(GPGT)Espresso machine hoot

[testerjp]

Aside from Cahoeira, any other ones from FCC you've found interesting?

Whats your brew ratio/time for that bean? Maybe will try them next round.

I use a lot of Margo for my office, cheap and good.
Very smooth for a dark roast.

Recently I tried the San Luis, neat.
Light roast but the acidity is very mild, not bitter.
Use it as a double ristretto 8oz latte, no sharp ends, very smooth.
My office gurls like it alot.

https://www.finecoffeecompany.com/coffee-beans-singapore/

 

[Coffee4me]

There is a authorised dealer in malaysia. Search for La Pavoni Malaysia in fb. I havent dealt with them. But any issue, returns will be lot easier.

I got it from lamacchinadelcaffe. I found it to be the cheapest option to get it shipped from him.
Check the wait times. I think the factory has lot of backlog due to covid lockdown.

The new batch of machines tend to be a bit lacking in terms of qc. Not sure if it is really due to recent production issues, or if they are selling lot more machines than before.

Lot of reports of leaking, boiler being lose... nothing major if you can get spares/washers and fix it yourself. But something to keep in mind as spares are not available locally and always shipped from overseas

Any issues with the ordering/ delivery process or problems with the machine? Can we request for 3 pin plug or any request that you made otherwise?

 

[Coffee4me]

There is a authorised dealer in malaysia. Search for La Pavoni Malaysia in fb. I havent dealt with them. But any issue, returns will be lot easier.

I got it from lamacchinadelcaffe. I found it to be the cheapest option to get it shipped from him.
Check the wait times. I think the factory has lot of backlog due to covid lockdown.

The new batch of machines tend to be a bit lacking in terms of qc. Not sure if it is really due to recent production issues, or if they are selling lot more machines than before.

Lot of reports of leaking, boiler being lose... nothing major if you can get spares/washers and fix it yourself. But something to keep in mind as spares are not available locally and always shipped from overseas

Any issues with the ordering/ delivery process or problems with the machine? Can we request for 3 pin plug or any request that you made otherwise?

 

[Hir0 -]

hey guys, am new to the hobby and started trying out pulling espresso shots from machine and practicing frothing.

Wondering if you all have any suggestions for good latte cups in Singapore that can hold up to about 250ml to practice latte art with. Initally wanted to get acme cups but seems that it is not available via distro as they seem to not wanna bring it in anymore.

My current cup is a typical double wall bodum cup that is bit deeper in profile so i had a hard time tilting my cup to practice latte art.

Appreciate any tips of where you'll get a nice set with saucer

 

[purpleberry]

hey guys, am new to the hobby and started trying out pulling espresso shots from machine and practicing frothing.

Wondering if you all have any suggestions for good latte cups in Singapore that can hold up to about 250ml to practice latte art with. Initally wanted to get acme cups but seems that it is not available via distro as they seem to not wanna bring it in anymore.

My current cup is a typical double wall bodum cup that is bit deeper in profile so i had a hard time tilting my cup to practice latte art.

Appreciate any tips of where you'll get a nice set with saucer

Can try https://commonmancoffeeroasters.com/collections/loveramics

I didn't get mine from them but I practiced using 150ml cups. You need to choose a tulip-shape design to practice your art. Choice of milk is important too.

 

[humayunh]

Hello Fellow bitter-bean juicers!

I joined the journey around 6 months ago, started off with a Dedica(w/unpressurized basket)/JX-Pro, and then recently upgraded to a Eureka Mignon Manualle, since hand grinding was becoming a real drag.

As the rabbit hole goes, i'm now thinking of stepping up from the Dedica as well. I do 100% milk based drinks, so earlier I was thinking Silvia V6. But as I read more, I realized it has its own issues (needing a PID soon / delays between steam and brew etc) and I would have upgradtitus soon. So I braced myself and after skimming the internet as well as this thread, I think I like the Lelit MaraX.

I'm also seeing the Lelit Elizabeth for around the same price, but somehow MaraX looks better.
-For folks who already have this, or made a similar upgrade, thoughts?
-I'm seeing Cowpresso & Highlander as two vendors for Lelit. Am I missing anyone?
-How prone are espresso machines to failure, I'm thinking in terms of warranty. The dedica has luckily given no issues (I understand its also a simpler machine)
-What water do you use? I use tap water with my dedica (and descale it as recommended). From what I understand, SG tap water is soft, So I haven't figured out if I really need fancy filtration.

 

[tremor]

Hello Fellow bitter-bean juicers!

