Just ordered

Post by **Dodger1** » Sun May 24, 2009 12:08 pm

I just pulled the trigger on a 2009 Mini II Vivaldi from Chris. I can't wait to get it and show you some pics.

FYI, I teamed it up with a MC4

Post by **oton** » Sun May 24, 2009 6:23 pm

Congrats! Welcome to La Spaziale Club.

Waiting for pics.

Post by **Endo** » Sun May 24, 2009 8:39 pm

Hey Keith, welcome!

I was reading your stuff on H-B where you were deciding which machine to buy. I went down the same path as you and also decided on the Mini Vivaldi.

I was super impressed with the machine design. That's what convinced me to buy it.

I read that this is your first machine and that you like Espresso and Americanos while you wife likes Lattes. This is the same situation as me. It'll be fun to see how it goes over the next 6 months or so. I struggled quite a bit at first, but like learning a musical instrument, if you hang in there, the rewards are great.

The MC4 seems like a good match as well. There are a few owners of that grinder here.

So now step one (and the most important step of all). Find a good source of fresh, high quality beans (less than 2 week from roast) and get pulling.

Post by **Dodger1** » Mon May 25, 2009 4:52 am

The UPS's man is supposed to be here on Tuesday but the grinder won't be here until Thursday. So I'll take some photos of the mini, while it's still pristine, and hopefully be able to show you the new drain valve etc.

I purchased a Brita Ultramax and tested the water with Sofchek test strips. It's right between 1.5 and 3, so everything looks good on that end.

I installed a Leviton 5380-1 20 amp receptacle, with a built in surge suppressor on my 20 amp line.

I also had a friend build me a table, which somewhat matches up with my computer table. The two tables form an L in the corner of our kitchen and that way I'll be able to sit at a sort of command center for my computer and espresso gear. Only problem is that I've only got the one 20amp line, so I'll need to see if I have to turn off all my computer gear when I fire up the Mini.

Fresh coffee is a must, which I learned over the years with my Technivorm Moccamaster. We've been using Lavazza Dek and Kaldi's Espresso 700, both of which we like a lot.

It's going to be a lot of fun learning how to properly use everything and while I know it's not going to easy, I've got the time and desire to get it right.

Post by **JohnB** » Mon May 25, 2009 8:20 am

Has anyone received a new Mini from Chris that had the boiler drain valve yet? The stock Chris is currently selling could date from last year in which case your new Mini might not have all the very recent revisions.

Post by **Dodger1** » Mon May 25, 2009 8:39 am

When I talked to Mary she said that they just received a new shipment of the 09's and told me that she'd make sure I got one. Hopefully these have the boiler drain valve but I'll know for certain late tomorrow and post the info asap.

FYI, I just emailed Mary and asked her to check on this question, so hopefully I'll know the answer sometime in the AM.

Keith

Post by **JohnB** » Mon May 25, 2009 9:19 am

The reason I mentioned the older stock is that there had been price reductions on the other espresso machines & grinders that they restocked due to the strengthened dollar. Since the Vivaldi price hasn't changed I assumed they were still selling older stock. Possibly the price from L/S went up so they were only able to hold the price as opposed to reducing it?? The boiler drain is handy & comes standard on the S1 but its something that any welding shop or hobbyist with welding equipment could easily install. Must have been a tough choice between the new Duetto 2 & the Mini with only $100 difference between the two.

Post by **Dodger1** » Mon May 25, 2009 10:04 am

Chris will probably drop the price on Wednesday ;)

The Duetto and the Mini II very similar but the Duetto hasn't been out in the field, wherein the Mini II has. Basically it came down to the fact that Mini's been refined/tweaked from users/sellers feedback but the since the Duetto is new, it hasn't had the chance to go through that process.

Post by **JohnB** » Mon May 25, 2009 10:48 am

It hasn't been around as long as the Mini but since we already have a Duetto 2 I'd say that process has begun. One nice thing about the Vivaldi as that so far the updates have all been retrofittable in one way or another without a large cash outlay. There are some very disgruntled owners of the original Duetto out there who are wishing they had waited 9-10 months.

