RobindG wrote:I love the simplicity of the Compressa. A lot less complicated parts that can fail. If you have 5 bar line pressure I would definitely choose the Compressa. I ordered one last week.

How are you liking your Compressa? Would you post a photo or video of it? How long have they been selling these? Looks like you switched from a Dalla Corte Mina.

MS

nsuster wrote:Update on the Compressa:


My plumbed setup can go up to 4.5 bar full open and I don't miss the 4.5 - 6 bar range yet. Light roasts get about 4 bar and normal "medium" roasts 3 bar.

According to John from Decent espresso the coffee puck compresses at 4bar inhibiting effective preinfusion above this pressure. If this is in fact true as his experiments apparently show then there were be not further benefit to preinfusion above 4 bar.

nsuster wrote:Update on the Compressa:

The Compressa continues to work great....

...The whisper quiet operation is great. Can't wait for my Ultra now since my Eureka 65E is very loud!

Have you tried a medium roast yet? Still using 3 bar for medium? Have any idea what brew temperature that is or is that something not to worry about?

Post a picture please.

Thanks for starting this thread.

MS

I'm not a Compressa owner, but this may be semi-useful info for someone. On my LR I've tried pre-infusion pressures as low as 1.5 bar and as high as 4.6 bar, over a variety of beans. In the case of 4.6, I was trying to dial in a lighter (not nordic, but lighter) bean and I didn't think there was a notable improvement over 3.8. My typical pressure is around 2.5 - 3.2 for the beans I use.

I'm thinking a "perfect" solution - perhaps just for me - is to source some sort of small, quiet pump that I can place in my cabinets or in my garage, feed it filtered water, and leave a pressure regulator in-line just before the machine to allow variable pre-infusion pressure. If anyone has done something like that, please point me to the pump you've used.

Mike

I find the Compressa super easy to use, and it can improve your workflow, or slow you down, depending on what you're doing now.

As there's no warming or cooling flush, or need to backflush at all, the machine is basically ready to make a shot anytime it's sitting idle. All you have to do is prep your basket, engage on the group and pull the lever. However, you need to let all the pressure in the group chamber dissipate before removing the spent puck. If you're stopping shots short, that will require a longer "wait" than if you're collecting the entire extraction. The "wait" depends a lot on what else you're doing during that time between the shot being finished and the group pressure being negligible, such that you can remove the pf without getting a "sneeze". For instance, you might be steaming milk then or prepping another basket...or twiddling your thumbs.

I agree. I generally use between 2.5-3.5 bar. Rarely do I find I need to go higher...only for really light beans. I also roast my own coffee so tend to drink the same medium-light type of roast I enjoy.

I find slight variations based on PI pressure but not huge.

Mad Scientist wrote:Post a picture please.

LR24 has the same exterior as the Compressa

Check out the pics in this thread: The Londinium R24

Yup...except it has a door in the top panel to access the reservoir. Otherwise, exactly the same casing. Only other difference is the Compressa has some electronics/mechanicals stripped out, and there's no reservoir inside.

Mad Scientist wrote: Post a picture please.

Thanks for starting this thread.

MS

I did a review of the Compressa on the Kafatek Forums. It's more mechanical than functional. Out of respect for HB cross-posting rules, I have not placed it here as well. My review starts with pics of the innards, but there are also a couple of the machine installed on my bar. Anyhow, here's the link...

https://forums.kafatek.com/t/l1-compres ... os/6453/15

I regards to "preinfusion pressure", I'm still running my Compressa on city line pressure, which hovers around 3.5 bar. I have a variable regulating valve, but haven't installed it. Reiss told me that he recommends around 1.5-2 for dark roasts, around 3 for medium and 4 or higher for light roasts. My typical m.o. is to pull medium roast comfort blends, often with a medium roast s.o. dialed in to offer variety on a whim.

I didn't used to like light roast. Though, to be fair, the last time I tried light roast beans was when I tried Leam Hammer using my Major with SSP Red Speed burrs. I've since upgraded to the Monolith Flat, and have installed the SLM burrs. So, new machine, new grinder, new burrs...I'm pulling Leam Hammer now and loving it! (Even with preinfusion pressure mentioned above (~3.5 bar). I'm pretty darn certain the big difference is due to the grinder and burrs, not the L1 Compressa.

The only way I know to vary extraction water temp on the Compressa is to alter flow rate through the HX tubing. That is achieved using the variable regulating valve (which I haven't installed). I haven't measured my temps, but the machine is designed to yield ~200°F at my line pressure, iirc. So, higher flow rate would yield a cooler extraction temp, since the water has a shorter contact time through the HX tubing to get heated. Since the only way for me to increase supplied water pressure is to install a pump somewhere before the machine, I'm kinda stuck with using my line pressure, or lowering it with the valve I haven't installed. If someone isn't cool with that, then they should be looking at another machine...perhaps the LR24? I was pretty torn between the two, but one of my goals of getting the Compressa was to decrease machine complexity. I was replacing an Alex Duetto II.