# My new coffee corner....



## PeteHr (Nov 18, 2015)

My new setup which has been running for a week. The machine is an ECM Barista - the grinder I'm sure all will recognize...

My impressions after a week:

The machine: I'm delighted with it so far - can't really fault it ! It does seem very sensitive to the grind although that may be because I'm playing with new beans which I havn't used before. Once you get it right though the shots are excellent... I've pretty much got the frothing right now as well after some initial poor results (all down to my technique).

The grinder: As plenty of others have noted it does clump quite a lot (but it is still quite new so hopefully it will improve a bit). I tend to use the timer (I have it set for approx 8g as I do use the single basket a bit). It does seem to work quite well and now it's dialled in I havn't really had to adjust the timer. The only thing I don't like is because of where the switches are it's fiddly to switch between the timer and manual mode. This is made worse by my coffee corner being a bit cramped.

Now all I need is that lovely looking ECM Tamper Station !!!


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## aaroncornish (Nov 7, 2012)

Very nice set up


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## markf (Nov 18, 2015)

looking great! I hope to get one of those black mignon grinders for myself sometime next year









Not wanting to derail your thread, so I apologise if this should be somewhere else: is the clumping on the grinder really bad? and is there any way to get rid of this, or does it just improve with use?


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## PeteHr (Nov 18, 2015)

Yes the black is the nicest one along side a lot of shiny metal









I need some more time with the grinder. Unfortunately I've used 3 different beans so far. The first one needed a very fine grind and clumped significantly. The second needed a much coarser grind but still clumped significantly. Now I'm on the third bean - which needed a very fine grind again but is not clumping so much. I would say it's clumping about the same as the one we played with in the BB showroom with the same beans. So I'm not 100% sure if it's the beans or the fact it's had a couple of kilos of beans through it now (including the ones BB gave me to run through it), or if the burrs have settled down now.

Anyway, none of the clumping was bad enough to put me off the grinder which overall I'm very please with - I can see the reason they are so highly recommended and popular !


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## jtldurnall (Mar 16, 2015)

I grind into a cupping bowl, then give it a shake. Hey presto the clumps are gone ready to be poured into the basket.


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

jtldurnall said:


> I grind into a cupping bowl, then give it a shake. Hey presto the clumps are gone ready to be poured into the basket.


A shake? Doesn't this cause fine-migration drama - or am I out of touch?


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## jtldurnall (Mar 16, 2015)

I'll come clean. I have no idea what fine migration drama is.


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

jtldurnall said:


> I'll come clean. I have no idea what fine migration drama is.


I thought something gnarly happened where all your fines that come out of your grinder would sink to the bottom of the vessel/portafilter then cause some kind of odd extraction, no? I could be getting this all wrong, of course!


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

The best way is always the simplest in my eyes, straight into the basket, get some scales big enough to sit PF on and weigh as you grind, i am not sure i would rely on the timer, more so if you are running the hopper down, better to give manual a few little squirts till you get your desired dose in the basket.


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## jtldurnall (Mar 16, 2015)

I did a quick google and Scott Rao provided some insight. It seems you are right according to Mr. Rao, there is a risk of fine migration causing mischief with my extraction, although I didn't notice any problem with the flow. My naked PF will be arriving soon so I'll have a closer look.


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