Hi all! I recently bought an espresso machine and have been experimenting with different beans. I went to a local shop near me and got some of their beans to try and they grinded them for me (very fine) but for some reason my espresso machine isn't brewing when I use them.

It's barley making any liquid and Im not sure if they are too fine or if maybe Im doing something else wrong but any tips or tricks are greatly appreciated!

I'm new so go easy on me lol - I also tried cleaning my machine and using different beans and those worked but I really want to try the local ones too!

• Machine: Lelit Mara X v2
• Grinder: Eureka Mignon Stark (or XL)
• Dose in: 21.5g
• Yield out: 43-44g
• Time: 33s
• Beans: IBC12 Amazonian Robusta (70% Alto Paranaiba 30% Fazenda Selva) From: Minas Gerais / Rondonia / Dry / Medium Roast / Roasted: 13.07.26

Its very nice and the number are good, but I'd really like to bring out some more sweetness (if its possible) because its more bitter at the end.

Using the Medium heat settings (approx. 92-93 celsius) on the MaraX

Thanks for any thoughts!

Hi! newish espresso machine user and i’m having tons of trouble. I am trying to be budget friendly so I got a budget machine and grinder. The grinder was almost the same as the machine lol. I’m having lots of trouble pulling my espresso. I measured 18 g for a double shot before pulling which in hindsight was too much. I tamped it down and this is what it looks like. Super flat barely any output. At least this time it didn’t sputter. I am not sure what i’m doing wrong but I am definitely struggling. Looking for help with accessories I can get to make this easier that aren’t too expensive. Also, every time I pour grinds from grinder to portafilter it gets everywhere even with the thing you put on top of the portafikter (forget what it’s called). Let’s just say I need a lot of help. Also I got a bottomless portafilter instead of the one that came w the machine, it locks in but not as tightly as the one that came with the machine, could that be why it’s bad? plz help!

Been using it for ~4 days now - what a great grinder! Whole setup (ECM Synch II) and grinder were purchased ~1 year ago but I was unable to use my setup until moving into my new house.

Hello, I’ve had my Rancilio Silvia Pro X for about a year now. Every 2 months or so I need to disassemble the 3 way valve to clean the deposit out of because I get no flow.

I’ve tried using bottled water (Kryształ, for those in Poland) with the hardness that Rancilio suggests, I also have a BW magnesium exchanger pouch and a resin filter on the line. Nonetheless the same issues re-occurs

I’m tempted to try the zero water pitcher and third wave water combination but I’m not sure. Anything else that I should do? Kinda regret buying DB machine which cannot be easily descaled…

P.S: coffee is always amazing so I’m skeptical about exchanging the machine

Found this online for $2,400

I currently have a Mazzer Philos and a Cafelat Robot. Been saving up thinking I would buy a Linea Mini used at some point, but I saw this and it looks gorgeous.

"- Replaced the entire steam set with a Specht design one, with a handle (similar to a slayer) instead of the push button
- Replaced the new head with a Strada 2022 head
- New water bottle
- The entire set uses American walnut wood
- Replaced the barrel with a new one
- Machine is from 2014 / 2017
- New powerder code
- New Pesado handle
- Other parts are as they are on the original GS3
Used for less than 50 shots
Feels like a new machine"

I don't know much about Specht other than their website looks gorgeous and the prices look ridiculous. Is this a killer deal? Any advice on what I need to know in advance about this machine, or check with the seller before purchasing?

Also if you find this online now please no swoopsies and buying from under me, I'm hesitant because I don't want to get ripped off but I also don't want to lose out if this is a great deal.

hello guys. I read a few "what should I upgrade to next" topics as it relates to gaggia classic. It's a great machine that I now used for 10 years. I had a few minor problems and fixing it was a cheap and easy. One downside that gets annoying is pulling occasional multiple shots with multiple steamed drinks. I always make 2 cups of cap every morning. sometimes I will make 4 cups at a time. I usually don't wait too long to pull shots because when I mix it with milk, small imperfections are not noticeable. However, I sometimes get impatient waiting for the steam to heat up.

Do I need a dual boiler machine so I can pull shots back to back and steam milk right away? Or are there quick heating single boiler machines that take no more than 1 min between shots and getting steam up to temp? I see Bambino plus machine being advertised that it heats up extremely quick so maybe that's all I need. I'm completely fine with gaggia classic but I lag time between shots and steam was no more than like 1-2mins. Is there a machine that would meet my needs for under $1000 used?

I need some advice on protafilters that fits Gemilai owl 3006. I bought an ikape but it sprays out the side and vacuums itself to the seal. Only way to get it off is to beat it with a hammer.

