Ive had a gaggia classic and MDF grinder for a few months now. I'm getting consistently decent coffee with decent crema, but nothing like those gurgling bubbling espresso porn youtube videos that fill up a glass with like 99% crema and 1% coffee (a bit of an exaggeration, but you know what i mean). To get these decent shots I've had to dial the grinder down to 3 and i have to tamp pretty hard to get 20-30seconds. I suspect this hard tamping is why my pucks come out soupy and wet. Does anybody have experience with this machine-grinder combo? the manual recommends a setting above 5 for espresso, so i already feel like its really fine. Anybody use a setting lower than 3? could this be a problem with the 3-way valve?

also, inserting the portafilter takes a lot of force, could a bent basket or filter be to blame? I JUST WANT GURGLY ESPRESSO PORN!

thanks!
PS I'm new to this forum, so hi!

The MDF is a stepped grinder so your options are limited. You also do not mention what coffee or how long ago it was roasted. The combo will pull good shots but the hardware will be the limiting factor.

I use a lot of different coffee. It varies in quality and freshness, but i only really judge how well I'm doing when i have fresh good coffee. I live on oahu, so recently its been locally roasted Waialua coffee (which i recommend). Anyway, i started grinding coarser and dosing more, and it seems to have helped a lot. Dry pucks, lots of crema, Thanks tho!

this is the stuff btw http://www.roastmaster.com/collections/coffee
the 100 percent waialua has been my Go to lately. ITS GOOD!

I have modified my MDF to a stepless mode. I usually grin between 2.5 to 1.5 . i think with the steps you are limited. Search for stepless MDF mod ( or click here The Gaggia MDF stepless mod with pictures ) it is a very easy mod. I have a different machine so the numbers may differ but clearly better with stepless.

regards

John