Update: Added thermofilter instructions and WBC procedures.HB wrote:What is this thing called? The Greg Scace Device? The Scace Portafilter Thermometry Device? The Thing that Barry Carried Around the Conference Ticking Off Espresso Equipment Manufacturers? Whatever you call it, please welcome guest reviewer Bob Yellin! He will lead the discussion and I will chime in Bob's commentary with my own observations comparing it to my "dinky TC" (Abe's words, who will also join the review). Thanks to Terry Z for supplying "the device" to HB.
Part 1
This will be a review of Greg Scace's Espresso Machine Thermofilter Temperature Device (known hereafter in this review as "TTD"). This device is a "snap-in" basket for an espresso machine "chopped portafilter" and measures the temperature of water directly out of the brew head. I will post the review in installments over a period of about two weeks, but if there are questions or comments along the way, please feel free to post them.
I used an Extech 421508 digital thermometer to measure and data-log the temperatures. The Extech has a resolution of 0.1 deg F and an accuracy of ±(0.05% reading + 0.6 deg F). The QuickMill Andreja Premium E-61 HX espresso machine was the "test bed".
To begin the process, I photographed the device and measured vigorously boiling water. Water at my altitude (about 500 feet) boils at 211.1 deg F. The TTD measurement showed the boiling water to be 211.2 deg F. I also checked temperatures against a NIST-calibrated standard digital thermometer, down to about 180 deg F (the range of interest) and there was never more than a 0.5 deg F difference between the TTD and the standard. Very impressive!!
In the next installment I will discuss the construction of the device and my initial impression of it "as received".
Photos of the device are available in other places but there are some differences between them and this, the "production" version. So here are some shots of the TTD: