# Hello - machine on the way



## BikeSausage (Sep 9, 2020)

Hi there,

I've a Gaggia Classic Pro on the way so finding this fantastic forum has been a boon for me, especially as I'll be trying to work out how to use and care for it.

I don't have a decent grinder yet so I'll be heading off to the relevant section and using the search button before asking the inevitable stupid questions that 137 people have asked before! 🤨

Cheers,

Simon


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## allyburns (Sep 27, 2020)

@BikeSausageI'm in a similar boat, discovered the forum recently too! I've ordered a Niche Zero which is expensive for me, but figure it should last a long time!

I've still to order the machine, the Gaggia Classic Pro is on my shortlist, I'd be interested to hear how you find it, especially the steaming. James Hoffman seemed to have problems with its power. The geek in me feels the need for a PID and manometer. I know I could fit them myself, but my track record of completing personal projects is pretty bad so would prefer a machine with them fitted already.

The mental thing is that I am quite happy with the coffee in my rubbish machine, with my blade grinder. The grinding is the biggest faff currently, but the machine is quick to get going since it has no boiler.

I hope any machine I get can be turned on with a smart plug to preheat it. I worry some of the auto standby EU regs mean I can't do this, which would be a right pain! I should really find out from the forums.

Enjoy your search for a grinder, I assume you watch James Hoffman on YouTube?


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## BikeSausage (Sep 9, 2020)

Well @allyburns, the Gaggia and Sage Smart Grinder Pro arrived a few weeks ago and I've been getting used to them.

Whilst i have nothing except a cafetiere to compare them too, I'm very happy indeed. Really pleased.

The grinder with its filter basket holder is easy to use and adjust according to taste. The difference in taste between pre-ground and freshly ground coffee is noticeable. I've been playing around with the grind time to adjust the strength of the coffee.

The Gaggia itself is easy to use. yes, making proper coffee is a bit of a faff compared to instant or a pd - but it's totally worth it. Best thing I've bought in a long time.

On the auto-switch on - I know it wouldn't work with the Gaggia for the reason you state. Not sure of the technical term, but the power switch is one you can't leave in the "on" position with no power to the machine. But don't let that worry you - this machine is quick to heat up. I switch it on and there's always something else to do for a few minutes whilst it warms up. But it is quick.


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## allyburns (Sep 27, 2020)

@BikeSausageThank you for sharing your new machine experiences with me, I too finally chose a machine, with help from @MediumRoastSteam and excellent resources by @DavecUK , I upped my budget to a dual boiler machine and got a Lelit Elizabeth, and loving it so far.

Only issue is that I don't have my Niche Zero yet, so have been making do with a blade grinder, a sieve, and praying to the coffee gods each time I attempt a grind. I make a mess all over the place, it's a crazy process 😆 Can only control the grind with 2 variables - how long I grind and how much I shake it!

The manometer shows a different pressure each time, sometimes hitting 9 bars (Lelit shows 10 but I thing I read somewhere this is effectively 9) and sometimes really low. Zero consistency, mostly due to grind, and a little from my preparation and tamping I think.

It will make me appreciate the consistency and workflow of the Niche all the more when it finally arrives in December!

Getting used to the brewing, steaming and cleanup process too. I currently dump the puck straight into bin using my other hand, took me a while to figure it out, but I may start collecting the coffee as fertilizer later.

The smart plug works great on the Lelit. I tried to live without it, but I love saying "*Computer, turn on Coffee*". I also have it coming on in the morning and off later in the day, so the grouphead is nice and warm when I get up. I'm a smart home enthusiast so it was a factor in my buying decision 🤓

It does heat up quite quickly though, so I could manage without it.

I have a 58.4mm tamper in the post too, I suffer from choice paralysis ever since I knew it was a thing, so got one with a black handle, to avoid the minefield of different types of wooden handle.

I think I'd like a leveller too, that will take me another 8 hours to decide on!

Also need:



Scales 0.1g accuracy


Wider "Latte" cups


Tamping matt or stand


Bottomless portafilter


future upgrade - VST baskets


Milk thermometer or heat tags (just using judgment just now)


Barista skills!


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## cracked_bean (Apr 13, 2014)

I can imagine having the machine and not wanting to wait, but I bet when the niche arrives you will wonder what the f%£$ you were doing with a sieve!

Welcome and enjoy the great coffee!