Post by **Endo** » Mon May 25, 2009 10:53 am

JohnB wrote: Must have been a tough choice between the new Duetto 2 & the Mini with only $100 difference between the two.

To be honest, one of the main reasons I got my Mini VIvaldi is because when I bought it last year (in Canada) it was $750 cheaper than the Duetto. We had big price swings as the Canadian dollar went from $0.70 US to $1.10 US US, so there were some very good prices on some machines, if you timed it right.

Also, I found the Duetto kinda ugly (bad feet, too square, too much chrome), but that's just persoanl taste.

Post by **JohnB** » Mon May 25, 2009 11:44 am

I'm not a fan of the shiny metal box look as you well know but I don't think the D-2 looks all that bad. Replace the knobs & handles with pieces of you favorite rain forest tree & it would look pretty nice. It is certainly a well designed machine outside of the born to die pump motor set up. Can't say the same for the Vibi or the Brewtus. How anyone could chose either one over the Vivaldi or Duetto is beyond me.

In this price range my choice would be between the S1V2 & the Duetto 2 if I were shopping today as I want the rotary pump & plumb in. The S1v2 still wins on features but I like the 1°F settings of the Duetto. If & when I upgrade I'll be looking at something like the Speedster, a used LM project or even a paddle GS3 IF they ever sort out all the issues and bring it in the U.S. With LM taking over for Franke there is hope the U.S. won't continue to lag a year behind the rest of the world.

Post by **JohnB** » Mon May 25, 2009 11:52 am

Back to Keith & his new Mini: The Kaldi's Espresso 700 you like just got a very nice review on http://www.coffeereview.com/review.cfm?ID=1872 & was picked in the top twelve out of 40 Espresso blends they sampled http://www.coffeereview.com/index.cfm .

I'd avoid the Lavazza & other vac packed Italian beans while you are figuring out the Mini. Those beans are OLD when you get them & go down hill fast once opened. Stick with Espresso beans/blends 5-14 days past roast & you will eliminate several issues from the learning process.

Post by **Endo** » Mon May 25, 2009 1:22 pm

JohnB wrote: If & when I upgrade I'll be looking at something like the Speedster, a used LM project or even a paddle GS3

While it's nice to dream, what the Vivaldi has taught me more than anything else is that once you get beyond the $2k price, the improvements are so small, it becomes more about "machine worship" than better espresso. Taste wise, your money would be better spent having your favourite coffee blends delivered to your door 7 days from roast date and thrown out at 10 days.

In other words, my Mini Vivaldi is the last machine I'll ever be buying.

Still, if money was no object, I'd get Slayer to make me a custom one-group.(Cocobolo paddle John??)

Post by **JohnB** » Mon May 25, 2009 2:37 pm

Endo wrote: In other words, my Mini Vivaldi is the last machine I'll ever be buying.

That's quite a change from your posts of a couple months ago when the Vivaldi couldn't do anything right.

We'll see what comes of Slayers efforts. There is always the used Cyncra option. One nice thing about a machine from LM is you know the company will still be around in 5 years to back it up. Unless a high end "project" comes along that is too appealing to pass on I doubt I'll be doing any upgrading for a couple years. Of course I've said that before.

Post by **oton** » Mon May 25, 2009 3:04 pm

Endo wrote:Taste wise, your money would be better spent having your favourite coffee blends delivered to your door 7 days from roast date and thrown out at 10 days.

Yep. I have to agree. 5 months after buying my MiniV, I have had to rethink why I have a €2500 setup and I have to use old coffee. Here there are no shops with fresh & good coffee to buy... you never know the coffee that you are buying is 1 week or 3 months old . It's a pity. The nearest trusted-shop I know it's in U.K.

So I had to buy a roaster (Gene Café) to brew proper coffee. Fresh coffee is essential.

Post by **Endo** » Mon May 25, 2009 4:53 pm

JohnB wrote:
Endo wrote: In other words, my Mini Vivaldi is the last machine I'll ever be buying.
That's quite a change from your posts of a couple months ago when the Vivaldi couldn't do anything right.

