shadowfax wrote:I believe that the bigger motivation was probably reducing the number of parts and making it easier to clean. I never had trouble emptying pucks from my older knockboxes—just hold it upside down over the trash can and knock the bottom a couple times. [/b][b]But they were a pain to clean properly: it's very awkward to get around the bar with a brush and also to clean the underside of the bar when you can't easily take it apart.

The newer Cafelat design makes cleaning about par with washing a bowl and a rolling pin.

boar_d_laze wrote:[Emphasis added]

You should have whichever well-designed knock box your heart desires. But...

If you don't let the old, wet grounds sit around, they won't stick as much. Nothing knocks them off like plenty of water. Try washing, or at least rinsing, the box every day. Use your sink's pressure hose, a rag, your hand, and/or a wire handle brush which can be bent to shape as necessary. Dry as best you can before returning it to your (coffee) counter, and let it finish air-drying overnight.

You probably already do this, but (just in case)...

While you're at it, scrub the oils out of the interior of the pf with a Scotch-Brite, wash the pf basket (using your Scotch Brite gently), back flush, brush the group head, and rinse and dry the drip tray and grinder slop tray. Every day you froth milk, run the steam wand into a pitcher of hot water then wipe it down with a damp sponge or cloth. Use your barista's towel to wipe down everything you can't get to the sink.

Your coffee will taste a lot better if you keep everydamnthing scrupulously clean. More, you won't be distracted by old smells and will have a much better idea of what's going on. That definitely includes the knock box.

And of course, if your box is too much of a PITA to keep clean, get a different box. Or get a different box just because you want it. They're cheap enough, heaven knows.

Finally, back in the Jurassic when knock boxes were invented they were made from a steam table pan with a rubber covered, threaded bolt, held by two nuts as the bar. You could remove the nuts and slide the bolt out, if you wanted. So, your premise that removable bars are a new thing is a mistaken thing. I've been using that kind of knock in my home since coffee was discovered and have very seldom found it necessary to remove the bar -- other than to replace the rubber every decade or so. Just remember that the cleaner you keep your box, the easier it will be to keep clean.

BDL

bigbad wrote:Once giant kitchen companies (Cuisine Art, Oxo, Calphalon, etc) start investing in espresso machines (especially semi-automatics) and accessories, I think things are gonna start becoming more refined, practical, and cheaper.

JohnB. wrote:The Italians definitely need to ramp up their quality control & innovation a few notches but it will be a sad day when all our espresso machines are stamped "Made in China".

bigbad wrote:It may not be new, but it certainly isn't customary... The great majority of knockboxes are just molded together and don't have the ability to disassemble.