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  • JavaB
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    coffeeNcake...

    Great hardware choice there. I can see some superb coffee from that combination.

    Enjoy

    Leave a comment:


  • dailybean
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    wow great stuff coffeeNcake. sounds real nice.

    Leave a comment:


  • COFFEECHASER
    Guest replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    Nice choice CoffeeNcake, I am sure you will be happy with your machine choice and will be glad you dealt with Chris. Look forward to pics of yoru shiny new investment, accompanied by pcitures of the coffee it makes of course.

    Leave a comment:


  • coffeeNcake
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    Just as an update to this thread I decided to buy the ECM Giotto and a mini Mazzer from Chris. I will be picking it up on Wednesday. Now I have more than one reason to want Monday overwith.
    coffeeNcake

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  • coffeeNcake
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    It was about nine months ago and you didnt actually take the course but you introduced it.

    I wont bother you over the weekend but call you some time next week and discuss the machines with you.

    Thanks
    coffeeNcake

    Leave a comment:


  • TC
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    Wow coffeeN,

    That must have been ages ago ....I havent taken a latte art course for some time...Was that the night that Toshi came to play?

    That night, we most likely used a modified "cafe" style milk....For latte art, I really dont like them- theyre too thick and harder work to pour and get great results with. In addition, theyre usually chockablock with extra added sugar...in an attempt to cover up the sour, underextracted swill we so often get served in the cafes that "Wanna do it fast mate. Were so busy :".

    2mcm

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  • coffeeNcake
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    [QUOTE=2muchcoffeeman link=1169630174/15#18 date=1169884741]
    Originally posted by coffeeNcake link=1169630174/15#17 date=1169884493
    Chris,
    Hi coffeeN- There are 2 x approx 1.3mm. The design of the tip is also a major factor in my opinion. Its rounded and the porting of the holes is excellent- Id estimate the steam exits at approximately 30 deg. from the vertical...They are the best I have so far experienced.

    Chris
    thanks Chris-that is good to know. When I did your coffee art course - I found the microfoam much easier to create on the larger commercial machines. I assume a major factor was the machine/wand and a minor factor was the special milk that was used.

    coffeeNcake

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  • coffeeNcake
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    I just read a pretty good and detailed review of the Expobar Minore II at

    http://www.home-barista.com/brewtus-buyers-guide-performance.html

    it also compares it to the ECM Giotto.

    As far as I can ascertain a key difference between the two machines is that you can set the temperature on the Minore II. The reviewer seem to lend a lot of importance to that feature. I am interested in your opinion as to how important the ability to set temperature is.

    I am also a bit perplexed on how to find the correct temperature for a particular blend of coffee. When pulling a shot there seems to be a lot of variables and I wonder if adding the ability to select temperature makes it even more difficult or confusing. When I use my Silvia to pull a shot I get an enormous variation in the quality of shots. Sometimes I am aware of the reason but often I have no idea why. So I am wondering if by adding the ability to temperature control could this make it more difficult or would this improve it. Is there an easy way of ascertaining the correct temperature to brew a coffee? Does a degree or two either way make a huge difference? Is there a significant difference in the temperature range that most common copies should be brewed at?
    thank you

    coffeeNcake

    Leave a comment:


  • TC
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    Originally posted by coffeeNcake link=1169630174/15#17 date=1169884493
    Chris,
    I agree with your comments about the Silvia.  You advised me some time ago to bend out the wand and it helped.  However to get excellent microfoam you have to purge out the water out of the wand and it requies a fair bit of messing about.

    By the way how large are the holes on the tip of the Giotto or a Minore II?

    coffeeNcake
    Hi coffeeN- There are 2 x approx 1.3mm. The design of the tip is also a major factor in my opinion. Its rounded and the porting of the holes is excellent- Id estimate the steam exits at approximately 30 deg. from the vertical...They are the best I have so far experienced.

    Chris


    Leave a comment:


  • coffeeNcake
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    Chris,
    I agree with your comments about the Silvia. You advised me some time ago to bend out the wand and it helped. However to get excellent microfoam you have to purge out the water out of the wand and it requies a fair bit of messing about.

    By the way how large are the holes on the tip of the Giotto or a Minore II?

    coffeeNcake

    Leave a comment:


  • JavaB
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    Why put off till tomorrow what you can do today ?(well in WA anyhow )

    Luca

    I drilled the holes out to 1.5mm along the path of the original holes.....

