DustinT wrote:
One question, though. Right now, the machine is on my counter using the internal tank and when I use the hot water dispenser I got a lot of steam along with the water. It works, but it makes quite a mess and quite a noise. What's the deal?

I only slightly open the hot water valve and never lock the lever when dispensing. As the previous user said, hot water is dispensed from the steam boiler, so it's superheated from the boiler set to well above boiling temp; a very common design unless you have something like a GS/3 that mixes hot and cold

Thank you! This is the detail I was missing. The Breville Oracle Touch dispenses at 175f approx and I was surprised by this one. Not a big deal, it's easy enough to work around.

Hi there,
I'm not sure if you ended up with a grinder or not, but I had a long in tooth Compak K3 Elite that I couldn't see a need for replacing, even when I upgraded my old Brewtus to a Synchronika. Oddly, I had the opportunity to have an espresso made in a Synchronika by an acquaintance that had a Ceado E37S. I was blown away by how fast and quiet it was. The shot was made using a Lavazza blend I'd tried at home and didn't particularly like, and it was awesome. I was impressed enough to buy the Ceado E37S for myself, and I would say that it is a joy. If stolen, I would replace it.
Regards,
Jeff

It looks like OP ordered the ECM grinder, yes? This seems appropriate based on what the OP says they want. With decent beans and caring halfway, they'll soon be making espresso better than most or all of their local cafes. That ECM will produce good results for a long time.

Staling grounds from retention is certainly detectable in the cup. Beans taste different from Monday to Wednesday, too. There is a spectrum of how far one will go to ensure 'the best' and most consistent.

As a hopper user, I find the first shot of every morning is better if I purge and discard a couple grams of grinds retained from the day before. I make several through the day and don't worry about retention over an hour or two.

As for additional accessories:
- WDT tool, yes--and the funnel, too.
- I like a palm tamper--always level, set for good headspace, no worry about how much pressure, etc.
- Fancy group screens don't add much benefit.
- There is a difference between precision baskets and high-flow baskets. High flow like VST are very useful for lighter roasts but are also much more demanding on grinder and puck prep. I'd stick to the stock basket or something mid-level like a good EPHQ or IMS. Tapered sides or at least a rounded bottom makes the basket more forgiving.