FWIW I think this looks like a fantastic project. It's beautiful. Looking forward to hearing how it works. The general construction looks well suited to customization and DIY tweaking, which is a good thing. I'd start with a much more massive base

{link} I don't know if Grumpy is flying below the radar or not, but they've been producing some consistent roasts with unique flavor profiles for many years. Grumpy's Heartbreaker blend is always in rotation here, alongside Barrington #165 and various Counter Culture offerings

FWIW, I've been using Miss Silvia with a Le Lit grinder for about 3 years, sans PID. Fresh high-quality beans, a good grinder and consistent technique make all the difference. At the time it was the right equipment at the right price for us and has served us well. No problems, but I know there is ne...

I would not recommend starting with Miss Silvia. If you can, start with a machine that has better temp stability. Temp surfing is not easy to learn, adds a level of inconsistency to the process and gets old after a while. In my experience the newer generations of Miss Silvia are less well finished, ...

You need to be methodical with Miss Silvia and work with her moods. I suggest limiting your variables to grind as you learn. Get 2 pounds of fresh espresso blend beans from a reputable local roaster. I dunno who's good in Seattle now. Look around the Coffee forum here for some tips. For simplicity, ...

+1 for Counter Culture Apollo

Apologies for years of no updates on this project. I did, finally, get our Sama into a working state last spring and we we used it as a travel espresso machine last summer. Via Good Coffee Company I sourced a new screen, portafilter gasket, some baskets, and a rebuilt cap/cup warmer. Cleaned and pol...

I also have a PL53, and use a cut-down yogurt cup as a sleeve into a 58mm portafilter. Still some mess, but not too bad. In order to avoid having all the grounds mound up on one side, I start with the portafilter handle at an angle, grind a bit, tap to settle, shift the portafilter handle over to the

When I first started making espresso at home, I started with Miss Silvia and pods. We have a very small kitchen, so space and mess were mitigating factors against a grinder. We used pods for about a year and tried most of the available brands. I thought the Lucaffe pods made the best, most consisten...

As a relative newbie who started out with similar gear (Miss Silvia + LeLit PL53) and similar feelings about Starbucks (bitter), I think clumeng's advice is spot on. Black Cat is an excellent starter. I now prefer Counter Culture Toscano and Aficionado. When you are ready for something different, tr...