Any opinions welcome. I have an ECM tecnika and a Compak K3 grinder - this is the set up I've had for a few years now. I have 3 portafilter basket set ups 1 with an 18gm VST basket 1 with a 20gm IMS basket 1 naked PF with a 25gm basket I've played around with baskets, doses and the grind, but all my shots seem to start a little late - dripping at around 10 secs and then mid way through - around 20 secs start to flow too much, like almost gushing... I've tried dosing up and dosing down up to 1gm with no real difference. I've tried adjusting the grind, but no improvements.... Any advice welcome. Thanks
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First crack or nothing
- Nov 13
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- Sydney (West)
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What coffee beans are you using?
When were they roasted?
How does it taste?
Sounds like it could be something like old beans, or a very hard tamp compensating for too coarse a grind, or clumping that's not being dealt with sufficiently prior to tamping.
Step one is to pick one basket and a dose and stick to it until you're getting consistent results you're happy with. Then you can use that formula as a starting point and modify it as needed to suit another basket.
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Thanks ninja, I work at one of the biggest coffee roasting companies and they do specialty coffee, so I'm only using the best and most fresh beans you can buy 😁 ATM I'm sticking to my 20gm IMS basket and sticking to 20gm dose.... I'll play around with the grind but I've pretty much already done that.Originally posted by level3ninja View PostWhat coffee beans are you using? When were they roasted? How does it taste? Sounds like it could be something like old beans, or a very hard tamp compensating for too coarse a grind, or clumping that's not being dealt with sufficiently prior to tamping. Step one is to pick one basket and a dose and stick to it until you're getting consistent results you're happy with. Then you can use that formula as a starting point and modify it as needed to suit another basket.
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hi adam76
another thought for you to chew over ....pressure seen by the puck ? ( although it shouldn't change radically). I have found some beans that grind just a bit coarser than others in all other respects, do not like even half a bar more pressure,,, they erode quickly at the end. Reduce the pressure the puck sees (if you can adjust) by a small amount... Makes a tiny bit of difference as to when you see first drop but seems to help with the puck integrity ( at least to about the 25-28 second mark.)
Puck / dose/ tamp / grind etc are also ways of dialing in for that scenario, so you don't have to pull the machine apart,, it is just sometimes a particular bean is a hard one to get the juggle just right.
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Thanks FNQ, I'll try that.Originally posted by FNQ View Posthi adam76 another thought for you to chew over ....pressure seen by the puck ? ( although it shouldn't change radically). I have found some beans that grind just a bit coarser than others in all other respects, do not like even half a bar more pressure,,, they erode quickly at the end. Reduce the pressure the puck sees (if you can adjust) by a small amount... Makes a tiny bit of difference as to when you see first drop but seems to help with the puck integrity ( at least to about the 25-28 second mark.) Puck / dose/ tamp / grind etc are also ways of dialing in for that scenario, so you don't have to pull the machine apart,, it is just sometimes a particular bean is a hard one to get the juggle just right.
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barista wannabe
- Dec 16
- 68
- espresso, aeropress long black, plunger long black, cold brew, moka pot
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hi adam,Originally posted by Adam76 View PostI have an ECM tecnika and a Compak K3 grinder - this is the set up I've had for a few years now.
i had this exact same setup until today
- traded in the k3 (for a specialita). i am curious... you mentioned this setup has been for a few years now - does that mean these shots you described have been like this for a few years now??
when i had the technika (profi V)+k3 combo, i was using a 18g IMS basket - and didn't have your issue. the stock ECM double-basket was more forgiving as expected. have you tried just the stock basket? it is pretty darn good by itself - the holes seem as uniform as the IMS when held up against the light with my untrained eye...
my workflow was:
beans were around 2-5 weeks from roast. variety of light and medium blends.
PID set to 125 celsius (boiler temp. manual says 126 equates to 93 degrees group head temp).
my routine was - 19g (not 18) timed grind with the k3 into the basket with the aid of a magnetised dosing funnel - i would push once, shake the grinds to level and "distribute", push again, shake again. weighed. manual dose to make up 19g if it isn't right.
no WDT but did OCD.
tamp was body-weight pressure. not excessive. moreover, influencers seem to report that tamping pressure seems not to matter.
the result: i would get anything from 35-41g within 23-30 secs out pretty consistently. never gushed.
the technika read a steady 9 bars while pulling the shot. no pre-infusion was used. the machine was always warmed for at least 1 hr prior to use. 3 secs cooling flush at the start.
not sure if this workflow helps but just to give you an idea what a similar hardware setup was achieving.
