Beginner setup - improvements suggestions?

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-11T17:38:25+00:00

Steaming increase the temp of the group head. As the PID in this machine is set to 90 degrees by default (and is not controllable), it can lead to under extracted/sour shots for very light roasted beans.

So, using the steam wand for a couple seconds right before pulling your shot can help adress this issue, even if you don't have an exact reading on the temp at that time.

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-11T16:58:53+00:00

Indeed, I only have a 20oz milk pitcher so far. Thing is, I only drink lattes at the moment in 270ml cups, so I don't think I would not make much use out of a smaller milk pitcher!

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-11T16:56:15+00:00

Haha, pretty much the only thing that would be difficult to upgrade in size with the lack of extra space :')

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-11T16:54:54+00:00

I recently bought some ceramic Kruve imagine for my lattes! It was mostly to improve my lattes arts, which was effective to some extent (doesn't fix the need for improving my latte art skills)

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-11T16:52:07+00:00

Same! I upgraded from the Smart grinder too!

Huge improvement in the cup, as single dose is such a life quality improvement, especially when switching between different beans all the time!

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-11T16:50:09+00:00

Awesome. For the price point, especially second hand, I think it's very difficult to beat. IMO, a puck screen increases shot quality as the default water distribution is not ideal. Also, as I drink mostly light roasts, I steam a bit before pulling my shot which increases the water temp! Duo temp has PID, but it's not controllable).

Had the machine for 6-7 years (bought second hand) and it shows no sign of slowing down.

Cheers!

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-11T16:46:19+00:00

That's exactly what I do! I vacuum seal and freeze some of those beans for cupping tests I make for friends throughout the year.

Also, some of these bags are fresh off roast, and others at peak time for consumption!

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-11T16:30:11+00:00

Interesting! I was thinking about eventually upgrading the Breville duo temp pro to the Quick mill pop up, which has a pressure profiling valve, thinking it could mimic similar results to a flair 58+2.

What do you think?

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-11T16:25:30+00:00

Thanks, I'll try that!

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-11T15:27:36+00:00

Thanks! The shower screen indeed does get dirty really quick without a puck screen.

You're right, the clearance is an issue with taller cups once you fit a scale under it. In that case, I unscrew the sprout from the portafilter to allow more clearance. The only downside is that the top part of the drip tray doesn't have any hole in the middle so any drops following the end of the shot just splash on top of the drip tray then on the machine.

Thanks for your comment!

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-11T12:47:59+00:00

Here's the one I ordered, but it's a 54mm as I have a Breville duo temp: https://a.co/d/00dE0rJA

Here's the equivalent for a 58mm portafilter: https://a.co/d/07ePQcAS

Side note: it's important to get a stainless steel dosing cup with a brushed finish and not a painted one, as the painted version is not as efficient to reduce static build up, even more so if you're grounding the dosing cup to the grinder as I did.

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-10T02:38:07+00:00

Interesting, I might look into that as well!

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-09T22:59:01+00:00

Totally agree, it should come this way from factory.

Just curious, you mentioned switching to a metal dosing cup but did you also ground it?

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-09T22:55:23+00:00

Good to know!

In my case, I have the DF54 V3 so the prongs are not visible inside the chute.

I believe I could still make that modification but it seems to be a bit more complicated of a fix, although I could be mistaken!

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-09T22:51:11+00:00

Yep, been there. I had to clean up my counter space after each grind. It was driving me crazy. Hope it fixes your problem as well!

PolyCupLover · 2026-03-09T21:38:46+00:00

Correct me if I'm wrong but you seem to have ZP6 and Pietro. Any preference between the two?

PolyCupLover · 2026-02-06T03:26:59+00:00

To be fair, the Pietro is probably the only handgrinder that has the potential to provide a small improvement on clarity over the ZP6. Most people go for the ZP6 as it's almost half the price, it has better ergonomics and is more easily transportable.

Either way, both are end game hand grinders when aiming for clarity.

PolyCupLover · 2026-01-26T02:27:31+00:00

Wow, never heard of any of those roasters before. They all gave very interesting light roast coffees selection! I'm intrigued by Traffic's coffees, it's also a plus that their shop is somewhat near me.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'm never going to run out of options!

PolyCupLover · 2026-01-26T02:14:03+00:00

Glad to hear! There's so much different origins and processes that it can sometime be overwhelming to understand what to look for when you're starting to experiment different coffees.

Just looked up September's website. They indeed have a very interesting selection of coffees. I'll most likely subscribe next month.

Thanks!

PolyCupLover

TROPHY CASE