I just wanted to say thanks to Sam for posting his review. I had been leaning towards picking up a Forge for a while but Sam's review pushed me over the edge. I didn't get a chance to start playing with my Forge until yesterday evening because I was waiting for accessories to arrive (mainly a tamper). There is definitely a learning curve but Andre has provided awesome customer service. He's answered all my questions, provided pointers, and made the purchase experience excellent.
I've mainly focused on espresso this year but Sam's comments on the milk drinks made me take my "Steam Box" (a modified electric Bellman with P-Stat) out of the cabinet and give it whirl. I made a macchiato for my wife this morning with the combo. She said it was very tasty. I still have a ways to go but I'm enjoying learning how to get the most out of the Forge.

Thanks Byron for the kind words, and happy to be the 'bad influence' to push you over the dark side.

For milk drinks, there's really nothing to pick about the Forge except for praises(ironically because it's supposed to be an espresso purist device). For 15g dose 30g shot, I find a 5oz cup (with <1cm of microfoam when it settles) works out to be the perfect ratio for a milk drink (for my wife). Flavorful, but not overwhelming or milky. A tulip-shaped cup works favorably in this case and you can potentially pull a shot in without the tripod.

Impressive mod there for your bellman! Wish I could add a gauge for my steamer as well.

Hey Sam,
I was wondering if you've had a chance to compare shots between the K10 and Lido 3 on the EspressoForge. Were there any major or subtle differences you could detect? Thanks!

Certainly I have attempted to. However, without two Forges side by side, I'm not confident in my techniques to be able to draw any meaningful comparison. While on Forge it's easy to get good shots, I do notice that there's a tiny bit variability shot-to-shot(understandbly with so many variables in our hand). However, my impression is the Lido 3 tends to give rounded and smoother shots, in relative to K10 that has a hair more brightness. Good shots are possible with both K10 and Lido, but I wouldn't call it a day and night difference, just subtle differences (even on other machines).

So, what's day and night difference to me? If you have a single basket, definitely try using that. I've found that updosed singles (11-14g, or as much as you can fit in the Forge) give extreme clarity to the shot. What I mean by that - single basket seems to enhance the different signature taste of each origin greatly, even compared to other machines. The reason for updose is to give a fuller body otherwise it tends to be watery (but rich in flavors). If I pull an Ethiopian, the 'Ethiopian' taste becomes so enhanced/obvious that it is so clear to my blunt tongue. I will elaborate on that in future posts. It's something I've been observing consistently even during the first impression thread and am certain it's not a placebo effect.

Sam,
Thanks for the very helpful feedback! I'll definitely give the single basket a go.

Hi guys. Reviving this thread a bit. Can you comment on the stand? Is it sturdy enough to withstand
repeated downward pressure? Any tendency for it to slip while pressing down on the 'forge'? Thanks.

Hi Edwin,

No problem, happy to comment. The lab ring stand I have is super steady - no sign of the slightest flex. Good for stationary use, but it is too heavy for travelling. If you're not using it for travel, it's a good stand and you can save $20. No experience with the new custom stand so hopefully someone else can chime in.

If you can find a steady cup - such as a ceramic 5oz tulip cup, or the 5oz/8oz Duralex glasses usually used in cafes, you can pull directly into the cup without a stand. I do that for travel because I want to reduce the things I'm bringing & weight.

Hi Sam. Thanks for the reply. So, you can pull directly into a cup like the aeropress? That's nice to know .

Yes you can. But I prefer to use the stand whenever I can. While the pushing force needed is not that excessive, it is still more than with Aeropress and I don't trust the cups to handle it long term. Getting the stand is better if you can swing it.

The custom stand that you can purchase from Espresso Forge is also very sturdy. It has rubber feet so it won't slip. It's also pretty lightweight.