So my Lambro thread has a lot of talk about adapting the machine to cater for specific things people are looking for. A lot of this is around controlling brew temperature but obviously controlling/monitoring brew pressure is the 'in thing' as well. I don't think the Lambro can be an everything machine unless it is heavily modified to a point it no longer remains what it was. This is a new thread to discuss the features you would want in an 'ideal' machine.

Everyone will have their own take on what is an 'ideal' machine and some may have already found it.

Is the modification aspect and making something do what it wasnt designed for an important part?

Is the old look and build quality important? Even if that means modifying a working vintage machine to do something different?

Ignoring budget, what would make your current lever machine perfect?

Go mad

Basically a Strietman CT-1 with a built in PID, but all stainless steel, pressure gauge, 58mm, and using standard E61 parts. Preferably a widely available non immersed heating element too. Basically if the Strietman guy and the Espressoforge guy got together and made something.

I can't make my Cremina any better except for plumbed in and a drain

Commercial lever group (58mm) with PID active heaters. Hot water is supplied through a small brew boiler(silvia sized and PIDed) with preheated incoming water - powered by plumb/flojet/pump. Separate steam boiler with independent on/off control (small boiler as well - circa 500ml). Small footprint (Cremina-sized would be great ) and is stabilized by heavy lead weight at the back.

CwD wrote:Basically a Strietman CT-1 with a built in PID, but all stainless steel, pressure gauge, 58mm, and using standard E61 parts. Preferably a widely available non immersed heating element too. Basically if the Strietman guy and the Espressoforge guy got together and made something.

Exactly. I had suggested in the build a lever thread he use his already made espresso forge as a foundation, and create something in the same heart as the strietman. Unfortunately I was immediately shot down I think some people feel it would be "copying" but I given the espresso forge is already there I think something could be done with it unique with pid and lever. I would probably sell my pavoni for one

More specifically to the question, I would love a really well built caravel that had a pid and boiler fed off a pumped plumbed in reservoir with a digital read out of pressure when applying the lever. If I could ever try out a caravel I might sell out for one, but can't bring myself to do it blindly:)

You will not regret buying a Caravel. They make awesome espresso.

Agreed. The Caravel is great. It's honestly pretty close to ideal already. PIDing is easy too, or setting it up with a variable router control like mine is right now for probeless temp control. Pressure readout isn't something you can add (easily at least), and the shot volume is small, but outside that it's pretty nearly perfect. The small shot volume is actually a plus at times too, get to have a shot late in the day without too terribly much caffeine.

Get one while they're still easy to find.

day wrote:Exactly. I had suggested in the build a lever thread he use his already made espresso forge as a foundation, and create something in the same heart as the strietman. Unfortunately I was immediately shot down I think some people feel it would be "copying" but I given the espresso forge is already there I think something could be done with it unique with pid and lever. I would probably sell my pavoni for one

More specifically to the question, I would love a really well built caravel that had a pid and boiler fed off a pumped plumbed in reservoir with a digital read out of pressure when applying the lever. If I could ever try out a caravel I might sell out for one, but can't bring myself to do it blindly:)

It's not about being shot down, in an ideal world where budget was not a word I thought about, I could pursue an active heated machine for commercial sale. UL and FCC listings kill it for me, and if not listed liability is through the roof.

I also am not allowed by HB to discuss any future plans with my for profit ventures on the boards, that was why I created the Open Source project. To give plans to the community as best as I can and demonstrate what can be done with commercially available parts in a way that doesn't profit me. Someone willing to build, market, support, take on liability etc is welcome to go for the profit and build machines for those that are interested but can't build for whatever reason.

EspressoPhD wrote: Ignoring budget, what would make your current lever machine perfect?

That budget guy still gets in the way if you ask me but I agree with what others have said ignoring it...unfortunately I do have a budget.

I know I'm biased, but the Open Source project is more or less intended for guys like you. Interested in the spring lever shot profile (as opposed to a pump machine), but want extreme temp flexibility. And I think it does it within a budget, but you could always blow that budget open and go for a custom group instead of an off the shelf one. Once the platform is mature, I may think about this option and design an ideal group to match the build.

EspressoForge wrote:In an ideal world where budget was not a word I thought about, I could pursue an active heated machine for commercial sale. UL and FCC listings kill it for me, and if not listed liability is through the roof.

Andre, have you thought about moving to China? There you could proceed to develop an open kettle lever machine heated directly by electrical contacts immersed in water, then market it on some online retail site with impunity!

I haven't tried enough espresso makers to know exactly know what my ideal configuration would be, but definitely something small. And with some heat source included. Well, I guess the heat source wouldn't need to be included, but I'd want something more elegant than continually pouring hot water through it. CaffeMotive's Bacchi does something like that, but it's not lever-driven. I guess the idea I've got is something like what CwD and day mentioned. Maybe I should get a Caravel?

I don't know enough to say whether my ideal machine would be spring-driven or direct lever.

My ideal lever machine would look like a KvW Mirage, but with lever groups on it; like a Speedster but with hydrocompression...

In all seriousness aesthetics of the machine are a big deal to me, I've complained before that the uglies thing is a steel box with a group sticking out the front, that's why I've been always been very attracted to the vintage Faema levers; they have such class. Build quality sure is part of it, I'm looking for a machine that will last me decades. Considering I make 5+ shots a day on a machine that's 54 years and 3 shots a day on a machine that's 36 years old I have high expectations.

That said, I'm jealous of some features that newer machines have, such as 1 degree accurate shot temp management and the ability to adjust initial preinfusion pressure and flow.

The group should be compatible with E61 screens / baskets / portafilters and ideally it would also be a mult-group machine, I just think they look cooler.
Built in scales and shot mirrors would be cool too. I would love a way to have it stop immediately at some preprogrammed weight, possibly by redirecting the flow of the water somehow to the drip tray.

I'd kill to be able to see the pressure in the brew chamber during a shot as well, but if you give it all to me in a plain stainless steel box I'm going to rip it off and find a way to turn the casing into a piece of art.