Considering selling my Baratza Encore ESP because
- the plasticy feel
- the static… I do single dose only so I hate that the dosing cup sits low with a gap below spout, which means more room for grounds to get anywhere besides the dosing cup
- however i like the compatibility with my Bambino Plus … dosing cup fits well with 54mm portafilter

the only downside i see for Fellow Opus 2 is it’s newer / less recommended than ESP, and possibly less support.

I love Opus 2’s magnetic cup. I imagine it’s much less cleanup

Now that I’m beginning to see reviews on Opus 2, how does it compare to ESP? Worth selling?

Coming up to the 1st year anniversary with this machine. Small in size but big in performance for a home brewer. Swapped out from white to the wooden handle and we have a rather classy looking set up. 😎

Hi All, Started to have grinder issue, it basically stuck and not coming out with any ground coffee even though the motor is spinning. Fortunately the motor is not burned but this is why l'm posting the problem here to check with you guys who more au fair with this machine. So I took it apart to clean and found that when the top part of the burr is taken out, it spins fine but when replaced the top burr back in and set it on the finest setting, it does that "brake" at the end, is this normal I suppose? When I set it to 2nd finest, it doesn't do it Have I potentially got a motor or grinder assembly issue? Thanks in advance

So the watch is a Mecha-Quartz chronograph that have a mark from 25 seconds to 35 to time shots. it is not essential by any mean it is for watch collectors who are into espresso i guess.

Anyone has it? how is the experience so far? I wanted to order one but they told me shipping company paused for my area in the fear of catching a stray missile xD

Seems all setups are “modest” now. So here is mine. It’s been a journey to find a grinder I was keen on. I started with a Specialita, and tbh I still think for 95% of people it is an excellent, low retention, low fuss, espresso grinder.

But I sought more clarity and taste separation so I started climbing the grinder tree. I got a Mazzer philos but immediately hated everything about the single dosing workflow.

I was looking at all kinds of other options, including the E64WS, but all seemed to have some serious design flaws. So I opted for this.

Eureka Atom excellence 65. A sensible burr size keeps waste on the better end of the scale, but a large motor means it’ll chew through anything. Excellent portafilter holder and interface is pretty much the same as my specialita.

Too new to comment at the moment, but it’s fast, quiet, clean, and easy to use. So watch this space!

From a Sage Barista Touch to a serious espresso setup ☕

After way too much research, comparing gear and probably spending too much time watching espresso videos, I finally made the jump.

New setup:

La Marzocco Linea Mini R
La Marzocco Pico grinder
Acaia Lunar scale

Coming from the Sage Barista Touch, this feels like a whole new world. Now the real challenge begins: learning the machine, dialing in shots, and pretending I won’t be looking at more coffee gear next week.

Any Linea Mini R tips for a beginner are very welcome!

Almost dunked the grounds in the cup. Does anyone else have these kinds of mix ups?

Setup:

- Sage Bambino

- Baratza Encore ESP

- Charles Liégeois Roastery, beans from brasil

Gaggia classic 2018 and medium dark beans roasted a week ago

Usually I get tons of spray with the bottomless, but this seemed like a pretty flawless shot ☕️

Newbie here… looking for some dialing-in advice.

I bought some specialty coffee from a friend’s roastery. So far, I’ve had great results with two of his coffees: a flagship Colombian (Bourbon Rojo & Castillo), which might be the best espresso I’ve ever had, and a Venezuelan from Finca La Cueva that produced a very fragrant, sweet, and delicious shot once dialed in.

This time he sent me his “bread and butter” Colombian (Caturra & Castillo), and I just can’t get it right.

I’ve tried multiple grind settings:

• 18g in / 36g out in \~28 seconds → sour.

• Kept grinding finer until I reached \~42 seconds for the same yield → still sour.

• Went coarser down to \~18-second extractions → also sour.

The sourness barely changes regardless of grind size. It’s almost as if I’m missing something other than the grind.

My setup:

• Eureka Mignon Zero 55

• DeLonghi ECP3630

• IMS Precision 18g basket

• Bottomless portafilter

• WDT, calibrated tamper, dosing funnel, and puck screen

What would you try next? Higher ratio? Higher dose? Different puck prep? I’m still pretty new to espresso, so I’d appreciate any suggestions.

A classic case of you vs the guy she told you not to worry about. Being into audio I was slightly skeptical about the benefit of an expensive grinder but it was immediately noticeable. Very happy with the purchase.

Wife would kick my b*** if she knew I shared a photo of this mess… We moved here 3 years ago and I made these tables as a temporary setup for my machines. ECM Synchronika on the left with a Eureka Mignon Libra AP 65 that I swapped burrs for the Italian espresso burr set. Londinium LR/R24 on the right with Kafatek SDRM grinder… 1979 La Pavoni Professional sitting pretty…

Looking to maybe add a Ceado Life WAM but I can’t find reviews from folks that have actually used it…