Coffee Appreciation

Anyone for that water softener before I either bin it or eBay it?

@dammit, i'm interested (and am in SE23) - do I need anything else (other than the bits pictured) to set it up?

Yeah saw that one too!

Too much choice, too ignorant. Might just get the rocky as then it's matching with the silvia.

@CYOA if you're happy to send the V60 on @andyfallsoff that would be cool, alternatively I work out Islington way so could pick up if you're central?

If it were me, I'd remove the grouphead plate (the block with the two allen bolts) just to make sure that there isn't any blockage. It only takes a small amount of scale to cause this.

If you enter a fault situation, you can determine if the pump is working correctly by checking if water is returning to the tank via the over-pressure-valve. When there is no pathway through the grouphead, the water is diverted back to the tank and you should hopefully be able to see water passing through one of the hoses that sits in the tank if there are some bubbles. Alternatively, remove the return hose such that the water visibly drips back into the tank (the hose barb is directly above the tank, so technically you don't really need this hose as the water should just fall in).

I used to use a Classic, and would recommend running it on filtered water or bottled water.

Quite common for the solenoid to get blocked on the Classics. I just used the Tesco Ashbeck water to avoid the scale issue. Info on unblocking:

http://reedsmeals.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/overhaul-of-gaggia-classic-espresso.html

New grinder arrived

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"professional barista"

Thanks both, will follow general instructions. Its worked fine the last few days, but only made one cup a day...time to deal with it before it gets worse. Bottled water may be the answer going forward. Seems extravegent though. Just a chance for my non coffee mates to take the mick further, they still chuckle when I get the hand grinder out...

"i make coffee, semi pro"

@StevePeel

Cheers for the help. Orchestrale Nota ordered with joystick controls and the laser etched panels. We are very excited.

Great choice, you'll love it :)

EDIT: Sold

Bottled water is not really that extravagant.

I use Sainsbury's basics table water, it costs about twenty five pence for 1.5litres.

Just checked, it is 20p for two litres.

Have you actually looked at the make up of it? Some bottled waters can be VERY high in certian minerals. IIRC Buxton is the best.

I just use a water filter, and dpon't bother with bottles water.

It's from a soft water area of the UK, can't remember where off the top of my head.

It doesn't scale my machine up anywhere near as much as London water.

Empirical observation rather than theoretic extrapolation.

Good enough for me and my sub 100 quid espresso setup.

@ skinny

I've also got the Iberital.

Excellent grinder for the money, noisy as fuck though. My housemate uses the 14 seconds of total racket as his alarm clock.

Tesco's ashbeck spring and Waitrose essential are pretty much the best in terms of mineral/bicarbonate balance.

Thanks good to know!

Another vote for Tesco's Ashbeck here. Creates a far better cup that my water filter does.

I keep meaning to measure the TDS of the water produced by my water filter jug, would be really interesting to test it when I put a new filter in then once a week for a couple of months. Bet it goes up prreettttty quick.

OK done an overhaul, taken off and cleaned both the group head and the solenoid. Made a lovely cup after this, but then the same problem. No water flow when trying again with the machine still warm.

Can there be such a thing as a pump that sometimes works? I'd have though it was just broken or OK, not somewhere in the middle?

Thoughts before I buy a new a pump? Would rather not still have this problem after the fact of fitting that!

Thanks in advance...

Is a fault somehow introducing an airlock whilst making cup one? Maybe try running water through the steam wand between shots as per priming instructions?

Hey @DoktorPepe. Interested in that Aeropress. Have you still got it?