# just purchased gagia cubrika plus



## dange59 (Dec 30, 2011)

all working fine so far no problems i am using coffee which is percolo black to behond

strenth 6 fantastic strong taste available at sainsburys 3.00


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

enjoy your new machine

you will be amazed at the shots you can pull if you try some fresh beans however


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## shaunclarke (Nov 30, 2011)

Hi Nekromantik. How are you getting on with your Cubika? Im getting some good shots but not consistent. I been using the formula Rossa beans and also tried fresh beans from coffee Bean Shop. Gorgeous beans. How much grinds are you using for a single shot? Are you tamping or leaving it to the pressurised filter?

Im fairly happy so far considering how cheap it was. Been used 2-3 times a day all over Christmas period. Steams well too. Just wish I could get consistent shots.


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## dange59 (Dec 30, 2011)

hi ive startied usink lavazza rossa beans good shots everytime but using pressurised baskt at mo will be buying stanard basket and flat 53mm tamper let u know how i get on


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## shaunclarke (Nov 30, 2011)

If you are using a Cubika Plus then the handle is pressurised, not the basket. The Cubika has a normal double basket. I believe you can depressurised the handle by removing the 3 screws underneath and removing the pressurising piece. I think Nekromatik has done this to his Cubika handle. I have yet to look at this mod on my Cubika.


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## swellins (Dec 11, 2011)

I was given a cubika as a birthday present just over a month ago;

By far the best thing i've done is depressurised the handle and bought a tamper (53mm). It's so simple to do, takes about 2 minutes. I'm now getting semi-consistent shots using pre-ground either from has bean or lavazza from the supermarket. Once you get a tamper and sort the handle out the difference is insane, though I can't wait to pick up a grinder and start using fresh beans.


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

shaunclarke said:


> Hi Nekromantik. How are you getting on with your Cubika? Im getting some good shots but not consistent. I been using the formula Rossa beans and also tried fresh beans from coffee Bean Shop. Gorgeous beans. How much grinds are you using for a single shot? Are you tamping or leaving it to the pressurised filter?
> 
> Im fairly happy so far considering how cheap it was. Been used 2-3 times a day all over Christmas period. Steams well too. Just wish I could get consistent shots.


Hi

Its pretty good.

Make sure you de-pressurize the portafilter as it does make a difference when using fresh beans.

Get yourself a hand grinder if you cant afford a electric one and then a tamper









I tamp mine as I de-pressurized it. Bought my 53m mota tamper from Cream Supplies for cheap.

As for amount of beans I use around 14g to 16g depending on beans but I hand grind mine.


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## shaunclarke (Nov 30, 2011)

I have a Caggia MDF so grinding not a problem. I will try the de-pressurize mod. Is it as simple as removing the 3 screws?


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

Yeh its simple









Just remove the 3 screws and then remove the spring and the plastic thing at the bottom.

Then thats it.


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## shaunclarke (Nov 30, 2011)

I will order a 53mm tamper and give it a try!


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

shaunclarke said:


> I will order a 53mm tamper and give it a try!


good luck


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## shaunclarke (Nov 30, 2011)

Motta 53mm Tamper on its way! I will de-press the Cubika Handle this weekend!


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## Coffeeruss (Jan 9, 2012)

I recently received a cubika plus and converted the pf to be non pressurized but wondered if anyone had found a nicer quality pf that worked with the cubika plus?


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## shaunclarke (Nov 30, 2011)

Coffeeruss said:


> I recently received a cubika plus and converted the pf to be non pressurized but wondered if anyone had found a nicer quality pf that worked with the cubika plus?


Hi. I did do a bit of research and apparently there is nothing that fits. I may be wrong but I couldn't find a non pressurized PF for the Cubika.

How did you get on after de-pressurizing the PF? Was the coffee better? My tamper has arrived today so will do the mod on mine later.


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## Coffeeruss (Jan 9, 2012)

I managed to source one through ebay but it is a fairly cheap old saeco one. Iv not got it to try yet as the seller was itlian and is having to check postage costs. He very kindly agreed to send it even though he normal only ships to italy.

There is one on seattlecoffee but it will cost me as much as the cost of the machine to get it shipped. Hope someone in the uk starts making them too!


