Also hopped across from the other forum - follower of many forums but only an occasional participant as most people have better theoretical/technical knowledge and my wife has a better palate. British but live in Prague - it’s better that way - having the wealth of exotic choices on UK classifieds relatively far from reach has saved me a lot of money! Expobar Leva DB + Niche now, previously Rancilio Silvia & Gaggia MDF / Baratza Sette 270. Would drive back to the UK for a used Cremina / Evo / Londinium though :D

Guess after finding this forum from previous coffee forum and folk leaving thought I would like to join here. Thank you for setting up the site excellent seeing so many of the old regulars here

Thanks DavecUK. Nice to be here!

Hi everyone

Like others, I also learned about this new forum from members of the CoffeeF***m and joined.

I have long been a coffee enthusiast, but I am only just making my first meaningful steps as a home barista, although I have owned a Sage barista express for > 1 year now.

I love espresso based drinks, and typically spend a lot of my free time reading/watching/ experimenting on blends/ brew ratios/ grind settings and the like.

I am looking forward to interacting with you all and demystifying the wonderful world of home brewing!

Former Data Center Architect and current Technical Marketing guy. Home coffee roaster and espresso puller that is thankful I don’t have to try to make a living at my hobby - as I’d probably fail miserably.

Pete
ACS Vesuvius, Evo Leva, Minima, Cafelot Robot
Qty 2, Femobook A68, Niche Zero
Arc800 RTD Roaster

Hi all 👋

I’ve just flipped over from “the forum that shall not be named”. Been an irregular poster and lurker there since 2014

Thanks for setting this all up :)

My coffee journey has gone to another level and hopefully this year the final level in terms of kit….but maybe I shouldn’t have said that?!?!?,…..totally loving my Lelit Bianca purchased this last year and I’ve switched my water to an Osmio Zero. I prefer light to medium roasts, rarely dar but I have my moments! shout out to Stewarts of Trent Bridge who are the primary supply to my addiction!

Just started on this forum today. Living in Fukuoka, Japan. Been in coffee and espresso my whole adult life, love the taste, but now trying to seriously improve my game. Currently using a La Spaziale Vivaldi Mini (7 years) and Niche (2 months). Looking for new horizons and experiences to explore in espresso and espresso-based drinks. I trust I found the place here.

Robin

Hi,

My name is Ross, just joined today looking for advice on a new machine.

I had a bean to cup machine for 5 years. When that eventually broke I had a Sage Oracle for 2 years which has now gone.

I ordered a Niche last year which has now arrived so it’s time to move the coffee journey on too the next level!

Cheers

Ross

Morning. Long-time but infrequent poster of the other forum. Recently logged on as trying to sell grinder to see that traffic seemed way down. I now realise why! All the best with the forum and I will be visiting regularly.

Currently using:

Niche Zero

Vesuvius

V60

Greetings all. Longtime lurker on CFUK all the virtual way from Southern California. I’m years into my coffee hobby that began with a Krups drip machine and a Braun blade grinder. 

Discovered v60 pour overs about 5 years ago after visiting Blue Bottle and experiencing the most incredible coffee I’d ever had at the time. 

My explorations extended to French press, Aeropress, and Moka Pot. 

During the pandemic my interest expanded to include espresso. Read up on all I could about e61 and saturated groups, lever machines, single and dual boilers and HX.

Settled on a MaraX a year ago based on your famously thorough review @DavecUK and my budget. Thank you! 

Also wanna thank @Doram for the equally thorough explanation of the OPV redirect mod with images and subsequent diagrams (I did the original mod you provided). 

I find learning the espresso craft is a lot like learning to golf. That one lovely swing among many poor and a few mediocre ones keeps me pursuing that next great shot. It seems like a never ending quest of experimentation, gear, developing and refining, to make repeatable. 

Hi everyone. New member here. Based in the Uk and trying to break my addiction to, dare I say it - “Nespresso”!!! Originally got into decent espresso many years ago after a work trip to Italy. At that time I bought a Gaggia Classic - got frustrated at my inability to get consistently good shots so got rid of it. Regret that now! That was when Nespresso entered the scene. Now looking to come back to real coffee. Got my 1zpresso grinder for Christmas. Got an Aeropress. Looking to get a second hand espresso machine as next step. Covid putting my career on hold means funds are limited! Recommendations always welcome. Here to learn.

You’re on a slippery slope now!
The best advice I got when starting out was to concentrate on the grinder & beans first. I joined the forum looking for upgrade advice for my espresso machine and ended up buying a grinder (I was using pre-ground coffee like an animal :) ). It totally transformed my coffee.
Needless to say, I did end up upgrading the machine a few times and I’ve had a few grinders now too.
Hope the career hold doesn’t last much longer for you.

8 days later

Hi Everyone

Ive been French pressing for a few years & recently purchased A Niche grinder (still in its Box) with a view to purchasing an expresso machine, have a budget of around £1,500, I am considering the ECM Slim & the Bezzera Magica PID.

The ECM was recommended by a retailer after a 15 min chat, saw the WLL you tube clip on the Bezzera Factory & thought they looked like a quality build.

I suspect it would be used for about 4- 6 drinks a day espresso for me milk based for the wife.

Before I purchase any machine, I would like a better under standing of how you ‘know’ what the temperature is of the water coming out of the group head for the espresso?.

& how you would make an adjustment in temp for the type of beans being used?.

I suppose I am asking in relation to the two machines mentioned one with a PID & one without & alternatives that have the same/similar make up.

I have viewed many you tube clips & am still confused.

Any advice or thoughts on the machines would be greatly appreciated.

    MRMC1114 , the machine I have my understanding is that the difference in temperature between group and boiler is through the offset programmed into PID.

    So I set my temp to say 93 but the boiler will actual be at perhaps 103.

    Others with more knowledge will no doubt be along to chip in …..

        Waitforme So I set my temp to say 93 but the boiler will actual be at perhaps 103.

        Others with more knowledge will no doubt be along to chip in …..

        This is correct for all but Rocket machines, unless they finally changed their programming to have an offset. @Hotmetal will be able to tell you more about the Rocket system.

        Contact me

          I don’t know about later Rockets but my early R58 doesn’t have a programmable or factory offset, even though Dave recommended to them that they should build one in. So on mine, I have to set the “Group temp” (actually the brew boiler temp) to 107 to get 94 at the group. E61 machines can be fitted with a group thermometer, of which there are a couple available that mount in place of the screw on the front diagonal part. I have not bothered to do this but it’s not difficult.

          DavecUK unstickied the discussion .

          Hello there!
          New here, i lived with an Oscar II by Nuova Simonelli + Eureka Specialità, and now upgraded to ACS Vesuvius Evo Leva + Niche Zero.

          Happy to be here and leam to get the best from coffee

          • pbg replied to this.