I joined the journey around 6 months ago, started off with a Dedica(w/unpressurized basket)/JX-Pro, and then recently upgraded to a Eureka Mignon Manualle, since hand grinding was becoming a real drag.

As the rabbit hole goes, i'm now thinking of stepping up from the Dedica as well. I do 100% milk based drinks, so earlier I was thinking Silvia V6. But as I read more, I realized it has its own issues (needing a PID soon / delays between steam and brew etc) and I would have upgradtitus soon. So I braced myself and after skimming the internet as well as this thread, I think I like the Lelit MaraX.

I'm also seeing the Lelit Elizabeth for around the same price, but somehow MaraX looks better.
-For folks who already have this, or made a similar upgrade, thoughts?
-I'm seeing Cowpresso & Highlander as two vendors for Lelit. Am I missing anyone?
-How prone are espresso machines to failure, I'm thinking in terms of warranty. The dedica has luckily given no issues (I understand its also a simpler machine)
-What water do you use? I use tap water with my dedica (and descale it as recommended). From what I understand, SG tap water is soft, So I haven't figured out if I really need fancy filtration.

Just go with HX machine with 58mm portafilter. Can last you a long time.

I went from dedica to Rocket Appartamento, no regrets. Looks super good in my dining room.

 

[ultimax1999]

Hello Fellow bitter-bean juicers!

I joined the journey around 6 months ago, started off with a Dedica(w/unpressurized basket)/JX-Pro, and then recently upgraded to a Eureka Mignon Manualle, since hand grinding was becoming a real drag.

As the rabbit hole goes, i'm now thinking of stepping up from the Dedica as well. I do 100% milk based drinks, so earlier I was thinking Silvia V6. But as I read more, I realized it has its own issues (needing a PID soon / delays between steam and brew etc) and I would have upgradtitus soon. So I braced myself and after skimming the internet as well as this thread, I think I like the Lelit MaraX.

I'm also seeing the Lelit Elizabeth for around the same price, but somehow MaraX looks better.
-For folks who already have this, or made a similar upgrade, thoughts?
-I'm seeing Cowpresso & Highlander as two vendors for Lelit. Am I missing anyone?
-How prone are espresso machines to failure, I'm thinking in terms of warranty. The dedica has luckily given no issues (I understand its also a simpler machine)
-What water do you use? I use tap water with my dedica (and descale it as recommended). From what I understand, SG tap water is soft, So I haven't figured out if I really need fancy filtration.

It’s a Hx vs a DB machine. Got to read up on which one you think suits you best. And E61 vs the Elizabeth group head. E61 group head has its pros and cons. For me I got a child at home so the exposed E61 group head is a hazard. And from reviews Elizabeth steaming > Marax. With Marax u also probably will consider to do the mod to reduce water wastage.

Also to consider is playing around with temp, more precise on Liz vs 2 degree range on marax. Both have good thermal stability with the Liz warming up faster. Liz has customisable bloom and steam preinfusion. Marax also doesn’t come with preinfusion but has room for addons, esp if u want to play with flow control which the Liz can’t add on. So have to see what kind of beans u like which can inform if u really need preinfusion or flow control.

Go to coffeeforums uk and there’s quite a number of threads that also ask about Marax vs liz

Btw not sure how reliable it is but I was informed that prices generally may be going up soon due to increase in shipping costs and exchange rates... but might have been a marketing technique

1) Easy choice for me - got Liz because my tabletop depth is only 40cm and Marax won’t fit. So it was my circumstance which determined what I’d get... but if I had to choose between the two, even with big enough tabletop I’d probably go Elizabeth again. If I really want to experiment, play around with flow control I’d probably save longer for Bianca. I just need something that is “quick and easy” to make in the mornings rather than fuss over all the small things... less stressful is what I’m looking for haha.
2) Cowpresso and highlander are both authorised dealers which u can see from lelit’s official website. Highlander doesn’t bring in Liz. Only Victoria, Bianca and Marax. Ace home barista claims they are but I don’t see them listed there. The gluons is a known seller based in Malaysia and do offer it cheaper generally but may be more of a hassle to fix or get help if anything goes wrong.
3) generally with good maintenance they can last for years, with the parts esp on the E61 group head easily replaceable. But u really need to consider putting in the effort to do maintenance, backflushing, etc. Don’t forget the grinder also will need cleaning too!
4) generally SG water is soft enough to be used directly, but unless you really want to get into the specifics of water... it can be a deep dive here... like how some people will remineralize the water, testing the softness, etc etc. I suspect most just do with filtered water eg brita, cleansui.

