Breville Infuser (BES840) Owners thread

[skeevs]

Thanks for the advise @prydey. Reading this and post #67 above did lead me to think the current behaviour of the pressure gauge is normal.

Btw which vst baskets would be best to go with a Pullman tamp?

[skeevs]

Having read through more of the previous posts, it looks like this is a common issue and it seems to me now that the machine and gauge is behaving as expected. But I have been trying to follow the instruction manual down to the tee which isn't, necessary. Having the gauge appear in the broken line zone past 2nd screw can be "normal", as long as the machine isn't choking.

I will use the following as a guide now and see how I go.

I wouldn't go by what is written in those instruction manuals,.it will do your head in ! As a veteran of 2 BES 860 machines i only use the extraction guage....nothing else .

This is the method i use,
Volume - you want to be grinding enough beans so that after you have tamped you can just see the "top" of the stainless steel ring around the bottom of your tamper(thats what it's for) , when you have that right ...set time into your grinder .
When you have volume set ,...then set your grind fine till it is "almost" choking your coffee machine....then back the grind off a bit, but keep it so it is "just" within that broken line area. When i pull a shot my extraction guage ALWAYS sits right at the very top into the broken line area . Once you are in that area with your grind you may have to go back and adjust volume slightly . When you are constantly getting into that same extraction area this indicates. ...volume , tamp and grind is correct and your shot should be cafe quality, or better. If it starts to blond a bit before extraction has finished simply end the shot manualy.

Let us know how you get on?

[Yelta]

A good way to check dose is to put a 5c coin on top of the puck after tamping and then lock the handle in to the group head. Then take it out and the 5c coin should leave a slight impression in top of the puck. This gives about 1mm clearance for the grounds to expand during pre infusion/extraction.

If there is no indent from the coin, increase the dose until there is. If the coin is pressed in too far, decrease the dose.

As for the grind size, ignore the gauge on the machine. The pour will tell you if you need to go finer or more coarse. Aim for roughly 25-30mm per cup in roughly 25-30sec. Too fast - grind finer, too slow, grind more coarse.

Tamp pressure should be quite firm also. 10-15kg of pressure. Press on some bathroom scales to give yourself an idea of how hard you push. The main thing is consistency.

Then just change one thing at a time so you know what the change did. Changing more than one variable makes it harder to know which element created the change.

Good advice Prydey, apart from point 1, I don't like to see any sign of the shower screen on the puck, perhaps OK on the Breville, just makes a mess that must be cleaned up by backflushing on my machine.

[prydey]

A good way to check dose is to put a 5c coin on top of the puck after tamping and then lock the handle in to the group head. Then take it out and the 5c coin should leave a slight impression in top of the puck. This gives about 1mm clearance for the grounds to expand during pre infusion/extraction.

If there is no indent from the coin, increase the dose until there is. If the coin is pressed in too far, decrease the dose.

As for the grind size, ignore the gauge on the machine. The pour will tell you if you need to go finer or more coarse. Aim for roughly 25-30mm per cup in roughly 25-30sec. Too fast - grind finer, too slow, grind more coarse.

Tamp pressure should be quite firm also. 10-15kg of pressure. Press on some bathroom scales to give yourself an idea of how hard you push. The main thing is consistency.

Then just change one thing at a time so you know what the change did. Changing more than one variable makes it harder to know which element created the change.

[skeevs]

Hey guys

Just got my 840 Infuser paired with the Smart Grinder Pro this week. I’m using Aldi Lazzio medium roast beans as practice beans. At the moment been having a tough time with pressure gauge mostly shooting past the ideal/gray zone. Testing with empty dual wall basket shows pressure gauge around 9 o’clock, which appears to be correct based on what I’ve read.

Started out with the single and decided to move into the double basket since there were a few mentions about single basket being tricky to get right.

I thought I got it right the night before after 3 hours and alternating tamp strength with grinder settings : dose 13s, shot 2, grind 19 (which seems pretty coarse given the average I've been seeing online) Pressure was just at 12-1 o'clock(2nd screw).

