Hi folks,

There is almost NO information on here or anywhere else about the ECM Germany machines other than the one speculative thread about the HX performance and the company history thread from 2008. I see that 1st-Line is importing them and the Technika IV seems to be quite a nice machine at a fair price for an HX with a rotary. However, I am very hesitant due to the relative obscurity (in the USA anyhow?) of the company and the product - with the lack of reviews, end-users or name recognition I am concerned about hidden quality issues, replacement parts, etc.

It seems the specs are generally an improvement to the Rocket (the other ECM?) Giotto Evoluzione and at a $400 discount. Any comments on that assessment?

Is there any additional information out there that I am missing? Does anyone own one of recent purchase? Anything?

Thanks!
spaz

I did just now find a nice, albeit dated, review of a ECM machine by Bellabarista. Here it is if anyone is interested:

http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/pdf/ECMMe ... lookv1.pdf

I too am a little surprised with the lack of discussion on these machines. I really believe it takes awhile for new machines to catch on, especially one from a company with a similar name as the Italian maker of the aforementioned Rocket machines. It's like anything new or different, people sometimes don't want to take a chance and therefore stick with the old standards. Not a problem, there's a lot of great choices out to be had. As for that thread back in 2008.... I wouldn't rely too much on 4 year old info. I happen to be one of the ones willing to take a chance and so far haven't been disappointed. I may be a little different than most, but I wanted a machine that wasn't as popular and prevalent as most of the others. I did my homework.... back and forth, this and that, and came to the conclusion that Jim at 1st-Line also must have done his homework to start up with a new line from Germany. Heck, someones buying these machines.... one or two of the models is always out of stock for a short period. I have the Technika tank model (posted a photo in setup pics a couple of months ago), which so far has performed flawlessly and has had excellent results. It's well laid out with quality parts and build. The only adjustment made to date was lowering the brew pressure to 9.5, which improved the espresso quality. I think there is a lot of value here. The introductory price was probably on the low side to try and establish the new brand, but has already gone up 10%+. I guess I made the right decision at the right time when I bought. Anyway, the ECM Germany machines are worth looking at.

Guys,

This is a HX E61 machine, so parts availability are plentiful. Buy it from a reputable dealer so you get good warranty support from the initial purchase, but once the warraty runs out you can still easily obtain any replacement parts you may need. It has a very good build spec, so it should run trouble free for quite some time provided you perform general maintenance and keep it on a steady diet of good water.

As for performance, it'll perform just like any other E61 HX, with the minor differences being attributed to set-up boiler pressures and steam wands/tips.

Hope this helps.

I too just purchased an ECM Technika. Haven't made any espresso yet--still waiting for a grinder to arrive--but the machine is gorgeous and seems to work perfectly thus far (boiler fills; water comes out of group head, steam and water wands; gauges work, etc.).

I too am frustrated by the lack of info/accessories. I wanted to buy the ECM tamper and tamping station, but the only site (in English) where I could find them is bellabarista.co.uk, and they wanted $88 in postage to the U.S. Yikes! I hope 1st-Line will be carrying some of this stuff soon.

caryet: how did adjust brew pressure? If I take off the cup warmer I see a little black box with a yellow knob on it. There is, however, no big slotted screw on top as is shown in some of the videos of ECM machines.

wsfarrell wrote:caryet: how did adjust brew pressure? If I take off the cup warmer I see a little black box with a yellow knob on it. There is, however, no big slotted screw on top as is shown in some of the videos of ECM machines.

That sound like your pressurestat, which will adjust your boiler pressure, not your brew pressure. You'll need to adjust your OPV for that. You want it to be around 9.0 bar and can raise or lower to suit your taste.

Here is a thread that might help you.

Most helpful, thanks.

Note that I don't feel a need to change pressure at this point, I just feel a need to know how.

I adjusted the brew pressure at the pump. The tank version has a hole on the bottom at the back of the machine where the rotary pump pressure adjustement screw can be accessed, although the screw and the hole may not line up too well. If it doesn't you will have to remove the side and back panels to get at the screw. It doesn't take much rotation to change the brew pressure. I actually had the panels off the machine when I did the adjustment. There are also threads in the FAQ explaining brew pressure adjustment at the pump. As for the pressurestat; which is the black box you described, you no doubt found out that is for boiler pressure adjustment. Hope this helps.

Thank you for the replies!

Cary, I kinda am approaching this in somewhat the same way you did. I actually like the idea of going with a machine that hasn't caught on but ultimately is a better value - the guts being generally the same and all. Just don't want to get burned, no pun intended. But some good points have been made on this and I am feeling better.

Dancing between the major US distributed brands in the $1700-$2200 price range has been very aggravating as each model seems to have something annoying at the given price point. There just isn't one thing about the Technika on paper that makes me say "Really? For that $$ and you couldn't offer X??". Teh other machine that I am considering still is the Alex Duetto II (great deal from Chris right now) or the Alex 3. But we are still talking a pretty bid price differential for the DB+PID.

If anyone else has any experience with these machines, please chime in! Also interested how 1st-line has been to do business with?

Cheers,
spaz

Spaz,

I and probably hundreds of other HBers understand your dilemma... it's the decision process. I also looked at many of the other machines. I had considered dual boiler and PID, but decided I really didn't need two boilers and figured I wanted a more hands on approach to some of the temperature fluctuation inherent in HX machines, regardless of a great deal. Sort of like the pre techno days of espresso making. Anyway, even a PID machine has some temp variation. It still comes down to your technique, and quality beans. In the end; based upon size, space constraints, no plumb in, blah blah blah... I ultimately made my choice. It's good for me but maybe not for you. Remember, you're the one making and drinking the espresso. As for the vendors you mentioned, they wouldn't be in business for long if their service wasn't superior. I have no worries knowing that if a problem occurs down the line, and it probably will in some form or another, Jim and Chris will be there for support.