Slow steaming with Isomac HX machines

[simonp]

I recently borrowed an Isomac Rituale to see how I liked it, as I am thinking of upgrading from my PIDed Silvia.
I really liked the espresso it produced, and the way it seemed much less prone to channeling than the Silvia (which is running at 9bar). However, I was less than impressed with the steaming ability. It was impossibly to get any sort of turbulence going (using 150-200ml of milk in a small jug), and if I tried to dip the wand tip any more than a few mm in to the milk I got a terrible screaming.
After the ease with which I can make microfoam with the Silvia, after 10 days of trying I could generate nothing similar. I even found it hard to get the milk to expand much more than 20%.

Having looked on the reviews here, it does seem like the Isomacs steam considerably slower than other similar HX machines. Why is this? Is it just down to the tip, or is there some internal restriction in the steam path. I tried pressure stat settings from 1.1 to 1.4 bar.

I am tempted to go for a Rituale (been offered a used one at a good price), but am worried the steaming will get to me after a while.

[HB]

Having looked on the reviews here, it does seem like the Isomacs steam considerably slower than other similar HX machines. Why is this? Is it just down to the tip, or is there some internal restriction in the steam path.

The Isomac Rituale that I evaluated was slower than other prosumer HXs I've tried (e.g., Giotto Premium, Andreja Premium, La Valentina). However, microfoaming with the "new" stock tip was very easy, albeit at a leisurely pace.

Other tips I've tried include the EPNW stainless steel two-hole tip and the Gold Pro 2 (more details):


GP2 next to the previous stock Isomac tip

Striking the right balance between steam output, boiler pressure setting for brewing, and recovery time is tricky for prosumer HX espresso machine manufacturers. The single boiler non-HX machines have a real advantage because the brew and steam temperature are independently controlled. For example, Silvia is a real powerhouse (though the steam is fairly wet), the Isomac Amica / Zaffiro is even better, and the diminutive Elektra Microcasa a Leva kicks them all out of the kitchen with aplomb. Barring a better explanation, my theory about why similarly-sized HX machines like La Valentina steam better than the Rituale hinges on the boiler orientation: The Rituale's is horizontal and Valentina's is vertical.

That said, the bottom line is the result. All the machines mentioned are quite capable using techniques and steam tips adapted to your preference. If however you want a rocking fast steaming pace as I've come to prefer, the choices are a dedicated steam boiler or a bigger HX boiler. Of the machines I've tested to-date, the La Spaziale S1 and the Elektra A3 lead the pack, with the latter earning HB's first 10.0 in its review. It is simply fantastic.

[simonp]

Hmm, it's the new tip then that was on the machine, I found it very slow. It took 45s+ to steam 200ml of milk to 65C, and I gave up waiting to steam a larger volume for making a hot chocolate for someone.

Unfortunately the other tips you mention are hard for me to get as most US sellers won't sell to the UK

[HB]

It took 45s+ to steam 200ml of milk to 65C, and... Unfortunately the other tips you mention are hard for me to get as most US sellers won't sell to the UK

That sounds about right. Tips like the Gold Pro 2 reduce the volume of steam and increase the velocity to give you more time to "finesse" the microfoam. For anything much over 200ml, I would switch to a tip with larger diameter holes such as the ubiquitous "standard" two-hole steam tip. The pressure will drop precipitously, but you'll have enough steam to get the job done. Most online vendors should sell it and I'm certain EPNW will ship overseas, though you should be able to find a local reseller (the European Too Much Coffee forum is a good place to ask specifics).

[simonp]

Most online vendors should sell it and I'm certain EPNW will ship overseas, though you should be able to find a local reseller (the European Too Much Coffee forum is a good place to ask specifics).

Yep, I am a regular there, just thought I might get some more ideas here on why the speed issue. I'll try EPNW.