Okay so I've read the manual which has some pressure estimate and weights. I tried this out with some weighing scales and I haven't been generating enough power partly because my worktop is too high so I'm going to try moving to a lower table..

I've also "hung" off it on high table tops.. helps to see the bottomless portafilter..

HokkaidoUni wrote:Thanks to all for replies. I have only gotten through the first ~28 pages of this thread so apologies if asking repetitive questions.

How is the robot not sensitive to tamp pressure? I have had some very fast shots on the same grind size as much slower more appropriate shots so had thought lighter tamping was the reason. But this isn't the case? Any insight appreciated

Not sensitive in that it does not require strong tamping pressure in order to pull a good shot. Tamping pressure does affect the progression of preinfusion as you saw but you can adapt to it. But I think no tamping at all, as it is the case when the tamper cannot make good flat contact with the top of the coffee puck, often leads to early channeling that cannot be remedied.

Yes the shots are small. I am trying to enjoy more frequently without more caffeine! But maybe I will have to just move up to 14 g if it gives better shots.

I hear you because I'd also love to have a proper single shot espresso on occasion. Yeah, in your position, I would keep it simple for now with 14+g dose.

When I use the paper only the paper starts to float up and leave the tamped coffee so I have been putting coffee then paper then screen and just making sure not to push out more than 20-30 g water

I also noticed the floating paper filter one time I tried. Putting the metal screen on top seems like a good solution if the water pour digs into the puck without it.

Bluenoser wrote:I've also "hung" off it on high table tops.. helps to see the bottomless portafilter..

I am a little person/dwarf and this is how I pull shots. I can see the gauge, the bottomless portafilter and the flow perfectly. I pull into a Kruve espresso glass and can stop based on volume very consistently and that is generally within 1g of my target output. I am 4'2" 95lbs and find it all pretty easy/repeatable and not strenuous this way.

New bag of beans today and I decided to try the same grinder setting for the bag that I just finished since it worked so well with my last shots. As expected it was not the right setting for these beans, too fine. I was going for a 1:2, but when I was at 1:1.2 at 30 seconds I decided to stop it as I have had 1:1.2 ratios that were really good and had no expectation that going as long as the 1:2 would be a good shot. I believe I was right as it was a 'really' good shot!

Confusing part to me is that it took about 27 seconds during preinfusion before the first drips occured and I stopped preinfusion at 30 when the scale just started showing some readings. Seems to be a robot thing, right? What makes shots that taste good on the robot have preinfusion times as long as the time a pump machine would take for the entire shot? the actual pull was also 30 seconds for a total of 60 seconds. Again, normal for the robot, is this normal for all lever machines?

I asked something like this a while ago in the coffee forum and got a few answers, but I think this is a better place to ask as I don't see how anyone with a pump machine can think a 30 second preinfusion is even possible.

ken

Thanks Jeff!

Good to know about the de1 users experiences. Not sure what blooming is, will have to look that up.

These beans are a medium dark roast, great beans! Caffe Lusso Brazilian Peaberry. I would not say these were a presoak, I had a full 2 bars pressure the whole 30 seconds. I was beginning to think I grinded way to fine, which I did for 1:2, but as I said it made a great 1:1.2

Ken

Some new insights from the last couple of weeks of experiments:

1. I need to do more careful experiments, where I only change ONE variable at the time. I need to write things down.
2. I quit preheating the cup. The coffee was too hot to drink and enjoy the flavours with a hot cup.
3. I was tasting the coffee wrong. I only took very small sips which didn't have the chance to cover the whole inside of the mouth. Am taking much bigger sips now and I can finally taste the wonderful flavours.
4. With speciality coffees (I guess medium and light roasts) it's pretty easy to brew: push the levers down until you feel appropriate resistance (you know what that is with experience) and wait for the screen to fill with coffee, slowly increase pressure to extract. The longer the preinfusion the lower the extraction pressure has to be for the same flowrate. Push down on the levers to get a stable stream of coffee. Don't stop or let go of the pressure. You will get this in time. I preheat a bit to get the flavours that I like with the double pour technique.
5. When will I learn that grinding coarser than I think I need is better?
6. I have no clue how to extract southern Italian coffees. They channel like crazy and the only usable taste I got by waiting for the boiled water to cool down after boil. But I think there is a lot of wasted potential in the way I extract them. I don't want to increase the dose to high levels as I don't understand how this can improve the taste, other than you having to grind coarser. But even if I have low doses I can grind coarser and decrease the pressure for extraction.

Comandante probably has better burrs : )

HI all

I saw this 3D mod for Baratza Sette 270 grinder to create rigid platform that holds the portafilter level. My skills in editing 3D files are not great, so I was wondering if someone can mod this to fit the Cafelat Basket in similar fashion into Baratza Sette 270.. The portafilter forks will need to be in 'spread position' in order to fit the Cafelat Basket...

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4569005