mathof wrote:I just read IamOiman's interesting review comparing the Micra to two of his classic spring lever machines. But one comment left me wondering:


What does deflation mean in this context?

Thanks.

If you look at the middle Coffee Point cup I used to pull the shot with the Micra, you'll notice there is espresso residue on the interior cup wall. Where the residue ends at the brim is how high the shot originally started at right as I ended pulling it, and the pic was taken about 1 minute afterwards. In that time the shot crema 'deflated' to the height you see in the pic.

FYI: Split La Marzocco Linea Micra owner reviews to a separate thread since this one is dedicated to the Team HB review.

IamOiman wrote:If you look at the middle Coffee Point cup I used to pull the shot with the Micra, you'll notice there is espresso residue on the interior cup wall. Where the residue ends at the brim is how high the shot originally started at right as I ended pulling it, and the pic was taken about 1 minute afterwards. In that time the shot crema 'deflated' to the height you see in the pic.
image

Ah, I see. Thanks for the full answer, I would never have figured it out on my own.

IamOiman wrote:If you look at the middle Coffee Point cup I used to pull the shot with the Micra, you'll notice there is espresso residue on the interior cup wall. Where the residue ends at the brim is how high the shot originally started at right as I ended pulling it, and the pic was taken about 1 minute afterwards. In that time the shot crema 'deflated' to the height you see in the pic.
image

To probe on this a little further....is this inherently good or bad? Neither, just a thing? And, does it essentially mean there's more air in the crema via the Micra?

When I see my coffee deflate like that (and it may not happen on every machine with the same coffee), it indicates to me the coffee is degassing a bit still. When I pulled the shot the coffee was roasted just over a week prior.

I don't believe it to be a good or bad thing (I hear degassing coffee can mess with extraction a bit) but I have not noticed big differences.

There doesn't seem to be much space between the spouts of the filter holder and the cup if you use a scale.

Micra has arrived so I will start working on my review shortly. If there are specific questions that have not been answered yet I will try to get them.

I have also plumbed the machine in so I can work with the mains preinfusion.

I have a bit of a unique question: I saw another_jim steam milk with one hand due to having a camera in the other..do you all think that's actually feasible on this machine due to the shorter steam wand? I have a disability so I bought the Breville Oracle mainly for the excellent auto steaming, but I'd really like a La Marzocco...

It's a trick that all double boilers do; although the Micra takes the cake, due to its better steam tip.

Here's the trick. When the boiler pressure is at 2 to 2.25 bar, as in most DBs, you can put the steam wand to the bottom of the frothing beaker and let it rip without holding it (make sure to stop when the temperature is right, after a while you'll be able to time or count it down). It will texture OK (but not great), enough for a pourable, sweet tasting foam, that will create fuzzy latte art.

Thank my bleary-in-the-morning HB friends for this; they hit on it for making semi-awake cappas.

That was a cruel post Dave Stephens! Cruel.