I don't think it's a big change. I'm still amazed at how much time it takes to master this machine (if it is ever really possible). But, I never thought I would be selling her.

I would say for my Silvia, I was able to get everything out of her in about 2 months of experiments (after buying a PID). I bought the Vivaldi and I was under the impression (based on everything I read) that it would make everything much easier..... but it was exactly the opposite. Like a high powered sports car, she's a tough machine for an amature to master (sensitive brewing, powerful steaming). And the Silivia is the one everyone calls tricky!

My bitching and moaning is just me expressing my frustration (and joy when things go right). I was hoping some people would enjoy hearing about my progress (pictures, videos, etc) assuming they are going through the same thing. I know for some Vivaldi veterans, it's less interesting hearing the same old issues raised.

Post by **spaceman3** » Tue May 26, 2009 9:00 am

I would have to agree that the learning curve is a couple of months with the mini. Steaming is tough, and it's hard to control unless you're patient with learning. I was almost ready to give up and then one day something just changed and it got better. Now my foam, espresso and final drinks come out so good that I can't wait to get out of bed and turn her on.

Did something very interesting that might help though with the learning... try using Lactaid milk. My partner likes this due to his problem with dairy, so I started buying this fairly recently. I was amazed at how easy it was to steam! The microfilm is perfect. I've ended up buying this on a regular basis now, and drink it myself as it tastes just like regular milk.

Post by **Endo** » Tue May 26, 2009 9:53 am

spaceman3 wrote:I would have to agree that the learning curve is a couple of months with the mini. Steaming is tough, and it's hard to control unless you're patient with learning. I was almost ready to give up and then one day something just changed and it got better. Now my foam, espresso and final drinks come out so good that I can't wait to get out of bed and turn her on.

Same thing here. I spent so much time trying do everything exactly like I had seen in the steaming videos (pitcher size, wand and tip angle, stretch time, etc). Then one day by complete accident I tried a completely different technique and it worked perfectly.

So my lesson here is: Don't just "practice" as everyone tells you, or you'll just be practicing making the same mistakes over and over again. Instead keep experimenting and taking notes and you'll eventually find that "sweet spot".

Post by **Dodger1** » Tue May 26, 2009 6:27 pm

Just got it and it does have the boiler drain valve.

Post by **JohnB** » Tue May 26, 2009 8:32 pm

Just like on the S1, even the same cap. Nice!

Post by **Endo** » Tue May 26, 2009 8:57 pm

JohnB wrote:Just like on the S1, even the same cap. Nice!

Is there a picture somewhere of the Vivaldi plug arrangement?

Post by **Dodger1** » Thu May 28, 2009 8:33 am

My MC4 is scheduled for deliver on Friday but since I'm always the last delivery on our UPS route, I won't get it till ~ 5:30 PM. So tomorrow night I'll dial in the zero point, back off ~ 1.5 and test the grind. Probably won't get into pulling any testing shots till Saturday morning but I'm as excited as a 4 year old the night before Xmas.

Post by **Endo** » Thu May 28, 2009 11:46 am

Exciting times. I remember well. Enjoy.

Keep in mind when you get your new grinder that it sometimes takes a few pounds of coffee before the new burrs wear in. You might want to run some old stale beans through it first.

Even if you don't, just keep in mind that you may have to adjust the grind quite a bit for the first few weeks until things settle in.

I had initially blamed the Vivaldi for my inconsistant shots, but it turned out to be more grinder and bean freshness related.

java man · Post by **java man** » Thu May 28, 2009 7:10 pm

I also just ordered. I'm moving from a house to an apartment, and don't want to drill a hole in the granite countertop to accommodate my rotary plumbed-in Wega Lyra, so I sold it and ordered a Mini Vivaldi from Espresso Planet in Toronto. Also sold my MACAP M4 grinder and ordered a Cimbali Max Junior from Chris Coffee.

