Transition to Rocket Cellini, struggling with steam wand

[JoshNZ]

I put the tip just under the surface towards the side of the jug and leave the jug on the drip tray. As the milk stretches the wand gets deeper and then when at temp i stop steaming.
Rocket gpp with stock tip

I tried this after reading and got the best results I've had yet. It still had bubbles on the surface after stopping but one crack on the bench seemed to get rid of nearly all of them and leave fairly good milk behind but still room to improve. I think I'll pursue this technique a while longer!

I will give the vertical swirl a go too. Will report back. Thanks for all answers !

[barri]

Josh, I have a rocket as well. As mentioned above I let the jug sit on the drip tray the whole process. Place the wand just under the surface, in the middle and at a slight angle to allow sucking in air for only a few seconds. If you want a cappuccino then move the wand up a bit so it is still close to the surface and sucking in air for a few more seconds. You'll hear the slurp. Then move it to the side but below the surface to get the whirlpool happening till you reach your desired temperature. If you want a flat white then leave out that step where you keep the wand close to the surface. This works perfectly for me. Practice hard. I wasted many litres of milk until I got the hang of it.

[herzog]

Another way to practice without wasting milk is to use water in the jug with one tiny drop of dishwashing liquid.

[Stan]

I would suggest that the wand be close to vertical or the least angle possible. if you have it on an angle (say 45deg) it will blow bubbles. I have recently bought a similar machine and was having the same trouble. I am now getting close to the target.

[dumiya]

+1. I get fantastic fine foam with the HX Rockets. It is getting the depth and angle right. The steam pressure is great so the position hast to be almost right from the start. For the HX Rockets I angle the wand close to the edge for a horizontal swirl. For the R58 double boiler the wand hast to be vertical for a vertical swirl - to illustrate that each has its own requirements.
Great machines

[trentski]

I put the tip just under the surface towards the side of the jug and leave the jug on the drip tray. As the milk stretches the wand gets deeper and then when at temp i stop steaming.
Rocket gpp with stock tip

[JoshNZ]

I'm using the same milk I used with the old machine. I find it very hard to describe technique since we're talking about two different objects in 3 axis's but basically I'd have the jug slightly tilted, wand at an angle to the milk, about half way out on the whirlpool. I'd surf the whirlpool about 10 seconds barely puling air, and the tip would submerge itself as the milk expanded slightly, then hold this position until heated. Would produce silky milk every time. So I have tried more or less the same technique, acheiving the same effect on the milk (i.e. swirling folding action) and it's not until stopping the steam you realise it's still bubbly every time.

I've heard of the vertical centred method, it seems conterintuitive to me that there would be no swirling action but it can't hurt to try I will give it a shot and report back!

Cheers,
Josh

[coffeechris]

What is your technique? I personally cant speak for the machine you are using, however i experienced the same issue years ago when going from a Sunbeam to my Expobar. the technique is what i changed and it seems to work. I tend to have the tip on top of the milk in the middle of the jug. till approx 40deg then drop it a little and only slow slightly slow the steam down when coming close to the end.

Im not saying this is right, however it works for me. Thats said is it an issue with you milk?

Cheers,

Chris

[JoshNZ]

Hi guys,

Have been wrestling with the steam wand on a Rocket Cellini the last few weeks and not winning! It's a double hole tip and has more power than anything I've used before (milk is hot in 10 seconds instead of 60+), I can get reasonable results but nothing close to the silk-paint I used to get with my lower power breville 870.

Particularly having problems when only doing < 200ml of milk for a small flat white, which was never a problem with the breville. I can texture it alright but it always seems to end up with visible bubbles throughout. Does anyone else struggle with the factory tip on the Rockets? Is this what I should be looking at, or changing technique?

Thanks in advance!
Josh