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Thing is having fresh/quality coffee and balanced water is absolute key to making progress. I read quite often of those starting espresso and they try with stale coffee to save $ while 'dialing in' and it's really a waste of time/effort as freshness is the ultimate variable to control and keep...

As long as the specs/size are the same it should work fine. Pumps are somewhat generic in the way they're utilized.

There is a continuous debate on leaving one on/off. I never leave mine on for more than maybe 2 hrs. I'm sure over time electrical components take a beating from sustained heat. Of course is no right/wrong way and surely no real proof either way is better. I'd say just do whatever suits your use...

As mentioned, add up the total running watts and add around 20% to that for startup capacity. Most generators have two ratings, 1 for continuous output and the other for startup output. Kind of like a burst mode to kick things off then it settles down.

With the Cremina I had I would remove the piston and wipe it and the cylinder wall thoroughly and then apply a thin film to just the piston seals and reassemble. I would also recommend adding a bit of that lube to the piston shaft as it comes into contact with seals at the top of the cylinder as...

Other than the machine being capable, what's quite important is the coffee/grind quality being used. If the grinder is barely adequate and the coffee not the freshest then a pressurized basket will help hide those 'flaws' and give something drinkable for the most part. If you use a capable...

Levers typically have seal(s) on the piston and really need to be cleaned/lubricated at least a few times yearly. That will ensure long seal life and smooth movement. Your piston seals might need to be replaced and a quality food grade lube like Dow Corning 111 is tops for that type of maintenance.

When complaints are made regarding the first/second use, then all is good it could be an issue with the machine not having enough heat time from a cold start as well as stale coffee in the grinder from the last use. 1-2 drinks helps to bring things up to par and all is good afterward.

Well I don't buy into the 'fair trade/organic' marketing B.S. as how are we to know what standards are practiced? When I buy greens I will only buy from reputable companies that are known to be seriously involved with farmers and push to be sure they are paid/treated fairly.

Thing is it really depends on two primary factors based on what I've bought roasted for years and what I've been home roasting for 4 years. Roast level as lighter coffees seem to need longer to mellow out to hit their peak as well as extraction method being used. Coffees specifically for...

Home devised/built heat gun/sifter. Have it set up to give me all the control I need, very robust in build quality so any single part can be replaced quickly/affordably if needed and gives me a great view of the entire process.

That is surely devastating, but I'm one to always find the silver lining in every cloud. At least any coffee that was scorched could be sold to be on par with what Charbux pushes as 'espresso roast'...

Guess I'm different in that I don't pay attention to what the so called 'gurus' find interesting as taste is highly subjective and experience/expectations wildly vary. What counts for me is what I find interesting from my roasting/extracting. I totally agree with the 3rd wave crap and I'm far...

The grind quality with the NZ might be quite good, but some users have apparently had a few issues with them and for me there's no way I could stand looking at one regardless of function. Also find it funny that some still recommend the Sette... maybe one of these years Baratza will actually get...

Based on lots of discussion over the years that seems to be much more about supply/demand than any other factor as well. I've never tried any form of it as there's NO way I'd spend anywhere close to that for ANY coffee grown. I'm sure there are lots of great coffees that will easily equal JBM...

Honestly makes NO difference to me as to how things are ranked as I don't focus on numbers. As long as I can source quality greens year round to roast to my standards AND those doing the back breaking work to bring the coffee to market are fairly treated life is good.

Well I'll be the first to tell you that number chasing can be more trouble than it's worth. Might be OK for those starting out, but taste/texture trumps all else. I've never gone by time, volume or especially lame ratios. The only variable I will ever weigh is the dry dose as that's key for...

Oh I definitely get that as you know what's up, just mentioning what I did so people wouldn't stray from natural selections as there are some incredible coffees to be had.

Have no clue who would even try going there as there are tons of fantastic naturals out there. My absolute favorite are naturals as most wet processed end up too clean/thin for me regardless of roast level, extraction variables, etc. The dry process gives that very bold taste, heavy body, etc...

Dunno if you want green or roasted, but I recently bought 5# of this green https://happymugcoffee.com/products/uganda-rwenzori-natural?_pos=1&_sid=d807cfeba&_ss=r and find it to be quite good. First time roasting anything from Uganda and I always seek out dry processed as often as possible as it...

