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  • Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

    I know this question maligns the treasured Atomic and will inspire the ire of many CB ers considering the thread already running but im out of options.

    I bought my girlfriend an new Atomic, (Bon trading, Italian made apparently) and have been working with it for some time now with little success.

    Ive tried altering the grind, the water volume, the amount of time on the heat, the intensity of the heat, the type of bean, filtered water etc and i cant seem to find a balance that produces a dependable coffee.

    I am more than happy to concede that i am not a grand master bean machine and that i have much to learn in coffeedom. Trying to wade through the threads relative to Atomics has only served to confuse me more than enlighten me.

    If any Atomic loving/using people want to educate me on the finer points of this frustrating machine id be most grateful.

  • #2
    Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

    Simple answer is yes they can prduce a "good" coffee with the correct setup. Not sure about a great coffee but good coffee certainly.

    Not claiming to be an expert on these as I have only used mine about a dozen or so times.

    Fresh beans - this is the first and most important thing. Stupormarket is not fresh.
    Correct Grind and a light tamp. I am assuming you are grinding your own?
    Fill the Atomic with Hot water from the kettle instead of starting from cold on the stove. If you do this the head on the machine will stay cooler and less likely to get a burnt (over temp) shot. Some more playing needed for me too.

    Have a good read in this section of the threads on Atomics or the Sorrentina equivelents.

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    • #3
      Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

      I had one some years back - circa 1970. thats showing my age :

      There is no way to control the temp so coffee is far too hot and micro foam is out of its reach.

      I know the Atomic has a cult following but at the risk of treading on toes I would never recommend one to anyone wanting to enjoy consistently good coffee.

      The Aeropress is far far better at around 10% of the price

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

        The hot water idea is a great one, especially as the coffee always seems to taste burnt, thanks.

        I am grinding my own beans but not sure how coarse/fine the grind should be. I have a mazzer mini so getting the correct grind shouldnt be an issue but there seems to be so many variables at the moment i dont know which one to change first.

        Do you measure the water volume each time relative to how many coffees youre making? Simple questions i know, but who else to ask?

        Thanks for the help.

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        • #5
          Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

          I have to agree, i dont think it was the best $500 ive ever spent. Then again, it was a much wanted present so ill just think of it as kitchen art.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

            This thread has some good clues for a start http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1236240384

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            • #7
              Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

              Dont get too disheartend, there are a number of members in this part of the forum who live and breathe these machines, give the thread time, they will answer soon

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

                been ages since i used mine, but here is some thoughts on what i did from yesteryear...

                i always filled the water to the top, just under the level of the pressure release where you add the water.
                always used a full double basket... with a fairly decent tamp of grind somewhere between espresso and plunge (closer to espresso)

                i managed to get say 150ml of good consistency (thick and oily at first) coffee, that i would use to make 3 or 4 coffees

                everyone used to love it...
                that said its nothing on a well made espresso, but was definitely very drinkable, just different...
                these were always milk drinks, which of course helps hide some blemishes

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                • #9
                  Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

                  I like the history attached to the atomic and it looks neat - a conversation piece and I have had a few good cups out of it - but generally I would have to agree with Bretty - shoulda bought a Behmor and had some change...

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                  • #10
                    Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

                    Originally posted by 4C684940070 link=1274336931/7#7 date=1274340128
                    i always filled the water to the top, just under the level of the pressure release where you add the water.
                    always used a full double basket... with a fairly decent tamp of grind somewhere between espresso and plunge (closer to espresso)
                    Are the grind reference numbers on grinders universal? I have a Mazzer mini, without knowing exactly how fine an espresso grind is or how coarse a plunger grind is, can someone give me a guide re the grinder numbers?

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

                      Numbers vary from grinder to grinder so they are not of much use. Try a sort of caster to white sugar size for the Atomic and play with the Tamp pressure to work on the shot quality. Espresso being salt size and Plunger at Raw Sugar or courser.

                      The thing that is important with changing a set routine is to change only one thing at a time taste then try to improve.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

                        Thanks bean flying, this weekend im going to conquer that costly little stove top if it kills me. And if not, im buying something else.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

                          Bretty: one thing that may help is to get a new basket with smaller holes. The old baskets have large holes and make it difficult to get good pressure for extraction- or for frothing. I have found this makes the largest improvement.

                          The machines can really make very good coffee (providing you have one that works correctly).

                          Another good idea is not to try and make a full jug of coffee. It will end up over-extracted. The way to do this is do not fill the machine with water at the start- only put around half a jug full. This will give you from 40 to 100ml of black coffee. If you want more volume just add hot water to the coffee before you serve. And as others have noted start with boiling water- it is quicker- and keeps the temperature at the coffee grounds lower.

                          As a benchmark this is what you can hope to achieve with correct basket, grind, good beans- and good technique. This was made with a new La Sorrentina brand atomic- the second photo is right at the end of the extraction- as you can see I have made less than half a jug of coffee. The crema ends up a bit frothy towards the end (the atomic is not an espresso machine)- but as you can see from the colour it is not burnt:









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                          • #14
                            Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

                            Hi Bretty,

                            Keep trying, I got an Aeropress in part due to the many favorable comments on this forum, but initially was disappointed.
                            After some experimentation and more forum searching, I now mostly enjoy what it can do, although I wouldnt ever think of it as a talking point like the Atomic.
                            I think the suggestions in the post from SorrentinaCoffee should be worth trying, the photos look good.
                            Usual CS mantra, fresh beans, freshly ground is always critical.
                            All processes benefit from very careful consistent dosing.
                            Your grinder is more than adequate for this machine, unfortunately there is no consistent grind size relative to the number on the machine, compared to any other machine, but once you have settled on a dose amount, and have worked out a method to keep your dose amount consistent, then grind finer to slow the pour or courser to speed it up and let taste be the final criteria (for example some of my best shots from Silvia seem to be relatively long, but they taste good).
                            Anyway back to the Aeropress comment, one of the big differences for me is the beans...
                            if after working on a consistent process you still dont like the taste try a few different beans/blends as well, it can make a surprising difference.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Can an Atomic produce a good coffee?

                              When alls said and done, the Atomic is no more than a stove top espresso machine.

                              The important question is, what do you expect to get from it.

                              If you expect a good old fashioned espresso as you get from a stove top machine when all has been done properly, then that is great.

                              If you expect to get some kind of coffee nirvana, perhaps something akin to the coffee you get from pump driven machines, and especially if you expect to get a crema as with pump driven machines, then you are on the wrong track because the method of operation....is as per stove top.

                              And there is nothing wrong with that, when you are used to stove top espresso the other tastes strange, and conversely when you are used to pump driven espresso, stove top tastes strange.

                              The main thing is to enjoy the esperience.
                              Regardz,
                              Attilio
                              very first CS site sponsor.

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