Rpavlis vs third wave water and others

Water analysis, treatment, and mineral recipes for optimum taste and equipment health.
drH
Posts: 891
Joined: 4 years ago

#1: Post by drH »

I recently moved into a new house with well water. Although the water treatment is extensive, it's not great for an espresso machine, which started me looking at other options.

I'm currently using Zero Water plus third wave water packs, which seems fine to me. But I'm noticed Sprometheus and others online doing water comparisons and concluding that third wave water isn't the best tasting in their lineups.

What could yield a better taste? Rpavlis is simple (I've never tried it) but doesn't seem all that different from TWW: has anyone done that taste test? TWW has slightly more ions but I don't imagine a vast difference from Rpavlis since both use potassium bicarbonate as buffer. Maybe I'm wrong?

Perfect Coffee Water packets could be an option but I noticed the chloride ions in there which give me pause.

Any reason to switch away from third wave?

Smo
Posts: 186
Joined: 3 years ago

#2: Post by Smo »


cmin
Posts: 1376
Joined: 12 years ago

#3: Post by cmin »

We just had this discussion and even had thread on this few months ago when I tried RPavlis did not like it, makes everything taste flat/bland and thin. Whether espresso or even V60. I even adjusted recipe up and down and did side by side and both machines just tasted flat and bland. You need epsom added, or different recipe. Even V60 was completely flat and muted with it vs just regular Publix Spring Water. I use that spring water since not plumbed in right now and testing it's in range, I could care less about the minuscule risk of scale years out and still have one machine that's 11 or 12 years old packed up (CC1) that's only ever seen spring water and 0 issues, taste matters to me more than that insanely small chance of scale.

I did try 3rd wave years ago but been so long I can't remember what it was like.