 

[Dirk3Diggler]

Any issues with the ordering/ delivery process or problems with the machine? Can we request for 3 pin plug or any request that you made otherwise?

I had no issues with ordering or delivery. The shipping charges are reasonable. I paid 80sgd duty. Was the cheapest I could find.

The guy is quite accomodating. You can ask for 3 pin plug. Not sure if he has the machine in stock. I waited for la pavoni to send him one first. You can ask him to check machine operation before shipping it to you.

After a month my boiler to base nut is little lose. Can do most of fixes myself. That was one of the reason I got simple machine like la pavoni. If you can do that and need only 1 drink per time you can get it. Back to back espresso is an issue. Grouphead gets way too hot after 1st pull

Also consider getting a bottomless porta filter, to better dial in and analyse your shots.
Single hole steam tip of you make milk drinks. The 3 hole tip provided is a pain to texture milk.
A good 51.5 to 52mm tamper.

 

[nubbyyy]

It’s a Hx vs a DB machine. Got to read up on which one you think suits you best. And E61 vs the Elizabeth group head. E61 group head has its pros and cons. For me I got a child at home so the exposed E61 group head is a hazard. And from reviews Elizabeth steaming > Marax. With Marax u also probably will consider to do the mod to reduce water wastage.

Also to consider is playing around with temp, more precise on Liz vs 2 degree range on marax. Both have good thermal stability with the Liz warming up faster. Liz has customisable bloom and steam preinfusion. Marax also doesn’t come with preinfusion but has room for addons, esp if u want to play with flow control which the Liz can’t add on. So have to see what kind of beans u like which can inform if u really need preinfusion or flow control.

Go to coffeeforums uk and there’s quite a number of threads that also ask about Marax vs liz

Btw not sure how reliable it is but I was informed that prices generally may be going up soon due to increase in shipping costs and exchange rates... but might have been a marketing technique

1) Easy choice for me - got Liz because my tabletop depth is only 40cm and Marax won’t fit. So it was my circumstance which determined what I’d get... but if I had to choose between the two, even with big enough tabletop I’d probably go Elizabeth again. If I really want to experiment, play around with flow control I’d probably save longer for Bianca. I just need something that is “quick and easy” to make in the mornings rather than fuss over all the small things... less stressful is what I’m looking for haha.
2) Cowpresso and highlander are both authorised dealers which u can see from lelit’s official website. Highlander doesn’t bring in Liz. Only Victoria, Bianca and Marax. Ace home barista claims they are but I don’t see them listed there. The gluons is a known seller based in Malaysia and do offer it cheaper generally but may be more of a hassle to fix or get help if anything goes wrong.
3) generally with good maintenance they can last for years, with the parts esp on the E61 group head easily replaceable. But u really need to consider putting in the effort to do maintenance, backflushing, etc. Don’t forget the grinder also will need cleaning too!
4) generally SG water is soft enough to be used directly, but unless you really want to get into the specifics of water... it can be a deep dive here... like how some people will remineralize the water, testing the softness, etc etc. I suspect most just do with filtered water eg brita, cleansui.

I'm using a MaraX but agree with the above - no right or wrong. I like the looks of the MaraX better especially after changing to the wooden accents.

Before you decide you should go and test the machines out for yourself. Contact Highlander, Cowpresso and Ace Home Barista - see which place offers both for testing and you can do a hands-on. Best way to decide!

 

[humayunh]

Thanks for the reply. I think testing out is the way to go. I've reached out to highlander for an appointment. I believe they carry the Mara X only. There's a fellow selling the Elizabeth on Carousell for slightly less than what a new Mara X will cost, so i'm pretty confused.

On my Dedica, I pretty much use it a as a manual machine. Its designed to be set a volume/time (I've never figured out which) and then press to extract. I just keep the button pressed till my desired weight is out each time while measuring it. This sounds more like something the Mara does with the lever and i'm okay with the workflow. Since I make 2-4 cups a day, (2 at a time), I think slight changes in the beans during this time leads to change in extract time slightly daily, so that's why I find manual is better.

In terms of temperature control + Flow profiling, i'm sure the dedica has sh!# temp control and no flow profiling, so the benefits/caveats of that I am going to find out later. That is why, I can't figure out how much which matters. I use PPP's (Nut & Bolts) mostly, and sometimes Tiong Hoe's beans for now. But open to exploring.

