For exceptional espresso, you need professional equipment... or do you? - Page 7

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HB
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#61: Post by HB »

mitch236 wrote:Funny how espresso seems to focus on the machine when it might just be the least important piece of the chain.
Agreed; see Order of Importance: Coffee, Grinder, Espresso Machine... and Barista? for an extended discussion.
Dan Kehn

malling
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#62: Post by malling »

Mitch
I agree, we should really be spending the most of our budget on the coffee, grinder and training. But one thing I have learn't on this board is that we don't, in fact many seem to have commercial esp. Machines and some even have mulitiple machines.



There are literally dozens of threads about pressure profiling
Search Results?q=pressure+profiling&ie=ISO-8859-1&cof=FORID%3A9&cx=partner-pub-1874394195286019%3Aih80ev-qwtj&siteurl=www.home-barista.com%2Fforums%2Fsearch.php&ref=www.home-barista.com%2Fforums%2F

you should know, that there are only a very limited selection of espresso pump machines, capable of pressure profiling.

Even today The vast majority Of commercial espresso machines seems to be Hx machines. Of some Odd reason, DB machines, are still to this day only manufactured by a handfull of the espresso machine companies. I don't know Why all the others havn't jumped Aboard a long time ago.

What I do know is that LM, sits on a substantially chunk of the market.

These days even the creepiest of places seem to have a LM and often paired with a K30 or Kony/Robur.

mitch236
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#63: Post by mitch236 »

malling wrote:There are literally dozens of threads about pressure profiling... ...you should know, that there are only a very limited selection of espresso pump machines, capable of pressure profiling.
I am a believer in pressure profiling or, as Jim has called it, flow control. But you don't need professional equipment to get that. All you need is a lever!

As for the Hx vs DB debate, there have been many threads about that too!

malling
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#64: Post by malling »

I just find it Ironic, that you of all people, are the one making such a statement. You know, you are the one with the Strada :lol:

Lol why didn't you buy a lever then

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HB
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#65: Post by HB »

I believe the point is that you can make do without sacrificing a king's ransom. For example, a single boiler vibratory pump espresso machine can do limited "poor man's" brew pressure profiling by opening the steam valve. Releasing some of the water through the steam valve will reduce the overall pressure (see I still don't get it: Why adjust the OPV? for a technical explanation how this trick works).
Dan Kehn

mitch236
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#66: Post by mitch236 »

malling wrote:I just find it Ironic, that you of all people, are the one making such a statement. You know, you are the one with the Strada :lol:

Lol why didn't you buy a lever then
I guess I could've saved a lot of money with a lever but I just love the Strada. The machine purchase was more a desire to own and get to play with a Strada than the achieve the ultimate goal of exceptional espresso.

North
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#67: Post by North »

Yes of course there are other parameters, most of them probably more important then the machine, not least the "barista", but why should it not be interesting to discuss what the minimum equipment have to be to get exceptional espresso? I dont think anyone here is fooling themself that if they just had the equipment they can make as good espresso as Tim? I also dont see the harm in the discussion and I dont see how talking about machines should automatically make me not focus about my technique?

If there is no doubt that someone like Tim could make as exceptional espresso on my setup as on his (after dialing it in and learned it and so on) then my setup is above the line thats all.

Personally, as i said, i can get a feeling that my machine is "working" a little too hard and still not get the smooth flow of the big machines I have worked with, what I am interested in is - what is the difference inside the machine and what is the least costly machine that can brew a shot without being "stressed".

Talking about grinders is very interesting also, and we should be able to get a minimum quality grinder list aswell.

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EricBNC
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#68: Post by EricBNC »

From an old interview from CoffeeGeek with T.W. dated 2 years before he won his 2004 WBC:

Q: What's your relationship to the home espresso scene?

A: I have just bought a Rancilio Silvia after borrowing one for a while. I think it's a really good machine that has produced perfect espresso several times. Even old beans will produce nice espresso. I'm a bit more laid back at home though and don't worry too much if a shot comes out a bit too short or long.

https://www.coffeegeek.com/opinions/the ... 08-18-2002
LMWDP #378
Author of "The Bell Curve: Instructions for Proper Herd Mentality"

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