This will be interesting. I've been making espresso at home since 1993. The Vivaldi will be my 5th espresso machine, but my first with two boilers. I ordered it with the timer and in the 20 amp configuration. I'm not sure yet whether my apartment kitchen is wired for 20 amps, but if it isn't, I'll switch it to 15 amps and get an adapter plug. I'm going to wait to see what it's like to pull shots on this machine before deciding about the optional preinfusion.

The Max Junior will be a significant step up from my MACAP.

This pair should be a sweet setup. Delivery is expected next week. Til then, I'm toughing it out with a moka pot and (gag!) Lavazza Gold pre-ground. It's evil stuff!

Thanks, all those who have posted, for the great information that made it easy to choose a Vivaldi.

Java Man (Espressopithecus)

Post by **Endo** » Thu May 28, 2009 9:55 pm

Congrats Java Man. Nice setup.

I stopped by Espresso Planet last month when I was in Mississauga on business. Good to see a few new places in Canada carrying Vivaldis.

Is it my imagination or are more people buying Mini Vivaldis than regular Vivaldis these days? Was there a sale on granite countertops at Home Depot?

java man · Post by **java man** » Fri May 29, 2009 12:34 am

I think it's just pent up demand. My guess is that many people liked the Vivaldi but ruled it out to avoid drilling the granite.

I have granite in my house, too, but the location of the espresso machine allowed me to knock a half-tile out of the backsplash just above the countertop, fish the water and drain lines through the wall behind the edge of the counter, and in through the back of the kitchen cabinets to the waterline and drain. Nice. I saved the tile and put it back in last week after selling my espresso machine. It's impossible to tell the tile was ever removed. Coincidentally, the guy who bought my house owns a Silvia and Rocky combo.

The only place for the machine in the new apartment is a bar between the kitchen and the dining room (see photo). So I'd have to drill the granite to plumb in a machine, and I'm sure that piece would cost $2500 to replace. So no drilling.

That said, I've had a plumbed in machine for 5 years, and it's nice but it's not without disadvantages. I don't think the convenience is worth drilling a hole in the counter. I don't think it will be a problem with the Mini because the water reservoir and the drip tray both hold a lot and they look as though they slide out very easily. Contrast this with my last non-plumbed machine -- Silvia -- and this looks a lot easier.

Cheers,

: IMG_0137b.jpg (151 KiB) Viewed 32677 times

Post by **Dodger1** » Fri May 29, 2009 9:45 am

This is like old home week. I was born in Deep River Ontario and lived for a number of years in Oakville before moving down to the states.

In my limited usage both the reservoir and the drip tray are extremely easy to remove, although the drip tray can be a little finicky when it comes to the last ~ 1/4 of an inch.

I'm sure you've run across this:

http://www.chriscoffee.com/files/26/Min ... Feb+09.pdf

and

http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/pdf/Laspa ... lookv2.pdf

Keith

Post by **Endo** » Fri May 29, 2009 1:52 pm

I originally was against getting the Mini Vivaldii, but not for the plumbed-in reason. I actually prefered pour-over for the convenience of not having to deal with plumbing. Filling up the reservoir is part of the ritual of espresso for me, and since your emptying the drip tray anyway, might as well fill the reservoir at the same time. If I got the plumbed-in version, I probably would still run it from a 20L tank using a Flo-jet just so I could move it around if need be.

No, I wanted the regular Vivaldi for the rotary pump. But when I saw the regular Vivaldi was $500 more in Canada, I started asking myself if it was really worth $500. When I go thinking about it, the only advantage I could come up with was the "sweet" sound. With the vibe pump, the taste is the same, the pressure ramp-up is slower, it doesn't leak into a motor and you don't have to worry about burinng it out if run dry. Some may argue that it is less reliable, but if it does break, it's only $90 to replace and you can swap in a locally available replacement in 10 minutes. All this ended up off-setting the minor sound difference.

I also liked the S5 lever better than the knob. I'm not sure why they built the regular Vivaldi with a knob if a lever was available on the S5. Maybe beacuase it's cheaper? I think this was an improvment they threw in to attract more people to the Mini VIvaldi and offset the cheaper vibe pump they needed to use.

