mfortin wrote:Very interesting post. It would be nice to have more video where we can actually see the barista working on the machine so as to provide better indication on the pressure to apply on the lever, the speed for lifting the lever, etc.

It won't happen today and I have guests in town the next couple of days, but I'll try to get a video up of a pull from further out when I next get a chance.

SAB wrote:<image>

Btw, your post prompted me to measure all my cups. The middle one is the same exact cup that you are using, and it falls squarely in the middle of my collection. I suspect that the two taller cups won't fit.

I think you are right about that. It's something to be aware of if you are purchasing or planning to purchase a CT1.

Found myself with a few free minutes to pull a shot and show you the actual lever pull. This shows a pull with he lever raised all the way up, it was 15g in and 39.9 out. A relatively even extraction. Watching it myself the initial lowering of the lever was a little quicker/forceful looking than I intended. I'm still learning myself and I don't have the patience to record shot after shot to get the perfect vid, so be gentle in your critique

RyanP wrote:Found myself with a few free minutes to pull a shot and show you the actual lever pull. This shows a pull with he lever raised all the way up, it was 15g in and 39.9 out. A relatively even extraction. Watching it myself the initial lowering of the lever was a little quicker/forceful looking than I intended. I'm still learning myself and I don't have the patience to record shot after shot to get the perfect vid, so be gentle in your critique

Looks like a lovely pull to me

In reference to cup height that will work with the CT1:-

RyanP wrote:I think you are right about that. It's something to be aware of if you are purchasing or planning to purchase a CT1.

Is the position of the group adjustable higher on the stainless columns relative to the base ie. for taller cups?

Nice post. Good addition to the review I wrote Strietman CT1.

I can say that maintenance is very easy. When the piston seal breaks in the leaking will stop (took me a couple of days). When the CT-1 starts leaking again you didn't put DOW-111 on time on the seal and it's running dry. I put some bearing grease on the group every 3 weeks (after I turn it off and it's still warm) and then also take the piston and lube it. I take the shower screen out every other day. You can do it in such little amount of time.

After 5 onths I'm still loving the CT-1 and as you said it really excels in light roasts and the feedback from the lever is superb just as temperature stability. The knob of the thermostat is pretty finicky because very small adjustments have a large effect. Once you're getting used to it it gets easier but never really gets easy. I also tend to pull the shot in different moments of the cycle and that works pretty well for temperature control.

Paolo wrote:In reference to cup height that will work with the CT1:-



Is the position of the group adjustable higher on the stainless columns relative to the base ie. for taller cups?

No, it's not possible. What you see in the picture is the absolute max height of cups that can fit under it. An Illy Cappuccino cup is the max that can fit under the CT-1, and even then you need to tilt it a very small amount to get it under the portafilter.

You can however take the driptray out to get some more height but I wouldn't recommend that. I only do that to drain the group quicker prior to maintenance so it saves me one extra walk to the sink which is on the other side of the machine .

Thank you Ryan for the video. It looks like you are really not pushing hard. You must grind pretty coarse so as to compare to 58mm machine.

RyanP wrote: Watching it myself the initial lowering of the lever was a little quicker/forceful looking than I intended.

Having pulled another shot today I realize now why that initial lowering of the lever seemed quick in the above vid and why it surprised me. It is because I was holding the piston open at the top and so upon lowering the lever, just like when you first raise it, there is that "play" in the lever where the piston is opening or closing before you actually begin to move the piston down. Not of any real significance in regards to the end product, just an interesting aspect of using the machine.

mfortin wrote:Thank you Ryan for the video. It looks like you are really not pushing hard. You must grind pretty coarse so as to compare to 58mm machine.

You're welcome. I hope it was helpful. I grind coarse enough to get a pull on the lever with a moderate amount of force at peak pressure and where the water feels like it is pushing evenly through the puck, and not too fast. If I have to pull hard, can't feel the movement through the puck, can see the whites of my knuckles, then I know my grind is too fine for what I am looking for. Depending on the beans, I grind around the 9.5-11 mark on the Grist as a frame of reference for anybody who also uses one.

RyanP wrote:The drip tray is a nice size and I have not had any problems with spilling or overflow. I find there is very little water waste with the CT1. The only time you will flush is if you are trying to warm your cup or clear grinds from the shower screen. Like the anti-dust lid, the driptray lid sits on top of the reservoir. I do wish that it somehow snapped into place or had a tighter fit. It's a small issue, but it bugs me just a bit. On a positive note, the driptray lid has a mirrored finish to it, which allows you to watch the shot without having to bend over. The cups I use are perhaps on the taller side, so it really only lets me see the beginning of the shot, but if I were to use a shorter cup then I think I'd be able to watch the whole extraction.

Fun to read. The driptray is a beauty. I need to empty it every 5-6 espressos including flushing the screen. Unlike you I really like the design of the driptray-lid. It's easy to remove for cleaning and emptying and the small lip on the driptray itself keeps it nicely in place. I've raised the driptray a couple of times the last months but keep putting it back in the down position. Seems to fit me best.

RyanP wrote:Using the machine:
In its stock settings, I am finding that to get the CT1 up to temperature it is important to keep the lid on. So, while it is referred to as an anti-dust lid, my experience so far is showing that it is also important for reaching brew temperature. With the lid on, there are no issues with reaching temperature. The thermostat does cycle and seems to fluctuate between 4-5 degrees F. It does not take long for the machine to reach or return back to its target temperature, we're talking seconds, not minutes.

I've used the anti-dust lid only when it's off. No temperature problems for me without the lid and it warms up nicely within 10 minutes. After reading your post I left the lid on today and it's a nice way to raise the temperature 3C without fiddling with the thermostat. Works like a charm. I didn't need to take the lid off for pulling the shot. Just be sure to keep it centered and you can raise the lever without any problems. Nice tip and fun to experiment with.

erik82 wrote:Fun to read. The driptray is a beauty. I need to empty it every 5-6 espressos including flushing the screen. Unlike you I really like the design of the driptray-lid. It's easy to remove for cleaning and emptying and the small lip on the driptray itself keeps it nicely in place. I've raised the driptray a couple of times the last months but keep putting it back in the down position. Seems to fit me best.




I've used the anti-dust lid only when it's off. No temperature problems for me without the lid and it warms up nicely within 10 minutes. After reading your post I left the lid on today and it's a nice way to raise the temperature 3C without fiddling with the thermostat. Works like a charm. I didn't need to take the lid off for pulling the shot. Just be sure to keep it centered and you can raise the lever without any problems. Nice tip and fun to experiment with.

Interesting to read about your experience, Erik. Thanks for the comments. Your initial thread was really helpful to me and encouraged me to make the purchase.

In regards to the drip tray lid. I agree, it's really sharp looking. In general, I really like it. I just prefer things to fit snugly and not be able to move around, just a pet peeve... A minor one, at that.

In regards to the anti dust lid. Mine does not have enough of an opening to allow for the lever to rise without getting caught. It seems that I could easily open up the space in the lid a bit more to make this possible, though. That would actually be nice.



Unlike your machine, mine in its current setting does not generally reach high enough temps without the lid. With the group only half full the highest temp I can reach at the top of the heating cycle using an instant read thermometer down towards the bottom of the group just above the piston is 195f. If I fill the reservoir to the line then I get even lower temps. But, with the lid on it reaches 203f. I may try putting a temp strip on the group just to see if I register any difference in temps there, but as of right now I'm finding the lid is necessary for reaching the full temp range. As I said, though, Wouter did mention being able to adjust the thermostat, so I look forward to seeing how this will improve the situation and will be sure to report back.