Search found 205 matches

by coffeedom
September 7th, 2016, 6:46 am
Forum: Espresso Machines
Replies: 16
Views: 1944

Breville Oracle for less than MSRP. Did I do good?

Hi Bret, I wasn't referring to anything you wrote, sorry for the confusion. I was referring to the response to Mike McGinness: Anyway, the OP is here to find out what makes the machine good and bad, and why, which is what we are doing I think. The OP also mentioned the possibility of human
by coffeedom
September 7th, 2016, 1:16 am
Forum: Espresso Machines
Replies: 16
Views: 1944

Breville Oracle for less than MSRP. Did I do good?

The seemingly short and dismissive comment above was simply telling the truth without mincing words, from a very experienced member. Nobody is hating on anything. The espresso part of the Oracle is just fine - the BDB 920 is a great machine for the money. But if you spend enough time with espresso a...
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by coffeedom
September 5th, 2016, 12:54 am
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 27
Views: 1935

Garage Sale Jackpot

One person's ignorance is another person's bliss! Congrats!
by coffeedom
May 30th, 2016, 5:50 pm
Forum: Espresso Machines
Replies: 6
Views: 1127

Breville Dual Boiler - Have your say on an updated steam-tip design

This sounds like a good project and thanks for sharing the idea. I am surprised to read that the boiler might be 2 bar pressure. 950ml at 2 bar is a lot of pressure and the steaming should be very strong, which it clearly isn't. I wonder if a 2 hole tip would allow for the
by coffeedom
May 29th, 2016, 2:07 pm
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 4
Views: 451

Pink surface on bronze after using Urnex dezcal?

Most descaling solutions are fairly acidic and will have this effect of stripping the zinc from the surface layer. But only a few angstroms of zinc are removed and if you just leave it, the pink surface will disappear over time as the surface oxidizes. Or you can just polish with some 0000 steel woo...
by coffeedom
April 22nd, 2016, 8:46 am
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 211
Views: 18846

New Lever is in the House...well, kinda...Portaspresso

I just pulled a shot from my HC. 18g dose, 40s extraction, slow ramp-up to 6 bar, slow decline to 4 bar during shot, tamp at 30lbs. Immediately after the shot I unscrewed the filter head and this is how the puck looks: {image} This is using the DIY screen with holes not really all that symmetrically
by coffeedom
April 22nd, 2016, 5:19 am
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 211
Views: 18846

New Lever is in the House...well, kinda...Portaspresso

Hey Tamas, sometimes I get pucks that look like that, but usually it's flat with some rippling. I don't know if that affects the shots but the pours look good. How were your pours? When I get a chance I'll post a shot of a spent puck. In the mean time, try tamping a
by coffeedom
April 21st, 2016, 2:28 pm
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 211
Views: 18846

New Lever is in the House...well, kinda...Portaspresso

I haven't noticed coffee in the gauge inlet but the area does get discolored more easily and the threads need extra work to keep clean. What I tend to get with the brass HC or TR (my PG is aluminium) is coffee going up into the bore (when not using a screen). This stains the brass pretty quickly
by coffeedom
April 19th, 2016, 3:07 pm
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 211
Views: 18846

New Lever is in the House...well, kinda...Portaspresso

I take your point and I suppose it depends on what you mean by necessary. If you want to ensure the puck is not disturbed when flipping, I think it is necessary. Without it, it can be, even if only sometimes. The gap size with an 18g dose is usually about 6-8mm, which I think is enough
by coffeedom
April 19th, 2016, 9:57 am
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 211
Views: 18846

New Lever is in the House...well, kinda...Portaspresso

Ross is obviously the most informed person about his own devices, but on this point I disagree. I think this type of screen is necessary. When you flip the Rossa, the water floods or slaps the puck unevenly and disturbs it. It may lift or shift the puck a bit. This has nothing to do with