The way i see it, the only thing I wish I had on the Mini was a bigger steam boiler that I could open up and descale. But then again, it's kind nice leaving the Mini steam boiler off and only turning it on when someone asks for a milk drink. Warm-up only takes 4 minutes! About the same time it takes me to prepare the espresso! And if you need a new boiler or heating element, it's only $169.95 at CC (cheaper than the bloody timer!!!)

Here's a photo of my setup:

: 4782_s_dsc01063.jpg (71.82 KiB) Viewed 32650 times

java man · Post by **java man** » Fri May 29, 2009 4:25 pm

Keith, thanks for the links!

Endo, that's a nice setup! I like your appliance garage -- we wanted to build one into our kitchen, but the building inspector will not pass them!!!! Can't have an electrical outlet inside a "garage"!!! Ridiculous! I'll have one installed in my new place after it passes final inspection.

My last machine had a rotary pump. I originally bought the myth that rotary pumps make better espresso. But Ken Fox and Jim Schulman's tasting experiments published on home-barista.com made me rethink that. I ended up installing a pump-start delay relay to apply water line pressure to the coffee for 5 seconds before the pump starts up. It helped with consistency and flavour.

The rotary in my machine was no quieter than a vibe pump, it just sounded different. So, no flavour advantage, and not quieter . . so at least it's more durable, right? Well, after 4.5 years, the rotary pump in my Wega started leaking and I had to replace it. Imagine that -- an average of 3 to 4 shots per day for 4.5 years, and the pump gives up!

A big part of the reason I was attracted to the Vivaldi is La Spaziale's apparent commitment to continuous improvement. The marketplace is like a huge laboratory in which the product is subjected to every sort of use and abuse. Companies that make design changes to overcome problems they've learned about are sure to make better products.

Cheers,

Post by **JohnB** » Fri May 29, 2009 5:11 pm

An from the other side of the forum:

- The S1 rotary pump IS much quieter then the vibe in the Mini.
- It costs $50 to have the pump rebuilt if it ever fails & a little waterproof grease on the frt motor bearing will protect it from damage.
- You get programmable line pressure preinfusion which you can turn on/off.
- Larger Steam boiler which comes in handy when drawing water for tea/vac pot/ect.
-The knob allows a finer control of the steam then the lever. Endo has cursed the lever along with most parts of his Mini at various times.
- Removable boiler cover & drain plug since day one.
-Lots more space inside to do maintenance/repairs without that reservoir.

Endo - Do you wear running shows so your feet don't get tired walking back & forth between your Mini & the SJ?

Post by **Endo** » Fri May 29, 2009 7:53 pm

All good points John. I was waiting for your list of advantages. I think it provides good perspective for someone trying to decide which one to buy. Each machine has it's advantages and it's great the buyer has such a choice on the Vivaldi. I think it's the only machine in the world that offers this!!

Many people have commented on my distance between the grinder and Vivaldi (and my phone location too even). I guess it looks worse in the photo due to perspective. Actually, it's only two steps. Probably closer than in most cafes. Heck, it never bothered me the slightest. I like the position since it allows me to briefly talk to guests in the dining room (behind the grinder) as I'm making drinks. Otherwise, I'd be hidden in the corner the whole time. The back of the Mazzer looks really cool from the dining room too. Wish they could see the back of my Vivaldi too. I find it very cool looking. It's a shame more people don't install it on an island so it can be seen from all sides.

java man · Post by **java man** » Fri May 29, 2009 8:11 pm

JohnB wrote:An from the other side of the forum:
- The S1 rotary pump IS much quieter then the vibe in the Mini.
- It costs $50 to have the pump rebuilt if it ever fails & a little waterproof grease on the frt motor bearing will protect it from damage.
- You get programmable line pressure preinfusion which you can turn on/off.
- Larger Steam boiler which comes in handy when drawing water for tea/vac pot/ect.
-The knob allows a finer control of the steam then the lever. Endo has cursed the lever along with most parts of his Mini at various times.
- Removable boiler cover & drain plug since day one.
-Lots more space inside to do maintenance/repairs without that reservoir.

