r/espresso

Resident barista for my sister’s wedding, roasted 15 lbs of coffee for the trip (Ethiopia natural and Costa Rica). Pulled avg of 10 double shots a day for 3 days and made lattes, cortados, sodas, pumpkin tonics, and Americanos. On to the next Airbnb for another 3 3 days. Guess we created a demand cause we barely leave the machine until it’s time to go out! Good thing I opted for 5 yr warranty on the machine…

Edit: i drove 8 hrs with this. I think people are under the impression that I took this on an airplane lol

I received my new la Marzocco micra and eureka Libra 65 grinder. We are using the 17g stock basket it came with. 18g in 34g out at 24 seconds and the boiler is set to 92c. Medium-dark espresso. I have the shot tasting really good but it seems to be missing a bit of the deep espresso flavour. I’m wondering what to try. We were struggling with bitterness at first but stopping the shot at 34g out seems to have helped that. Should I put the boiler back to 93c? Any ideas appreciated. Thanks!

My Sage Barista of 5 years packed in a month ago and have been planning the new set up since, with this community being a huge source of information. I went with the Mazzer Philos on I200D burrs and was kindly gifted (back) the Bambino that I previously bought for my parents but they never used.

I’ve upgraded the portafilter with an open bottom and an IMS 20g precision basket. First shot on the new set up I ground too coarse and it under extracted spraying everywhere. Second shot I increased the dose to 20g and ground finer (20 on the Philos) and produced a great pull with no noticeable channeling. Tasted brilliant.

Planning on running the Bambino into the ground before upgrading. Seems to be working so until I find a major limiting factor I’d rather save the money!

Just wanted to say a huge thank you to this community for all of the knowledge, I’ve learned so much over the past month that is already paying dividends.

Cheers!

Hey all, I’m in the US and have a Gaggia Classic Pro. I’ve been using a $20 Greater Goods scale I bought off Amazon for about the last three years, and honestly it’s been pretty solid. It’s accurate to 0.01 grams, and seems to have a relatively quick response time. It’s time to replace it though as I’ve gotten it wet a couple of times over the past couple years. I ended up buying a Maestri House S2 (which I thought would be a step up), but it’s not even close to the cheap Greater Goods scale I’ve been using when it comes to weight accuracy and response times. I noticed something was off when I tried using it this morning to I weigh my beans. It looked to be about double what I usually use. I compared it to my old scale and it was just over 40 grams (I typically use 20g). My old scale can register if single bean is added. The new scale doesn’t seem to notice the difference. I teared both scales and compared the two using a single hot pepper. The accuracy of the new one just isn’t on par with my old one. Does anyone have any scales they’ve actually used that they recommend? I’d rather keep it between $30-$50 if possible. Thanks!!

Hows' the new addition to the family? Thanks to Amazon Prime day for my new Gemilai Ele! I've been eyeballing this thing for a while.

Kona coffee from Rooster Farms in Hawaii. Wish me luck!

The Black Oak has become my daily driver but lots of fun trying new things! Most collected from their local stores but a couple from a good deal on a subscription service.

They say pulling the single espresso is very challenging and hard to pull off.

I'd say, "Hold my longblack!" 😂

In this video, I'm pulling an espresso solo, from 10g of coffee grinds into 20.7ml at 31 seconds. 🤔

Did someone say pulling the espresso solo is bl00dy hard? 😁

Take this for what it's worth of course, but I did receive the above statement AND the pic (filename 意式机询问 0826.png – translates to "Inquiry regarding espresso machines") in a CS email from Timemore yesterday. They sent the pic to confirm that this machine is the one I was inquiring about. I had a minor issue with their Dot scale app, and while having a pleasant exchange I thought I'd ask. I've been eagerly anticipating more info myself, so I thought I would share.

Ever since seeing the linked Hedrick video of a prototype at HostMilano 2025, my interest has been piqued. A thread appears here periodically asking for info. Most are aware that Timemore collaborated on the Meraki, making the grinder. It's sort of ironic that the new Timemore machine won't have one (then again, they do sell them separately), but that is preferred by many, including myself.

The new Timemore machine will have an all metal exterior, with functionality apparently being very close, if not identical, to the Meraki in all other respects (It's rather apparent that Meraki and Timemore are "practically related"). That being dual boiler, rotary pump, hard wired scale, etc.

If they do Kickstarter like the rep in the video suggests they will, I might even be able to afford it.

The plastic Fellow ES1, it could have been a contender...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQLhJJ3M2Og&t=7001s

Drank Keurig for years, and then a friend sent me a Cometeer box about a year ago. Realized how much better coffee could taste, until I was visiting a friend out of state who had a Breville, and the coffee he made was amazing.

I knew I was in trouble and have since been falling down the espresso rabbit hole. I never spend money on myself so I thought I’d have this be my midlife crisis instead of a convertible. Have been lurking this sub and YouTube the last month and this is what I’ve collected.

The last few bits and bobs arrived today. Haven’t pulled a shot yet but plan to do so this weekend. Apologies for how crowded everything is, wanted to get it all in one shot. Will have to figure out where to move stuff once I hone my workflow.

Thanks for reading!

Hi just a new beginner here starting out. I saw some videos on youtube and got even confused, was really going for Bambino plus and the breville doser pro. I saw some raving reviews of gemilai owl also.

If someone can recommend the a setup that’s good enough for a home and can make a quick cup of coffee in early morning.
Budget for machine is around $500 CAD.

I am also getting an offer of bambino plus used 4-5 times for $360 is that good?

Looking for some expert help to help me determine if I should bite on this. How much would you pay for this setup and would this be worth upgrading from a barista touch?

What’s Included:

1. ⁠Gaggia Classic Pro (Matte White)

-Upgraded with the GaggiMate Pro Kit featuring a built-in circular display for real-time monitoring and shot control (temperature stability, pressure profiling, extraction timers).

-Custom Low-Profile Drip Tray with an integrated flush cutout specifically designed for the included smart scale.

-Upgraded Bottomless Portafilter with a matching handle.

2. DF54 Single-Dose Grinder (Matte White)

-54mm flat burrs delivering fluffy, zero-retention grounds with integrated anti-static plasma generator. Matches the machine setup perfectly.

3. BooKoo Themis Mini Smart Espresso Scale

-Ultra-compact Bluetooth scale with 0.1g accuracy, real-time flow rate display, and automatic timer. Drops directly into the custom drip tray.

4. Complete Puck Prep Station & Accessories

-Wooden countertop organizer station
-Espresso tamper
-Leveler/distributor tool
-Needle WDT tool
-Dosing funnel ring
-Stainless steel puck screen

Condition & Notes:

-Approximately 4 months of light home use (1–2 drinks per day).

-Fully cleaned, backflushed, and ready to plug in and brew.

Long time-first time. I bought these Oui Yoplait yogurt cups. They are glass and is inexpensive for what you get. Turns out it’s perfect for a Cortado or just as an espresso shot glass. It’s 5oz and is less than $2 per cup. I can’t be the first person to use them for espresso, but I thought some of you would dig it. I highly recommend!