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

simonc

Doram not as extreme as your curved PF but yes the bottom tapers in so it’s a bit below the basket. I
’m using the lightest hardest (niche zero stalls and sage oracle on holiday couldn’t grind a single bean) beans I’ve ever had. A geisha from Django as their rare and unusual subscription. The pour does not look pretty and rarely comes together to a single cone. Often 2 or 3. I have messed with my prep so much but finally accepting it’s the beans. As the espresso doesn’t seem to come together in the middle it’s catching on the curved bottom of the PF.
I will get a more standard medium bean to test with.
Thanks

Cuprajake

Light roast generally won’t go into one peak they look ugly.

Go off taste not looks

Vids are prefect to show what you need for this

MediumRoastSteam

Cuprajake - totally agree with Jake here. Some beans, usually light roasted and particularly Kenyan for me, they taste amazing in the cup, but man… the extraction from a bottomless is nothing to look at.

simonc

MediumRoastSteam yeah agree and I drink almost exclusively light and med light but this is extreme.
Still might use it for a new bottomless PF though 😃

Verion

I’m waiting for my ACS bottomless portafilter and about to pair with an IMS ridged basket jobbie when it finally gets shipped from Black Cat Coffee.

Thought about changing the shower screen to the IMS equivalent, but not sure if it’s worth it.

Has anyone seen much improvement?

Evgenibgr

Verion

I have used these shower screens.

IMS E61200NT and IMS E&B LAB E61200RNT

The first has more aroma combined with body than the original. The second one has even more aroma from E61200NT and a little less body. Personally, I like the second one better and stay with it.

My opinion is that it makes sense to change the shower screen. Others people don’t think so, but everyone has an own opinion.

Abstracted

@DavecUK I’m about to pull the trigger on a dual boiler, the Bellezza Francesca Leva, imported into the US for about $1,375 all-in.

I love the MCM design of the Minima though. Please convince me to pay about $200 more for the Minima!

DavecUK

Abstracted I love the MCM design of the Minima though. Please convince me to pay about $200 more for the Minima!

Rather than convince you, I can only present you with “facts” covering differences based on what I could glean from the BF website….vs Minima (BF machine statement first)

Boilers are 1 litre each, vs 800 ml brew and 2.3 litre service…minima is likely to be a much better steamer
They state stainless on the outside (bit vague), implication inside might be painted/powdercoated mild steel…vs all stainless
External glass water tank vs Internal Tank (I like external glass tanks, as I have a Puristica), but they have their issues vs internal tanks!
Vague statement about water sensing so your last shot completes, I cannot see a water sensor in the tank. v s full last shot protection and protection from autofill engaging during the shot in the Minima
It had a lever group vs a solenoid group (maintenance and backflushing are easier on the solenoid group as no lubrication is required and there is not much to wear out.

Minima is now a mature and well tested product…I don’t really know thee history of the BF machines. The machine looks very nice though and you have to decide if looks and features are worth the extra $200. The other consideration is whether the retailer is local or not.

Read the “reviews” carefully (which look cookie cutter, probably because the other forum has been spammed with the promotion) and real user comments.

https://coffeesnobs.com.au/forum/equipment/brewing-equipment-extreme-machines-3000/941960-bellezza-francesca-review

If you do get the BF machine, definitely give us a rundown on it and take the top off for a few photos of the internals, would be very interested to see it.

Abstracted

DavecUK

Thank you so much Dave for your input!

To further the discussion…

It has a lever group vs a solenoid group (maintenance and backflushing are easier on the solenoid group as no lubrication is required and there is not much to wear out.

If I’m making 4 shots a day, how often will I need to lubricate a lever group? And how difficult is it to do generally?

They state stainless on the outside (bit vague)

I found out that the BF has a “Body made from…301 polished stainless steel.”

Additional differences between the two:

BF uses a OLAB pump
BF has programmable preinfusion
BF has cool touch wands
I’d import the BF from Canada. And the Canadian retailer includes a 2 year warranty. I’d import the Minima from Maria/Elcor direct.

You mentioned looking at the internals. Here’s a photo I found. It’s not the best, but it’s something…

MediumRoastSteam

Abstracted If I’m making 4 shots a day, how often will I need to lubricate a lever group? And how difficult is it to do generally?

About once a month.

http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/e61-lubrication

Backflush it first.

Ps: you don’t need to lubricate the lever cam on the Minima, and you can backflush it as many times and as often as you wish.

Waitforme

Maybe it’s just me but I would suggest that the Minima service boiler is a bit too big for the average household making a latte or two.

Heating 2.3 litres of water to 125 deg c needs a lot of energy. I’d rather have slightly less steaming power and a 1 litre service boiler.

YMMV though.

MediumRoastSteam

Waitforme I’d rather have slightly less steaming power and a 1 litre service boiler.

Elizabeth is 600ml and does a fine job.

DavecUK

MediumRoastSteam Elizabeth is 600ml and does a fine job.

That it does…I think the Minima sizing is for that extra bit of punch when making a number of Lattes…It certainly works well for the exhibitions.

MediumRoastSteam

DavecUK I think the Minima sizing is for that extra bit of punch when making a number of Lattes…It certainly works well for the exhibitions.

Exactly. The Minima offers incredible performance for it’s price. It certainly delivers. But for someone like me, who has a latte in the morning and an espresso after lunch, heating all those 2.3L of water from cold for a 30s of steam seems a little over the top. Now, if I had to make 3 or 4 coffees in a row for the family, then it would’ve been a different story.

Abstracted

@DavecUK I think you’re right about not having a low water sensor. But since it’s got an external tank perhaps I won’t need it.

So I think all in all it boils down to this in my use case. I’m exchanging:

Established manufacturing,
Little to no maintenance,
A supportive user community,
And cool aesthetics

For

Programmable preinfusion,
External water tank,
No burn wands
And $200.

Does that sound about right?

Abstracted

MediumRoastSteam

The Minima offers incredible performance for it’s price.

But does it really? It looks like for $200 less there’s better performance to be had.

I’m not trying to troll. I’m honestly trying to see the light here.

DavecUK

Abstracted I’m not trying to troll. I’m honestly trying to see the light here.

Just go with your gut and buy the one you like best.

MediumRoastSteam

Abstracted - no idea. I never seen that Francesca, so can’t say anything. Irrespectively, you are importing both machines. But… what if something goes wrong with the Francesca? With the Minima, you know there’s a parts only warranty and you know you have ACS support to fix that.

Abcan

You can turn the steam boiler off if you’re only making espresso. It’s definitely horses for course though. The minima suits my use perfectly as I make multiple milky drinks almost every time. Sounds like it would be a waste for your use.

Abstracted

DavecUK My brain says Francesca. My heart says Minima…

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