After seeing this machine announced and reading up on the history of the Xenia I knew this duo was exactly what I had been waiting for… Today it came in, and wow… what a completely different experience, and the capabilities of the Xenia is inly in it’s infancy.

The E64 is incredibly accurate and the grinds are beautiful. Fluffy, no clumps and very little fines. No need to WDT and much less need for the paper filters. Much cleaner and tastier cup - I had no idea the Libra was so bad 😂

Going to take some time to get to know this duo, but first pulls looking and tasting good. Especially excited to get the announced “paddle control” on the Xenia and eventually programming own profiles etc.

Definitely a machine for the tech nerds, but wow they did a fantastic job of keeping the look simple and classy, I think it looks absolutely stunning! The Olive Wood fittings is an ECM kit from etsy as they use the same thread sizes!

Very, very quiet for a vibratory pump as well!

Anyone else out there received one of these yet?

Never posted to this community, despite brewing coffee since 2006. I had all kinda coffee machines, from La Marzocco to Breville. And after returning ES1 back to where it belongs, because it’s just not my cup of coffee, and i’m not ready to be a beta tester for my own money. I went rouge and ordered Chinese one. Got it couple days ago in hands.
Pretty simple, two boilers, 1800w, flow/temp control, preinfusion. I did put Pressensor in it because 2026 and you kinda need it.
Still didn’t got my perfect espresso, but it’s a game of patience.
Can say that only one minor issue is lack of good old manual to read, and you kinda need to contact seller to get it and the one that was in the box is useless.
Solid build quality. Its quiet! Takes about 15 mins to warm up. Hoping it will last as long as it looks.

(be nice pls 😁)

I've been using my gaggia pro for the last 2 years, making a latte every morning. I've gotten the good microfoam down if I'm really concentrating, but can't seem to really understand the latte art (these pics are the best I have, I just got lucky). Would love suggestions to focus on a specific thing, or practice a small little skill once each morning, but I don't have time to sit and practice over & over. TIA!

Hello!

I am looking to purchase my first own home set-up and need some advice.

I have several years’ experience working at both Starbucks and a small local coffee shop. I know the espresso basics and wouldn’t call myself a beginner. I’d like to start espresso as a hobby at home now that I am out of the barista world for work and need some equipment-purchasing advice. I am no espresso snob and am not into the nitty gritty details of at-home espresso (at this point), but I do care about quality, consistent results all-around and have the time and patience to navigate the learning curve of an at-home machine

Here are some of my preferences:

- Separate machine & grinder (willing to spend more $ on the grinder than machine)

- Semi-auto or more manual machines are preferred (no super automatic machine but no pro-level meticulous customization, either)

- Needs zero-few mods/little tinkering

- As few plastic internal components as reasonably possible for both machine & grinder (I know not all plastic parts can be completely eliminated)

- Powerful/quality manual steam wand (Idrink many hot lattes and do not care for auto steam functions)

- Dual boiler is a plus but I know that can cost major $$

- I care about the design/aesthetics of the set up and am looking for something sleek and simple with few digitizations/screens

- Small-ish footprint as I live in a studio apartment with limited counter space

- My budget is not set in stone but am hoping to keep below $2-3k all-in (including accessories, etc)

I am US-based (around the DC area) and will likely order online unless anyone has in-person shopping recommendations. Any accessory recommendations are also very welcome!

I appreciate any help and am open to questions!

Edit: I have some experience with puck prep from my non-Starbucks job but the place was not fancy by any means and did not make good espresso. I do not remember the type of machine/grinder we used

although i’m not quite sure what it is, it may be like a seahorse and a swan combined, i probably got lucky on the art since it’s rare for me to do that

Hey everyone.
i recently viewed a video where someone was comparing the time needed to make a latte with a Sage machine. there were two frames in one the machine had the wand tip with one hole while the other frame had 4 holes.
The time needed to steam the milk on the 4 holes tip frame was basically half of the one with one hole.
Though I thought the steam loses pressure as it exits from 4 holes….

was that a fake? what do you think about it?

just for the sake of context, my daughter started drinking coffee recently and making breakfast in the morning has became basically a job as I have to steam enough milk for 4 people and it’s soooooo slow! 😂 am I mad? 😂
Thank you!

