Lever machine users - shot time?

[Juvv]

Hey guys,

I am a proud owner of a lever machine (spring loaded). I have an Elektra s1 micro which I absolutely adore.

One thing about these machines is that you seem to have to be very spot on with your grind and tamp to pull a nice shot.

I also have issues with shot times for a few reasons. I try to aim for like 20 sec, but rarely get there.

What do you other lever machine owners aim for? I guess they are all different, and a spring loaded lever like mine would work much different machine that isnt spring loaded and is fully manual.

My main issues:

Grind fine = slow shot pull, but once the pressure is gone there is still water that will drip out slowly for up to 2 mins.

Grind coarse = shot drops in like 5 seconds.

A lot of the time I can find the middle ground, but I wanted to know is anyone can advise if shot times matter as much in a lever as opposed to your "normal" machines. The pressure is so much different and there is no control!

I am happy with my coffee's and have been told i have made the best coffee people have ever tasted, but it's something I think you can never be 100% at and is an art form that takes years to be mastered.

PS using a lelit grinder.

[ASchecter]

My main issues:

Grind fine = slow shot pull, but once the pressure is gone there is still water that will drip out slowly for up to 2 mins.

Grind coarse = shot drops in like 5 seconds.

A lot of the time I can find the middle ground, but I wanted to know is anyone can advise if shot times matter as much in a lever as opposed to your "normal" machines. The pressure is so much different and there is no control!

Not familiar with either your grinder or espresso machine, but with a good espresso grinder and good technique you should be able to dial in a fairly consistent flow rate that produces shots to your taste.

Your grinder must be able to make reasonably small adjustments AND you must dose accurately (within about +/- 0.2g or 0.3g) in order to get the flow rate you want. If you don't have a scale that weighs in 0.1 gram increments, buy one and try weighing your doses each time.

I think it's pretty normal for the shot to continue to drip for 15 secs or so after you remove the cup.

Also, on a spring lever you do have a little bit of control over pressure: you can push gently down the the lever as it rises during the extraction which will decrease pressure on the puck. Not a normal way to pull a shot, however.

[richard_m_h]

Don't know if this translates to your machine but my europiccola needs a 12 sec preinfusion then I get around 20 secs for the rest.

[Juvv]

Thanks for the replies dudes.

for a 12 sec pre infusion, it must be very fine and tamped hard in my machine. This also means that the coffee drip after the shot has been dropped through would be quite long, like 1 min+

[GregWormald]

Hey guys,

I am a proud owner of a lever machine (spring loaded). I have an Elektra s1 micro which I absolutely adore.

One thing about these machines is that you seem to have to be very spot on with your grind and tamp to pull a nice shot.

I also have issues with shot times for a few reasons. I try to aim for like 20 sec, but rarely get there.

What do you other lever machine owners aim for? I guess they are all different, and a spring loaded lever like mine would work much different machine that isnt spring loaded and is fully manual.

My main issues:

Grind fine = slow shot pull, but once the pressure is gone there is still water that will drip out slowly for up to 2 mins.

Grind coarse = shot drops in like 5 seconds.

A lot of the time I can find the middle ground, but I wanted to know is anyone can advise if shot times matter as much in a lever as opposed to your "normal" machines. The pressure is so much different and there is no control!

I am happy with my coffee's and have been told i have made the best coffee people have ever tasted, but it's something I think you can never be 100% at and is an art form that takes years to be mastered.

PS using a lelit grinder.

Different machine, different process.

I have an Izzo Pompei and grind with an conical manual. This combo is very forgiving and I rarely change the grind at all, even with different beans every roast.

I aim for a 10 sec pre-infusion with the handle down and then go for another 20-25 seconds of flow for a double ristretto. No matter where in the timing it is, I stop when I get the volume I want--25 ml.

Yes, because the pressure profiling is "automatic" on a spring lever, the last teaspoon or so can take a minute or more to drip out.

Greg

[TC]

Agreed Greg,

Spring levers have little (if anything) in common with baby levers.

I run a similar setup to you with the Pompei and Alex Leva as well and there is huge latitude

The shots- sublime. I'm thinking about an Alex Leva for home to replace the GS/3.

Cheers

Chris

[Juvv]

Thanks dudes. It makes it hard that I have nothing to compare it to because its the only machine in the house and none of my mates have decent machines!

Just increased the fineness on the grinder and pulled 2 shots just then. last one went better with about a 9 second preinfuse, 14 or so seconds of flow then down to slow drips.