All good points . . . but it needs to be plumbed in.

Rick

Post by **JohnB** » Fri May 29, 2009 10:05 pm

java man wrote: All good points . . . but it needs to be plumbed in.
Rick

Yes, another plus. Sorry I forgot that one! I realize not everyone feels that way but its the only way I'd go.

Post by **Dodger1** » Sat May 30, 2009 10:47 am

Back to the OP

I dialed in the grinder last night and pulled a couple of acceptable shots right out of the box this morning, which I thought was rather amazing.

Looks like I've got a busy weekend trying to refine my skills, which were, and to a large extent still are nil.

The MC4 is producing light and extremely fluffy grinds but I'm going to have to mod the spout, like this poster did:

http://coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/grinders/356232

java man · Post by **java man** » Sat May 30, 2009 11:44 am

JohnB wrote:
java man wrote: All good points . . . but it needs to be plumbed in.
Rick
Yes, another plus. Sorry I forgot that one! I realize not everyone feels that way but its the only way I'd go.

Of course, we hope everyone will get what suits their particular situation best, right?

Rick

BrewHaHa · Post by **BrewHaHa** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 12:59 am

I don't know how I'd handle a plumbed-in toilet, either. It's so part of my "ritual" to pour the buckets of water into the tank before my daily constitutional. How boring to just be able to push a handle to flush.

But seriously, having a plumbed-in espresso machine is SO nice. I didn't mind filling the water tank on the old Gaggia, but when I got the plumb-in Vivaldi I immediately appreciated having endless water available. It's a small thing, but for me it's part of the pleasure of owning such a machine. I enjoy the whole espresso making process, but I don't feel that keeping a water tank topped up needs to be part of that process. (In fact, I need to get around to getting that drain plumbed in...)

Post by **Endo** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:32 pm

BrewHaHa wrote:I don't know how I'd handle a plumbed-in toilet, either. It's so part of my "ritual" to pour the buckets of water into the tank before my daily constitutional. How boring to just be able to push a handle to flush.

HAHA. Good one.

But last time I checked my toilet had a 1 gallon reservoir.

BrewHaHa wrote:....having a plumbed-in espresso machine is SO nice. I didn't mind filling the water tank on the old Gaggia, but when I got the plumb-in Vivaldi I immediately appreciated having endless water available. It's a small thing, but for me it's part of the pleasure of owning such a machine.

My brother tells me the same thing. He bought a super-auto and doesn't understand how I can live with all that bean re-filling, grinding and tamping.

To each his own, but for me, re-filling is just another part of the semi-auto ritual. I don't mind it one bit.

If you have a tap or 20L water dispenser next to your machine, refilling is almost as easy as the plumbed-in.

I calculated the plumbed-in version would cost me an extra $700 once I factored in all the extra plumbing parts and higher machine cost. Not worth it in my opinion. I was also coming off a recent plumbing leak in my house that ruined a ceiling. That, along with the added portability, might have infuenced my decision.

Post by **Dodger1** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:02 am

I pulled two back to back, oh so close to god shots, this morning with Kaldi's Espresso 700. Still can't get the Dek to produce anything faintly resembling those shots but I think that's because the beans are older than dirt, with no crema to speak of.

I ordered a Dremel 300-N/25 to do the following mods to my MC4

http://coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/grinders/356232

and

http://picasaweb.google.com/combs.rob/G ... 6458499186

and

http://picasaweb.google.com/combs.rob/G ... 7868564562

I'm with Endo regarding the ease of filling the water tray and dumping the catch tray is a piece of cake. The added portability is somewhat a benefit but I don't think either of us have any intentions of moving this bad boy over to someone else's home.

All in all I'm thrilled with my results so far but now I've got to get my hands on some really fresh decaf beans. Thinking I'll try these but I'm open to any suggestions:

http://www.kaldiscoffee.com/shop/produc ... egoryID=26

http://www.coffeereview.com/review.cfm?ID=1584

http://www.49thparallelroasters.com/cof ... nated.html

Post by **JohnB** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:27 am

[quote="Endo"]HAHA. Good one.
But last time I checked my toilet had a 1 gallon reservoir.

