Category Archives: Espresso Machine

Men are pigs

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You know that saying….

Let me illustrate the story of this man…

He got himself a pretty baby…

And like most men, he is never satisfied.

He complained that her limbs are not flexible enough. Cannot manipulate to his expectation.

Then he complained her mood fluctuates hot and cold.

Also, she always gave him lots of pressure.

So… like many men, he forced her to go under the knife and therapy.

And what do you know… the changes were very noticeable.

She is more flexible now. Controls her temper very well. No longer blow hot and cold and does not over-pressure him again.

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Here’s how she looks like after the operation.

Notice the steam wand above? It’s from a Silvia.
Frothing milk is much easier now. Microfoam? No problem.

PID-ed… She’s more stable now. Brew at the temperature you want.

OPV. The original brew pressure was about 13 Bar. Way to high.
Now tuned to 9.5 Bar and pulled lovely espresso shots.

Vibiemme Domobar Junior Double Boiler

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When it comes to making excellent ESPRESSO, it is hard to find any coffee machine in this class that can match the Vibiemme Domobar Junior Double Boiler in Malaysia.


Need a mirror? Ladies can do their make facing the side panel.

This is a TRUE ESPRESSO Machine.
Espressos pulled from this machine are some of the best I have tasted.

Specifications:

  • It is a Double Boiler Machine
    You can brew espresso and steam milk at the same time.
    Double copper boiler that can operate independent of each other.
  • E61 Group Head with Pre-infusion and thermal syphon
    Exposed Original E61 Group Head. Very consistent temperature stability.
  • Commercial size portafilter with a 58mm double basket
    Make real international standards double espresso.
  • 3.5 Litre water tank
    Enough water to make more than 50 cups of espresso per filling.
  • 1.8 Litre boiler
    Plenty of steam power to make smooth velvety milk.
  • Safety Switches and Controls
    Brewing temperature can be adjusted.
    Brewing pressure can be adjusted.
    Low water level alarm warning.
  • Twin pressure gauges
  • Hot water dispenser
  • Cup warmer with enough space for 6 – 8 cups
  • Stainless Steel Body
  • Large and easily removable drip tray
  • 360 degree movable steam wand with safety grip

Price = RM 7,200.00

Expobar Office Control

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The Expobar Office Control

Finally, the Expobar Professional home espresso machine reached Malaysia.

Specifications:

  • It is a Heat Exchanger machine
    You can brew espresso and steam milk at the same time.
  • E61 Group Head with Pre-infusion and thermal syphon
    Consistent extraction and temperature stability.
  • Commercial size portafilter with a 58mm double basket
    Make real international standards double espresso.
  • 2.7 Litre water tank
    Enough water to make 50 cups of espresso per filling.
  • 1.8 Litre boiler
    Plenty of steam power to make smooth velvety milk.
  • Multiple Safety Switches and Controls
    Low water level electronic sensor that auto-fill the boiler.
    Automatically turn off heater when low water in reservoir is detected.
  • Programmable Buttons
    4 volumetric buttons to program the amount of coffee to be extracted.
  • Brew Pressure can be adjusted
  • Hot water dispenser
  • Cup warmer with enough space for 12 cups
  • Stainless Steel Body
  • 360 degree movable steam wand with safety grip

Very suitable for small cafe and beverage kiosk.

Different Types of Espresso Machines

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This is an excellent write-up on the many different types of Espresso Machines by KK Yoon.

If you still have not visited the forum, now is the time.

Excerpts:

THERMOBLOCK

Cold water is pumped through a serpentine path inside a thermoblock ( heated metal block ) to brew espresso. To produce steam, the thermoblock is heated to a high temperature and the pump is then turned on in pulses. Each pulse feeds a small amount of water into the thermoblock – the water immediately boils into steam.

Click on the Picture to go to the main article.

Upgrading my Oscar Espresso Machine

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The Nuova Simonelli Oscar Espresso Machine is one of the best professional home machine you can find. The price is reasonable for the Malaysian market. It is not too heavy, around 18kg. Huge 2litre boiler. Plenty of powerful steam to make excellent cappuccino and latte. Commercial grade brew head and a Heat-Exchanger machine that allows you to brew espresso and froth milk at the SAME time. Specifications here.

But there are 2 “flaws’ with the Oscar.

1. The 4-holes steam tip
2. Brewing pressure

Steam Tip Problem
The original 4-holes tip has a very wide angel of dispersion. Trying to make microfoam has been really difficult. Many of us has resort to plugging a hole or 2 with toothpick. The toothpick idea does work. I plug one hole and has been able to make good microfoam. It still requires a steady hand and full concentration to achieve perfect velvety smooth frothed milk.

Finally, Irving and I got ourselves a NEW 2-holes Isomac steam tip and microfoaming has become a piece of cake.

Here is how it looks like:

High Brewing Pressure Problem
Another problem for espresso lovers are the brewing pressure. The original settings of the Oscar came with a brewing pressure of around 13 to 14 BAR. The official recommendation of espresso extraction is set at 9 Bar.

The overly high pressure resulted in espresso that is slightly more bitter and less sweetness. After we installed in an OPV (Over-Pressure Valve), the improvement is definitely noticeable. Using my favourite Supremo Highlander Blend, the improvement is obvious, less bitter and much livelier.

Do note that if you are not  a regular espresso lover and drink mostly cappuccino or latte, you will not notice much difference and this issue may not concern you at all.

Here’s what happened when Irving installed the OPV on my Oscar Espresso Machine.


Before the setup.


Installing the T-Joint

The OPV is on the right of the T-Joint.

The final measure of the pressure. It is NOW at 9Bar. (I forgot to take a pic of the original settings at 13Bar)

If you have an Oscar Espresso Machine that is more than 1 year (after warranty), you may want to consider doing the upgrade.

The New 2-holes Steam Tip cost RM55.00

The OPV cost RM200 + RM150 for installation charge.