Proof of the Evil in Pressurized Baskets

[Davidoh]

Today, after school, I come home to find no ground coffee, and no beans, for my press.. So I decided to see what would happen if I put instant coffee in my mothers Breville Cafe Roma, a machine I avoid at all costs (except for a half decent, kinda microfoam milk).

If you are unfamiliar with the Cafe Roma, it comes with Pressurized Baskets, and a Pressurized Portafilter. It is advertised with the "feature" "Crema Enhancer".. It already sounds bad.. But I now have proof of how bad it really is..

I put about 3 table spoons of Nescafe Blend 43 into the basket, lock the portafilter in, and twist the dial to "Espresso". Low and behold.. Crema!!!

It didnt look half bad, but I brewed into a mug, so I couldnt see how it developed. Needless to say, it was a pretty poor excuse for coffee, but it could be used to trick a visitor into thinking you make great cappacinos.. Not that I recommend that.. Just sayin  ;D

[Thundergod]

Re: Proof of the Evil in Pressurized Baskets

Not crema but froth.

Thats what pressurised* baskets do.

I caught a few noobs at work putting instant into the Sunbeam 69xx.

After I stopped laughing to myself I politely pointed out that all they were doing was adding hot water to their instant a different way.
The machine didnt magically turn instant into espresso.  :

*Spell it with an s not a z.
What kind of school are you attending?

Signed The Spelling Police

[fatboy_1999]

Re: Proof of the Evil in Pressurized Baskets

Reminds me of the Blackadder episode where Balrick is making coffee

Edmund: (removing the pencils, looks at Baldrick) Fat chance! Now, all we have to do is wait. Baldrick, fix us some coffee, will you? And try to make it taste slightly less like mud this time.
Baldrick: Not easy, Im afraid, Captain.
Edmund: Why is this?
Baldrick: cause it is mud. We ran out of coffee thirteen months ago.
Edmund: So every time Ive drunk your coffee since, I have in fact been drinking hot mud...
Baldrick: With sugar.
Edmund: Which of course makes all the difference.
Baldrick: Well, it would do if we had any sugar, but, unfortunately, we ran out New Years Eve 1915, since when Ive been using sugar substitute.
Edmund: Which is...?
Baldrick: Dandruff.
Edmund: Brilliant.
Baldrick: Still, I could add some milk this time - well, saliva...
Edmund: No, no, thank you, Baldrick. Call me Mr Picky, but I think Ill cancel the coffee.
Baldrick: Thats probably cause youre mad, sir!
Edmund: Well, quite!

And later...

Edmund: Cup of coffee, Darling?
Darling: Oh, thank you.
Edmund: Baldrick, do the honours.
Baldrick: (comes from kitchen) Sir. (to Darling) Sugar, Sir?
Darling: Three lumps.
Edmund: Think you can manage three *lumps*, Baldrick?
Baldrick: Ill rummage around, see what I can find, Sir. (turns back to kitchen)
Darling: Make it a milky one.
Baldrick: Coming up, Sir.

[hazchem]

Re: Proof of the Evil in Pressurized Baskets

*Spell it with an s not a z.
What kind of school are you attending?

Signed The Spelling Police

while Im no fan of the z instead of s thing, the linguist in my house tells me that its no longer considered a difference between US English and UK English and that either form is considered acceptable.

[Davidoh]

Re: Proof of the Evil in Pressurized Baskets

Not crema but froth.

The weird thing was, is that it looked nearly exactly like crema.. But I agree, it was nothing more than foam. The tricks these companys come up with to convince buyers that they are getting a high quality product, and can make good coffee with them with ease..

I once read a Choice magazine that placed the Silvia 3 or 4 over a Sunbeam and some other machine. The Classic was also ranked low.. It shows the consumers still arent fully aware of what produces a great coffee, or a machine that can. I must find that mag and upload a few pics...

[Thundergod]

Re: Proof of the Evil in Pressurized Baskets

That Choice report gave Silvia a lower score because it didnt have power cord storage.

[A_M]

Re: Proof of the Evil in Pressurized Baskets

That Choice report gave Silvia a lower score because it didnt have power cord storage.  

See my post as to teh Shuttle review ;D

Technical scoring.. Look at points one and two

Also does not help when teh reviewer/s are using supermarket beans and looking for brown scum on top of teh coffee.. Call that crema

[GregWormald]

Re: Proof of the Evil in Pressurized Baskets

Im going to speculate that if you had fresh beans, a good grinder, and got the grind right, then a pressurised basket would (could possibly) make very little difference, mostly because it wouldnt really pressurise.

Of course when its the small hole causing pressure by backing up the flow of coffee from coarsely ground stale coffee,... then its really making a high pressure brewed coffee that is under-extracted and over-heated!! So, excess acid, too bitter, and none of the fine volatile oils that give real coffee the crema and the taste. Being able to sell that is what I call a **good con**!

Greg

[Thundergod]

Re: Proof of the Evil in Pressurized Baskets

Im going to speculate that if you had fresh beans, a good grinder, and got the grind right, then a pressurised basket would (could possibly) make very little difference, mostly because it wouldnt really pressurise.

Sorry Greg..wrong.

The same amount of pressure is built up irrespective of fresh or stale beans, course or fine grind.

The amount of pressure is dictated by the size of the one outgoing hole.

The only way to make any difference would be to grind so finely that you choke the shot.

[GregWormald]

Re: Proof of the Evil in Pressurized Baskets

The amount of pressure is dictated by the size of the one outgoing hole.

I understand this, I was just thinking that if the pressure hole allows 60 ml in 30 seconds, then a grind that allowed 50 ml in 30 seconds wouldnt activate the basket pressure. (I could easily be wrong though, fluid dynamics is NOT my field!)

Of course forcing the real crema through a tiny hole after extraction probably wouldnt help the taste.

Ive never used the pressurised baskets--its just too easy to rip out the bottom and have a proper basket. ;D