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

Coffeeruss said:


> I managed to source one through ebay but it is a fairly cheap old saeco one. Iv not got it to try yet as the seller was itlian and is having to check postage costs. He very kindly agreed to send it even though he normal only ships to italy.
> 
> There is one on seattlecoffee but it will cost me as much as the cost of the machine to get it shipped. Hope someone in the uk starts making them too!


yeah as far as I know only the Saeco one will fit as its the same machine.

As that is American its hard to find in the UK.


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## shaunclarke (Nov 30, 2011)

Nekromatic...I have undone the 3 screws on my PF and can see the spring and white plastic mechanism. How does this come out? Can you rememeber? I just dont want to cock it up!!!


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

shaunclarke said:


> Nekromatic...I have undone the 3 screws on my PF and can see the spring and white plastic mechanism. How does this come out? Can you rememeber? I just dont want to cock it up!!!


It just pulls out.

The spring will be loose and the plastic thing just comes off without much force. Then turn it around and push something through the basket hole to remove the plastic creme enhancer disc.


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## nickg123 (Jan 11, 2012)

Glad I spotted this before starting a new one, so hope the OP doesn't mind me joining in with this but I've also just got hold of a Cubika Plus as a Christmas present so am starting to learn and understand a bit more about this...

I've got a Grinder so have been griding the beans to a pretty fine point and then putting 2 scoops in the Portafilter/Basket and packing them down using the otherside of my scoop (Don't have a tamper) - Is this a problem?? I then make one espresso cup and pour it in a warm mug I usually repeat this to make 2 espresso cups basically in a large(ish) size mug with steamed milk to get a reasonably strong tasting coffee/latte but thought to be honest it would be stronger - This is effectively 4 scoops of ground coffee (The plastic scoop that comes with the machine)...

Am I doing something massively wrong? I've just started reading above about making it a non pressurised portafilter, how does that work? If the portafilter is pressuried, does that mean I should just leave the ground coffee loose in the basket?

(Sorry - I'm really new to all this so don't quite know what i'm doing yet)!


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

nickg123 said:


> Glad I spotted this before starting a new one, so hope the OP doesn't mind me joining in with this but I've also just got hold of a Cubika Plus as a Christmas present so am starting to learn and understand a bit more about this...
> 
> I've got a Grinder so have been griding the beans to a pretty fine point and then putting 2 scoops in the Portafilter/Basket and packing them down using the otherside of my scoop (Don't have a tamper) - Is this a problem?? I then make one espresso cup and pour it in a warm mug I usually repeat this to make 2 espresso cups basically in a large(ish) size mug with steamed milk to get a reasonably strong tasting coffee/latte but thought to be honest it would be stronger - This is effectively 4 scoops of ground coffee (The plastic scoop that comes with the machine)...
> 
> ...


Welcome!

The portafilter is pressureized so does not need a tamp and a tamp will not make much difference.

Its made mainly so that you can use supermarket/costa/starbucks pre ground beans. It can make ok tasting coffee that way.

If you want more then you can remove the spring etc like in my post above and then buy a tamp and grind fresh beans.

The basket that comes fitted already is a double basket so 2oz to 2.5oz shot of espresso aka a double. Thats enough for most people.


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## nickg123 (Jan 11, 2012)

nekromantik said:


> Welcome!
> 
> The portafilter is pressureized so does not need a tamp and a tamp will not make much difference.
> 
> ...


Thanks a lot for replying, and sorry to the OP for hijacking!

So from my understanding then, I don't need to press the coffee down too hard - just scoop two scoops in and lightly push it down so it at least fits the machine ok?

So when they say it will make 2 shots, do they need to be long shots as in 2 small espresso cups or can you just use one small espresso cup (as in, will this still just make one strong shot that's double strength, or does it need to be two cups so there's more water if that makes sense)? When i was in Costas yesterday I noticed the Espresso cup they use is twice the size of the small one I have been using....


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

nickg123 said:


> Thanks a lot for replying, and sorry to the OP for hijacking!
> 
> So from my understanding then, I don't need to press the coffee down too hard - just scoop two scoops in and lightly push it down so it at least fits the machine ok?
> 
> So when they say it will make 2 shots, do they need to be long shots as in 2 small espresso cups or can you just use one small espresso cup (as in, will this still just make one strong shot that's double strength, or does it need to be two cups so there's more water if that makes sense)? When i was in Costas yesterday I noticed the Espresso cup they use is twice the size of the small one I have been using....


