Thread: Possible Em6910 Mods?

up the steaming temp by 10 degrees and knock down the pump recovery time by -.2 or -.1 - quicker and a bit wetter. The thing then steams like a bandidt - I prefer -.2 recovery. Up brew head temp if you need to...probably will by 2 or 4 degrees over standard.

Other than that the EM6910s baskets are fine and almost identical to standard Italian baskets - or at least the ones I sourced from Barazi in Coopers Plaines Brisbane.

Dose high and tamp firmly - bout 30 pounds - twist 90 degrees and lock in tight. Grind to suit depending on how the pour goes. These machines will consistently do a normal shot in 25-30 seconds with great crema and taste using fresh beans. Cheers

Annthony,
Im curious why you are going from the Botticelli to a 6910?
I have also read that someone improved the taste of their coffee by moving to a more standard sized based basket with the 6900.
I have been thinking about it myself and it would reduce the amount of coffee I go through. ;)

I will need to make the decision before I upgrade my tamper to Pullmans.

Originally Posted by Anthony link=1172976075/0#0 date=1172976075

Ive read on the net some discussions about replacing the standard Sunbeam baskets with a more standard Italian-style basket -- definite improvement, I read, but the change was made to a 6900 which might alter things.

The OLDER and superseded EM6900 had a double sized "single" basket and a quad sized "double basket". The NEWER and more current EM6910 has 2 dual floor (crema enhancing baskets for preground supermarket stuff) and two much more regular sized double and single baskets...even though theyre a touch bigger....

I have no problems using the supplied sunbeam baskets. They work really well and knock out a very clean puck unlike my La Marzocco ridged double basket.

The EM6910 likes to be overdosed...so do it. Leave approx no more than 3-4mm gap between the top of the puck and the top of the basket. You will notice the difference, I assure you. You want your extractions to go in to the "overextracted" brown area of the espresso gauge. Any less (light tan colour - "good") and you will get blond gushers.

Id immediately suggest you change the steaming capabilities to -0.2 recovery and +10 deg C. You will appreciate the difference. As for playing around with the brew temp....I wouldnt bump it up until you experience some sour shots.

Thanks all for the advice.
And as for why Im switching from the Botticelli to the Sunbeam, I was very happy with the Botticelli; its a fine and very handsome machine. As I read somewhere, its perhaps a Morgan or Porsche compared to a Honda.......
However, my wife found it perpetually worrisome, when alone, to be trying to remember whether shed switched off the steam button -- shes usually dashing in from her outdoor artists studio, then out again with her coffee sustenance in hand, and her mind on textures of abstract landscapes etc .. and her constant fear was that shed let the boiler run overheated and eventually dry.
So the Sunbeam is hopefully a fine compromise between luxury and necessity .. and for myself when alone, theres always my La Pavoni Professional to play with!
Cheers and thanks again

Thanks Anthony, sorry didnt mean to be so nosey. ;)
That makes complete sense.
It was just I saw a Botticelli the other week and was drooling over it.

Originally Posted by Wushoes link=1172976075/0#3 date=1172976637

I have no problems using the supplied sunbeam baskets. They work really well and knock out a very clean puck unlike my La Marzocco ridged double basket.

The EM6910 likes to be overdosed...so do it. Leave approx no more than 3-4mm gap between the top of the puck and the top of the basket. You will notice the difference, I assure you. You want your extractions to go in to the "overextracted" brown area of the espresso gauge. Any less (light tan colour - "good") and you will get blond gushers.

Is it just me, or are the Sunbeam baskets (with the overdosing) a real pain to fill consistently? Im using it with the Sunbeam grinder (em480 or something) and with the fluffy grind, with the updosing is a nightmare!

At work on the Wega simply half filling the basket, lite tap on bench settle grinds, over fill, level off and solid tamp filled it. If the "lite tap" was to heavy it wud over dose. The coffee was very firm after extraction and came out in one pluck. Theres never any probs filling the baskets inconsistently etc.

With the sunbeam em6910 and fluffy grind from grinder, I do a hard middle tap on bench (not tamp), and once I overfill I do another hard tap on bench before leveling. I tamp quite hard using pretty heavy tamper and still 5mm id say from top. (Norm only faint screw mark, and if I press finger into it after extraction its kinda soft). I probably tamp harder with the sunbeam then work, and the harder I tamp the firmer the coffee pluck after extraction. But shudnt be tamping so hard in first place!

Do most people here actually TAMP lightly at halfway point? Otherwise would have to add more coffee then leveling off?

Coffee is still drinkable but think it cud be better.

Kiwi_Jonno,

This is my process.. and I get fantastic pours..

Fill PF (Double Basket) to very small mount, tap on bench to settle grinds, then dose again to a larger mountain, press grinds with fingers/\/palm of hand into the basket with moderate pressure, level with knife (or equivalent), tamp moderately and with no pressure twist tamper to polish.

Be aware, do NOT over dose too much. Updose yes, but dont over do it. As Wushoes posted, after tamping, leave about 3-4 mil from rim of basket.

Enjoy :-)

Marc

BTW: No intermediate tamping required!