Crem One Dual Boiler machine any good?

[alexcs]

Hello, first I like to introduce myself shortly: I am from Germany and I am using espressomaschines for over thirty years now. At the moment I have the Oscar II from Nuova Simonelli but I am thinking of an upgrade because I started drinking bright roasts.

Besides: please excuse my mistakes in writing , I am not used to write in english anymore.

Back to topic ?...
There are only a few informations about the Crem One R-LFPP in the german coffee-forum and only very few users of the machine.
I do not understand why and therefore I am asking here.

I want to buy a dualboiler and I would like to "play" with some profiling.
I still have the Lelit Bianca on my list, but you can only use the Paddle for a kind of manual profiling and that is not really reproducible.
Another opportunity would be a Profitec dualboiler or the ECM Synchronika with an additional flow control, but off course this is the same way as the Bianca.

If I am right, the Crem One is the cheapest machine offering real profiling.
But that's only one argument (okay, it is the main argument...), I really like the Crem One.

There is one thing I am unsure: how is the build quality INSIDE?
There seems to be more plastic than in other machines.
Can you reach the pumps easily when there is a defect?
They look a bit over built.

How about spare parts?
Are the easily available?

Are you still satisfied with your Crem One?
Is it stable?

A lot of questions...

I am looking forward to read your experiences and say "thank you" in advance.

Yours Markus from Germany

I can only speak to my experience with the machine, almost two years now of faultless use. Love the way profiling works, intensely repeatable shots even from old to new bags of the same coffee. A notch or two on the niche lower and away we go.

in terms of reliability I guess time will tell.

I’m content with my purchase and don’t have plans to upgrade.

[Mabuse]

tompoland : nice to hear that you are glad with your German wife...
... but it is a bit *off topic *

?

I live near Hannover.

[tompoland]

Willkomen Markus. Ich habe kein Crem one aber Ich habe eine Deutche Frau und Sie is sehr gut! Wo en Deutschland kommen Sie?

(Welcome Markus I don't have a Crem one but I do have a German wife and she is very good! Where are you in Germany?)

[Mabuse]

Hello, first I like to introduce myself shortly: I am from Germany and I am using espressomaschines for over thirty years now. At the moment I have the Oscar II from Nuova Simonelli but I am thinking of an upgrade because I started drinking bright roasts.

Besides: please excuse my mistakes in writing , I am not used to write in english anymore.

Back to topic ?...
There are only a few informations about the Crem One R-LFPP in the german coffee-forum and only very few users of the machine.
I do not understand why and therefore I am asking here.

I want to buy a dualboiler and I would like to "play" with some profiling.
I still have the Lelit Bianca on my list, but you can only use the Paddle for a kind of manual profiling and that is not really reproducible.
Another opportunity would be a Profitec dualboiler or the ECM Synchronika with an additional flow control, but off course this is the same way as the Bianca.

If I am right, the Crem One is the cheapest machine offering real profiling.
But that's only one argument (okay, it is the main argument...), I really like the Crem One.

There is one thing I am unsure: how is the build quality INSIDE?
There seems to be more plastic than in other machines.
Can you reach the pumps easily when there is a defect?
They look a bit over built.

How about spare parts?
Are the easily available?

Are you still satisfied with your Crem One?
Is it stable?

A lot of questions...

I am looking forward to read your experiences and say "thank you" in advance.

Yours Markus from Germany

[MrGadget77]

An update.
The restrictor was replaced with a larger one, it still makes a noise on cold start-up but it seems lower in sound volume and frequency sound. When pulling a shot it is now also much quieter with no weird sounds.

[dbun]

I believe it will based on how my machine behaves.
Once my machine has cooled completely, the next time I turn it on it will always trigger an auto-fill, unless I do what dischucker has mentioned where I do a quick on/off cycle the night before to top it up whilst it's cool/cold.

[longpvo]

I’ve been following on the LFPP for a while and got quite interested, I don’t hear about it much on the net and other forums much beside Dave Corvey coverage.

does anyone know if you can replicate a blooming pre-infusion, that is the pre-infusion pressure holds and bleeds off with the pump shut off & solenoid stays closed?

[MrGadget77]

This is a well known phenomena with E61 vibration pump machines. The boiler fill sensor will trigger the pump to run if the water level is below its critical level, when you turn it on. When the machine is fully warmed up, when it cools down the water level drops slightly. The trick to it NOT triggering a noisy startup, is to wait for the machine to fully cool down (I usually wait till 8 pm). Then turn it on for 1 minute (pump will activate) and then turn it off again (before it can warm up properly). When you turn the machine on the next morning, it will not make any pump noise. The easiest way to do this is to use a smart switch to do this automatically every night. Optionally have it turn the machine on in the morning so it’s warmed up by the time you’re up and wanting a coffee.

Will then still make the noise at 8:00pm in your example?

[dischucker]

This is a well known phenomena with E61 vibration pump machines. The boiler fill sensor will trigger the pump to run if the water level is below its critical level, when you turn it on. When the machine is fully warmed up, when it cools down the water level drops slightly. The trick to it NOT triggering a noisy startup, is to wait for the machine to fully cool down (I usually wait till 8 pm). Then turn it on for 1 minute (pump will activate) and then turn it off again (before it can warm up properly). When you turn the machine on the next morning, it will not make any pump noise. The easiest way to do this is to use a smart switch to do this automatically every night. Optionally have it turn the machine on in the morning so it’s warmed up by the time you’re up and wanting a coffee.

[MrGadget77]

No noise on start up this morning, I can't determine the pattern of when it makes noise and when it doesn't.

[MrGadget77]

Ah damn, turned it on just now and it made the noise. I've made 3 or 4 coffees since getting my Machine back and it was quiet. Maybe it depends on how much water is in the boiler?

[level3ninja]

What was the fix?

[MrGadget77]

I thought I'd revisit this post after getting my machine looked at. I had a small leak behind the steam valve and I mentioned the startup noise. Happy to report that both issues have been resolved. Might be my imagination but it seems to me that there is a bit more steam power too.

Due to covid restrictions I wasn't able to pick up my machine but it was personally delivered by my retailer who I think is a site sponsor.

[MrGadget77]

Might makes a loud noise when it starts up, it is annoying especially in the morning when it turns on at 6:45.

[stewface]

That’s an awful sound - my machine certainly doesn’t make it.