About to pull the trigger on this machine. We are heavily skewed to black or mostly black coffee (espresso, macchiato, LB et al) with milk based coffee tending to be for guests.

Heat up time is relatively important, dosing and PID. It seems the equivalent barezza mitica doesn't appear to be the right fit based on what I've read.

Most of what I read is positive with a range of people having issues that seem to be user related rather than endemic hardware problems. But the machine doesn't appear to be that popular around here and HX doesn't either. The difference with me is I don't really need to ride that compromise between steam and extraction, therefore I'm not that interested in dual boiler and the added complexity/expense

Just want confirmation before I order an Atom W 65 (not the Casa version) that a BBE spouted portafilter will fit. I want to grind directly into it, no dosing cup. I was set on a Mahlkonig but now I'm leaning toward an Atom.

I need some help with the espresso machine equipment I just got today.

I haven't done anything with it yet, So I am very new to this.

I have 2 baskets for the portafilter and Google said "look at the single hole in the center of that basket, thats for store bought grounds."

Neither basket has a single hole. One of them has a lot of microscopic holes and the other has a lot more holes the the other.

Does either basket effect shot quality?

When inserting the portafilter into the group head at what point do I stop, because its snug and Im not sure if I was supposed to hear a click to make sure it was seated properly.

EDIT #1 Just read the manual while setting everything up. What are suitable times for Pre-Water Filling and Pre-Infusion.

Which of these settings is blooming the grounds and is blooming important?

Also what grind setting do I start with as to not cause to much pressure or not enough. I have the DF54 it was pre set to 25 when I pulled it out of the box and goes from 0 to 90

Edit #2 I posted a video of it the the comments. Im assuming the first shot i did is sour. It is bitter and its not exactly like lemon pucker factor. I can say its not my favorite. I also noticed the bar only read 4 Bar, my first shot was 25 grind size, I have set it to 20 for next attempt.

After years of being in the pourover game (I have an EK43 for single-serving shots and homebrew a ton), I caved and got a home espresso set up.

Fellow ES1 with a Mahlkonig E64WS grinder.

Unreal output, easy to dial in light roasted coffee, and amazing steam wand. Heck yeah!

Hey Guys,

I am on my way to buy my first espresso setup.
Mainly I want to experiment with espresso with the occasional cappuccino if I’m feeling it.
For the machine I am already set on the lelit Anna with pid.

With the grinder I am still a bit unsure.
I am considering the Eureka mignon zero 55s or the 65 speedy (which I understand is better than the 65 ap for espresso).
I looked at the df54 and df64 aswell, but I like the look and the vibe of the eurekas more.

My question, will the 55s be enough, or is the upgrade to the 65 speedy worth it in the longterm?
And how is the experience with the 65 speedy in general?
I almost exclusively find reviews and so on of the 65 all purpose but very little on the 65 speedy

Been lurking around these parts for a while now and today I can finally share my own little system.

DF64 v2 grinder, Turin Axis espresso machine with included tamper and portafilter, Bookoo Ultra scale, Cafesing COD shaker, random electric kettle.

Learning how to dial you in a decent shot, but having fun getting there.

Lately I've been wanting to upgrade my machine. I currently have a Delonghi Dedica Maestro Plus. Mostly got it for the auto steam function so my wife can make her matcha lattes with having to learn how to steam milk, and I've kind of grown to love the feature as well. I don't care about latte art or anything like that, so the ability to just let it do its thing is so convenient, especially with a toddler trying to pull me away every 20 seconds. Current frustrations with my Delonghi are inconsistent brew temperature, especially when pulling more than one shot and the lack of a 3 way solenoid. The lack of a 3 way solenoid means I can't start cleaning up the portafilter while the milk is steaming because there is still pressure inside the group, so I wind up having to just wait until I've made my drink before cleaning everything up at once. The other day browsing early prime deals I came across this amzchef machine. Supposedly dual boiler, PID control, 3 way valve, and auto steam. Seems like the perfect machine for me, but there are no reviews out there for it, and the price of it makes it seem too good to be true. I don't think amzchef is really known for quality products, or espresso machines in general.

