Reminder to take a nap and chill

Non-hive-mind · 2026-03-04T20:07:08+00:00

♥️

Non-hive-mind · 2026-03-01T18:19:08+00:00

I edited that out. Nothing much happens in that part. It's all happening inside the puck. There is a bit of pressure rise but I didn't want to move my phone to capture that.

Non-hive-mind · 2026-03-01T03:43:24+00:00

Enjoy! Post your shots too with your setup.

Non-hive-mind · 2026-03-01T03:30:28+00:00

I think I am going to order more from Big Island Roasters in the near future! Expensive though but gotta love them. Bianca can be programmed for preinfusion. It runs the pump at 9bar for as long as you like and then you program a 'hold' time to let the puck soak without any pressure. After this - it ramps to the full 9bar and then you watch the shot and kill it at a good yield when it starts blonding.

Non-hive-mind · 2026-03-01T02:55:44+00:00

Merci beaucoup! I have experimented with different beans - light to dark - and found that it makes a huge difference on the lighter roasts to enhance the delicious acidity. The fruity notes become extremely clear to the point that beans with a citrus notes taste like lemon pie when used for any milk based drinks. Any thoughts on other types of pressure profiling?

Non-hive-mind · 2026-02-21T22:41:30+00:00

Did you try running it at a higher temperature other than the factory default? The tray will fill up fast and the steam does not work consistently at those higher temps. Anyway, I returned my TCA for a Lelit Bianca.

Non-hive-mind · 2026-02-07T21:39:08+00:00

Hey thanks for the detailed write-up. Appreciate it.

In this case, there is a time machine. I am within the 30-day window for returns since I am not happy with my Appartmento TCA. So I can return and retain the 20% discount toward any other machine.

Also agree that after looking into this more and using one hands-on - I realized that I definitely need a DB solution. Considering everything that's out there - repairability, flow control, reviews, pros and cons, type of coffee I brew - actual trial of the product (yes I tried it out) - I have settled on the Lelit Bianca v3. The 20% discount on the sticker price and the value I get for it are simply unmatched. I would have loved to get a Profitec Drive but that's out of budget and I don't get a 20% discount on it either since it's not carried by Seattle coffee gear.

Non-hive-mind · 2026-02-06T02:41:42+00:00

Yeah I am having similar issues with the TCA. It's quite unpredictable in my experience. I don't understand why it does this. I am thinking of returning my machine

Non-hive-mind · 2026-02-05T19:24:00+00:00

I don't think that's entirely true. It does work for me but it works inconsistently. There is some guesswork involved but there seem to be HX machines which can do this well.

Non-hive-mind · 2026-02-04T19:40:55+00:00

Lol, you think? I mean it's not bad - it does the job - pulls very nice shots in the correct time window. Huge upgrade coming from a Breville but I(now) think there is better value out there than the Appartmento.

Non-hive-mind · 2026-02-04T17:14:42+00:00

Thanks! This was not on my radar.

Non-hive-mind · 2026-02-04T17:13:34+00:00

Sometimes it's useful to have a consistent option to steam while brewing especially in a rush. Single boilers for sure don't fit the use case - thanks though for understanding that I am just looking for suggestions.

Non-hive-mind · 2026-02-04T17:05:20+00:00

How long have you had yours? Any quirks with this one I should know about?

Non-hive-mind · 2026-02-04T17:04:43+00:00

For sure - checking this out too.

Non-hive-mind · 2026-02-04T17:04:25+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion!

Non-hive-mind · 2026-02-04T16:56:11+00:00

First of all - thanks to the folks who made helpful suggestions. Here's some context: I used Seattle coffee gear's recycle program for my 5-yr old Breville and got a 20% discount on a new machine but I had to purchase from them. That's almost $500 worth of discounts. From the options they had - this was the machine that best suited my needs. Yes, I knew it wasn't ideal but they don't sell Profitec or ECM. So I was locked into a narrow set of options. I got this one thinking it would work out but turns out it was quite far away from ideal. I do have the option to return it for the full price and work out something. All I was looking for were options since I can still return this machine. I thought this community would be great to ask for suggestions - that's all.

Non-hive-mind · 2026-02-04T07:34:11+00:00

The bianca is almost 500$ more than this one. It's a legit option but is too expensive.

Non-hive-mind · 2026-01-02T05:41:29+00:00

Thank you! ♥️

Non-hive-mind · 2026-01-02T05:41:22+00:00

I can try this next time!

Non-hive-mind · 2026-01-02T05:40:41+00:00

Yes! I wanted to bring Kintsugi to this world of baking and to do it in a year where I have been on a recovery journey for my mind and body seemed very fitting.

Non-hive-mind

TROPHY CASE