There's nothing wrong with cleaning regularly for peace of mind. But does it really matter, taste-wise? As always, I find actual blind taste tests more convincing than anecdotal evidence. Otherwise, such claims remind me of hyperbolic YouTube videos... Clean your grinder, it's a GAME CHANGER!

Or a sticky bypass valve on the rotary pump. This can be caused by scale buildup, which would also explain the wet steam, as Barista Boy noted

What I described are the rules of the road in the US for FedEx, UPS, and other major carriers. At least in the US, it's better to assume the package will be tossed around than hope it's treated with care and kept upright because of "FRAGILE" and "This End Up" labels. Even with pallet shipments, it's...

Of course, but there's no need to be heavy handed. We're talking about dislodging a coffee puck, not splitting wood

If you have a padded knockbox bar, you'd have to hammer down really, really hard to deform the basket. Like shake the cabinets hard. I've never damaged a basket knocking a puck out

It's not what they did, it's what they can do and still blame you for inadequate packaging. IIRC, the package must be able to tolerate multiple drops onto a concrete floor from several feet, including on corners. I've talked with sponsors who went through the trouble of "certifying" their packaging ...

Reminds me of a Grimac: {image} From "Grimac espresso machine problems" It's hard to judge how bad the damage is from the photos. The big ticket items are the touchpad and controller (sometimes referred to as the "brain"). The other parts of an E61 espresso machine are ubiquitous and not as easily d...

Years ago, the best espresso grinders were bulky, commercial machines that were ill-suited to the confines of home kitchens. These large units not only lacked aesthetic appeal, but also were built for volume with large hoppers full of beans, making them impractical for those wanting to switch freque...

Reopened by request

I suggest starting by creating a thread "Do you grind from frozen coffee?", see what the responses are, then decide which of your polls makes sense