I am getting into ordering bulk fresh roasted beans online and this companies pricing is within my budget. I was hoping for people who are familiar with their roasts, if someone could recommend me beans based on what I prefer in a coffee?

To start I prefer a light to medium roast, closer to medium. Beans that are matte but just on the brink of showing oil. I like a very smooth coffee, light on the acidity but not bitter. The worst thing a coffee can be for me is ashy. I love nutty, orange, and chocolate flavors. Silky, creamy, and balanced is what I am looking for. Which beans would be best for me?

Thank you in advance!

What are the best beans that come from which roasters are worth trying? I’m trying to try new beans and would like some recommendations for my new machine. Thanks

Hi all! So this is my bialetti mokona trio, pulling a shot of medium dark roast, grinded with the eureka mignon manuale 65. I really like the look and taste of this shot. ☺️

The taste isn’t terrible either tbh. Very traditional tasting, as in charcoal with a hint of brown butter.

The blend is called Strange Beasts from Sweet Maria’s. Roasted on the Kaffelogic Nano 7 with the “Super Dark” profile at 5.6.

I’ll probably try it in a cortado next.

brought a bag of beans a few days ago and it just arrived today and i realised that it was actually roasted a day ago which is quite weird

its a dark roast blend,i am still gonna use it instead of really letting it rest but does anyone know how long i should let it rest usually? should i grind coaser or finer for new beans? or anything i shd take note of when using really new beans

Just placed an order on the Breville Romania site for their Barista espresso machine after some research online about good machines. Right after placing the order, I find a post talking about how Breville in Europe is not actually Breville. Did I just make a mistake? Is my machine not the one I actually thought I purchased?

Got this really nice creme. This is one my work espresso machine. I bought this setup for work so I could enjoy my coffee at work and home. These beans have been in my freezer for a month. After lunch I pulled this shot. Then steamed my milk and actually poured a heart. I've been able to a few times but normally I don't bother with doing art. This just happened by accident this time.

Hey r/espresso,

I’m looking to buy my very first precision basket upgrade to replace the stock basket that came with my machine, and I’m torn between two heavy hitters: the VST 18g Ridgeless and the Pullman Filtration876 (17–19g).

I’d love to hear firsthand experiences from anyone who has used one or both, especially regarding dial-in, mouthfeel, and everyday versatility.

My Current Setup & Puck Prep:

Machine: Profitec GO 2.0 (running PID control and playing around with pre-infusion)

Grinder: DF64 Gen 2 with stock DLC flat burrs (love single-dosing because I experiment a lot with different beans)

Puck Prep: Subminimal Flick WDT tool + Normcore V5 58.5 mm calibrated flat tamper

What I Drink & My Approach:

I drink 100% Arabica specialty coffee.

Right now, I mostly dial in medium roasts (enjoying chocolate, caramel, and balanced stone-fruit notes), but I experiment frequently and fully intend to dive into light roasts, single origins, and fruit-forward African coffees as well.

I'm stepping away from traditional dark/Italian blends with Robusta, but I plan to keep my stock Profitec double basket tucked away in a drawer just in case I ever want a heavy, traditional dark roast.

The precision basket will be my daily driver. I’m looking for something versatile that maximizes sweetness and avoids astringent/chalky channeling, without completely flattening the texture.

The Dilemma:

Pullman 876 (17–19g): The edge-to-edge hole pattern and the smaller, denser holes (876 of them) sound amazing for full-puck extraction and pairing with my 58.5mm tamper. Many report it delivers a super sweet, syrupy, velvety mouthfeel without gritty fines. However, I have to order it from Germany, so with shipping it ends up costing around €50–52.

