# Striving for perfection with home equipment...



## DaveS (Oct 26, 2011)

Frustrating, isn't it?

... Although, i'm getting there one small step at a time. I have a Saeco Aroma of which when I bought it over 2 years ago I had no idea of what the coffee world and its complications are all about. I had no idea about grinders, fresh roasted beans, microfoam etc. Slowly but surely and alot of reading, I have become an enthusiast (or coffee snob), trying to get the best out of my machine.

Since we drink a cappucino first thing in the morning, I first got down my microfoam technique, soon realising that the froth "aider" that comes is only good for making texture more akin to washing up foam than anything that is remotely enjoyable to drink. With some technique and alot of practice, I was able to make a passable drink at least. After removing the froth aider completely (leaving a rather shorter nozzle than preferable), microfoam suddenly became possible. Necessary it seems very fresh (preferably whole milk like Cravendale (can't get on with supermarket own-brand milk!). Latte art microfoam achieved (if not the latte art technique) onto the next step:

A couple of months ago I bought a grinder (Porlex). Before this, I had discovered how much difference at least buying ground from recently roasted from the likes of HasBean made. Buying from places like Whittards and the supermarket always lacked flavour and guts to the coffee seeming stale and dissapointing. With the grinder, and buying whole roasted beans yet another massive step in taste.

With my other love for espresso, the Saeco never really seemed up to the job of producing a good shot for drinking without milk. Last night I took the step to depressurize the portafilter (although i don't yet have a tamper one is on the way from James Gourmet along with a bag of Formula 6 espresso blend), I did though make a reasonable job (i think) with the back of the plastic measuring thing that came with the machine. A couple of attempts so far and I think i'm tamping too hard or I have my grind too fine or loading too much coffee) as it's choking / dribbling out. Yet another challenge it seems. For sure I will try to crack this one tonight and / or get high on caffiene in the attempt...

Since drinking coffee from fresh roasted beans, I can barly drink from a coffee shop these days. It's probably very generalistic, but why are they all so bad? Especially, cappucinos which for the most part, are over frothed disasters...


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## drk (Nov 22, 2011)

Ha..... This is good to read!

I have scales at the side of my machine now just to rule out one variable!


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## PaulN (Mar 10, 2011)

How did you Depressurize the Basket? Im guessing thats what you mean unless adjusting the OPV?


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## DaveS (Oct 26, 2011)

PaulN said:


> How did you Depressurize the Basket? Im guessing thats what you mean unless adjusting the OPV?


Took the portafilter apart and removed the plastic pressure widget / crema "enhancer". A 2 minute modification all in all. I think it's pretty common to do among users Saeco Aroma (and similar models).


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## DaveS (Oct 26, 2011)

I think i've cracked it although I find it pretty easy to choke the machine. dialling back one grade on the porlex helped matters although the main factor seems to be not quite filling the basket to the top as this machine seems to auto-tamp (too much) when placing the portafilter. I don't have any scales so no idea was the weight i'm putting in the basket atm...


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## BanishInstant (Oct 12, 2009)

Need to sort the weight out for some consistency.


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## ChrisP (Jun 19, 2011)

Coffee shop coffee is so bad because they're not bothered about making good coffee. They're bothered about profit.

Most coffee shops use super or semi auto machines.

My setup stands me at around £2500 including grinder and it's fully manual. Turning the grind setting wheel on my mazzer by 2mm can make the difference between a good and an excellent coffee. There's no way you can make a good coffee with a super auto as you need to adjust grind depending on bean type, roast, humidity, age of beans.......there are many variables that need tweaking to make an exceptional coffee and there's no way you can do this using a super auto as it grinds and doses the beans automatically and delivers a shot with a fixed dose of water.

I've actually found the purple Coffee Nation vending machines you find in service stations across the country make a far better coffee than most coffee shops. You know it's bad when you can get better coffee from a vending machine than you can from a human.

Throughout the day i may make around 5 drinks. I constantly make adjustments to grind through the day. Hence the first coffee of the day is ok and hey get better as the day goes on.

With regards to you machine chocking easily. I'd say either your grinding too fine and tamping too light or your machine may not be putting out 8 bar of pressure.

I'm assuming it has a vibe pump? I found i used to get around 1 year before the pressure started to drop off and it require replacing. Hence why i ripped it out and installed a rotary pump and 1/2 horsepower motor.


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

I agree about super-auto machines, but IMHO there's nothing wrong with semi-auto and auto machines if the automation is used correctly and frequently recalibrated, but the problem is they generally aren't. Couple an incorrect amount of water coming through the group head with an incorrect grind and stale beans and you have the standard setup for many cafes where the staff and management are not adequately trained. It's so easy to resolve... most of them have decent equipment. I might not make any friends for saying this but in my view the problem is partly the equipment suppliers. They give new cafe owners cursory training and lead them to believe that's all there is to it. Such a pity.


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## PaulN (Mar 10, 2011)

DaveS said:


> Took the portafilter apart and removed the plastic pressure widget / crema "enhancer". A 2 minute modification all in all. I think it's pretty common to do among users Saeco Aroma (and similar models).


