BarryR wrote:In what way do you use the scale to measure output? I don't mean how do you measure it, but what, exactly, do you do with the measurements?

I always use a scale to measure my drip and espresso beans, but haven't used it for the coffee which is output. The thought occurred to me for espresso, but I didn't know what I'd do with the info.

PS: I have the American Weigh AMW-2000 Digital Bench Jewelry Food Kitchen Scale 2000 gram x 0.1g. The fact that it goes up to 2 Kg makes it very useful for roasting beans and other kitchen uses, and the 0.1 gm precision is useful for dosing.

hmm, as i see it, to dial in a dose/grind/extraction ratio (ristretto? regular?) and thereafter to achieve consistency, taking much of the guesswork out of the equation when pulling the same roast by defining output by a number, rather than more subjective measures--blonding or extraction time. cf. an excellent thread and a canonical one: Digital espresso or a way to consistency and Brewing ratios for espresso beverages.

love those aws scales...admittedly, i have the 100 x 0.01 g scale, so I end up using a tiny bell pitcher to catch my shot.

So with the portafilter removed I measured how long it would take to fill 2oz.... It takes about 20-22 seconds to fill 2oz. Seems a little low.

Yes, there is something very wrong.

For example, a typical home machine in this class range will flow 2 ounces in about 6 seconds. For lack of a better term, I think you could call this the flushing flow rate. Whether it is the pump itself or the hydraulic path from the pump to the group should be investigated a little further. What pump is in this machine?

Wait, that rate is the unrestricted flow? Oh dear. With the machine in question being a consumer appliance, the pump is most likely a cheap vibe pump. My experience with this type of machine (purchased one for $20 to use at work for a bit) tells me this is also the norm for them. I doubt you could fix that without major mods.

Thank you for the responses.

I'm simply using a scale to weigh the grams of coffee after it has been grinded. I'm measuring 14grams.

As far as the flow rate I thought it was really low. I took the top off and it's a little ukla pump. Took apart the pump, boiler, everything I could see to make sure everything is clean. I just think either it's a cheap machine or a bad pump... Or both lol.

I ran into a bit more cash and am looking at the Lelit pl41tem and the Crossland cc1.also I can get a Breville infuser for 250 - 300 less then those. I'm going to stay away from used and lever machines as I prefer the automatic. Any thoughts?

Call our approved vendors, tell them your budget and your usage pattern and let them recommend. All are trustworthy. Maybe they'll have something refurb or close-out that will give you more machine for your money. See the Resources page for that list.

That sounds like good advice. I'll give them a call.

One more option might be a pre-owned Rancilio Silvia and Rocky grinder. I just bought this setup, used, for the office and was able to do it all right around $500. Sadly, that's just the first step in what will become a very expensive hobby for you.

I have narrowed it down to a Lelit PL41TEM or the Crossland CC1 V1.5. Going new so I can rely on a warranty for a while. They are both different machines. Now that I have money in hand I'll probably call 1st Line and see what they say. Any opinions?

Also I am going to try this with a Breville Smart grinder and see how it goes. If it can't grind fine enough / consistent enough I will return it and look for something else. I figured before I go through the hassle of cleaning it and boxing back up, returning and being without something for a bit I'll at least try first. Reason why I got it was I had a %20 off BB&B coupon so I only paid $150 for it.

I know you're looking to buy new and I was at first as well, but I ended up going with a restored olympia Maximatic. Now that I have played with a lot of other machines. I think it would be very hard to find a machine new for under 1500 I would be as satisfied with. Yes there are other machines that perform similarly tward the top of that price range, but I doubt I would trust the build quality and reliability that I found in my 20 year old simple machine doesn't hurt that the shot quality is top notch. I even picked up another one I am in the process of rebuilding because I know how nice these machines are.

Btw I came across mine for $500 sometimes they go for more but not a lot more.

Thank you for the advice everyone. I ended up taking back the Breville Smart grinder to BB&B for a full refund, and ordered a Crossland CC1 & Baratza Vario grinder. Returning the Smart grinder I was able to stretch my budget from $700 to $850 (this is a great deal) to make this happen. I'll keep this updated as I get my machine and start to dial it in. Thank you again!