I (very) recently picked up a new Elektra T1 and wanted to start a thread on user's experiences with the T1 and also compare some of the changes from the older version.

Let me start by pointing out that while I have used an Elektra Semi extensively I have only read about the A3 and T1 before this so I do not have first hand comparisons. Also I will comment that mine is too new to me for me to be reviewing it from a quality of espresso perspective (but it is easy to observe that the steam is great). If people are interested then soon I'll be happy to add posts with impressions, but this first post is mostly about concrete facts. I hope other new users will also add lots of info.

Here are differences that I have observed...

1) Most obviously a major difference is that there is no longer a manual A3 option.

2) The plug on mine is a 15 amp plug(?!?)

3) The cup warming tray is no longer super hot, unlike Dan's review model - in fact I have to find a cup that is the hottest because many are close to room temp and even the hottest are not very hot. Perhaps related, reading Dan's review it sounded to me like both layers of his warming tray had vent holes in them, carefully lined up so drips would be caught in the lower tray if not in the top one (or carefully not lined up as it were). On mine only the top tray has vent holes, the lower tray is a solid sheet.

4) Perhaps I am just coming from the Pavoni/ Elektra Semi - exposed boiler camp, or perhaps it is because it is winter so warmth is not a negative, but the rest of the exterior of the machine just does not seem that hot to me either. I heard lots of comments on the heat coming off of the machine being extremely high, but if, for example, you touch the side of it you do not pull your hand off quickly in fear - a feat I would never dare try on my previous Pavoni or Semi. (And yes the boiler inside is plenty hot - it takes a serious flush to get the water to the right temperature for espresso, especially if you have not been pulling shots recently - I'd guess 8 oz if you have not used it in a while and perhaps more - I think roughly twice the flush of the Semi when it has not been in use).

5) Aesthetics - the old one looked good and so does the new, but the new one looks a little different. It has a slightly different font. The buttons look a little different.

You can see the old one here in this thread

Opinions sought: Elektra T1 vs. Cimbali Junior DT1 vs. Vibiemme DoubleDomo Super

and the new one here



I like the new look, but liked the old one, too, based on pictures.

5) Drip tray - the machine comes with two different racks that fit in the drip tray. One is low, one is high. You choose one at a time. I can upload a picture of the two if you like. The pictures I have seen all show the low drip tray, the high one is an inch or two higher. The high one is great for espresso, but makes pointing the steam wand at the tray a little cramped when you want to purge it before or after steaming. I'll probably just use the low one. I do, however, think the raised drip tray is a better idea than the portafilter extender they tried before, that Dan mentions removing in his review, but the extra clearance from the group down to the tray is not a major issue since again if you want to pull a shot into a short cup you can flip over a cap cup and sit it on top.

6) Steam - it is a glorious steamer, but I wonder if it is a little slower than the old one. I have no trouble creating microfoam with 4oz and I was a little worried that going under 6 oz might be hard (but I love commercial steamers so it isn't shocking that I love this one). It seems to be fairly fast and have copious steam for those who like big milk drinks as you would expect from such a large boiler but well within the range a home user who likes small milk drinks would like (I don't drink big milk drinks usually, but I did steam a huge pitcher of milk for hot chocolate today for my kids and it was a joy and there was no sign of the machine slowing down).


One note on taste that is more about a non-change - You still need a pressure reducer as Dan pointed out in his glorious review. My house's water pressure was too high and so today is the first day that I have had the machine configured properly so I will refrain from passing any judgements on espresso (although today I pulled some nice shots as I dialed it in, so I am hopefully optimistic).

da gino wrote:the machine comes with two different racks that fit in the drip tray. One is low, one is high. You choose one at a time. I can upload a picture of the two if you like. The pictures I have seen all show the low drip tray, the high one is an inch or two higher. The high one is great for espresso, but makes pointing the steam wand at the tray a little cramped when you want to purge it before or after steaming. I'll probably just use the low one. I do, however, think the raised drip tray is a better idea than the portafilter extender they tried before, that Dan mentions removing in his review, but the extra clearance from the group down to the tray is not a major issue since again if you want to pull a shot into a short cup you can flip over a cap cup and sit it on top.

Hugh, I would definitely like to see what the higher tray looks like, out of curiosity.

Also, if your inlet water pressure is too high you can also simply adjust the bypass valve on the pump in the machine-unless your inlet pressure is so high that you can't open the bypass wide enough to compensate. Still, for longevity's sake and also to maximize the evenness of inlet pressure, a pressure regulator is definitely the best idea.

Here are the trays removed for comparison...



Here is the tall tray installed. I tried to get a cup so you can see its scale and put the wand as far in over the tray as possible (which is still just over the corner).



I don't know if the old tray looks like the new one, but if so I think this taller tray would be easy to order and fit into one of the older machines.

I might use it if I were just pulling shots, but with milk drinks once a day I'll probably use the lower one and not bother switching out. If they made a hybrid that just raised up in the center and not by the steam wand or the hot water wand I might use it more often (it would be easy to build or even just to cut this one down to size, but I am happy enough with the usual tray that I won't probably bother).

