I don't see an answer to the first question here. Were the lead levels of the water going into the machines checked beforehand? If not, the results aren't reliable. I would be more interested in the amount of lead resulting from realistic daily use with flushings. What's the point of creating result...

I keep boiler pressure at 0.9 to get my ideal temp in the cup of 153F. I would bet having pressure at 1.0 then turning off until 0.8 has a similar result. I don't mind the steam pressure at 0.9 BP. Still get high quality foam, just a few seconds longer perhaps

Been using the MCAL daily now for 5 years and never an issue with portafilter coming loose, either standard or naked versions. Trying to imagine what could cause this I picture too much coffee in the basket, that is too tall of a puck, pushing against the shower screen and never actually being snug ...

As part of my 25 year espresso-making journey, I must say thank you to HB.com and its users for the useful information I have found here. Adieu

A foreigner started working at my employment recently. It's a very large factory where people often ride tricycles to get around. It was amazing to watch him struggle to ride when he had never been on a bicycle before in his life. Even though it seems second nature to me, he couldn't understand the ...

Changing the oil on your car is the perfect analogy. Not hard at all if you know how, but most people still won't do it themselves or don't do it as often as they should. I guess I'm trying to point out that many people will not take the time to research, learn and do the necessary maintenance. That

Most maintenance is easy once you know how to do it. This website is invaluable, yes, it has helped me immensely. But I still say the maintenance required is not for everybody. Here's an example: I can find 1000 videos on YouTube about the correct way to extract espresso, many videos for almost any ...

I was talking specifically about espresso brewing. On this the Italians have it exactly right. 153F +- 5 degrees temp of finished espresso in a preheated cup. Have you measured this? I have. ANY roast or bean tastes poorly if outside this range in the cup when made as espresso. Try it, there is no d...

I can't speak for other machines but I will speak up for the Elektra MCAL. Not only is this machine not for everyone, it's not for most people. Why? Because of the maintenance involved. I love this machine and what it does for me but there is a severe lack of information available on how to properly...

A single pull makes a huge difference in water temp. Italian standards dictate the temp of the drink in a preheated cup at 67C +-3C (153F +-5F). My best tasting single pulls will usually be very close to this. Double pulls tend to raise the temp in the cup by a lot. Very easy to measure the finished...