I just received a 60-90 strip to put on my machine. I was a little disappointed at the size and ease of use of the strip.

Where exactly do you guys put the strip and how do you use them?

I know there's a lot of information on using a meat thermometer type, but I'm not that handy and I don't want to mess my new machine.

What do you suggest I use and how would you install it.

Suggestions for Orphan Cremina Temperature Strip Placement?

There's pictures in this thread on where to place it, depending on what machine you have. A couple of good links in the thread too.

Since i'm not very handy, would something like this touching the top of the "bell" work?

http://www.taylorusa.com/kitchen/thermo ... probe.html

If you don't take the metal sheath off of the probe, you'll have problems getting an accurate and/or consistent temperature reading, as well as a very slow response time. If you're not very handy, I'd recommend putting the LCD temp strips on the group as shown in that thread. They will at least give you a solid starting point of reference as to when you may want to pull your shots.

Okay. I find the LCD extremely hard to read and because mine only goes from 60-90, I can't really tell if it's way over 90 c

You can buy a 90-120 strip, it's just that many of us with the strip on the bell of the La Pavoni groups don't find that one useful. Whenever my 90C has gone to dark blue or beyond that tells me I need to cool the group. My technique is to cool it using a cool wet towel at the top and neck of the group until the 85C is losing color, then before the pull I pump/heat it back up to my target colors. You need a good light. (see New owner of La Pavoni Professional .)

+1

I started with the 90 - 120 strip, but also didn't find it that useful on my Gaggia Factory. I ended up buying the 60 - 90 strip in bulk from Omega and splitting them up and added that to my Gaggia Factory. Now, Orphan Espresso carries both strips but I find that the lower temp strip is the most useful for me.

When I got my Faema Faemina which has a high and a low switch I found that I didn't really need external thermometry, that with the right routine and the 0.3 bar setting on the low element that I get good shots without worrying so much about it.