Tamp pressure is way overrated and more important is just simple/consistent technique. Realistically more pressure applied to the puck once it's compressed is wasted effort. For years I've been grinding finer than 'usual', updosing as that's how I roll and a light tamp, like 12-15 lbs at most...

Old Kopi Luwak? Guess that was literally some hard sh_t...

A pressure gauge can give you a decent baseline, but you should always rely on taste, texture, color, etc. to really dial things in. Some machines have very precise brew pressure gauges, but I personally wouldn't rely on one as I'm more about dialing things in with what works for me, not just...

I find a few things you mention to be a bit overrated by many people. The 58 mm portafilter/basket, being the do all/end all industry standard is no better in performance than smaller designs. For those that just have to buy bottomless portafilters, handfuls of tampers, levelers, then yeah 58 is...

Yeah the same applies to the Aeropress, many manual lever machines, etc. as they are forcing hot water through the puck with applied, but varying pressure. The whole 9+ bar thing is ridiculous as well. For YEARS I've gotten my best results using lower pressure, in the 8 or so bar range and I...

A moka pot doesn't function like a typical espresso machine, but they're still a great/cheap way to achieve bold/flavorful coffee. I personally don't give a damn what Illy or others that think they're authoritative on the subject do to accomplish what they consider espresso. IF I extracted to...

I say the hell with the lame COV whatever it is. I've faced far worse issues in my life and I ain't skeered, lmao. Tell you my POV on the forum... I've always liked this place as it's not full of the arrogant enthusiasts that plague other forums. Their common belief(s) are more on the equipment...

Spot on and the ridiculous panic setting into some (hoarding, shopping, disrespect for others) is quite the joke from my perspective.

No worries here as I home roast and have around 21 lbs. onhand, so enough to get by about 2.5 months. Great thing is my go-to supplier has plenty of greens and said online ordering/shipping will proceed as normal, so once I get down to maybe 5-6 lbs. I will order another 20 lb. shipment. On...

I'll throw in my .02 on the subject... IMBHO it's blown way out of proportion in such a short period of time. Yes I assume it's a serious illness for many, but no more serious than tons of other ailments. For many years I've battled debilitating asthma/allergies and due to being on prednisone...

Thing is there are quite a few types of machines if you want to get technical. A typical 'semi-auto' is pump driven and requires you to control the pump. The 'auto' version typically usually some type of flowmeter to measure how much water goes through and stops automatically and most can be...

That might work fine for parts as in external, but I personally wouldn't run it through my machine. My go-to will always be Dezcal from Urnex, but I test the water I use often, which is quite soft and I hardly ever bother with descaling these days as proactive is far better than reactive.

A few things to point out... for descaling ANY machine regardless of boiler material, diluted citric acid is fine. Very safe, very effective and leaves behind no taste/smell. Your problem with that machine could be some clogging in the group valve. That's a mushroom shaped rubber spring loaded...

I'm pretty certain the OP understands that, but I personally wouldn't worry too much about it as in business you will never please everybody regardless of what you do.

Well 30 mins might be a bit overkill. Issue with them would be keeping the grounds moving around somewhat to be sure pretty much all the particles have been pulverized.

I've had quite a few grinders and can honestly say the Rancilio Rocky I ran for years would grind from road gravel coarse to Turkish fine and had plenty of range for espresso, etc. It has thermal protection so possible damage is minimized. Any grinder that will grind Turkish fine will likely...

Awhile back I made/posted a video of me texturing whole milk for a family member using my Silvia. I posted it as some of the coffee dweebs on Reddit were on and on about having to use an articulating wand for proper milk texture. Well lmao on that as you can use a fixed wand and simply angle the...

I can somewhat agree, but it really depends on the user. I am the type of person that can just figure anything out by looking at it/doing it. My first machine was used, etc. and I just tweaked things until they tasted like I wanted it to be. Most go into espresso thinking there's a specific way...

Regarding budget... if you're comfortable buying used there are lots of great deals to be had. Of course it's good to have a general idea of what to look for, how to replace a part here/there, general cleaning, etc. and you can be up/running for a fraction of new price. I know some like to buy...

I actually don't as based on catch bins, etc. that I use with it it's always dead on within .1 gram, which works for me. Of course weights can be bought as I think it's designed to use a specific amount of weight, but I simply don't see a need to. Now if it was used in a very busy environment...

