# Filtered Water



## MarkT (Nov 21, 2015)

Hi guys,

Need some advice please. Will filtered water be enough for my Barista Express or will i be better off getting the bottle water (Ashbeck)?

many thanks in advance.

Mark.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Bottled water definitely 'should' provide you with tastier coffee!

Volvic generally gets the nod ahead of Ashbeck. Waitrose Essential also gets recommended. Or, do what some of us do and mix a 50/50 of Volvic and WE.

Both are kinder to your machine and should help reduce how often your machine needs descaling.


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## MarkT (Nov 21, 2015)

Any idea to convince my wife? lol.


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## MarkT (Nov 21, 2015)

What do you use doubleshot?


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Used Volvic from day one then after much discussion from many of the forums experts on water for espresso including but not limited to Xpenno and MWJB , I now use a 50/50 mix of Volvic and Waitrose Essential. In fact mixed up a fresh 5 litre bottle just earlier! 

Some bedtime reading


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

MarkT said:


> Any idea to convince my wife? lol.


Bottled water will taste better and will help prolong the life of your machine. Win/win!

You can pick up 38 litres for under a tenner. That'll make a lot of coffees!


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## MarkT (Nov 21, 2015)

Cheers buddy, Right then Tesco and Waitrose in the morning then. lol.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Volvic 1.5 litre x 6 (2 for £5.50) and Waitrose Essential 5 litre £1.10 (sometimes 2 for £2) should see you through for a while.


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## MarkT (Nov 21, 2015)

Is that from my supermarket site? Lol


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Nope, from memory!


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## cocobean (Jan 4, 2016)

It has been 2 days since I converted to bottled water and what a difference it has made.

I'm using Ashbeck from Tesco, a 6 pack of 2 Litres was £2.10, don't you get some looks when your trolley is stacked high with nothing but water.


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## Epic_Espresso (Feb 22, 2015)

I've toyed with this idea for some time. I can see the benefit but can't allow myself to buy water. I think a water filter may be the first step.


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Epic_Espresso said:


> I've toyed with this idea for some time. I can see the benefit but can't allow myself to buy water. I think a water filter may be the first step.


But you'll buy beans? And espresso is more water than it is beans...


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## Epic_Espresso (Feb 22, 2015)

jonc said:


> But you'll buy beans? And espresso is more water than it is beans...


I totally understand, but my logic sees water from the tap as already paid for!


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## MarkT (Nov 21, 2015)

I am already noticing the difference in taste by using the filtered water, definitely gonna pop into waitrose today to get some bottles. It will also help the machine with lime scale build up as well.


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Epic_Espresso said:


> I totally understand, but my logic sees water from the tap as already paid for!


But you want your espresso to be epic right?


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## cocobean (Jan 4, 2016)

Epic_Espresso said:


> I totally understand, but my logic sees water from the tap as already paid for!


What it the pH of your tap water ?


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## colb16 (Feb 22, 2016)

Was always intrigued by the water issue as well, it's an integral part in the process. I have a water filter which I really need to check the quality of the water once it's gone through it


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

If you're in York, your tap water should be soft (have a look inside your kettle). So you shouldn't need gucci water - just a carbon block filter for the tap water......


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## MarkT (Nov 21, 2015)

Thanks the kettle does have limescale in it not much, however I managed to grab a deal on volvoc and 1.5 L for 38p each so I now have 60 bottles. Lol that will last me 6 months now.







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## messier0101 (Aug 14, 2015)

I don't want to sound stupid, but with the Sage's having a built in filter, will that not suffice?


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I wouldn't have a huge amount of confidence in that built-in filter removing much hardness from your water - at least, not for very long anyway. The water you put in will have a noticeable effect on the taste of the coffee, but also some machines are a serious PITA to descale and this is why people are buying Volvic by the trolleyful or fitting RO systems. It depends where you are though. Round here what passes for tap water is actually chunks of limestone finely ground and held together by moisture.


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## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

hotmetal said:


> but also some machines are a serious PITA to descale.


I haven't read a manual for a machine I don't have, but I'm sure that thermocoil isn't fun to descale, if that's possible at all.


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## MarkT (Nov 21, 2015)

I sure would not like to find out. Definitely not be easy. Lol


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