You've only taken out the black bit that stops the coffee spraying everywhere. The basket is still pressurised as it gies from lots of holes inside the basket to one hole on the outside of the bottom if the basket.

Just relying on the group head to compress the coffee isn't really any good for improving your technique.

My advice. Get a grinder, non pressurised basket and a decent tamper boh and some decent beans









Cheers

PaulN


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## DaveS (Oct 26, 2011)

PaulN said:


> You've only taken out the black bit that stops the coffee spraying everywhere. The basket is still pressurised as it gies from lots of holes inside the basket to one hole on the outside of the bottom if the basket.
> 
> Just relying on the group head to compress the coffee isn't really any good for improving your technique.
> 
> ...


Just ot clarify, i'd taken out all of the internals of the portafilter basket. Not quite sure how the basket would still be pressurised. There's a massive difference between now and the tiny tiny hole it was squeezing through before. That needed pressure applying to force though the water. Now, there's a hole of almost 1cm and water flows directly through without any pressure required, so the tamp / grind has to be good enough, otherwise the coffee flows far too quickly through the basket. I cannot see how any (or very minimal pressure could still exist though portafilter / basket.

Since using a tamper, results have been much much better. Now the tamped coffee goes nowhere near the head and have not had any choking since and getting a 20 - 25 second pull.

Of course, i've been using good freshly roasted beans all along (most important part, yes?) with a grinder (although manual and not ideal for daily use, it does seems to do the job!). I've since pulled some great shots with the JG Formula 6 beans.


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## DaveS (Oct 26, 2011)

ChrisP said:


> I'm assuming it has a vibe pump? I found i used to get around 1 year before the pressure started to drop off and it require replacing. Hence why i ripped it out and installed a rotary pump and 1/2 horsepower motor.


Yes, it's a vibe pump. It seems strong enough at the moment, but now it's getting far more use I cannot imagine it will last many years. As long as it lasts for another year i'll be happy and i'll then upgrade to HX machine.


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## Outlaw333 (Dec 13, 2011)

I found the trouble with a machine designed to run a pressurized basket is, i don't think they seem to have the valve/solenoid that limits the final pressure from the pump to group and therefor run at a full 15bar which no-matter what you do about grind, tamp, freshness etc you will almost inevitably get a poor extraction and channelling. Relentless practicing though and getting to know your machine inside-out will maximise your consistancy and final product, It is also worth using a digital probe to find out what temp you are brewing at.


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## DaveS (Oct 26, 2011)

Outlaw333 said:


> I found the trouble with a machine designed to run a pressurized basket is, i don't think they seem to have the valve/solenoid that limits the final pressure from the pump to group and therefor run at a full 15bar which no-matter what you do about grind, tamp, freshness etc you will almost inevitably get a poor extraction and channelling. Relentless practicing though and getting to know your machine inside-out will maximise your consistancy and final product, It is also worth using a digital probe to find out what temp you are brewing at.


Quite possibly the case with the pressure being a constant 15 bar... Although, far from perfect I have to say the coffee coming out is far better than without the gubbings for the PPF / crema enhancer. I just hope with all this faffing now, using a decent machine and proper electric grinder later on, everything will be quicker to get used to. One of my main frustrations is having the shot of coffee wait patiently while i do the milk for a cappa... grrr. and it takes so long to complete!


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## Outlaw333 (Dec 13, 2011)

Trouble is, you will find that without a high end 'pro-sumer' machine, most home machines, that shot will have to wait, though more powerful steam will shorten that wait, or you could switch to macchiato!! Still, be eternally grateful that you aren't one of those poor unenlightened 'nespesso' or 'tassimo' guys!!! I think that would be even worse than being an 'instant coffee' guy, as at least they didn't fork-out out good money for a terrible let-down of a machine!!

My friend, you have a machine that has instilled in you(gifted you if you will) a wonderful passion that will last you a lifetime, be eternally thankful to your little machine and the coffee gods for that!


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## Outlaw333 (Dec 13, 2011)

Oh, by the way, try Sainsburys SO organic milk, It makes wonderful pure velvet microfoam. I know that many will tell you to use semi-skimmed aswell but try the full-cream as i find when textured properly it is far superior + it comes though the crema better for more definition in your latte art.


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

I like to steam my foam, flush, pull a shot then just warm through my pre-steamed milk as I've found that is the quickest with a single boiler machine. My foam is far from micro foam though.

Those poor mislead nespresso fools, they need educating!


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## DaveS (Oct 26, 2011)

Outlaw333 said:


> Oh, by the way, try Sainsburys SO organic milk, It makes wonderful pure velvet microfoam. I know that many will tell you to use semi-skimmed aswell but try the full-cream as i find when textured properly it is far superior + it comes though the crema better for more definition in your latte art.


Thanks, that's interesting to know. Sometimes, the Co-op doesn't have Cravendale in stock so I have to revert to the standard stuff, which doesn't work quite as well. I find too that full cream milk makes the best textured coffee by a country mile...


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