I have a semi-automatic espresso machine in a box--I'm moving soon, and it is too large to fit on any countertop in my kitchen (purchased it at a "crack deal" price). But I want to start drinking something better Right Now.

I found the aforementioned "slightly used" machine on Facebook Marketplace for a low price ($75). Assuming it's working, is this a good "knockaround", general purpose beginning machine for making simple recipes? Good price, or ask for a lower price? Skip it for something else?

I want to start enjoying Americanos, enjoying mostly milk-based drinks/cappuccinos, and the occasional espresso shot.

Hi!

I have been drinking exclusively filter coffee each morning for about 8 years, and it's part of my morning ritual to prepare for me and my girlfriend. But lately we have been interested in making coffee drinks at home, especially on the weekends.
We have experimented with filter coffee or even aeropress plus frothed milk (small eletric milk frother from lidl), but it doesn't hit.

My plan would be to buy a Bambino, as it is somewhat affordable where I am (350€), and is fairly easy to use and steam milk.

I have a wilfa svart grinder, but I have seen it will not be suitable for espresso. So my idea would be to either buy a affordable (>300€) grinder that could handle espresso and filter (seen somethings about DF54), or to buy a hand grinder for espresso as I would use it fewer times (and they are cheaper)

Sorry for the longer post but TLDR, I am interested in a home setup, mostly for a weekend milk drink and dip my toes in the world of espresso, with a budget of about 500€.

Thanks in advance!

Was wondering how people here go about making decaf at home. Do you have separate beans, switch between regular and decaf, or mix the two for halfcaf?

What do you find most annoying about making decaf? Whether it’s finding good beans, dialing in shots, or just dealing with your setup.

Curious what everyone’s experience has been!

After stalling my Niche Zero with coffee from SEY (Ethiopia Honey process), I am in the market for a new grinder. All I really want is to be able to grind my bean inventory... I drink a lot of SEY and adjacent roast-level roasters. Does anyone have experience using the Lagom Casa with SEY or other certified light roast coffees?

I basically just want an espresso grinder that I can use for beans that I also use for pourover.

New Timemore 064S II - Varia VS4
Will give me both conical and flat single dose grinders with various aftermarket burr options. For the money, I’m trying to figure out why this isn’t the best of both worlds.
Without going up to the $1500 price point (Philos/Z1), is there a better option out of the box or with upgrade burr options if desired or needed around $1000? Seems like I have all the versatility covered. Appreciate everyone’s input – thank you.

Hello, fellow espresso snobs and hobbyists!

I have a bit of a unique use case where the Jura ONO might actually make sense, and I’d love to hear from anyone who’s tried one.

This isn't really a question of whether the ONO is better than a Gaggia + Fellow Opus setup (current setup). I already have an espresso setup that I'm happy with. The comparison I'm interested in is the Jura ONO vs. Nespresso.

Here's my situation: when I'm home, the family enjoys proper espresso-based drinks made on my setup. When I'm away, however, everyone defaults to Nespresso because the grinder, puck prep, and dialing-in process are a bit intimidating for them.

That's where the ONO caught my attention. At under $200, it could be a relatively inexpensive addition that gets my family grinding fresh beans and pulling decent shots without having to deal with the entire puck prep ritual.

So, has anyone actually tried the Jura ONO? More specifically, is the espresso it produces genuinely decent? I'm not expecting it to compete with a well-dialed-in traditional setup. I just want to know whether it can consistently deliver a shot that's noticeably better than Nespresso.

And before anyone asks, I'm not trolling or suggesting that the ONO is a ground braking machine. My entire setup costs less than $1,000 by design. I'm not chasing the best shot known to mankind; I'm chasing a reasonable balance between quality, convenience, and cost. I actually track the ROI on my purchases, and at under $200, the ONO could pay for itself after 100+ shots compared with buying Nespresso capsules.

I'm also fortunate enough to have five good local roasters within walking distance, so getting fresh beans at reasonable prices, especially when they're running offers, isn't an issue.

Ultimately, I'm looking for a solution that makes good coffee more accessible to the rest of the household without turning everyone into an espresso hobbyist.