But next morning with the same setting, the gauge was at borderline about leaving the ideal zone.

Watched a few Breville vids on youtube and learnt that:
1. the dosing should be sufficient much so that resulting dry puck should have some of the shower screen screw embossed in it, knocks out in 1 piece,crumbly like a biscuit.
2. after dosing and tamping the Tamps metal upper line should align with top of basket.
3. tamped coffee shouldn't drop out after tamping and shaking gently on sides

Today I figured I should increase the dosing by 1s to get to point (1) above, grind settings : dose 14.2s, shot 2, grind 19. After tamping the alignment between tamp and basket seems correct. I didn't tamp very hard but enough to ensure it doesn't fall out. As it turns out, pressure gauge was way past the ideal/gray zone again. Puck did come out something like point (1)

Then, I pulled a double shot again with coarser grind settings : dose 14.2s, grind 25. Same tamp pressure. Yet again, pressure gauge was way past ideal/gray zone.

I'm no expert but the result espresso has good crema layer and tastes pretty decent, a little sourish, not bitter.

Any thoughts on what could be wrong here? I know these are supermarket'ish beans but I've read good comments about them. Would they have any effect on pressure/extraction?

[prydey]

btw, anyone has recommendation for non-Breville tamper,

Pullman. end of discussion.

Get it matched to a Pullman or vst basket at the same time.

[Funk5150]

Thanks mate, will post the result later

btw, anyone has recommendation for non-Breville tamper, as the stamdard one leaves some gaps when tamping. Some people said getting a 54.5 tamper, but couldnt find one so far

thanks

It will be somewhere between 17/18 grams for a double. Start at 17 and you should be very close.

[Erimus]

It will be somewhere between 17/18 grams for a double. Start at 17 and you should be very close.

[Lukemc]

Thanks Luke.
my last attempt for today finished 30 min ago ,using the single wall, got good result:
10gr beans,20gr espresso, aceh gayo beans, same grind setting, 25 sec.

Good stuff. That’s a better dose size for a single basket too I would guess. 14g is close to a double.

[Funk5150]

Thanks Luke.
my last attempt for today finished 30 min ago ,single shot, got good result:
10gr beans,20gr espresso, aceh gayo beans, same grind setting, 25 sec.will try double shots tonight.cheers

[Lukemc]

Switch to the double basket

Singles are too hard to get right consistently

[Funk5150]

Hi all, just got my 840 Infuser ytday, and hv been playing with it for the last 3 hours.

My setup: 840, using Rancilio Rocky grinder. Beans: Toraja Sapaan, medium roast,using single wall basket (single shot)

First few tries: crazy results, from the gauge went straight to the max, to 1st drip only came at the 14th seconds, etc.etc. Things got better when I ground the beans less finer (from 6 in Rocky to around 10), and didnt do a very hard tamping (noob mistake).
Still trying to get the 1:2 ratio for a single shot: 14gr of beans to 28gr of espresso (last attempt, it took around 35 seconds from hitting the button). Tasted way bitter to my liking (probly too fine of grinding?)

Anyone here using the same 840+Rocky setup, would like to get input on your Rocky espresso setting (6,9,10?)

Thanks all

[Bumblebee]

Hey guys, can someone with the Breville Infuser + Smart Grinder Pro combination shed light on the grind, volume, tamp settings they're using for their espressos please. I've spent three weekends trying to figure this thing out with some amount of success but not quite there yet. So, I'm getting the pressure gauge to fall within the Espresso range but the coffee tastes disgusting -- bitter and unbalanced. I've tried grinding finer, keeping weight constant, but then the pressure gauge shoots all the way to the right.

I just had what I think is a perfect drink (to my taste) so I'll tell you what settings I used.

At least 14 gm beans, ground at 8, about 35 seconds brewed, 2 oz espresso. Using the Breville Smart Grinder Pro and the Infuser (the newer model with adjustable temp settings).

