What’s on your coffee bench?

[jpritchet74]

Niche Zero had been ordered on a Saturday, shipped from the UK on the following Monday, and arrived 3 days later to me in California. I just got around to taking it out of the box and setting it up. I am very, very, very happy with it. Now I just need to find a handy place to keep the scale near the coffee station...

[echappist]

Early impressions on ground retention and consistency?

Also, what happened to the Scott Spark (i think it was listed in your signature line)? And another cervelo to replace it?

[scoobydrew]

Is that the Profitec 500? How do you like it?

I've been looking to upgrade and have been eyeing the Profitec 700 and ECM Synchronika (same machine, different aesthetics).

[jpritchet74]

Originally Posted by echappist

Early impressions on ground retention and consistency?

Also, what happened to the Scott Spark (i think it was listed in your signature line)? And another cervelo to replace it?

Initial impressions (I have had 3 lattes so far this morning) are that I am amazed. Everyone always says that the grinder is the most important part of the coffee station. I had been using the cheap Gaggia MDF that I got with my Gaggia Classic machine - well, that combo for years. When I got the Profitec 500 I had about 4 months with that and the Gaggia Grinder. When I got the Ceado it was a huge upgrade. This is a whole other level though. Much better consistancy. Way easier to make adjustments. Honestly I am blown away. I wish that I would have done it months ago when someone in this thread had mentioned it.

Also, this coffee station is at my office. I still have my Gaggia Classic machine at home for weekend use when I don't go to the office. I have been taking the Ceado home on the weekends and the Niche Zero is half the weight and I won't have to hold it in the passenger seat like with the Ceado to make sure it doesn't fall over and spill beans everywhere.

Originally Posted by scoobydrew

Is that the Profitec 500? How do you like it?

I've been looking to upgrade and have been eyeing the Profitec 700 and ECM Synchronika (same machine, different aesthetics).

I love the Profitec 500. It's not the Pro 500 with the PID. I picked this up on eBay a couple of years ago at a great price and have been thrilled with it. I had wanted a Rocket machine (because of their cycling connections), but after watching a video at wholelattelove.com where they compared the internals of a Rocket, Profitec, and something else, I really felt that the Profitec was the way to go.

The guy I bought the machine from only sold it to get a Profitec Pro 700 to upgrade from the heat exchanger in the 500 to the dual boiler.

[jpritchet74]

Originally Posted by echappist

Also, what happened to the Scott Spark (i think it was listed in your signature line)? And another cervelo to replace it?

Still have the Spark - sadly there isn't enough characters permitted in the signature line and I have too many bikes, so I decided to give the Cervelos some love.

[scoobydrew]

Originally Posted by pritchet74

I love the Profitec 500. It's not the Pro 500 with the PID. I picked this up on eBay a couple of years ago at a great price and have been thrilled with it. I had wanted a Rocket machine (because of their cycling connections), but after watching a video at wholelattelove.com where they compared the internals of a Rocket, Profitec, and something else, I really felt that the Profitec was the way to go.

The guy I bought the machine from only sold it to get a Profitec Pro 700 to upgrade from the heat exchanger in the 500 to the dual boiler.

Thanks for the info. I've also considered a Rocket machine in the price range of the machines I've mentioned, namely the R58. But after some research on Home Barista and watching some videos done by Whole Latte Love, it seems to fall short of other machines in the same price range. For instance, the R58 doesn't have as much steam power as the other machines I mentioned. Rockets sure are pretty though.

[buddybikes]

Borealis coffee - https://www.borealiscoffee.com my wife lives on, local and great company. When they needed to shut down due to the virus, they pay their barista's 20% off the top of bean sales.

[9tubes]

Originally Posted by pritchet74

Niche Zero had been ordered on a Saturday, shipped from the UK on the following Monday, and arrived 3 days later to me in California. I just got around to taking it out of the box and setting it up. I am very, very, very happy with it. Now I just need to find a handy place to keep the scale near the coffee station...

