HB wrote:I started with Dave's posted routine. Although the pressurestat setting is lower than Dave's (1.25 bar? I didn't write it down), the flush routine was nearly the same: About two full strokes

My original pstat setting was 1.45 and it took 3 pulls to flush. I lowered the pstat down to 1.2 bar and went to a two pull flush. I think the key is that you need one full pull of the lever with no flash boil during any part of the pull.

The Achille does not have a 3 way valve and hence suffers from the dreaded portafilter sneeze. If you have never had the pleasure of painting your kitchen with coffee you are lucky, it truly is a mess.

The Achille appears to hold pressure longer than my Factory after a shot is pulled. One of the interesting things about the group design (be it intentional of accidental) is that you can loosen the portafilter while it is still under pressure. A quarter rotation and the pressure will vent. Any water and coffee grounds will flow around and down the portafilter and drop in the drip tray.

That's rather neat. It looks like they widen the PF groove just ahead of the point where the PF ears drop out of the slots so that the pressure seal is broken while the PF is still locked in, and the water leaks out without blowing the grinds all over. Given the problems of creating an exhaust valve on a lever machine (one would have to mount a manually operated valve), this seems like a good low cost solution.

That shot had sat in the machine for a bit and it was still under pressure. The down side, if you use the same trick right after a shot, it pushes grounds into the group lugs. You really need a group brush to scrub it out after each session but that is a small price to pay to keep from blowing espresso grounds up your nose.

That's pretty well thought-out.

I noticed in the last video that the portafilter seems much deeper than a typical OEM 58mm PF. Can it accommodate a triple basket?

I do not have a triple to try. If someone wants to volunteer one up for the test I will sure give it a go.

Shot of Espresso Havana from Paradise Roasters

Shot of Espresso Classico from Paradise Roasters

cpl593h wrote:I noticed in the last video that the portafilter seems much deeper than a typical OEM 58mm PF. Can it accommodate a triple basket?

cannonfodder wrote:I do not have a triple to try. If someone wants to volunteer one up for the test I will sure give it a go.

Just tried it... a triple basket fits in the stock Gaggia portafilter (barely).

HB wrote:Just tried it... a triple basket fits in the stock Gaggia portafilter (barely).

Darn, I was hoping someone would send me a freebie