[stimpson]

Originally Posted by McSween

Mine was driving me mad a few weeks ago. I unplugged it for two days and used starbucks espresso beans and it started working (water flow). I then used the Blonde espresso and it trickled out on 2 cup setting but works out fine on 1 cup.

Strange machine. Ill need a hoover to clean it.

Do you descale regularly? if you do and it's still working slowly, then dialling in a coarser grind should help.

[McSween]

Originally Posted by stimpson

Do you descale regularly? if you do and it's still working slowly, then dialling in a coarser grind should help.

I only started using it on xmas day. I have it on the finest setting. I might experiment at the weekend. At the start nothing seemed right with it.

[snoopsheep]

Originally Posted by McSween

I only started using it on xmas day. I have it on the finest setting. I might experiment at the weekend. At the start nothing seemed right with it.

finest setting is a little *too* fine in my experience for most beans

[stimpson]

Yeah. You’re just grinding too fine. Read the manual before you adjust. The grinder must be grinding when you turn the adjustment dial.

You should aim for a single shot to pull an ounce of coffee in 25-30 sec. I find the left dial at 10:00 and the right at 2:00 is a good place to start. Alter the shot size to get an ounce and then dial in the time with the grind. My grinder is set to 4.5 for medium roast beans.

Oh, and don’t use the double shot button. It just doubles the water giving you an overextracted shot. Do two single shots instead.

[snoopsheep]

genuinely haven't noticed the double shot doing that. the puck of spent grounds is noticeably thicker etc

minimise the water going through it, sure. top up with boiling water from kettle after if needed

[Don Imac2]

Interesting article which might benefit those on the quest for the perfect coffee. It's all in the grind.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/202...rfect-espresso

[stimpson]

Originally Posted by snoopsheep

genuinely haven't noticed the double shot doing that. the puck of spent grounds is noticeably thicker etc

minimise the water going through it, sure. top up with boiling water from kettle after if needed

I was curious about this so I pulled a double shot this morning. Pucks are identical - left is a single, right is a double. right looks slightly bigger as it's still wet.



these are the shots - left is 2 singles, right is the double. the double crema is lighter in colour and the shot tastes noticeably weaker than the 2 singles.

[snoopsheep]

Originally Posted by stimpson

I was curious about this so I pulled a double shot this morning. Pucks are identical - left is a single, right is a double. right looks slightly bigger as it's still wet.



these are the shots - left is 2 singles, right is the double. the double crema is lighter in colour and the shot tastes noticeably weaker than the 2 singles.

fair play, i might well go back and have another look at my technique after that!

[stimpson]

Originally Posted by snoopsheep

fair play, i might well go back and have another look at my technique after that!

No worries. I was just parroting what I had read on the web. It was interesting to check it out myself.

[Ardent]

Just got this machine and very disappointed with the weak milk frother/steamer. The De Longhi Icona it replaces was streets ahead for making cappucinos etc. Any tips or tricks to increase output of the steamer?