    After a good clean, fitted the tip and half filled a litre jug with milk....

    Textured the milk, without being overly careful.... And the most beautiful microfoam formed in front of my very eyes!!! Dead easy and took a little less than double the time to reach temperature compared to using the standard 4 hole tip....

    Gave a quick tap, a swirl and the most glorious, silky smooth microfoam - with a perfect glossy sheen - just poured smoothly into the glass......one beautiful uniform glass of microfoamed milk which slowly - very slowly developed a head....

    sweet as!!!!

    So yep, Im real happy 8-) ;D ;D

    Leave a comment:


  • JavaB
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    Originally posted by luca link=1169630174/0#14 date=1169816482
    If I were handier and more knowledgeable, Id drill the tips out, too. I reckon that that might just be the perfect prosumer machine tip, with the ridges removed, of course. Another appoach might be to drill a hole of the same diameter inbetween the two other holes (ie. pointing straight). Do let me know if you do this and how it goes, as I might be able to get my hands on some blank steam tips soon ...
    Cheers,

    Luca
    Yep, tip design is REALLY important!!

    Well the La Cimbali (genuine) is 4 holes each 1.5mm diameter whilst the CoffeeParts is 2 holes each 0.8mm diameter....

    So tomorrow a 1.5mm drill and well see how she goes with half the steam (through half the number of holes) of the genuine article....

    Will let you know the result..... and the blank tips sounds VERY interesting

    Leave a comment:


  • luca
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    Hi Java,

    Sorry; NFI how big the Synesso tip holes are.

    That coffeeparts tip is really easy to use, but, as you said, SLOOOOOW. And if it being slow on your 15L boiler machine doesnt put an end to the rumor that boiler size is the sole important factor when it comes to steaming, then I dont know what will! If I were handier and more knowledgeable, Id drill the tips out, too. I reckon that that might just be the perfect prosumer machine tip, with the ridges removed, of course. Another appoach might be to drill a hole of the same diameter inbetween the two other holes (ie. pointing straight). Do let me know if you do this and how it goes, as I might be able to get my hands on some blank steam tips soon ...

    And great photo by the way Smiley
    Thanks! But it was quite dark when I took it, and the tip was a bit dirty :-[

    Cheers,

    Luca

    Leave a comment:


  • JavaB
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    Originally posted by luca link=1169630174/0#12 date=1169815291
    Im presuming that youre talking about the prosumer 2 hole tip (that Isomac one that Coffeeparts sells)? If thats the case, you might want to try a commercial tip with two holes; the holes will be larger and let out more steam. Im currently trying out a monstrosity at home thats basically a (coffeeparts generic) Synesso tip with two holes blocked. Its fast and relatively easy to use as long as you dont position it stupidly to start off with, but I need to teflon tape it on, as its not a great fit, and its a bit finnicky to clean. Amazing how the results seem to come down to the tip.

    Cheers,

    Luca
    Luca,

    Yep thats the tip Ive used.... I actually thought of drilling out the holes to increase the steam flow...... might still do that but not sure if the angle of the holes is the best ...... but might be worth a try as Ive nothing to loose...

    Do you know what size holes the Synesso tip has?

    And great photo by the way

    Leave a comment:


  • luca
    replied
    Re: help selecting my new coffee machine

    Originally posted by JavaB link=1169630174/0#10 date=1169812780
    A two hole tip makes it easier - but then its no faster than the Solis (and I suspect the Silvia) and the result is about the same quality as those machines.
    Im presuming that youre talking about the prosumer 2 hole tip (that Isomac one that Coffeeparts sells)? If thats the case, you might want to try a commercial tip with two holes; the holes will be larger and let out more steam. Im currently trying out a monstrosity at home thats basically a (coffeeparts generic) Synesso tip with two holes blocked. Its fast and relatively easy to use as long as you dont position it stupidly to start off with, but I need to teflon tape it on, as its not a great fit, and its a bit finnicky to clean. Amazing how the results seem to come down to the tip.

    Cheers,

    Luca

    PS. Reto from Terra Keramik actually put this photo up on his webpage - how cool is that! Ill have to take a better photo for him with more light at some stage.



    Leave a comment:

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