I make a point of cleaning the steam tip every time it's used and cannot recall any of the holes ever getting stuck with residue, maybe the Oscar steam tip isn't prone to clog. I could not quite follow the bit about the probe and the hot and cold water, but suffice it to say, I've tried the probe

Thanks for your opinion, 2xlp. Actually the fact that the steam path was virtually scale-free made me postpone plans for an in situ descaling of boiler and HX. If this ps was set lower than its predecessor, it would not produce the same temp as the other one did, or would it? The adjusting screw doe...

For quite some time now (2 months or so) I cannot help but feel that steam power on my Oscar has diminished continuously. It is one of these phenomena where you cannot quite put your finger on exactly when or how it started. But one day you realize something's afoot and has been for some time. Actua...

While, confronted with a plethora of bewildering choices, it usually is a good thing to put down some basic requirements, I do wonder why it was this one you chose. Over the roughly 20 months since I was where you stand now I've come across many a heated thread on whether a particular machine was a ...

Not knowing where it is you're located, I'd suggest the Demoka (Minimoka in some places) M203. Stepless adjustment by worm drive, 149€ over here in D. It is *the* entry grinder on German Kaffee-Netz forum, regarded to be on par with the MCF, Grinta and better than the various Isomacs around, the jur...

Well, I've seen both of them in the flesh and in action, and their insides too. I noted that the Grimac used very sturdy commercial components and tubing all around, while the Scala's though perfectly sufficient were more on the household side of things. But then it is debatable whether you'd ever n...

Hi, as an Oscar owner, also with recent ps trouble I'll chip in. The irregular on/off thing you describe indeed points to your Ceme being gone for good, unless it's the wiring, but I guess you checked that. As to the replacement, the Sirai certainly is the most robust ps commonly available. That bei...

I've noticed several websites by dealers selling Astoria macchinas differentiate between vane pump (on the Divina line) and volumetric pump (on the Argentas). I would have thought both were rotary, i.e. not vibe, pumps -- am I missing any subtle differences here? sheygetz

I'd positively l o v e one of these! Thanks, Dan, for this nice walkthru. Actually I could get one used, 5 years old, for ~40% of the list price. But I am a little afraid of this huge boiler and the ensuing electricity bill. I've read the posts about insulation, but experience with other machines

@Karl, I remember discussing the pros & cons of lever vs solenoid operated E61s with quite a few knowledgeable people here in D. I was told more than once that backflushing (the purpose of which is to remove oils/ grease etc.) over time reduces the lubrication of the lever, and that as a consequence...