In terms of maintenance, what does it entail? Weekly group-head cleaning etc? Daily flushing and wiping end of the session and a back-flush? I'm fine doing that. I prefer to tinker around machines and learn more.

In terms of steam pressure, i'm coming from a Dedica, so i'm sure both of these will be miles better What I just don't want to end up in is, spending ~$2,200 and finding out 3-6 months down the road, that I made a stupid mistake and i'm missing out on something important. Like e.g. Dedica was a great machine (at its price point) to figure out if making espresso's/latte's at home will be my thing or not without breaking the bank. But it has its limitations, and I want to experience what better/real extracted espresso tastes like.

 

[nubbyyy]

Thanks for the reply. I think testing out is the way to go. I've reached out to highlander for an appointment. I believe they carry the Mara X only. There's a fellow selling the Elizabeth on Carousell for slightly less than what a new Mara X will cost, so i'm pretty confused.

On my Dedica, I pretty much use it a as a manual machine. Its designed to be set a volume/time (I've never figured out which) and then press to extract. I just keep the button pressed till my desired weight is out each time while measuring it. This sounds more like something the Mara does with the lever and i'm okay with the workflow. Since I make 2-4 cups a day, (2 at a time), I think slight changes in the beans during this time leads to change in extract time slightly daily, so that's why I find manual is better.

In terms of temperature control + Flow profiling, i'm sure the dedica has sh!# temp control and no flow profiling, so the benefits/caveats of that I am going to find out later. That is why, I can't figure out how much which matters. I use PPP's (Nut & Bolts) mostly, and sometimes Tiong Hoe's beans for now. But open to exploring.

In terms of maintenance, what does it entail? Weekly group-head cleaning etc? Daily flushing and wiping end of the session and a back-flush? I'm fine doing that. I prefer to tinker around machines and learn more.

In terms of steam pressure, i'm coming from a Dedica, so i'm sure both of these will be miles better What I just don't want to end up in is, spending ~$2,200 and finding out 3-6 months down the road, that I made a stupid mistake and i'm missing out on something important. Like e.g. Dedica was a great machine (at its price point) to figure out if making espresso's/latte's at home will be my thing or not without breaking the bank. But it has its limitations, and I want to experience what better/real extracted espresso tastes like.

I also used a Dedica before upgrading to a MaraX so I'm familiar with its shortcomings. Also changed after 5-6 months!

Maintenance is pretty much what you said above - when I'm not feeling too lazy. Otherwise I just run some hot water through the brew head before switching the machine off but this is probably not enough.

If you're looking at flow profiling then the Bianca might be more suitable. You can also modify the Mara with the Bianca flow profiling kit as well at a later stage (or other HX machines for that matter like the Appartmento using mods like https://coffee-sensor.com/product/coffee-sensor-flow-control-device-for-e61-groupheads/) I'm not sure if Elizabeth can do flow profiling

Ace Home Barista sells Elizabeth and you may be able to test the machine there.

Best of luck for your search!

 

[SNAG]

It’s a Hx vs a DB machine. Got to read up on which one you think suits you best. And E61 vs the Elizabeth group head. E61 group head has its pros and cons. For me I got a child at home so the exposed E61 group head is a hazard. And from reviews Elizabeth steaming > Marax. With Marax u also probably will consider to do the mod to reduce water wastage.

Also to consider is playing around with temp, more precise on Liz vs 2 degree range on marax. Both have good thermal stability with the Liz warming up faster. Liz has customisable bloom and steam preinfusion. Marax also doesn’t come with preinfusion but has room for addons, esp if u want to play with flow control which the Liz can’t add on. So have to see what kind of beans u like which can inform if u really need preinfusion or flow control.

Go to coffeeforums uk and there’s quite a number of threads that also ask about Marax vs liz

Btw not sure how reliable it is but I was informed that prices generally may be going up soon due to increase in shipping costs and exchange rates... but might have been a marketing technique ����

1) Easy choice for me - got Liz because my tabletop depth is only 40cm and Marax won’t fit. So it was my circumstance which determined what I’d get... but if I had to choose between the two, even with big enough tabletop I’d probably go Elizabeth again. If I really want to experiment, play around with flow control I’d probably save longer for Bianca. I just need something that is “quick and easy” to make in the mornings rather than fuss over all the small things... less stressful is what I’m looking for haha.
2) Cowpresso and highlander are both authorised dealers which u can see from lelit’s official website. Highlander doesn’t bring in Liz. Only Victoria, Bianca and Marax. Ace home barista claims they are but I don’t see them listed there. The gluons is a known seller based in Malaysia and do offer it cheaper generally but may be more of a hassle to fix or get help if anything goes wrong.
3) generally with good maintenance they can last for years, with the parts esp on the E61 group head easily replaceable. But u really need to consider putting in the effort to do maintenance, backflushing, etc. Don’t forget the grinder also will need cleaning too!
4) generally SG water is soft enough to be used directly, but unless you really want to get into the specifics of water... it can be a deep dive here... like how some people will remineralize the water, testing the softness, etc etc. I suspect most just do with filtered water eg brita, cleansui.

