Coffee Appreciation

Any thoughts on usefulness of coffee leveller/distributors for espresso - yay or nay? I usually just palm tap but that isn't always super effective and can be a bit faffy tilting it back and forth to get something roughly even and seems a lot easier to just put the thing down, spin it, and done in 2 seconds.

Couple of pages back you said:

WDT is probably the best thing you can do to distribute and break up clumps, and I think the leveller is pretty efficient to use if you've got it (does the same thing as tapping against the palm but faster). Although I never bothered with either myself because the Sette made fluffy grinds and I preferred to live with the occasional spurt out than increase prep time by 30s per coffee/get all the extra tools.

Indeed, but I do not have it, and now I have decided I might want another tool... mea culpa, christmas innit! And wondering about peoples' experiences who do have it (rather than "I think") as the last step to talk myself out of more coffee gear

I really like the concept of the spring loaded tamper. Can’t decide if it’s BS or not. I just throw all my weight behind the tamper and hope for the best.

Funny, on the Robot I just let the weight of the tamper itself do the job.

It takes one variable out of the very complicated coffee equation so think there's some merit to it particularly if you're working on dialling other things in.

I got one of Normcore self-levelling ones for my Pavoni - mainly because I seem incapable of tamping level. I'm very happy with it so far. Another plus is its 49.7mm (rather the 49mm) so fits the basket better.

I’ve the mhw3 bomber force tamper, love it. As said, a couple variables I no longer have to consider. Minimal branding helps

I’m in total agreement with the reduction of variables

I’m also incapable of tamping level.

This is the current incarnation of coffee corner. I’m really getting tempted to drill a hole in the work too and feed a tube into a container so I can avoid having to constantly empty the drip tray

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..but where is your grinder?

If you like milk art a jug with a proper spout would reallyyyy help.

I got a free shipping code for Rave coffee if anyone has use for it; SHIP2ME4FREE

Sold it last week.

I was all set to buy another one from someone on the coffee forum but he’s ghosted me. So just on the look out now.

Conical vs flat burrs - opinions please

Conical for espresso, flat for filter is generally the super, super broad consensus. You get more fines (and so more body but also more bitter/astringent notes) with conicals, and more clarity with flats I think. Conicals work well with a milk drink imo.

I’ve had flat for both machine grinders and conical for the hand grinder I had. All since moved on. Think I’ll stick with flat. But the benefits of conical are always in the back of my mind.

I can already hear my wife saying there’s not enough counter space for two coffee grinders.

Been struggling to steam just enough milk for one drink and feel like weighing my milk and changing tip angle (wand is now very close to the sidewalls) has gotten me closer to the sort of texture I’ve been chasing for too damned long (also helps with minimising waste!). Still think milk steaming technique is very tip dependent, and also dependent on the amount of milk you’ve got in your pitcher and wonder why the coffeetubes/tutorials don’t make more of a point of that and all suggest that there’s a standard angle of insertion that works!

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I can already hear my wife saying there’s not enough counter space for two coffee grinders.

See, I didn't think I had enough counter space for two coffee grinders until I ended up with two coffee grinders.

I suppose hand grinders are generally conical and it’s minimal grinding

I’m in the process of acquiring this bad boy. But the hopper is ridiculous. Ideally I’d like to get a smaller hopper.

I found this but can’t quite tell if it will fit.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/405152921813?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5339055777&toolid=20006&_ul=gb&customid=EAIaIQobChMI_Y3e3ca5igMV951QBh0mETHGEAQYBSABEgJjRPD_BwE%7C0AAAAAC5ena01IMUTR5H9LXU6l9lgtBb2E%7CCj8KCQiAyJS7BhD7ARIuAJKr9o_awRc4WlZkGC-w8pqW_yIBDNT5lG0bjcgEI7ruq0lEQMo3iqUgHmQRLRoCk-U%7Cv1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_Y3e3ca5igMV951QBh0mETHGEAQYBSABEgJjRPD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAAC5ena01IMUTR5H9LXU6l9lgtBb2E&wbraid=Cj8KCQiAyJS7BhD7ARIuAJKr9o_awRc4WlZkGC-w8pqW_yIBDNT5lG0bjcgEI7ruq0lEQMo3iqUgHmQRLRoCk-U&gad_source=1

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This lad is leaking out of the bottom- lights flickering on and off as it does so. What is likely to be borked inside there and can I fix it with what I can find in an Air BnB over Christmas?

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First things first: don’t touch the metal case. Switch it off at the socket and unplug. Just in case anything goes live.