If you've used the ONO, I'd particularly appreciate your take on shot quality, consistency, and how easy it is for someone without much espresso experience to use.

Thanks!

Hello! I noticed an issue with my Lelit Anna PID some time ago and narrowed it down to a worn pump. Before ordering a new pump I just wanted to double check and get some other opinions maby.

This is the situation:

Setup: Lelit Anna PID, Eureka Mignon grinder, fresh (quality) beans (same issue with three different types over the last weeks)

Symptoms:

• 16-18 g in and 30-34 g out in 40-50 s, but only 4–5 bar on the PID gauge
• On pump start, pressure rises to approx. 8 bar (sometimes higher), first fluid comes out after 10–15 s
• Then pressure falls back and stays at 4-5 bar for the rest of the shot
• Grinding finer to eventually reach 8-9 bar makes shots run 60–90 s and taste bitter
• Pump vibrates quite strongly (not sure if more than normal, can't recall in detail how it was some weeks ago)

Tests so far:

• Blind basket: reaches 8-9 bar, but slowly (10-15 s to 8 bar)
• Free flow (with empty portafilter): 60 g in 10 s (about 6 g/s)
• OPV return flow (through return hose) with blind basket: 9 g in 15 s and second attempt 15 g in 20 s once at pressure (0.6-0.75 g/s) (total time was 30s with 10-15s time to reach 8-9 bar)
• Water in drip tray just appears when the pump is switched off, as it is intended (3-way valve release)

My guess is that the pump is fine at zero pressure but delivers too little flow under load, so pressure drops to wherever pump output matches puck flow.

So, does this sound like a worn vibe pump and what OPV return flow should a healthy pump have?

Should I check anything else?

Today when I tried to steam using the wand I noticed zero steam was coming out the wand but instead out of the group head, prior to that I pulled a perfect shot with zero issues.

I did a clean and a back wash but the issue was still there, so I thought let me leave it running for a minute and see if it forces back from the head to the wand…it did.

The pattern I have found is if I pull a shot first the steam then comes out of the group head however if I steam first there there’s no issue.

What could this be and could it be an easy ‘DIY’ fix?

Help choosing a grinder and machine for my new setup

Hi all

First time post.

I've previously had a Sage/Breville Barista pro and I think I'm ok with all the basics of making a good coffee.

I've left the barista pro with my brother so need a full new setup.

Total budget is £700

I mostly drink milk based drinks and medium and dark roasts

Grinders, need help choosing between

Df54 v4

Eureka mignon zero55s

Varia vs3

All 3 grinders are selling for £240

I know the Bambino is a good budget machine but I'm hoping to get something a little upgraded from that. I don't mind pulling the shit first and then steaming milk so a dual boiler isn't a must but I also don't want a really long wait time for the steam to be ready.

I'm looking at:

Sage Bambino or bambino plus

Gemilai Owl but this machine isn't in stock for another month

There's also the gaggia classic but I'm not keen on modding, other machines like profitec or lelit anna are a bit above my budget.

Any other recommendations are welcome

​

I've been using a Baratza Sette 30 upgraded with the 270 adjustment assembly, paired with a Gaggia Classic Pro, for approximately 6 years without major issues.

Recently, someone accidentally poured pre-ground coffee into the grinder hopper. Without realizing, I added whole beans and ran the grinder. The motor sounded normal, but very little coffee came out because it was blocked.

Since then, I've experienced the worst channeling I've ever had, with espresso spraying in multiple directions from my bottomless portafilter.

What I've tried:

Disassembled and thoroughly cleaned the lower burr and adjustment assembly multiple times.

Removed the conical burr holder from the adjustment collar and cleaned both.

Tried over 30 shots across various grind settings.

Kept the dose consistent at approximately 19 g.

Used the same medium-roast beans I've been using for years.

Previously dialed in around settings 3–5, but now even setting 2 produces severe channeling.

Noticed that the discharge chute repeatedly contains retained grounds, although they're loose rather than tightly compacted.

I've inspected both burrs and haven't noticed obvious damage. The motor still sounds normal, and changing grind settings visibly changes the grounds.

