Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

[One More Solo]

You can single dose with the mc2, but its not ideal. I weigh the beans, add to the hopper, grind through everything and re-weigh in the portafilter.

Do want a Niche though!

I've always single dosed with the MC2, as it feels like you’re introducing another massive variable by relying on the timer unless you only use one type of bean. I use a cocktail stick to wiggle out those annoying bits that get retained in the chute (rubbish design).

 

[jpaul]

- a small paintbrush is even better -

 

[TS7]

I've trying to diversify away from my usual Pact delivery and place orders with other roasters to support them.

https://www.origincoffee.co.uk/ - they have 20% of at the minute, so essentially a bag delivered for £6ish (depending on exact coffee).

https://47degreescoffee.com/ - 10% first order

https://thecoffeecounter.co.uk/ - 20% off 1kg orders

I've visited / used the above numerous times, all very good.

Any other recommendations?

 

[heeeed]

I use this local to me roastery. We buy all our coffee for work via them also as we have a few coffee nerds at work. They did us a cupping day to make our own blend for work a while back which was good fun too.
Not the cheapest but lovely coffee and I like to support local too

http://baristocracycoffee.com/

 

[Super-Spy]

I've trying to diversify away from my usual Pact delivery and place orders with other roasters to support them.

https://www.origincoffee.co.uk/ - they have 20% of at the minute, so essentially a bag delivered for £6ish (depending on exact coffee).

https://47degreescoffee.com/ - 10% first order

https://thecoffeecounter.co.uk/ - 20% off 1kg orders

I've visited / used the above numerous times, all very good.

Any other recommendations?

I have used these two in the past. They regularly have 10 to 15% discounts. Sign up to their newsletters to be notified as and when the offers are on.

https://www.brownbear.co/

https://ravecoffee.co.uk/

 

[Russinating]

We just always order local. Get all our beans for the office from True Start at the moment but there's a dozen or so roasters in Bristol plus all the house blends that are sold.

 

[mid_gen]

I've trying to diversify away from my usual Pact delivery and place orders with other roasters to support them.

https://www.origincoffee.co.uk/ - they have 20% of at the minute, so essentially a bag delivered for £6ish (depending on exact coffee).

https://47degreescoffee.com/ - 10% first order

https://thecoffeecounter.co.uk/ - 20% off 1kg orders

I've visited / used the above numerous times, all very good.

Any other recommendations?

I need to try the blends from 47 degrees.

Hadn't heard of TCC, good to know another local roastery, will try them next.

 

[TheOtherOption]

Highly tempted by a bean to cup setup - I have to say purely from an aesthetic point of view personally I've really been drawn to the Sage Oracle - haven't really got room for a grinder and the coffee machine itself so a combo unit is what I'd like!

Seen it for £1299 recently which is very tempting ... tried to get JL to price match but haven't heard back so might just dive in!

 

[Raymond Lin]

Highly tempted by a bean to cup setup - I have to say purely from an aesthetic point of view personally I've really been drawn to the Sage Oracle - haven't really got room for a grinder and the coffee machine itself so a combo unit is what I'd like!

Seen it for £1299 recently which is very tempting ... tried to get JL to price match but haven't heard back so might just dive in!

Chellenge accepted!

Sage Oracle

37.3 (W) x 36.8 x 44.7 cm

vs

Lelit Mara

22 (W) x40 x 35.5 cm

Niche Zero

12.2 (W) x 21.1 x 31.1 cm



Cost about £100 more but I would think it makes better coffee.

 

[heeeed]

crikey i must have got an old version of the niche. when did they grow?

 

[Raymond Lin]

lol, I cut and pasted the page which is in mm.

 

[TheOtherOption]

Good shout although the other issue I neglected to mention is that I've only got one power socket available where it'd be going! Fridge is using the other socket there already ... somewhat limits things really as I'd rather just have it there all the time and not be swapping things out when I needed the grinder etc

 

[Raymond Lin]

Good shout although the other issue I neglected to mention is that I've only got one power socket available where it'd be going! Fridge is using the other socket there already ... somewhat limits things really as I'd rather just have it there all the time and not be swapping things out when I needed the grinder etc

Put a 2 way adaptor, problem solved

 

[Raymond Lin]

I have a confession, I still haven't tried it yet!

2 reasons

1 - I don't have anywhere to put the beans from the hopper in the MC2 to.
2 - I want to order some nice beans which I don't have at the moment. I still have like 800g of lots of mediocre beans to finish up.

 

[jpaul]

should still improve mediocre beans ... sounds like the person with a ferrari in the garage because there are no good roads locally

I don't see enough differentiation between online coffee shops, this is just pandying to current consumer desire for (perceived) personalized products (like car options too)
where differences are, in fact, negligible, when I lived next (20miles) to a coffee roaster, always went there, and knew staff, but online find Rave sufficient for my needs.
(so - a Henry Ford attitude. )
multitude of online places pushes prices up too, they can't achieve economy of scale.


Sage Oracle / double boiler ~ at £1K+ an e61 with some pre-infusion has got to be the thing - the compact db ACS minima ? with separate grinder.

 

[Siliconslave]

random question for the lelit owners, what is the depth of your machine without the PF attached - trying to figure out if their measurements are including or excluding the portafilter?

 

[jpaul]

... pretty usual to have a pf handle overhang ... steam nozzle that can foul handle is the biggest issue I've seen

interesting article on e61's had realised there are two types, w & w/o pre-infusion, I thought they all had it.

Solenoid E61 group
These are in interesting choice and not very common nowadays on E61 prosumer machines because many prosumer machines have a rotary pump, which requires a mechanical pre-infusion chamber, not part of a solenoid group. With vibration pump machines, if the system is carefully selected and the Gicleur (pin hole) in the E61 group is the right size…no preinfusion chamber is required. This has a lot of advantages (saving money is not one of them):

Non solenoid fully mechanical E61 groups (shown above) have a little lever you move which manually actuates, cams and valves with springs. This type of group has some disadvantages when compared to well specified solenoid operated E61 groups on vibration pump machines.

E61 Lever (mechanical) group

• A fully mechanical E61 group requires lever and cam removal for lubrication after backflushing with cleaner (or descaling). If these parts are not removed each time and lubricated with a product like Dow Corning Molycote 111 (food safe), excessive wear will result.

• Lastly in the prosumer environment a vibration pump has a much slower and quite desirable pressure ramp rate compared to a Rotary pump. This gives a nice gentle, progressive puck infusion, eliminating any necessity for a E61 preinfusion chamber/device.

... COOL
I have mine on a Meross WiFi plug and have it set to accept voice on/off commands from Alexa and a saved power scheme that switches it on a 9:00 am and off at 11:59 pm every day.

 

[Siliconslave]

The root of the question was all the images on Lelit's site show with the PF attached - as per:


But its not clear if the dimensions include the PF or not, anyhow i found this which shows the measurement as sans pf:

 

[mid_gen]

Chellenge accepted!

Sage Oracle

37.3 (W) x 36.8 x 44.7 cm

vs

Lelit Mara

22 (W) x40 x 35.5 cm

Niche Zero

12.2 (W) x 21.1 x 31.1 cm



Cost about £100 more but I would think it makes better coffee.

Could also get the Mara + Eureka Specialita combo that'll come in cheaper Also a tiny bit narrower (12cm).

 

[heeeed]

The root of the question was all the images on Lelit's site show with the PF attached - as per:


But its not clear if the dimensions include the PF or not, anyhow i found this which shows the measurement as sans pf:

Don’t forget that the water tank can be moved from the back to the side as well Which makes quite a difference on dimensions