I'm aware that the marker test is not a catch all, but it's a bare minimum expectation which many of the grinders I've owned this far have failed (including ones from well known manufacturers). I don't think I'm underestimating Mazzer, I'll probably be buying the Philos from day 1 if they don't stray too far away from the advertised 1k

I did the PID install today, thanks to @sar5w for the info. I was going to cut threads in the boiler for the RTD his method is to relocate the vac breaker to the sight glass which made more sense. Spoiler: The PID I had sitting on my shelf appears to have a bad output (probably why it

I got my invitation to order last week and my delivery is said to be Jan 2025 - was a little surprised they charge up front for delivery so far ahead of shipment - with duty it's now getting to be quite a pricey item but I'm sure it will be worth the expenditure - I have currently opted for

Bad Ass was likely in the "Hoffmann scenario 2" camp. The espresso was in the range in terms of grind; it was a little long for a single, even from an American standpoint (I'd say at least 40 - 50g), had decent body yet was just kind of plain in terms of taste. It's likely a good pull of a

Not without grinding or filing and the ears are 45 degrees out

My gaggia days are decades behind me, I don't remember

I was instructed to follow the first part of the descale procedure to flush and refill the boilers. I would've ran two full tanks at least, but never actually made a coffee as I didn't want to make them dirty lol. I agree it's very rare to have two machines doa. They were manufactured in the same week and

Your assumption may be correct. But it'll take awhile to dial in starting roasts for particular varietals. Plus it would help to measure bean density, at least by volume, and starting moisture content in order to pre-adjust your roast. You'll always be dialing in toward better results. This is one of the reasons I like to make milk drinks!

Some great advice and conversation here, and I'm reading and digesting it all. Regarding bitter vs sour and personal tastes: I totally agree. But I'm talking about shots that are so far off, I really don't think they're anyone's preference. I rarely get one that just blows me away from the first sip, but many will draw me in