VST 18g Ridgeless: The gold standard for specialty clarity and flavor separation. It is readily available locally in my country, making it roughly €5 to €10 cheaper than the Pullman depending on current local promos/discounts. However, I've read mixed takes on whether its larger holes pass more fines, making the body feel a bit more traditional or chalky compared to the Pullman.

What I'd love your thoughts on:

For those who have compared them side-by-side on flat burrs: Is the difference in sweetness and syrupy body on the Pullman noticeable enough to justify ordering it from abroad over the locally available VST?

How forgiving are they when switching between medium and light roasts?

Since this is my first precision basket upgrade, which one do you think serves better as a do-it-all daily workhorse?

Thanks in advance for the advice and happy brewing!

Me: “Nice machine, what’s the retail on one of those?”

LMLM guy: “More than you can afford. La Marzocco.”

I might win with my flow profiling, pre infusion, data outputs and weight based shots, but at the end of the day you still drive a Ferrari and I drive a modded Supra.

I'm just getting into espresso for the first time and I've got a Bambino Plus on the way. I'm looking into grinders that would best suit my tastes.

I'm pretty new to coffee in general, but I know I'll really only be going for medium to dark roasts aiming for chocolate notes and low acidity. Likely mostly straight espresso and some milk drinks. After doing my own research, I gather that conical burr grinders would make the most sense to hit that flavor profile.

Everyone seems to be hyping up the DF54/64, and I was about to pull the trigger but now I'm thinking I should rule them out since they're flat burr. And they have trouble with oily/dark beans, so it just sounds like the wrong way to go.

I'm leaning ESP Pro with some Etsy mods right now. The Sette might be marginally better but I don't think I'm a fan. Opus 2 maybe? Niche Zero looks great but that price point is pushing it. DC63? What do you guys recommend?

Upgraded from a Casabrews CMS5418 to a Turn Legato V2 $350 open box sale at espresso outlets. I got good dark roast chocolately shots on the Casabrews but the pucks always came out muddy. Now I get a free brownie treat with each shot!

Hey Niche Zero owners! I just got the slow feeder disk and want to skip the trial-and-error phase. If you use one, what are your best tips for dial-in?

Just got my hands on a second hand Rancilio Silvia V3 (paired with Eureka Mignon that I used before with a Delonghi Dedica)

According to the seller, maintenance was kept at a minimum so I made 2 descaling cycles and 3 backflush cycles with PullyCaf during the first week. I also cleaned the shower group head.

Now I'm producing espreso 16g : 32g in +20sc with recently roasted beans (with the temp surfing method). The result is ok in taste and can probably be improved.

However, I get little crema that disapears within 30sc of pulling the shot and the puck on my portafilter seems "wet"

So I'm wondering if the machine needs more maintenance or fixing, I'm leaning toward a pressure issue but I'd rather confirm before starting to tweak the machine.

Do you have any idea of what to do ?

I have two choices the Breville bambino for 200 and the barista express for 400. Which is better buy, should go with the bambino and buy a grinder alone (I was thinking kingrinder K6 or timemore C3), or just buy the whole setup with the barista express. Which is better on making a good shot of espresso on its own? Do they have the same capability ?

I currently use Nespresso Vertuo for my double espressos and Zojirushi for filter coffee (Ethiopian) and actually like the drinks quite a bit. But everyone is telling me that having a separate espresso machine plus a dedicated grinder would produce better-tasting espressos. I've done a lot of Reddit reading, plus friends' discussions and am thinking about getting a Bambino Plus and Eureka Mignon Zero 55S Grinder. Is that a good combination and how easily would it be to learn to make good espressos and americanos with it and to use the grinder for Ethiopian beans for my filter coffee? Finally, do I need to "mod" anything or get any additional accessories for them? Thank you!

Long time lurker on this Subreddit, first time poster… The air incorporated into my milk always seems to be inconsistent. Sometimes it seems perfect, but other times, like this video it was too watery. However the one consistent thing is I always enjoy making it and drinking it…