Fellow MaraX user here, and think this comparison nails it on the head. If I had to quibble about the MaraX - the workflow isn't as simplistic as a "one-button push" type on the Elizabeth, as it's still a E61 machine. The Elizabeth gets more control on automated pre infusion settings. Another quibble is that the MaraX steaming power is a little weak, as it needs time to kick up the pressure when in coffee priority mode.

No comments about Elizabeth maintenance, but there's the usual E61 cam lubing, etc. No idea on how descaling double boilers would work, if required.

 

[humayunh]

Thanks everyone! Nubbyy & SNAG, you guys happy with the Mara X? Is steam pressure an issue, since people keep mentioning Elizabeth has much better SP.

So i went and tried it out at highlander, Looked great to me. Still waiting for a quote from them, got one from Cowpresso as well.

I've really never done flow profiling or pre-infusion tweaking, so those are both unknowns to me at this point. I was looking at the Elizabeth workflow videos and I have a question.

My current workflow is, weigh out beans, I already have a target ratio in my mind and then extract espresso with a scale underneath each time, holding a stopwatch. I stop when my target weight has been reached, regardless of the time, but I do take note of time. I then use time to judge whether I should grind finer/coarser and with fresher beans I notice there is usually variation across days (This can also be due to puck prep, but I notice it the dialing slides over days). This workflow sounds very doable on the Mara X.

On the Elizabeth, you set the time the machine/pump will run for & the output can vary depending on the grind. Now I understand that once dialed in, it should work correctly, but unlike a cafe where you are just pulling shots all day, the next day I come in, variables might have changed and the output it still based on time, means I have to waste that shot (if its too off) and then I tweak again. Am I missing something here?

 

[ultimax1999]

Thanks everyone! Nubbyy & SNAG, you guys happy with the Mara X? Is steam pressure an issue, since people keep mentioning Elizabeth has much better SP.

So i went and tried it out at highlander, Looked great to me. Still waiting for a quote from them, got one from Cowpresso as well.

I've really never done flow profiling or pre-infusion tweaking, so those are both unknowns to me at this point. I was looking at the Elizabeth workflow videos and I have a question.

My current workflow is, weigh out beans, I already have a target ratio in my mind and then extract espresso with a scale underneath each time, holding a stopwatch. I stop when my target weight has been reached, regardless of the time, but I do take note of time. I then use time to judge whether I should grind finer/coarser and with fresher beans I notice there is usually variation across days (This can also be due to puck prep, but I notice it the dialing slides over days). This workflow sounds very doable on the Mara X.

On the Elizabeth, you set the time the machine/pump will run for & the output can vary depending on the grind. Now I understand that once dialed in, it should work correctly, but unlike a cafe where you are just pulling shots all day, the next day I come in, variables might have changed and the output it still based on time, means I have to waste that shot (if its too off) and then I tweak again. Am I missing something here?

For home usage on the Liz it’s the same workflow. Press button to start the extraction until you hit the desired weight then press button to stop (press ~1 sec before desired weight so u don’t overshoot because most scales got some lag).

Preinfusion and flow profiling more if you like to use light roast beans and to drink it black or espresso/ristretto so as to taste the original flavour of the beans... if you drink mostly with milk then it’s less impt cause the flavours are masked

 

[nubbyyy]

Thanks everyone! Nubbyy & SNAG, you guys happy with the Mara X? Is steam pressure an issue, since people keep mentioning Elizabeth has much better SP.

So i went and tried it out at highlander, Looked great to me. Still waiting for a quote from them, got one from Cowpresso as well.

I've really never done flow profiling or pre-infusion tweaking, so those are both unknowns to me at this point. I was looking at the Elizabeth workflow videos and I have a question.

My current workflow is, weigh out beans, I already have a target ratio in my mind and then extract espresso with a scale underneath each time, holding a stopwatch. I stop when my target weight has been reached, regardless of the time, but I do take note of the time. I then use time to judge whether I should grind finer/coarser and with fresher beans I notice there is usually variation across days (This can also be due to puck prep, but I notice it the dialing slides over days). This workflow sounds very doable on the Mara X.

