow control with a vibration pump was not really the best combination. Is it a good match for the Minima? That was one of the feature I liked about the Bianca.

Thanks all!

Matt

MediumRoastSteam

Snooze flow control with a vibration pump was not really the best combination

Plenty people using flow control with vibe pumps on MaraX, Minima, Profitec 500/600, Rockets. It’s not an issue at all.

See this on the Minima: https://coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpress.com/2019/08/30/acs-minima-with-lelit-flow-profiling-kit/

PortafilterProcrastinator

Snooze

A very different beast to the MaraX, being a dual boiler.

Minima will be more temp stable and have more steam power. You can more easily and more quickly do back to back drinks pulling shots and steaming. Will be noiser, due to the MaraX having the QuietX pump.

The Bianca has a rotary pump and more technology inside. Minima is a more ‘traditional’ machine, so really depends how much playing/ experimenting you want to do.

@Cuprajake Has had both, now has the Bianca, so might be able to provide more info.

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