Truth be told I'd go with my gut instinct and keep things the way you want them to be. Of course you will never please everybody, but at the end of the day who cares? Running a business to primarily please others can sometimes make you miserable and that's not ideal. I've had an awesome idea for...

I just received 5# of this https://www.sweetmarias.com/bali-wet-hulled-bangli-kintamani.html and have started experimenting with roasting/dialing it in for espresso. Taste so far has been quite good and the texture is outrageously heavy, which I like. No weak/thin espresso belongs in our home.

Yeah there are lots of scales available and I find it hilarious when some spend an outrageous amount on the Acaia brand. I've had a handful of different scales over the years, but by far the absolute best is the My Weigh Barista. Thing is crazy fast, accurate, consistent, water resistant, is...

For quite a few months I've been roasting several dry processed Brazilian coffees, specifically for espresso and the end result is quite superb. I have given up bothering with washed coffees as most are too clean for me these days. The dry process gives that sort of Earthy/funky taste and very...

Yet another reason to home roast as I know exactly what's in each batch that I do. I buy greens from a reputable supplier and have yet to even find any debris in coffee that people often do. No stones, sticks, etc. and of course I hope it stays that way. Coffee in low quality/bulk can be so...

Who willingly admits they actually like/tolerate the King of Char?

That's a V1 (Version) Silvia, which is a great single boiler/double use machine. Simple/solid workhorse that can give you great espresso, just have to dial in the temperature/pressure with a bit of experimenting. I've had one for a little over 3 yrs and have cranked out around 6,000 doubles with...

Over the years I've found most SOs to be boring/one-dimensional, especially for espresso, which is all I focus on. Whether it was coffee I bought years ago already roasted or any green SOs I roasted myself just was never impressed until somewhat recently. My favorite green seller has had several...

I'm not a fan of wine or fruity/citrusy note coffees, so I can imagine how that process method might negatively influence the taste for me, but surely some can/will appreciate it.

I'll mention what has worked well for me over the years... Back when I really got into espresso I'd buy 1-2 lbs. as needed and of course tried all sorts of storage methods. For the longest time I'd just keep the coffee in the original bag, roll it up tight with a rubber band around it and kept...

Clearly I do as with a hand grinder you have no retention/waste, little noise if that bothers users, you have longevity/dependability with no motor/circuitry to go bad, etc. The hand grinder I just got is easily on par with electric grinders costing $750+.

I'm not a fan of Baratza although they offer innovative features for the price point, reliability is far from great. I had a Vario for several years and even after just typical daily use it bit the dust. Bit by bit it fell apart and really went south when the circuit board went up in smoke. Of...

Yeah I can somewhat agree... of course it depends on how you brush as well. For years I used Arm & Hammer baking soda toothpaste and a firm brush. I did get a bit of gum recession, but not terribly so as it would seem. Having said that, now I use a soft brush, brushing more often and a softer...

Can anybody take a site like Wirecutter seriously? Guess some may do so, but I wouldn't bother reading their opinions. For those looking to buy equipment simply search coffee forums, see what has worked for others for a particular use and go from there. The neverending repetitive threads is why...

Coffee certainly has many great benefits for our bodies, but also for our minds. Seems the psychological effects are likely more powerful than physical. My philosophy is if something doesn't kill you then the tolerance level will build higher and just consume more... and more... and more!

Fast and easy I'd agree with and might be passable compared to actual espresso. Thing is the cost per serving, the plastic waste, etc. is the nail in the coffin for me to even consider one. As long as you like yours that's what matters.

I'd suggest (very carefully) running it a few seconds uncovered as in the pics to get an idea. Based on what bit I can see it might be leaking from the teflon hose/compression fittings that connect the pump outlet to the boiler inlet. Over time those will leak and spew all over due to the...

Could very well be that the lemon offsets what could possibly be very bitter coffee they are used to. Same as when some put salt in soda to reduce carbonation, etc.

FWIW 10 years of daily use is quite impressive. How did you measure the temp? What do you use to clean the filter basket, carafe, etc.? For parts like that I'd soak them in diluted Cafiza as that will safely get rid of anything coffee related and rinses well with no after taste/smell.

Something like that made by Breville won't hold up well for long even in a small volume business setting. Won't recover fast enough at times, isn't designed for back-back use and surely not NSF certified which is nice to have and mandatory in some locations to be legit.