On the Elizabeth, you set the time the machine/pump will run for & the output can vary depending on the grind. Now I understand that once dialed in, it should work correctly, but unlike a cafe where you are just pulling shots all day, the next day I come in, variables might have changed and the output it still based on time, means I have to waste that shot (if its too off) and then I tweak again. Am I missing something here?

So far I'm happy with the MaraX, same workflow as you mentioned above. That's probably the similar workflow most people with have with any E61 grouphead machine since it's manual. Depends on if you want 'old school' with everything manual and less control, or something more fuss-free and advanced like Elizabeth.

Steam pressure is usually 1.3-1.5 bar pressure which is enough for me, not too high that the milk gets up to temp too quickly.

I can't comment about the Elizabeth as I never tried one, but sometimes I do miss being able to press a button and walk away with the machine auto-stopping the shot. I used to do that with the Dedica - with the same beans + same weight in portafilter each time, I programmed my ideal output volume (e.g. 30g) and I could press a button and do other stuff without having to actively watch the shot. The slight variance in output volume didn't bother me. On a day-to-day basis I would change the grind size to hit the ideal time + taste, keeping input weight + output volume/weight consistent.

I'm not sure if the Elizabeth works the same way, programmed based on output volume.

 

[Vinified]

Anyone using the Gaggia classic pro here? Thinking of upgrading my portafilter to a bottomless one with a VST basket. Not alot of options besides lazada which are mostly from China.

Anyone bought from stores or online before?

 

[SNAG]

So far I'm happy with the MaraX, same workflow as you mentioned above. That's probably the similar workflow most people with have with any E61 grouphead machine since it's manual. Depends on if you want 'old school' with everything manual and less control, or something more fuss-free and advanced like Elizabeth.

Steam pressure is usually 1.3-1.5 bar pressure which is enough for me, not too high that the milk gets up to temp too quickly.

I can't comment about the Elizabeth as I never tried one, but sometimes I do miss being able to press a button and walk away with the machine auto-stopping the shot. I used to do that with the Dedica - with the same beans + same weight in portafilter each time, I programmed my ideal output volume (e.g. 30g) and I could press a button and do other stuff without having to actively watch the shot. The slight variance in output volume didn't bother me. On a day-to-day basis I would change the grind size to hit the ideal time + taste, keeping input weight + output volume/weight consistent.

I'm not sure if the Elizabeth works the same way, programmed based on output volume.

MaraX steaming might be slower vs beefier machines but it's OK for me. Steamed on a Rocket R58 before and it's too overwhelming. It might be a little slow if you have a high volume workflow, but you can switch to steam priority mode.

On pre-infusion, MaraX has a very gradual/linear pre-infusion profile (around 10s from lever to first drop), so it works well with lighter roasts (or so the folks at Coffee Forums UK say).

If you are buying the MaraX, I highly suggest doing the OPV valve mod. The water wastage was driving me nuts until I did it. If you don't dare to do so, suggest you get the retailer to help you.

So far, I'm very happy with the machine.

 

[SNAG]

Anyone using the Gaggia classic pro here? Thinking of upgrading my portafilter to a bottomless one with a VST basket. Not alot of options besides lazada which are mostly from China.

Anyone bought from stores or online before?

I can't remember the exact details, but I've the impression the Rancilio Silva is a better buy. Lamarsa Coffee on Carousell is selling at a similar price vs the Gaggia Classic Pro.

 

[Wryer]

Anyone using the Gaggia classic pro here? Thinking of upgrading my portafilter to a bottomless one with a VST basket. Not alot of options besides lazada which are mostly from China.

Anyone bought from stores or online before?

Am using a Gaggia pro over the last 12 months as well. And I'm probably not answering your question directly. Haha.

Was also thinking about a bottomless portafilter actually. But held back on it because ultimately it feels more like something to 'jazz up' the process. Ultimately the extraction quality comes to grind quality, tamper consistency and accurate dialing. So far I've managed to get pretty consistent results just by watching the flow rate, viscosity and blinding. So overall, I didn't feel a bottomless portafilter would add much value in that sense.

And at the end of the day, this is a simple but ultimately basic machine. Key variables like pressure and temperature control are sorely lacking (without mods), so I do feel there's a 'ceiling' to which this machine that one can play with.

Hence.. I decided to save this little money towards a new machine or a new grinder!