. . . it takes a serious flush to get the water to the right temperature for espresso, especially if you have not been pulling shots recently . . .

This is a beautiful machine and very easy to service - nice choice.

You can reduce the "water delivery" temperature when you go into programming mode. It takes a serious read of the manuals accompanied by a suitable beverage. You will want to look for a particular light sequence on the top of the control box. This new Elektra has a temperature sensor for the boiler vice your normal pstat and holds temperature/pressure in a manner SIMILAR to the original Brewtus.

The default is, of course, 0 degrees from the factory setting - I would go for a -6 and see if the steaming is still satisfactory. I SUSPECT it will be but . . . . Depending upon how far you venture, give the machine at least 30 minutes to get accustomed.

I love the look of the brand new T1.

It's a great machine. Although I would have preferred another type of dosing buttons.

I always use the small tray, mostly do to the fact that the tall tray look ridiculous.

Should i change anything on the machine it would definitely be the tray, Buttons, lack of warming tray, and the chromed plastic legs (with such a heavy machine it makes no sense)

But those are just minor issues, you will find on most machines.

What i like about it, everything else. The look, steaming, quality of the brewed espresso etc.

But I still have to get use to Hx. Allot different then the Dual Boiler I owned before.

da gino wrote:I (very) recently picked up a new Elektra T1 and wanted to start a thread on user's experiences with the T1 and also compare some of the changes from the older version...

The ultimate question for someone sitting on the fence is, if we set beauty of the beast aside, would you put one into a small city apartment just for love of espresso? My guess factors like footprint, power interfacing, waterline hook up, monthly electricity bills etc. comes to mind. (Otherwise nice write up, thanks for the effort).

In my World It's a matter of preference. I admit, that I might be a little biased in this Aspect. As I do have one in a very Small City apartment.

I guess it would be unnecessary, for the majority. For me it's not. I like the fact that I can't blame my equipment for bad espresso. I Can only blame myself.

Sakae wrote:The ultimate question for someone sitting on the fence is, if we set beauty of the beast aside, would you put one into a small city apartment just for love of espresso? My guess factors like footprint, power interfacing, waterline hook up, monthly electricity bills etc. comes to mind. (Otherwise nice write up, thanks for the effort).

I would and did. You can do a water hookup easily for $150 or so using a Flojet or similar and drain to a 5 gallon bucket. You can make this look awesome if you get yourself some kind of standalone cabinet that you can cut holes in the top of and hide the feed and drain buckets in the cabinet underneath. I bought an Ikea cabinet for my coffee setup for around $400, and it was money well spent in the apartment-the kitchen was way too small to accommodate the Elektra. So if you're willing to spend around half a grand on a coffee setup (consider it an investment in getting your coffee shrine out of a crowded kitchen, which can be a real marriage-saver in a cramped apartment. I bought my cabinet about 3.5 years ago when I had a Vetrano, and it's served me through an upgrade to an Elektra and then a GS3. about 6 months ago I bought a granite countertop to replace the stainless one that came with it and it's better than ever.

Anyway, I'd say the most difficult part about an install in an apartment is usually getting the 20A power line, but you have a couple of choices there: 1) you can disconnect something in the apartment that's 20A that you don't use. I did this in my old apartment, feeding my T1 and later my GS3 from the power outlet under the sink normally used for the dishwasher, which I plugged into the dedicated 20A hookup for the garbage disposal (which put the dishwasher on the switched line so that no one would accidentally power down my machine by flipping that switch)-my wife dislikes garbage disposals, so it was a no-brainer to leave that thing out. On the other hand, 2) you can modify the connections on the heater, which is 3 elements wired in parallel, and take out one of the 3 elements-basically run the machine at 2/3 power. It will take a longer time to come to pressure and longer time to recover from steaming, but otherwise it will work perfectly and use about 12-13 A max. At least, that's assuming they haven't changed the heater from the previous version.

As far as the electricity bill, you can insulate the boiler and this will make the machine tremendously more energy efficient as well as less of a burden on your AC. It's a bit of a task, but well-documented and easy to do if you're willing to spend the time.

malling wrote:But I still have to get use to Hx. Allot different then the Dual Boiler I owned before.

Different, yes.

Which routines have you tried for getting the right temperature? Have you settled on a particular method yet?

BDL

shadowfax wrote:I would and did...

Man, you gave me something to think about and thanks for advice you can't get in the any library. Initially I thought that I will go with Olympia (and I still might do), but then I run accidentally into Elektra Semiauto., and my breathing increased, became irregular, and it has become affair and a simple case similar to when you see a woman, you know she is no bloody good for you, and you don't give a damn. Now I have seen T1, and what can I say other then that I am not barista, I am not planning to become one, but I like to have things that I like, not just practical. I guess it's like with BMW. There are some others who have better quality rating with consumers, but BMW remains still bestselling luxury sedan in EU, because no one can match them on qualities related to why most men purchase a car in the first place. Back to coffee - I may need to take cold shower and do some more thinking.