I Want To Strangle Espresso Maker Inventor.

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jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,568
27,070
Carmel Valley, CA
Get this right and then experiment if you like:

19 grams freshly ground dark roast (French or Italian). Moderate pressure in tamping the grounds in the porta filter. Extraction: between 25 and 35 seconds; no more, no less.

Dialing in is done by changing the grind fineness. Try to keep everything else consistent including tamp pressure. You'll get there!
 

mortonbriar

Lifer
Oct 25, 2013
2,651
5,658
New Zealand
Aeropress every day for me, and I hand grind a yummy local fancy pants roasted bean.

We used to have a little stovetop years ago, but when my wife was using all her brain power to grow a baby she put it on the stove with no water in it and the rubber seal melted and fused all over it.
 
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bullet08

Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
8,932
37,913
RTP, NC. USA
Aeropress every day for me, and I hand grind a yummy local fancy pants roasted bean.

We used to have a little stovetop years ago, but when my wife was using all her brain power to grow a baby she put it on the stove with no water in it and the rubber seal melted and fused all over it.
Yupe. Aeropress makes darn sweet coffee. When I use Aeropress, I don't use sweetener. Used to carry them for backpacking. Then used Wacaco manual espresso machine for awhile. Then changed to instant coffee. Decided too much weight.

So, figured it out. I was thinking auto settings will take care of the things. But, how wrong was I. Three variables. Input, output and time. Input and output won't change once you set the input. For double shot, that's typically 18 g. This means, the out put will be 36 g per 1:2 ratio. Time can be off. But ideally, 27 - 30 sec. How to achieve all that? With my machine, there are 30 grind size settings. There are further settings to narrow things down. Total of 300 settings. But go for the middle setting and half that till you find the right setting. How do you know what that is? Use a scale. As espresso comes out stop the machine at 36 g. Look at the time and see how long it took on that specific grind size. Once you are in 27 - 30 sec range, you are close to the target.

Can't believe it took 3 days and wasted coffee to figure it out.
 

irishearl

Lifer
Aug 2, 2016
2,146
3,762
Kansas
Folks seem to be over-complicating this espresso business.;) I'd gotten this no doubt inexpensive espresso machine, (too lazy to check the brand now), as a gift nearly 25 years ago. Only use it quite infrequently as I'm simply a drip coffee drinker in the am's with tea a couple of times per week. Anyhoo, I simply fill up the basket with the dark roast coffee I use every am, fill the machine and turn it on. Wouldn't know if it makes great espresso 'cause I dink cappuccinos instead-i.e. have to use hazelnut creamer in it or it's too bitter for me. Tastes just fine this way.:)
 
Aug 1, 2012
4,587
5,131
Get this right and then experiment if you like:

19 grams freshly ground dark roast (French or Italian). Moderate pressure in tamping the grounds in the porta filter. Extraction: between 25 and 35 seconds; no more, no less.

Dialing in is done by changing the grind fineness. Try to keep everything else consistent including tamp pressure. You'll get there!
This is truth. It can be tough to keep pressure consistent while tamping (and it needs less than many think) but pays off if you work at it and can become automatic in a few weeks. The only mod I may make is to start with your favorite roast level as many people are going for the "cup of vinegar" super light roasts.
 

captpat

Lifer
Dec 16, 2014
2,265
12,140
North Carolina
The 25-30 second shot time is a generally good place to start, some coffees will benefit from a longer shot time. One coffee I like recommends a shot time of 42-45s at a slightly greater than 1:2 ratio. A good scale will really be helpful for repeatability. One other thing to keep in mind you'll probably need to adjust your grinder as the beans age and then again when opening a new bag or changing varieties. Have fun.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
My wife loves espresso,though she makes it in the stove top espresso pot. She spent some time with Italian friends at their place where they summered in Italy. I've never quite captured the magic. The short shot of coffee doesn't do it for me. I want to sip and ponder, but i do have a strong preference for the old fashioned stove top percolator. With espresso, I feel like, "Where's the rest of my coffee?" It's a cultivated taste perhaps.
 

HawkeyeLinus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2020
5,580
40,853
Iowa
Every time I think I want a real espresso machine I read up on all wide variety of reviews/how-to's, etc. and then I realize I can use my $ better, lol. I'd go nuts trying to dial anything in. I just want one or two mugs of coffee in the morning, not a double shot (which on the odd occasion is nice, but usually if I'm at a coffee shop out of town and even there not usually consistent). I've been using a Chemex for several years and it isn't precise even day to day with the same blend (part of that is the consistency of the grind as well) but it's only once every few weeks I take sip and think I messed up enough to start over. I'll take the coffee flavor from that process over any coffee pods any day, just my preference.

I also have a Bambino Plus - it's too inconsistent IMO for reliable shots of espresso, at least I haven't gotten there and not for lack of trying, but consistent enough for making shots for mocha which is what my wife likes and why I bought it, so perfectly happy with it - kind of a no brainer unit and very reliable mechanically.
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,677
29,394
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
Do have a Bialetti. Do have a French press. I never use them, my wife does. Been very happy with Mr. Coffee. Foolproof, until it craps out on you.


Breville Barista Pro. Readjusted top burr to 3. With new grind setting at 14, that's pretty fine grind. I get pretty good shot and a lovely everything. Sweet, not bitter or sour. Puck's like a brick. But the extraction takes 67 sec. I'm supposed to aim for 27 - 30 sec for double shot? 18 g of espresso bean is used. Meaning 36 g should come out. Very close. But 67 sec extraction?
For me Mr. Coffee has always made an acceptable pot of coffee. But that's it.
Though I found out recently that you can make any coffee like you would Turkish coffee even if it's not a fine dust like powder.