Hi all - what a great forum with such great info available
I am new to coffee drinking (only about 5 yrs) and even newer to actual espresso brewing appreciation. Now that I am aware of what makes a great coffee great I am somewhat ruined though!
Being new to brewing my own espresso, I bought a $40 second hand EM6910 with all the bits and pieces that come with it approx 14 months ago. Noticing that it leaked around the group handle when I used the single floor basket, or just came out a sour 'gusher' if the grind was too coarse, I just switched to the double floor basket which makes a bit of a crema and the espresso is drinkable. I love lattes and husband has his coffee milky with sugar so it has been workable for the money paid.
I've since learned a bit about coffee and now understand that the grind is almost everything with espresso (if your machine's working probably, which mine probably isn't). So I recently got some pre-ground Illy coffee, ground for espresso and tried it with the single floor basket and although there were a few drips around the handle with little pressure (as measured on the gauge) for the first couple of seconds, it then got going and some crema came out with coffee - the pressure snapped to just over the target zone then, and the coffee was slightly bitter but you could tell that it was properly extracted - better than the dual floor basket. I have ordered a conical burr grinder and I'll meddle with the grind to see if I can get it ever so slightly coarser and perhaps get a better result?
So the few drops around the group handle when the grind is ok, together with the fact that the handle goes to approx 4.30 instead of 6 makes me think the collar is probably gone - the seal is nice and new feeling.
Main question I have: is it worth my while getting the collar replaced (will cost approx $100)? Machine is old - not sure how old but at least 5 years.
Also any other advice about grind etc and getting a better cup is much appreciated!
I am new to coffee drinking (only about 5 yrs) and even newer to actual espresso brewing appreciation. Now that I am aware of what makes a great coffee great I am somewhat ruined though!Being new to brewing my own espresso, I bought a $40 second hand EM6910 with all the bits and pieces that come with it approx 14 months ago. Noticing that it leaked around the group handle when I used the single floor basket, or just came out a sour 'gusher' if the grind was too coarse, I just switched to the double floor basket which makes a bit of a crema and the espresso is drinkable. I love lattes and husband has his coffee milky with sugar so it has been workable for the money paid.
I've since learned a bit about coffee and now understand that the grind is almost everything with espresso (if your machine's working probably, which mine probably isn't). So I recently got some pre-ground Illy coffee, ground for espresso and tried it with the single floor basket and although there were a few drips around the handle with little pressure (as measured on the gauge) for the first couple of seconds, it then got going and some crema came out with coffee - the pressure snapped to just over the target zone then, and the coffee was slightly bitter but you could tell that it was properly extracted - better than the dual floor basket. I have ordered a conical burr grinder and I'll meddle with the grind to see if I can get it ever so slightly coarser and perhaps get a better result?
So the few drops around the group handle when the grind is ok, together with the fact that the handle goes to approx 4.30 instead of 6 makes me think the collar is probably gone - the seal is nice and new feeling.
Main question I have: is it worth my while getting the collar replaced (will cost approx $100)? Machine is old - not sure how old but at least 5 years.
Also any other advice about grind etc and getting a better cup is much appreciated!

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