/quote]

Yes & if you look a little closer you will see that the reservoir is plumbed in & refills itself; something the "plastic" reservoir on your Mini can't do. Under normal use how long does it take to empty the Mini reservoir? Personally I'm not crazy about having my drinking water stored in a plastic container. Hopefully it isn't made in China!!

I have to agree about the drip tray. Mine will hold 48 ozs & still make it to the sink without spilling. Is the Mini the same size?

Post by **JohnB** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:44 am

Dodger1 wrote:
I ordered a Dremel 300-N/25 to do the following mods to my MC4

All in all I'm thrilled with my results so far but now I've got to get my hands on some really fresh decaf beans. Thinking I'll try these but I'm open to any suggestions:

http://www.kaldiscoffee.com/shop/produc ... egoryID=26

http://www.coffeereview.com/review.cfm?ID=1584

http://www.49thparallelroasters.com/cof ... nated.html

Stock up on extra Dremel grinding bits as they don't hold up well. Wear safety glasses so that when the bit self destructs you don't lose an eye. I use a pneumatic die grinder & 1/4" bits for that kind of work. Is that "deflector plate" made of Duct Tape?

Be sure to let us know if you ever find a decaf blend or bean that makes "good" straight shots. I've tried quite a few & finally decided to stop wasting my money. The Mexican water process seems to preserve bean characteristics better then the Swiss method. Glad they finally found a use for their water!

The direct process (methylene chloride) supposedly gives the best tasting decaf but I'm not drinking coffee made from beans soaked in a chemical that requires respirator use when used in paint strippers.

Post by **Endo** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:58 am

JohnB wrote: Under normal use how long does it take to empty the Mini reservoir?

The reservoir is 100 oz. I would guess I use about 5 oz of water on each shot if I include the warming shots. So, I get roughly 20 straight espresso shots on tank. Of course if you like to use a lot of hot water (for making tea or filling Bodum for example), then I would definitely recommend going with the plumbed-in (and bigger boiler).

JohnB wrote: Personally I'm not crazy about having my drinking water stored in a plastic container. Hopefully it isn't made in China!!

How about Lead in the machine too? Honestly, I don't get too parnoid about this stuff (isn't my toothbrush plastic too?). The reservoir is the most solid unit I've ever seen on a espresso machine (not like the cheap white platic jug used on some). I'm sure it's made of the "good" plastic.

JohnB wrote: I have to agree about the drip tray. Mine will hold 48 ozs & still make it to the sink without spilling. Is the Mini the same size?

Mini uses the exact same drip tray. I fill the resevoir when I'm dumping the drip tray. I would guess it adds another 30 seconds to my routine every 3rd day. Over the life of the machine, it may very well be possible some people spend more time actualy installing and maintaining their plumbed-in system.

Post by **Dodger1** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 2:12 am

Stock up on extra Dremel grinding bits as they don't hold up well. Wear safety glasses so that when the bit self destructs you don't lose an eye. I use a pneumatic die grinder & 1/4" bits for that kind of work. Is that "deflector plate" made of Duct Tape?

I used the course 1/4″ Sanding Drums. They cut through the aluminum like butter and left a pretty smooth finish, which I then polished with Mothers aluminum Power Metal. I also used that polish on the inside of the spout.

Now I only have ~ a half a gram of residual grinds in the spout, which drops right out with quick pass of my brush.

This little mod made a huge improvement in my MC4 and I've also noticed the grounds are less prone to clumping.

Post by **JohnB** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:30 am

Hopefully you cleaned all that polish residue out of there before you started grinding. Seems I remember someone on CG waxing the inside. I don't think that is something I would want coming in contact with my coffee. Normally aluminum will load up a sanding disc, glad it worked out for you. The Major pretty much blows all the grounds out of the chute. Just finished the Velcro sweeper mod on my doser as well as removing a little material from the upper sweeper mount so it cleans even better.

