ECM Synchronika - First Impressions

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Eagleboy99
Posts: 54
Joined: 2 years ago

#1: Post by Eagleboy99 »

"Hi, my name is Eagleboy99 and I have an espresso machine problem". (Crowd: "Hi Eagleboy99!")

Well, I decided to splurge and upgrade my Profitec Pro 600 to a new ECM Synchronika with Flow Control, and here are my first impressions. At almost $1000 off in a Black-ish Friday sale including the loyalty points, I could not help myself. I'll update the thread as I discover more about this machine. (And don't fret about the 600 - I did not kick her to the curb; she'll be used at the weekend place. And are espresso machines female, like boats?).

First of all the thing arrived on a pallet. It weighs a tonne! I practically needed a Hoyer lift to get it out of its superbly packaged box. I wanted the anthracite case, but the CFO said no - it'll show dust. Hey - I can live with gleaming stainless steel. Back to the beast - the construction is absolutely magnificent. Beautifully welded corners - no roll-over seams like on the 600. Not that the 600 was a slouch, especially compared to its predecessor an Expobar Brewtus IV. Precision cut drip trays - plural. The lifter is not on my 600 and with a naked portafilter I can see the riser reducing spray. No cup rail which I never cared for, and a nice lifting water tank cover. Despite what is posted online, the cup rail DOES come off the tank cover using a 2.5 mm allen key which will work well in the 600's new home which has lower cabinets. I'll just find some shiny stainless acorn nuts to fill the holes where the rail was attached.

The machine is nicely laid out with the gauges at the top of the machine rather than below near the drip tray on the 600. And they have that steam punk look; I wish the flow control gauge was the same, but it still matches. Not sure I like the little ball for the FCD, but I will adjust. And adjust I must to the spring-loaded levers rather than the lovely rotary valves on the 600. The steam wand seems a bit odd but there should be room for a 20 oz milk pitcher.

ECM packages a bunch of portafilters and baskets although I really, really wish they would include a bottomless portafilter. I now have a growing collection of single and double-spouted filters and far too many single-dose baskets. eBay here we come!

Although I am not going to plumb this in for now, all the accessories to do so are included. And ECM left the old mushroom valve when they installed the FCD which is nice.

One thing I did learn is that you cannot use a cartridge filter on a rotary pump machine, so I'll probably use BILT Oscar punches for water softening.

More to come!

Eagleboy99 (original poster)
Posts: 54
Joined: 2 years ago

#2: Post by Eagleboy99 (original poster) »

Okay, finally dodging work long enough to add some more comments on the Synchronika.
- The steam levers are taking some getting used to and if you lock them in, at full pressure you better pay attention or it is a Milk Mauna Loa
- Someone needed to update the manual or the vendor instructions as the rotary pump is secured by a wing nut under the machine. Don't remove it and it is noisy! Release the pump and it is super quiet
- I'm still dialing in the grind, as it seems to take a much finer grind than my 600; I think I might need a new grinder
- The warm-up time seems to be longer than my 600
- And surprise! The PID does in fact stay off when ECO mode is invoked. MY 600 did that - the 500 I bought did not. So no light night if you turn off the display and are in ECO mode
- The extra drip tray stand gets in the way if you like to leave a milk jug on the tray. Luckily, the extra stand can slide to one side

All-in-all, this machine is a winner.

kidloco
Posts: 244
Joined: 11 years ago

#3: Post by kidloco »

The machine is a tank. Reliable tank. Just for me, it was boring. Sits there and makes great coffee. I sold it.

Eagleboy99 (original poster)
Posts: 54
Joined: 2 years ago

#4: Post by Eagleboy99 (original poster) replying to kidloco »

Hmmmm... I have the flow control on mine and I guess if I want to ferkle with it, it would be less boring. But great coffee for the win.

Oh, one other thing that bugs me (same as my 600) is that the stem holes are angled such that you can't vent it into the drip tray. I am suer there is a fix for that.