I get a lot of use out of my knock box, but I wish I had bought a larger one!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

The Niche arrival will make a huge difference, personally I love the smart plugs, the Elizabeth uses so little power, it's not a problem to have it on...of course with the steam boiler off. The steam boiler heats up in minutes for Lattes, so you can run with it off, unless you want to use steam preinfusion a lot. certainly if it comes on automatically in the morning make sure the system is in Eco mode..so the steam boiler doesn't come on!


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## allyburns (Sep 27, 2020)

@DavecUKI'm still getting used to the machine out of the box whilst I build up my skills and knowledge, so at the moment, I have the steam boiler on when it comes on, but I've also left the eco shutdown on (I know I can disable this feature), incase I lie in by mistake. Will get more into tweaking preinfusion when I get the Niche.

Am I right in thinking that when the auto shot down kicks in, it has effectively shut itself off (when top light is blinking?)

A typical day:



Smart plug turns on machine at 7:45am (both boilers)


I make my first coffee (Latte) about 8:10am - 5 second pre-infusion (purge steam and wipe, puck in bin, rinse/wipe portafilter, wash cup and milk jug, wipe under the showerhead, portafilter back in place)


Machine will kick into standby about 8:40am (so as good as off?)


Make another coffee about 10:30am (decaff Latte) - I put machine out of auto shutdown by hitting button and its ready pretty soon after, or can say "Alexa, reboot coffee" which will turn it off, delay, then back on from my room (when near the end of my Zoom meeting!)


Machine goes into eco shutdown


Last coffee after lunch (decaff, Americano with dash of oat milk, hot water from kettle not Lelit hot water, it tastes funny?)


Okay, I lied, one more decaff about 3pm!


Sometimes I say *"Alexa, turn off coffee" *after I've made coffee, so I can just say "Turn on coffee" later in the day.

Inspired by your cleaning video, I am also working on an Alexa routine "*Alexa, clean coffee" *to help with my cleaning timings, I use Alexa speech and delays but am needing to tune it, it goes like:

I say "Alexa, clean coffee" once I have blind filter in place and cleaner loaded.



Alexa says* "press 1 and 2"* (from my Kitchen Echo Show)


30 second delay



Alexa: *"and again"*

30 second delay



Alexa:* "one more time"*

30 second delay



Alexa: *"Now press 1 then 3"*

??? delay (I need to time how long the auto clean takes)



Alexa *"Now rinse out cleaner and replace, 1 then 3"*

??? delay (I need to time how long the auto clean takes)



*"Now empty drip tray, rinse and dry it, then top up water, and remove blind filter"*

2 minute delay



*"Did you remember to remove blind filter?" *- I am paranoid I'll leave it in one time and make a coffee in the morning in a blind filter!


What do you think about those steps? I can make a video and separate forum post about it in a few weeks, once I use it a few times and see if it actually works well in practice!!!

*PS *My wake word for Alexa is Actually Computer -* "Computer, turn off coffee" *but people probably more familiar with reading Alexa


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

I think it's excessive to run the backflushing cycle twice, one with and another without detergent. Rising with clean water after the main backflushing cycle, with a purge or two is more then enough.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

@allyburnsYou sir are a more creative man than me, I simply use the computer to switch on lights and machines at my command. Imagine my surprise when it stopped working, computer, coffee counter on...no lights. I finally realised there was no fault, the Alexa device was simply missing, one of the kids had filched it for their bedroom!

The auto shutdown might be in two phases, warm then cold, or it might simply go off.....I had so little interest in it that I genuinely can't remember. 🤣


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## allyburns (Sep 27, 2020)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> I think it's excessive to run the backflushing cycle twice, one with and another without detergent. Rising with clean water after the main backflushing cycle, with a purge or two is more then enough.


 Thank you, I've yet to try the actual routine, I didn't hit save when I first made it and lost it all, so need to make it all again!

So maybe:



3 backflushes with cleaner (30 secs apart)


[what exactly here?]


stick back in the normal basket and a couple of flushes through it? (the 1+2 twice?)


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I just do 2 or 3, then hit the programmed routine. If I had been able to go ahead with the Italy trip I would have pressed them to reprogram it.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

allyburns said:


> Thank you, I've yet to try the actual routine, I didn't hit save when I first made it and lost it all, so need to make it all again!
> 
> So maybe:
> 
> ...


 Alexa is giving you amnesia... 😂😂😂😂






https://sway.office.com/YUuIpMmQlYAFkxIO?ref=Link

As for the the Amnesia... 😉

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Baptiste_Lamarck


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