Post by **Dodger1** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 10:21 am

JohnB wrote:Hopefully you cleaned all that polish residue out of there before you started grinding.

Now that would have been a really boneheaded move on my part but maybe it would have improved the flavor of my decaf

Seems I remember someone on CG waxing the inside. I don't think that is something I would want coming in contact with my coffee.

I didn't wax anything but the polish removed all kinds of really nasty black stuff from the inside of the spout, which I presume was oxidized aluminum.

Normally aluminum will load up a sanding disc, glad it worked out for you.

Didn't load up at all but maybe it was due to my using the course disks.

Your major is a beast and your mods will only improve on it's already stellar performance.

Post by **MichaelN** » Tue May 25, 2010 5:41 pm

Endo wrote:I actually prefered pour-over for the convenience of not having to deal with plumbing. Filling up the reservoir is part of the ritual of espresso for me... If I got the plumbed-in version, I probably would still run it from a 20L tank using a Flo-jet just so I could move it around if need be.

and,

Dodger1 wrote:I'm with Endo regarding the ease of filling the water tray and dumping the catch tray is a piece of cake. The added portability is somewhat a benefit...

I love the convenience of having my S1 plumbed in. However I recently discovered a new benefit to having the regular S1 over the more portable Mini:

I was just asked by a family member to bring my S1 to a large party that they were hosting. They wanted me to be their personal barista and to serve coffee to all of their guests. As a relatively new, and very proud S1 owner, I was tempted to say yes. After all it would be fun to be a barista for a night, pulling shot after shot and talking to all of the guests while they waited for their coffee. The downside of course would be the work effort required and that everyone else would be asking me to do the same at their parties. I'd lose my status as an invited guest, and would be relegated to "servant".

It was very easy to explain that my machine required dedicated 20 Amp wiring and that it was plumbed in and not portable. I was able to turn them down based on the "limitations" of the machine, without having to reject them and say no. I like my machine right where it is, and it's not moving until I do!

Michael

Post by **Endo** » Tue May 25, 2010 8:44 pm

Ha Ha

.

No doubt, plumbed in has it's advantages. Drain kit too.

So far, all my guests have been overwhelmed by the size of my machine and grinder. But just in case someone ever asks, I've already got my excuse ready......"oh my back!"

For me, it's not about moving the machine from house to house, it allows me the convenience of moving the machine where I want it in my kitchen. I love being near the windows with the sun hitting the metal and cups. It 's a great part of my morning ritual. I probably wouldn't even bother with espresso if I was stuck in a dark basement, garage or spare bathroom.

: Morning Glory; IMG_1753 (480x320).jpg (56.71 KiB) Viewed 31692 times

Post by **MichaelN** » Tue May 25, 2010 9:37 pm

Endo wrote:I love being near the windows with the sun hitting the metal and cups. It 's a great part of my morning ritual. I probably wouldn't even bother with espresso if I was stuck in a dark basement, garage or spare bathroom.

That truely is a beautiful set up that you have there, the ambiance is priceless; what a great view out the kitchen window. I'm still in the process of setting up my espresso & latte bar which has taken over a significant percentage of the wet-bar in our entertainment room. I'll take some pictures and post them as soon as I get everything else in order.

The part of my set up that makes me laugh is that my mini-bar/beer fridge next to my S1 is now a milk fridge. What's funny about that is that the kids took the fridge away to university and we called it their "milk fridge". Of course it never saw a carton of milk during the academic years of its life and was instead filled with beer. And now that it is officially a beer fridge, it's filled instead with 0%, 1%, 2%, 3.25%, chocolate, lactose-free and soy milk. Hows that for irony?

Back on topic; Endo, clearly from that picture you've made the right choice for your setup. It was likewise an easy decision for me as a source of filtered water was 18" away and easily accessible for my S1 with minimal plumbing (well not really: I had the bar plumbed in a year ago with this in mind; it was a pre-emptive strike to help get the S1 through "procurement").

Michael