Hello folks, I am a complete espresso novice but am totally frustrated after spending nearly $2k on the combination above..

I thought I had done tons of reading, video watching, but nothing has addressed nor solved the problems I am having.

Basically, the Breville is constantly reporting pressures in excess of 10-11 and barely anything is coming out of the machine. I am trying to brew a single shot as it is only for myself and I don't need a huge drink all at once.

I have tried EVERYTHING.

I've tried different weights ranging from 7 to 9 grams. 7g is the recommended dose from what I can gather online, but it looks like barely anything in the portafilter, especially if it's on a fine grind. If I tamp it down there would be a gigantic gap from the top.

As far as the grinds go, the Vario has 10 macro settings and anything below 3 and I barely will get a single drop out of the machine - which makes no sense to me, because isn't it being on 3 already considered way too coarse for espresso? Other Vario users tend to report using in the 2F grind range, but as I said, the machine cannot even penetrate the espresso when I go down this low.

If I tried taking it down to the level 1 or even 2 range, it just jams up and nothing comes out except 2 drops of liquid on one side of the spout.

I really can't imagine I am excessively tamping and have even tried "ever so LIGHTLY" tamping, just to see if this will at least get me into the right pressure zone, but even that will not work.

The only thing I haven't tried yet is taking it to even COARSER territory, like level 4 or higher, but fundamentally isn't this completely wrong for espresso?

I am ready to pull my hair out here, what have I done wrong?

I am extremely appreciative for any help. I have burned through at least 20 bucks worth of beans and have yet to really produce even one good single shot.



Cheers and thanks in advance guys, I am subscribing to this thread so I can read and respond right away

I am not familiar with your grinder, but I have recently replaced my Breville 900 with the 920, so I can at least speak to that a bit.

Which basket are you using in your portafilter? If the double basket, 7-9 grams seems low (more single shot than double). If the double basket, I've found 17-18 G works well. By double basket I mean the larger volume basket, not the double-walled [pressurized] baskets. Single-walled, double-basket at 17-18G is a good starting point.

I would definitely adjust your grind. It sounds like your grind is too fine. I'd move in steps toward a coarser grind, keeping the weight of your dose the same, and being consistent with your tamp.

The default setting on the 920 is for a 7 second pre-infusion (low pressure), and then it moves to the higher pressure to finish the shot. At about 10 seconds is when I see the first flow begin, and mine tends to then run right around 9 bars.

Hey Bret thanks a lot for your reply. I am only trying to make single shots.

I am using the single walled single basket, I've never experimented with the double walled baskets at all as people seem to unanimously discourage people from using them, from what I've read on the forums...

I will definitely try coarser grinds but I am concerned because I'm pretty sure most people are using their Vario's on level 1 while mine is already at level 3 and climbing.. I just don't understand..

What kind of beans are you using. How fresh are they? Stale beans won't give you good results.

That said, I'd try the double basket and see how that goes. Singles are notoriously hard to get right. You can pull a fairly tight shot from a double that might yield about the same volume as a traditional single shot.

If your machine is showing pressures of 10 or 11 bar, it doesn't sound like there's any lack of pressure. The other possible problem is that the grinder is calibrated too tight. Have you tried changing the calibration? At macro 3, you should definitely be getting a good flow, and probably even too fast.

rolex wrote:I will definitely try coarser grinds but I am concerned because I'm pretty sure most people are using their Vario's on level 1 while mine is already at level 3 and climbing.. I just don't understand..

Just keep on grinding coarser until you get desired flow and output in the cup. The numbers on Vario and most other grinders are meaningless in sense that they will not match up with other grinders. On Vario especially since grinders can and are recalibrated by the owners. As long as you have enough range for adjustment you do not need to recalibrate anything. Forget about what number or letter anybody else is grinding at...

Yes, ditto on switching to the double basket, if for no other reason than it is more commonly used, and can eliminate the variable of the single basket, which fewer of us have used. I think I used my single basket once, 3 or more years ago. It also has more of a bowl shape, and a smaller outlet area at the bottom, so it might well be very different. I sure wouldn't want to figure out a different grind, etc. for a single basket, and then have to start over again with a double basket.

If you switch to the double basket, leave your grind as is, and double your dose weight, give that a try, you might find that you are a lot closer than you think.

I'm running 18g in my double basket, with preinfusion at defaults (7 sec, 60% pressure) and then seeing 8.5-9b for the duration of the shot after that.

Once you know that works reasonably well, you can confidently go forward, and you can also go and dial in your single basket, expecting that the much smaller diameter of the output area might drive the pressure up for the same grind, and require a coarser grind in the single basket as compared with the double basket.

+1. I'm using the bdb double basket with 18-19grams for 36grams out in 30 seconds. My vario gets that done at 2a

Okay, I replicated your results here (or closely enough):

I dug out my single basket and dosed it with the same grind I use successfully in my double basket. I did have to add a bit more than 9g to fill above the transition from sidewall to 'bowl bottom'. Instead of 9g I needed 12, probably because my grind is finer than the one you have been trying to make work.

My pressure went up to 10.5 bars, I got a very drip by drip flow, and in 30 seconds I obtained 7.5 grams output! Since the single basket design is very odd (in my opinion) with bottom basket area approximately half that of the normal basket, I think that accounts both for the higher pressure and insufficient flow rate. I think the OPV may be kicking in up at that level, but clearly 10.5-11b is not enough to push a good flow thru a grind that works perfectly in the double basket.

So I think I can confidently say that if you keep your grind the same, move to the double basket and work with 16-18 grams for now, you should have much more success, and can dial in the grind.

If you really do want to work only single shots, you might be able to dose the double basket, but I suspect you might have better luck ordering a third party basket that is simply shallower rather than bowl shaped. VST has a variety of sizes that do fit the 920 portafilters (tightly), and others may know of additional sources.

But since you just got the gear, if you are anything like me you want to start using it right away, and often! So give the double basket a go first, and you should be seeing much better results straight away.

Hang on to the stock single basket: you may make an arch enemy someday, and you could gift it to them!

Seriously though: going to a coarser grind in your single basket is not 'wrong' pr se, so you can still dial it in, too.

http://store.vstapps.com/products/vst-p ... er-baskets

they have a 15g basket that might work well for your singles. I'm dubious about the 7g basket, as that seems like not enough to me, but others with actual experience with the baskets can chime in. I hear they are 'finicky'. I bought an 18G basket (which is how I know it fits in the portafilter (deeper baskets might only fit in the naked portafilter), but I have not used it yet. I just recently got my 920, so have been dialing in with the stock double basket.

There are no doubt other sources for baskets, too. But at least you can dial in with what you already have on hand, as there is no problem with your equipment, etc. (except for that absurd single basket)

Dose affects flow rate..

Basically if the Vario users usually use the setting 2f

then for them it 2f flows nicely for the dose and filter basket they use..

Just don't think about the grind THEY use.. just use a fixed dose and yield that you desire... and hold them constant... just change the grind settings till you hit ballpark extraction times

Good luck... and most importantly.. enjoy the journey... don't get frustrated when something doesn't go correctly.. use it as a whetstone to sharpen your skills and understanding