You can either make 2 single shots using the double basket or one double shot.


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## shaunclarke (Nov 30, 2011)

nekromantik said:


> It just pulls out.
> 
> The spring will be loose and the plastic thing just comes off without much force. Then turn it around and push something through the basket hole to remove the plastic creme enhancer disc.


Hi Nekromantik. Thanks for that..yes it did just pull out..but not easily hence my apprehension.

I pulled a couple of shots using some Guatemala El Bosque Amatitlan Red Bourbon from Hasbean and they were a bit fast & lacked a crema (tasted nice though). I was using about 19g of coffee with my MDF grinder on 6. So I may need to grind finer or tamp harder.


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## nickg123 (Jan 11, 2012)

Following advice above, I also took my Portafilter apart and tried it - Didn't really see a huge improvement so thought I'd put it back but OH DEAR - It doesn't want to go back together again!

I tried to find an exploded diagram but the large metal U-shape part won't sit underneath the plastic properly so I can't work out how it goes back together... Anyone have a pic that might help? Wish I hadn't bothered now :-(


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## onemac (Dec 15, 2011)

Is that the U-clip on the left you are talking about? If so it goes into the portafilter on the indented part of the basket holder just a few mm below the top. The two 'straight' parts then sit proud of the holder to accept the basket. (note the dark brown plastic bit should go in the bottom of the holder with the collar upmost)

Al


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

nickg123 said:


> Following advice above, I also took my Portafilter apart and tried it - Didn't really see a huge improvement so thought I'd put it back but OH DEAR - It doesn't want to go back together again!
> 
> I tried to find an exploded diagram but the large metal U-shape part won't sit underneath the plastic properly so I can't work out how it goes back together... Anyone have a pic that might help? Wish I hadn't bothered now :-(


You will not see improvement if you dont grind fresh beans yourself. The point of the pressureized system is for people who dont want fresh beans can just buy pre ground coffee and put it in and extract. You need to work on technique and trial and error with fresh beans and grind level and tamp etc


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## Coffeeruss (Jan 9, 2012)

Onemac: which gaggia portafilter is that in your picture and does it fit the cubika plus or purely for example? looks a bit nicer than the standard cubika plus one!


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

I think its the standard PF used in Classic, Baby etc


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## onemac (Dec 15, 2011)

Coffeeruss said:


> Onemac: which gaggia portafilter is that in your picture and does it fit the cubika plus or purely for example? looks a bit nicer than the standard cubika plus one!


It's the standard portafilter and pressurised basket that comes with Gaggia machines.

If you click on the thumbnail a larger picture will appear (which can itself be enlarged).

Al


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## nickg123 (Jan 11, 2012)

onemac said:


> Is that the U-clip on the left you are talking about? If so it goes into the portafilter on the indented part of the basket holder just a few mm below the top. The two 'straight' parts then sit proud of the holder to accept the basket. (note the dark brown plastic bit should go in the bottom of the holder with the collar upmost)
> 
> Al


Thanks, but no the bit i'm talking about is on the underside of the Portafilter, once you remove the plastic part that opens / closes once pressure is built up i'm finding it impossible to get back together again... Not sure what I've done but I can't get it to go back on....

Maybe I should just buy another one but I have been using freshly ground beans and can't really notice a difference to be honest...


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

nickg123 said:


> Thanks, but no the bit i'm talking about is on the underside of the Portafilter, once you remove the plastic part that opens / closes once pressure is built up i'm finding it impossible to get back together again... Not sure what I've done but I can't get it to go back on....
> 
> Maybe I should just buy another one but I have been using freshly ground beans and can't really notice a difference to be honest...


Have you actually ground the beans yourself?

Not all machines have a universal grind setting, some require fine settings others very fine etc.

You need a tamp if your using non pressureized PF.

Once you done all that and still you cant notice any difference then there is something very wrong as no one else has said there is no difference between them.


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## matsnor (Jan 20, 2012)

Grats on your buy,

here's a piece of info that would have saved some people from some grief: If you are(lets be honest, its WHEN you are







) buying a bottomless portafilter, or any portafilter for that matter the ones that fit most other domestic models such as the classic etc. will not fit the cubrika.


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