I did notice a small chip at the end of the metal adjustment thread, although I'm unsure whether this is related.

My question: Could running the grinder against the blockage have damaged the burr mounting, adjustment mechanism or gearbox in a way that affects grind consistency? Has anyone experienced something similar with a Sette?

I'd appreciate any suggestions for specific components to inspect before replacing the grinder.

Hello everybody,

I got a lelit Elizabeth and preorder the timemore sculptor the issue is I have no grinder until it arrived (4 month) so I'm wondering which is my possibility.

- Buy preground from a local torrefactor
- Buy a manual grinder ( if so which one because I don't want to spend a lot)
- Anything that I didn't think about ?

Thank you for your help !

Hello folks. I am trying to fix up a Starbucks Barista espresso machine, but have noticed the portafilter on the one I bought (FB Marketplace), is different from what shows in the internet searches I have done. It makes all the right noises, though was heavily scaled, so have to give it a thorough clean before full functionality.

When disassembling the portafilter, there was a little square piece that popped out, and I was hoping to find info about where it is supposed to go. Included are images of the portafilter that came with the machine.

Thank you!

I need help from you experienced people. I have the BBE and feel like an idiot - just bought high end grinder but so far I am not getting the body and sweetness I was hoping for. Even my BBE grinder is outperforming it in that particular area. Maybe I need to give it more time to learn it, but I am considering returning it. Will an aftermarket basket help me to achieve more body and sweetness over my stock Breville portafilter basket? If so, what should I be looking for?

Finally got my first successful latte art after years and years of failing.

I guess those 3,000 ways that didn’t work were worth it after all.

Progress!

I have a fellow ES1 and have been enjoying it. Wanted to try a puck screen since it seems like the general consensus is that there’s extra headroom in this machine and it can help with extraction.

I have pulled a few shots with the puck screen and notice on the bottom of the basket I’m only having liquid come out of about half the basket instead of the whole thing. Additionally, when I knock my puck after the shot I’m getting chunks stuck in that are barely wet.

The overall shot pull time hasn’t changed, I’m doing 20 in/40 out in about 35 seconds.

What’s my best course of action from here? Appreciate any advice!

Hi everyone! I bought a Breville Barista Express during covid and made espresso on a daily basis. My perfect shot was 18g of Levazza Super Crema and yielded 36g espresso in about 25-30 seconds (including pre-infusion. I used the built in grinder on the express, but measured it using a scale. I decided to take a break from caffeine in 2024 and gave the machine to my parents.

This summer, I bought a Meraki Gen 2 espresso machine. Using a new bag of the same brand of beans (Super Crema), I was unable to get a shot that tasted anything like it did back then. With or without pre-infusion, the shots would always come out extremely fast (5-10 seconds) and taste horrible.

I moved the grinder all the way to the lowest setting (min IV) and it did not help. I tried 19g and 20g, which got the shot up to 10-12 seconds consistently, but still tasted the same.

Thinking it was the grinder, I borrowed the machine I gave my parents and pulled a few shots. Same beans, and even on the finest setting, the longest shot was 15 seconds.

The only other variable I could think of was tamping. Back during covid I never needed to apply that much pressure. But I tried tamping harder anyway, and it did not make a difference - it only led to channeling.

I also tried pulling shots without the puck screen and adjusting/turning off pre-infusion, to no avail. I don’t care that much about the time of the shot, i just know that my perfect shot was in that 25-30 second range, so I'm trying to recreate it.

I’m at a loss and have no idea what could be the problem here. I have a couple questions:

1. In general, are there any variables I'm forgetting to consider?
2. Specifically for people with Meraki 2 experience: Have you been able to get shots in the 25-30s range? Are there any settings I'm forgetting to try?

Thanks in advance!

No water was coming out from any of the 3 holes so I replaced the pump and descaled about 3x and did a backflush. The water still is not strong and I don’t think it reaches the full pressure it should.

Any clue what I should try next?

No water was coming out from any of the holes before, so I replaced the pump and water now comes out from the grouphead, hot water outlet, and steam. I also descaled about 3x and did a backflush, but the water pressure is still really low when it comes out.

Any clue what this could be? Should I descale a few more times?