I'm very happy with my Niche. When I got it I changed my workflow since it's a single-dose grinder. I experimented by buying some 2 ounce spice jars on Amazon and now I use my scale to measure out 18g of beans in each one. I store them in the fridge. Then I can put away the scale. I just grab a little jar, dump it in the Niche, and hit the grind switch.

A 2 oz jar is just the right size to hold the typical 16g-20g dose. No air can get in to degrade the beans, and the fridge preserves them. The cool temperature of the beans means that condensation will form on the beans after they're put in the grinder hopper, and that's just enough moisture to eliminate most of the static from the ground coffee.

[kytyree]

I've wanted to upgrade to the Pro 500 from my Gaggia, which I enjoy, but...

Of course then I'd probably need a new grinder too, someday.

[VTCaraco]

Upgrade!
Life is short :-)


I upgraded my machine about a month ago to a Quickmill Vetrano 2B and I enjoy the heck out of it

Originally Posted by kytyree

I've wanted to upgrade to the Pro 500 from my Gaggia, which I enjoy, but...

Of course then I'd probably need a new grinder too, someday.

[jpritchet74]

Originally Posted by 9tubes

I'm very happy with my Niche. When I got it I changed my workflow since it's a single-dose grinder. I experimented by buying some 2 ounce spice jars on Amazon and now I use my scale to measure out 18g of beans in each one. I store them in the fridge. Then I can put away the scale. I just grab a little jar, dump it in the Niche, and hit the grind switch.

A 2 oz jar is just the right size to hold the typical 16g-20g dose. No air can get in to degrade the beans, and the fridge preserves them. The cool temperature of the beans means that condensation will form on the beans after they're put in the grinder hopper, and that's just enough moisture to eliminate most of the static from the ground coffee.

Oh, this is a pretty awesome idea....

[jh_on_the_cape]

PSA I recently purchased an ESPRO calibrated tamper and found it to be well made and help consistency. Feels solid in the hand.

I bought mine new on ebay and kept getting notifications and they are to be had pretty cheap now. I don't know the seller caveat emptor etc.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Espro-Calib....c100667.m2042

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Espro-Calib....c100667.m2042

Also a coffee moisture tester?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shore-920-c...UAAOSw7MNeh5A8

And finally for the barista who thinks he/she has everything: a refractometer. I have used one in the lab for measuring density.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VST-Lab-Cof...kAAOSwZ41ehSxp

[pncguy]

Originally Posted by 9tubes

...condensation will form on the beans after they're put in the grinder hopper, and that's just enough moisture to eliminate most of the static from the ground coffee.

Genius! I usually just use time (grind, go boil water, pour beans in filter, pour) but this makes the flow so much nicer!

[rohan]

Question for any Rancilio Rocky owners—what have you done to reduce grind retention? I paid $75 for my grinder, so I can't complain too much, but it's bothering me, especially with all this talk of the Niche Zero!

I heard that there used to be a Click Clack lid that fit the hopper, sending grinds out of the chute, but that one with the right dimensions is no longer made. I am using the ziplock bag method but it is far from an elegant solution.


I am also possibly in the market for an espresso machine (doing exclusively pour over at home right now) and have been considering a Gaggia Clasic Pro. Can I do better for under $500? It seems like there are a number of you who are graduating from earlier Gaggia versions, so if anyone is considering passing theirs along (and lives close to Rochester, NY), I may be interested.

[echappist]

Originally Posted by rohan

Question for any Rancilio Rocky owners—what have you done to reduce grind retention? I paid $75 for my grinder, so I can't complain too much, but it's bothering me, especially with all this talk of the Niche Zero!

I heard that there used to be a Click Clack lid that fit the hopper, sending grinds out of the chute, but that one with the right dimensions is no longer made. I am using the ziplock bag method but it is far from an elegant solution.


I am also possibly in the market for an espresso machine (doing exclusively pour over at home right now) and have been considering a Gaggia Clasic Pro. Can I do better for under $500? It seems like there are a number of you who are graduating from earlier Gaggia versions, so if anyone is considering passing theirs along (and lives close to Rochester, NY), I may be interested.

For a bit more than $500, you can get Silvia PID, as refurb or open box