Just ignore the following unless you are a Noob like me - I'm just so excited I FINALLY have been able to make a drink that tastes so good!!
Only read any farther if you want to watch over my shoulder as I make my drink .... ;-)

Measure 4 oz of whole milk into the chilled Breville pitcher and put it back in the frig.

My grinder is set to 8 - I put it at 7 and tweaked it till it just read 8.
I let the machine warm up at least 15 minutes with the portafilter in place. (using the 2 cup single-walled holder) Then press the one cup button to run water thru it to warm it. (I let the water fall into 2 one ounce glass containers to warm them.) Dry the portafilter.Fill a 6 oz cup with hot water and set aside to warm.

I measure between 14 and 15 gms espresso beans (my scale only measures whole grams (grr) but between 110 and 120 beans. My beans are now 3 weeks old....and put them in the grinder. I have the grinder set to 22 seconds just for convenience.

I grind about 12 seconds (about half of the beans), push the pause button. Tap the portafilter on the counter, do a modified Weiss (with a long toothpick, swoop it in loops from the middle to the edge, to the middle several times across the holder- (takes about 2 secs) Put the portafilter back in the grinder and grind till all the beans are done. Tap on the counter again, repeat the Weiss, tap again, and tamp firmly. (If you wonder about the height of the coffee - check the level with the razor tool- it should just clear the coffee when twirled).

Put the portafilter in the machine, empty the warmed glasses and replace to catch the espresso, and push the 2 cup button. I start roughly counting the seconds now - there is about 8 secs then the first drops appear -now the dial is just at the right hand screw - I stop it by pushing the 2 cup button again when there is about 1 oz in each glass - roughly 35 seconds counted...

I put an instant thermometer in the pitcher of cold milk and hold it in place in the pitcher.Turn on the steam valve - when the pump starts, quickly put the wand into the milk and raise it til the tip is just at the surface (the sound should be like paper being ripped). I do this til the temp is about 25 C
for just a small amount of foam, then plunge the tip deeper until the temp is 55 to 60 C(on this thermometer ,while holding the pitcher so the steam makes the milk swirl to mix the microfoam. Turn off the steam, wait til the sound decreases, then remove the pitcher. Wipe the tip with a damp cloth, turn on the steam for a few seconds to rinse any milk out of the inside of the wand, and shut off the steam.

Empty the hot water from the cup, pour in the 2 oz of espresso, add the foamed milk, and enjoy.(I also add a small amount of vanilla syrup usually)

And it tastes the best in my antique Belleek cup.:-D]

I hope this can give you a starting point - my coffee tasted deep and chocolatey and just enough foamed milk....

[slipslopslap]

Different beans require different grind time's,then as the bean ages you need to adjust grind setting. I cant give you any advice about pour times as i have never worried about them,.... i go by taste. I'm not even going to try and attempt to do on my semi auto "appliance" type machine with default pour times as what people do with prosumer machines. If my grind setting, grind time and tamp is correct then I'll watch the shot ...and if it starts to blond i end the shot. Others may be able to help you with that one. Trying to get all that correct , and keep it correct on one of these machines would do my head in . My advice is,..try just going by taste ...if it starts to blond...end the shot.
Your extraction gauge will tell you everything you need to know , where is the needle sitting when you do a pour? If it's not on the borderline of the broken line area then you need to make your grind finer as your grind QTY in your PF looks spot on.

[level3ninja]

The time of the shot is counted from when you push the button. First drop is usually somewhere around 7-8s, so 20s from first drop wouldn't be bad. You'll have to upload videos to YouTube or similar and post a link, you can't upload videos direct to CS like you can pictures.
All your other numbers seem ok, but taste is more important. How does it taste?
The grind time will change significantly between beans, so the weight you're getting is more important than the time. I can't remember the target dose for your machine but I think it's somewhere around 14g?