# ROK Espresso - My first seven months



## PAW (Jun 3, 2014)

I thought I would show some of my findings regarding the ROK Espresso machine I bought about seven months ago. I'm posting this, as I wanted to find information like this myself when I was looking to buy one. So I hope someone may find this in some ways interesting J

I am a noob home barista so any observations I've made may well be misguided, but at least it might show off what an inexperienced person can do with this machine. Also, I only drink espresso. I have not even tried to make anything above an Americano by simply adding hot water to the cup. I don't think I'm experienced enough yet to know the difference between a ristretto and a single shot so sorry if some of the information is off.

Daily use of this machine will mean getting replacement parts within six months. This is not a major problem though as the parts are cheap and super easy to fit yourself. I have a Porlex Hand Grinder and it works really well with this machine but it's not as good as a quality grinder and I believe I will get more consistent results if I had one. (Thinking about a Eurika Mignon)

It took me about two weeks to figure out how to make a decent coffee with this machine and of course, after the grind being right, freshly roasted beans helped the most. For me the Porlex needs to be between two and three clicks for a good cup.

The pictures below are my best cups. Really good flavour, hot enough and crema you lick the cup for when you've finished drinking. I dream of drinking them and look forward to getting home from work to make one. The lever style of making espresso is certainly something I want to get into properly in time. They all were a touch on the bitter side though and I think that is worth mentioning. Not bad but not the best cup in the World either. J

To get a good cup I prepare the supplied 49mm basket with a naked portafiler by using the WDT method and a hard tamp. Not too hard but I would not call it a light tamp. J About 17grams of coffee is measured out but this changes depending on the beans being used and their age. You can get naked portafilters for the ROK quite easily with a quick search. I got one from lecafeshop.co.uk for about £22. I fill the water reservoir with just boiled hot water to just past the metal housing so you can see the water above the line of metal. This is done by having the lever arms already raised half way and when pressure is applied upwards to the levers the water just drips right through into the group. Tricky, but doable with two hands.

Then I raise the levers all the way up and apply a small amount of pressure for about six or seven seconds. When I see coffee dripping I apply full pressure with my body over the machine for the rest of the pull. Usually around another twenty seconds.

Cant post pics so here are links to my Flickr, hope this is OK?



 

Here are the worst cups, I pull about 2 a week like this. They are virtually undrinkable and that can be frustrating when you only have a hand grinder.



 

And here is an example of the inconsistency I speak of. Both baskets the same, grind the same, tamp the same and everything else. Done in very quick succession as I have two baskets the same. One after another, this is the standard result. I haven't figured out quite why this is though. Maybe it's just the way the machine works due to the lever action and my own inconsistency with the amount of pressure I use? Maybe it's heat? I would welcome any input here. J



 

I love this machine despite its issues. I have had to teach myself the art of espresso making and doing it in this manual way has given me so much knowledge about the intricacies of the process. This is a perfect travel machine with a Porlex and also suites as a daily machine at home if you are inclined to use it that way. I really am glad I bought it and I look forward to using it on a daily basis. The mornings before work can be the toughest though, which is why a better grinder and a more consistent machine are soon to be purchased.

If you do use it a lot it will eventually go. When it does you are usually putting pressure on for the final stage of the pull and have ground too fine and tamped too hard. Hot water will splurge over your face/neck if you are not properly over the machine as you force down. If you are right over it hot water goes all over your chest. If you do it once you will not do it again. Luckily, when this happened to me the water has cooled enough to not be serious but it's not pleasant so do be careful. If the machine is choking DO NOT CONTINUE. Put it in the sink, release the pressure by removing the PF after it has had time to cool and start again or give up and come back to it later. Of course if you are stronger than me you wont need to lean over the machine so much but I really need to lean over it to get good pressure. Risky but worth it J


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

That's a great write up, can you do a clip of your pulling a shot with it ?


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## PAW (Jun 3, 2014)

Probably not quite what you're after but not bad for a quick reply eh?







Ill do a quicky as soon as I have the time though showing what I do. Although I have high production values soit might take longer than I think haha!


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## PAW (Jun 3, 2014)

Must add Ive changed the way I pull a shot since then too







I was pumping a bit too much and I think that was a part of the bitterness problem. It hasn't fixed all of it but it did help.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Excellent review PAW. Would be interesting to see if a better quality grinder reduces or eliminates the inconsistencies you've been experiencing.


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## PAW (Jun 3, 2014)

Yep I reckon it will. I drool over the thought of getting a shiny new Mignon very soon though.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Drop me a PM with your address PAW. As this is the first ROK Espresso user review I have seen I'd like to send you a Coffee Forums UK KeepCup for sharing it with us here at Coffee Forums UK.


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

Excelling post. Always nice to see different bits of kit.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Great post.

A friend of mine has one of these but it started to develop a small crack in one of the metal levers.

The way he was using it seemed to produce an espresso / brewed hybrid. Tasted pretty good though.

Just out of interest, do you measure the input of water/grinds and the output in the cup?


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## PAW (Jun 3, 2014)

Hi urbanbumpkin! I only measure water going in by sight so not accurate but close every time. I measure my beans and the grinds that go in the basket though







I do not measure the output to the cup as I just watch for the blonding to occur. When it starts I stop pulling







I estimate I get about 2 oz or just a bit more most times, i measure this by sight as well. (probably not so accurate at all


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## PAW (Jun 3, 2014)

I just had a thought about your friends crack in the lever. ROK will replace all metal parts for 10 years. Not bad really







And the lever will be quite easy to replace too. They got back to me really fast when my first portafilter developed a fault and cracked. The replacement has been fine and they were really good about it!

Just thought I would mention it as I think its important to emphasis quality customer service when you get it 









P


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Thanks PAW, did you contact ROK directly http://www.rokkitchentools.com/Contact

Did you get the naked PF from them directly too?


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

PAW said:


> Hi urbanbumpkin! I only measure water going in by sight so not accurate but close every time. I measure my beans and the grinds that go in the basket though
> 
> 
> 
> ...


2 oz sounds like it's more in espresso territory. If you have digital scales which are fairly cheap off ebay, it way be worth weighing the shot output compared to the dose of coffee that you put in. For standard espresso machines its usually approx 1.6 times the dose. so if your dose is 16g then the shot should way approx 26g. but ultimately be guided by taste


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## PAW (Jun 3, 2014)

Glenn said:


> Drop me a PM with your address PAW. As this is the first ROK Espresso user review I have seen I'd like to send you a Coffee Forums UK KeepCup for sharing it with us here at Coffee Forums UK.


Thanks Glenn! PM sent at work today







All gift age always welcome! I shall carry it proudly!


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## PAW (Jun 3, 2014)

urbanbumpkin said:


> Thanks PAW, did you contact ROK directly http://www.rokkitchentools.com/Contact
> 
> Did you get the naked PF from them directly too?


Hi urbanbumpkin! I got the ROK direct from ROK but the Naked portafilter didn't seem to be available from them so I got it from lecafeshop.co.uk


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## PAW (Jun 3, 2014)

@ urbanbumpkin, Just figured out you meant regarding the customer service!







Yes I contacted them through the contact page on their site


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Thanks for the review PAW, I had searched for info on the ROK myself just out of interest and its always good to read a bit about an unusual machine!


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