Baratza Encore

[spro745]

I won't doubt the ability of the MyPressi until I actually use one. It may be very capable of a great shot... but what about back/back doubles, which is what I do often at home?

BIG difference between home/commercial machines is consistency when extracting/steaming back/back for multiple drinks. You're not really paying a high price for great espresso capability, but more for the build quality/longevity.

If you're using the cartridges commonly used for whipped cream they are NITROUS OXIDE (food grade), not to be confused with CO2. When buying in bulk (96 or more) they can be found for .50 each or less.

[PDX97229]

OK, ground for my French Press at 25. It is, of course finer than when I ground at 35, but there were not too many more fines in the cup. Very good taste and I am used to fines (sludge) anyway. Still, not too bad and I like the taste better. Also, little if any chaff. The one thing I still have is some grounds that fall after I remove the ground bin. I tapped it a bit before removal, but still some fell. Not to bad, but surprised it happens at all.

[EricBNC]

I won't doubt the ability of the MyPressi until I actually use one. It may be very capable of a great shot... but what about back/back doubles, which is what I do often at home?

Doesn't look like you or anyone else here in the USA is going to get the chance to try one of these any time soon, if ever...

Click the link for the rest of the story: Bad times at Mypressi

[spro745]

Well that's a LMAO moment if I've ever had one.

I don't know if any of you watch a program on the Food Channel called Invention Hunters, but awhile back they did a segment on two guys that came up with a traveling espresso kit. They called it the Travesso, spend around $120K on it and it looked to be the biggest turd I've seen yet. To think that much money and time (forget how much was stated) to come up with something that complicated for the average user AND the device was only pod capable was beyond me.

I think these "engineers" need to understand that espresso is something that will never be perfected in a mobile/travel setting in such a fashion. It is what it is and needs to be left that way.

[w0fms]

I won't doubt the ability of the MyPressi until I actually use one. It may be very capable of a great shot... but what about back/back doubles, which is what I do often at home?

BIG difference between home/commercial machines is consistency when extracting/steaming back/back for multiple drinks. You're not really paying a high price for great espresso capability, but more for the build quality/longevity.

If you're using the cartridges commonly used for whipped cream they are NITROUS OXIDE (food grade), not to be confused with CO2. When buying in bulk (96 or more) they can be found for .50 each or less.

Yeah, that's what the cost off of e-bay and that is what I use. I'm not confused between N2O and CO2, you can use EITHER gas as long as it's the 8g "food grade" type. The 8g CO2's are "seltzer bottle" chargers and are no cheaper than the N2O of e-bay.

As for back to backs... yeah, I do that all of the time. I can get six double off the cartridges now that I disassembled all of the o-rings and oiled them all with Canola Oil... if I don't let the thing set overnight or longer. So when I use it, I pull off all six back to back. As long as I heat the shots the same, dose and tamp the same and grind the same, all six come off exactly the same.

So it can also do consistent shots.

My wife declared that she likes "Moka Pot" and doesn't like the MyPressi Espresso. So, I'm glad I did that and not the Silvia. It appears that I will only be using it 1-2 a week now as a compromise.

You have to also realize that I can buy 7 MyPressis for the price of a Silvia and 20 for the cost of a good HX machine. It does have it's place.

Fred

[spro745]

You have to realize that the cost of cartridges, your time, etc. adds up as well. A quality machine/grinder (not thousands of $ either) will pay for itself over time. To each his own and that's where I will leave the subject. IF I were to ever consider going the "travel/portable" route I'd consider this... But I seriously doubt that'd ever happen.

http://www.portaspresso.com/

[w0fms]

Yeah.. I posted this info to another thread. It looks like the MyPressi is a "collectors item" now and they are out of business. Crap, 10% into the warranty. And no source of spare parts. Crap.. I tend to do that to small businesses..

Too bad, because if anything else it was a good training aid. I did learn a lot from it. I mean in the sense that it'll help me pull good shots if I can ever graduate to a "real" machine. I know that whatever I get will probably have the band saw taken to the portafilter so I can go "naked"....

I'm starting to think getting "parts" Silvias gathered up might be a good idea. Or a lever machine. Not much on Craiglist in the Midwest tho. e-bay is obnoxious for used Espresso. Like I said though, the wife declared "thou shall make me Moka Pot in the Morning" recently so that might be that for an Espresso machine for me.

Oh well.

I did recently get a "Clever Coffee Dripper" to play with. Will try that this weekend!

Also patiently awaiting a "disk fine" for the Aeropress.

Fred

[bigbells]

Got my Baratza Encore today. What happened to the powdered coffee that I'd gotten so accustomed to having a lot of with my Mr Coffee burr grinder? You know, that fine silt that sticks like a dry paste to the walls and top of the collection bin? (This occurred at any grind setting.) Where did the bitter taste go?
I'm totally impressed by the quality difference with the new machine. I'm drinking my first auto-drip pot now, after grinding right in the middle at 20. There's quite a dramatic improvement in the cup.

[spro745]

Glad to hear it... most people that seem satisfied with the $50 and under "grinders" don't believe there could be that much difference in grinders, when in actuality it's night/day. A proper grinder makes alot of difference regardless of brew method.

[bigbells]

Glad to hear it... most people that seem satisfied with the $50 and under "grinders" don't believe there could be that much difference in grinders, when in actuality it's night/day. A proper grinder makes alot of difference regardless of brew method.

Well, I was satisfied with my $50 grinder when that's all I had. Heck, I was satisfied with pre-ground Folgers when that's all I had. There is a lot of information on this site about having a good grinder. I did a fair amount of research, mainly reading the comparison review that I believe is pointed to earlier in this thread. This $129 grinder, with free shipping, definitely seems like a lot of bang for the buck comparatively. If it's not as good for espresso as machines that cost 4 times as much I may never know, but it sure does improve my auto-drip grind. Plus, the noise the Encore makes is much less and it's a more pleasant sound.