Hello,

Got my CT2 a few days ago, after several and long months following my pre order. Worth the wait. As the CT1, the CT2 is absolutely beautiful.
I am now at the very beginning of my learning curve. My shots are currently decent / fairly good. However, they are lacking of "abundant" crema. As I am grinding coffee with my Portaspresso for the first time for the CT2, I am still searching the right grind. Any advice will be much appreciated (thanks for your Wouter).
I mounted a Naked Pressure Gauge on my CT2. Very easy to install. For now, I am not sure that the NPG is as useful with the CT2 as for a Cremina for instance. The CT2 doesn't let you over pressure.

What are the main difference between CT1 & CT2?

From an older Strietman's Facebook post:

"WHAT'S NEW?

The Brew Group:

* With heating elements inside the group we found a way to make it more efficient and have gone from 750 watts to just 500 watts of energy consumption.

* The CT2 incorporates a new stainless steel cylinder wall for durability and extra smooth piston strokes and a thick 8mm brass outer sleeve for temperature stability.

* A bimetal boilerdome comes as standard supply.

* We've replaced the original thermostat with a new thermostat, featuring a broad scale which allows for easier, more precise temperature settings.

* Finally! with a new, lowered base, we have added an extra 5mm of cup height allowance between drip tray and filter holder."

I also just recently received a CT2 (a week ago). A bit of background: I was researching lever machines a couple of years ago or so and ran across descriptions of the CT1 and kept returning to the web site and drooling over the machines and reading all I could find about them. A few months ago (March), I thought to myself: "Ima get that thing in my own greedy little hands!" I figured that desiring and coveting something for well over a year qualified as more than a passing fancy. So I went to the site to place an order. And, dang, the CT1 was sold out. Well. Rats. So I emailed the Strietman info address, conversed a bit with Wouter, placed a pre-order for the CT2, did my very best not to bug Wouter very often through the summer, sold my soul to the USA customs "people", and finally received this very beautiful machine. Oh man I love it.

I have been making espresso nearly every day for the last 20 years with a La Pavoni Europiccola. And the focus has been straight espresso from it for 15 years (I haven't used the steam wand on it for a few years now - it would probably start leaking if I turned it on now). My calculator suggests that I have pulled well over 15,000 shots from the Europiccola.

After pulling that many shots on a lever machine, the move to the CT2 has been pretty seamless. I love the fact that I can put a temperature probe down in the tank to check it. I am finding that 196 F is fitting the taste profile I like (for my current blend anyway). I really had the Pavoni dialed in after all those years, but it sure seems to me the cups from the CT2 are even better (yeah, it's only one week into the honeymoon). It is definitely a subjective thing, but it has, nonetheless, been fantastic coffee so far. I'm hoping to start trading tips with other Strietman owners. Optimal temp? Leave it on between shots? Roast level? Go to work or just stay and drink coffee all day? Place it on the night stand beside you at night? Grams of coffee per shot? etc.

And just because I can't help being that guy ... I'm going to try posting a pic of one of the pulls from this morning from the CT2. I hope I can delete these posts if it's a fail.

That is beautiful.

Looks really good, I had a CT1 and this pretty much addresses all the small issues I had with it. Looking at my Bianca and thinking how much space I'd save with a CT2 there instead!

CT2 owners.. can you post some more photos of the new machine?

Can you comment on temp control? How easy does it feel to dial in the target temp?

CT2 indahouse . The new owner wanna try our Smart Espresso Profiler and gave me his CT2 in exchange.

This is his humble setup in his open-space office: