I've had this machine for a few years now and have never felt that I have command of it.
Previous was an older Italian machine called Novitalia – it was a cracker and would pump out espresso with good crema from a Lavazza pre-ground bricks every time. And when I bought freshly ground it was right up there! Alas, that one has gone to the barista gods.
I buy my coffee purpose ground (fine –> very fine) from Seven Seeds or St Ali. When it's fresh (hours) it's ok – but never gives out a luscious, golden, thick, syrupy crema. That's what I want.
The machine has had the pressure mod done to it.
I overdose, as is common for these machines and even when the pour is slow and fine, it is quite dark and watery. And when I get the grid done just a whisker finer it just chokes.
Hmmm. Have been wondering if I should take the thing to St Ali and ask one of the dudes there to road test it. Would they do that? Are you listening in, even?
Tips welcome.
Previous was an older Italian machine called Novitalia – it was a cracker and would pump out espresso with good crema from a Lavazza pre-ground bricks every time. And when I bought freshly ground it was right up there! Alas, that one has gone to the barista gods.
I buy my coffee purpose ground (fine –> very fine) from Seven Seeds or St Ali. When it's fresh (hours) it's ok – but never gives out a luscious, golden, thick, syrupy crema. That's what I want.
The machine has had the pressure mod done to it.
I overdose, as is common for these machines and even when the pour is slow and fine, it is quite dark and watery. And when I get the grid done just a whisker finer it just chokes.
Hmmm. Have been wondering if I should take the thing to St Ali and ask one of the dudes there to road test it. Would they do that? Are you listening in, even?
Tips welcome.

I noticed a radical difference with using the double wall filter as compared to the single wall with the preground coffee crap I have tried (all I had for my as-of-yesterday arrival of my first machine) - might you have been using a double wall in the old machine but now you're on single wall? So your normal procedure needs adjusting?
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