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Thanks for the reply Andy. Appreciate you sharing your complete recipe -- something I can easily replicate and try. I think I still have the ECM original double basket. Cheers. BTW did you notice the difference in the new grinder?Originally posted by andyss2003 View Posthi adam, i had this exact same setup until today
- traded in the k3 (for a specialita). i am curious... you mentioned this setup has been for a few years now - does that mean these shots you described have been like this for a few years now?? when i had the technika (profi V)+k3 combo, i was using a 18g IMS basket - and didn't have your issue. the stock ECM double-basket was more forgiving as expected. have you tried just the stock basket? it is pretty darn good by itself - the holes seem as uniform as the IMS when held up against the light with my untrained eye... my workflow was: beans were around 2-5 weeks from roast. variety of light and medium blends. PID set to 125 celsius (boiler temp. manual says 126 equates to 93 degrees group head temp). my routine was - 19g (not 18) timed grind with the k3 into the basket with the aid of a magnetised dosing funnel - i would push once, shake the grinds to level and "distribute", push again, shake again. weighed. manual dose to make up 19g if it isn't right. no WDT but did OCD. tamp was body-weight pressure. not excessive. moreover, influencers seem to report that tamping pressure seems not to matter. the result: i would get anything from 35-41g within 23-30 secs out pretty consistently. never gushed. the technika read a steady 9 bars while pulling the shot. no pre-infusion was used. the machine was always warmed for at least 1 hr prior to use. 3 secs cooling flush at the start. not sure if this workflow helps but just to give you an idea what a similar hardware setup was achieving.
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barista wannabe
- Dec 16
- 68
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i am gonna sound like one of these fanbois now LOLOriginally posted by Adam76 View Postdid you notice the difference in the new grinder?
the eureka mignon specialita (ems) is a step up in terms of grind results compared to the k3 touch advanced (k3TA) which i just traded in. in this early day (yes i have had it for ONE day only...)
k3TA - clumpy-as grinds (this is NOT sexy - but are loose clumps which break up easily with WDT/OCD/shake of the portafilter).
ems - fluffy grinds (this is very very sexy, like the youtube videos you see).
k3TA - takes up quite a bit of space
ems - pocket rocket. very compact.
k3TA - not too bad noise-wise
ems - noticeable quieter but in the scheme of things, is irrelevant in my household
k3TA - has a grind catcher. very useful
ems - no grind catcher. pain in the... i am a stickler for a clean espresso workbench.
taste? i can't taste a difference with my partially-trained palate. it is equal - so far. crema equivalent, 1:2 ratios equivalent, 1:1 ratios (i do risterettos for my flat whites) equivalent. i plan however to post a longer term comparison after i have used the ems for 3-6 months.
i changed because for some reason or rather, the k3TA would clog up with grinds every 4-5 weeks - i had to wind the adjustment ring all the way to super-coarse to get the chute going again, then wind back. this annoyed and disturbed me. i also changed because i couldn't find any youtube videos on how to remove the upper burr-set to deep-clean the burrs to circumvent this problem. the influencers in CS would say this is unnecessary and potentially risky. so i never did it and just ran grindz through it every 3-4 weeks and vacuumed the hell out of the chute and the hopper-removed.
so the upgrade-itis was for a very soft reason (spurred by a highly competitive changeover price from a site-sponsor) as i could have kept going with the k3TA which is a beast of a grinder. when paired with my previous machine - a gaggia classic pro (modded to 9 bars), the espresso was delicious. it would not be an "upgrade" i recommend, just a cure for upgrade-itis. when i get recurrence of upgrade-itis, i will probably look at some 65mm grinder LOL...
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barista wannabe
- Dec 16
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so happy for you bro! the IMS holes when held up to the light are noticeably larger than the ECM stock basket(s). i am no physics or barista but i think that is the cause of the unforgiving nature. i find the stock basket OK for now. the advantage of the IMS was that nanocoatjng but ECM makes such high quality baskets that i find it is just as easy to wipe it. the inner lining of the ECM basket has that similar slippery feel to the IMS…Originally posted by Adam76 View PostJust for the heck of it, I put the original ECM double basket back in and needed and with the grind. Dosing at 19gms I ended up with a pretty decent shot that tasted pretty good. Everything I thought I knew is now in doubt 😁
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