Thread: Decent coffee accessories

This wraps up all the videos I needed to make to describe every espresso accessory I've made in the past 3 years.

It's a bit strange that I put all this energy into making a new product, and then don't find the time to explain it.

On a separate topic...

I have two new accessories currently in development:

1) a "pour over basket", to help you make V60-style pour-overs with your espresso machine. I'm working with Scott Rao on this. The goal is to create the right spray angle, and the right amount of turbulence. Our current prototype has 11 calibrated holes in a blank portafilter basket.

preview-lightbox-Basket_Pattern-of-11 hole_DSC_3124.jpg

2) a puck simulator (essentially, a blind basket with a calibrated laser-cut hole)

And I'll post news about them here, when I've made progress on them. The "puck simulator" is ready to go, but I don't expect it'll be a "big seller", so I'm waiting until Rao is happy with the "pour over basket" and will make the two of them at the same time, since they're variations on each other.

-john

I'm looking at ordering a Decent Scale shortly; are they still on track for shipping 1st Jan as indicated on the website?

Also, I see the API is open; are you able to share any information about it?

Originally Posted by MrJack

I'm looking at ordering a Decent Scale shortly; are they still on track for shipping 1st Jan as indicated on the website?

We're going to miss that Jan 1 date, probably by about 2 months. I am receiving beta 1 this week, of the finished scale. This will be my first time using the firmware rewritten from scratch with a new manufacturer I chose. The previous manufacturer I chose had it all done, but their final quoted price to us was crazy (we'd be more expensive than Acaia!), so I had to restart again with another company, hence the long delays.

Originally Posted by MrJack

Also, I see the API is open; are you able to share any information about it?

The Decent Scale API will be very close to the same API of the Skale 2 that we currently sell. Here is the documentation I wrote:
https://decentespresso.com/scale_api

The main thing that will change is that the magic BLE numbers associated with a manufacturer ID will need to be different. And there is a bit more to the API to support the timer I added.

Nonetheless, it's super trivial to get weight data from this scale. You just subscribe to the characteristic in Bluetooth and weight is streamed to you 10 times per second. No DRM or legal agreements needed. :-)

Here is a photo of the prototype, partially disassembled. Naturally, the plastic in the final one will not be this ugly cream-colored stuff.

screen 2018-12-02 at 1.12.44 PM.png

– John

I just bought the Decent thermometer as a Christmas present to me from my wife - but I seem to be using it already!

The thing I like is the response speed compared with the mechanical thermometers I have been using. They lag almost 10-degrees from the actual temp. (ie: if I want 60-degree milk, stop at an indicated 50) This one is lagging only about two and is more consistent over the range, as compared with my multi-meter.

The head is much larger than the cheaper mechanical unit, but I’ll get used to it.

Now maybe I might drill a hole in my jug if I can find a drill bit I don’t mind blunting on the SS.

yep the decent thermometers are the best i've ever used. very small lag behind temperature.

Originally Posted by steve7

The head is much larger than the cheaper mechanical unit, but I’ll get used to it.

The head is indeed larger because this was originally a meat thermometer, where the head size was not as important:

ET578A.png

I was able to convince Mingle https://www.mingle-instrument.de/et578a/ to modify this model to become a milk thermometer. But reducing the size would have meant going with a different company, and I knew this German manufacturer's thermometers already because I used their meat thermometers myself in my kitchen.

if you do put a hole in your milk jug you'll find that the head is no longer in the way like it is if you use a clip. Personally, I think the reason that people rarely use thermometers is because the workflow is tedious. The hole in the milk jug helps a lot.

I did a lot of experimenting on different hole sizes and found that 5.4mm was ideal. This provides a small amount of grip on the thermometer and keeps it from rotating or falling out as you pour milk out.

decent_hole_specification.jpg

You can see how this is supposed to work in the video below:



-john

Originally Posted by decentespresso

I did a lot of experimenting on different hole sizes and found that 5.4mm was ideal. This provides a small amount of grip on the thermometer and keeps it from rotating or falling out as you pour milk out.

-john

That's useful - you don't see many 5.4mm drill bits!! and it falls just under 7/32, so maybe a 13/64 and a very small file!

But all is saved - apparently I am getting one of your jugs - with the hole - for Christmas from my daughter. You have saved her the stress of working out what to get something for someone "who has everything" apparently.

WechatIMG822.jpeg

The scale firmware has been written. Now we are waiting for black plastic versions of the parts to test for appropriate transparency, heat resistance, and quality. We still need to write the Bluetooth implementation and then go through beta testing. A few more months’ work still, sorry!

-john

I was gifted a Decent knockbox for christmas. Loving it so far. Fair bit bigger than my last one but best of all I won't be cleaning coffee mess of the side of my coffee hutch any more. Bigger size means that I can now also knock with the basket basically behind the bar meaning the puck now comes out in one knock. I run a 21g pullman precision basket and used to have problems getting the puck to come out as I had to strike the bar with the middle of the basket

Originally Posted by decentespresso

WechatIMG822.jpeg

The scale firmware has been written. Now we are waiting for black plastic versions of the parts to test for appropriate transparency, heat resistance, and quality. We still need to write the Bluetooth implementation and then go through beta testing. A few more months’ work still, sorry!

-john

Need any Beta testers John?

Originally Posted by mentasm

I was gifted a Decent knockbox for christmas. Loving it so far. Fair bit bigger than my last one but best of all I won't be cleaning coffee mess of the side of my coffee hutch any more. Bigger size means that I can now also knock with the basket basically behind the bar meaning the puck now comes out in one knock. I run a 21g pullman precision basket and used to have problems getting the puck to come out as I had to strike the bar with the middle of the basket

I presume this knockbox is Bluetooth enabled and sends back the puck weight to the Decent Espresso machine?

Originally Posted by theonetruepath

I presume this knockbox is Bluetooth enabled and sends back the puck weight to the Decent Espresso machine?

It measures Extraction Yield (EY%) in cup by calculating total remaining undissolved coffee solids in the spent puck.

-john

That would actually be doable if you measured the weight of the puck and its moisture content, which could be measured by NIR. The difference between initial and final dry mass would give you the extract.

Originally Posted by Lyrebird

That would actually be doable if you measured the weight of the puck and its moisture content, which could be measured by NIR. The difference between initial and final dry mass would give you the extract.

I was planning on asking Google.