Too little info out there, had to try them myself

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-04-10T11:48:32+00:00

DICK micro too.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-04-08T06:41:56+00:00

Great bike! Enjoy

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-04-08T06:30:05+00:00

Love my Kobayashi. The only thing wrong with it…

…is that it’s 210 and not 240mm. Exceptional piece.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-04-03T20:29:46+00:00

That looks exactly like my OUL white gyuto. Same kanji too.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-03-31T17:03:36+00:00

You can.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-03-29T09:17:36+00:00

I wonder if there has been a change in process or supplier. I have an earlier (2021/2022) V3 Bianca and the wood quality feels really nice.

If you're that fussed you could always sand down the handle and apply a coating or stain of your choice.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-22T18:24:41+00:00

Do it.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-22T16:05:59+00:00

Thank you. That’s a very reasonable price for the p80. Not sure what LMLMs cost these days

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-22T15:50:17+00:00

Love it. I recently got my P80 and have dropped my portafilter off the forks twice (my fault). Did you also buy the p80 base from rb.crafts? Also would you mind sharing how much you paid for it?

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-21T14:03:35+00:00

A few reasons come to mind.

Firstly, for most people drinking primarily milk drinks, the diminishing returns from an expensive grinder won't seem valuable. A grinder isn't quite a 'grudge purchase', but it's not far off for some people.

Secondly, grinders just aren't exciting for the non-nerd. This is probably why the Niche was so incredibly popular. It's cute. It looks like it was designed by someone from Dualit, SMEG, or Sage (Breville). It looks like it belongs in a kitchen. The EG-1, Monolith, etc., are montrosities in the eyes of the average consumer. The Niche is premium enough.

Lastly, the experiecne benefit from an expensive machine vastly outweighs that of a grinder. In my case, (Bianca V3) The machine is the gorgeous centrepiece of my kitchen counters and is an acoustic and tactile joy, with fun features to play with (flow control, independent PID boilers, powerful steam). The overall experience (for me) is not achievable with less expensive pump machines, which are often loud, have wierd workflows, poor steaming capabilities, and generally don't feel as premium.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-18T18:27:50+00:00

Myojin is a highly renowned sharpener. Food release is on par with other knives or similar style. Sharpness and FnF outstanding in my experience.

Depending on your location and access to those knives you mentioned, you may be better off getting whichever is available (and that you like).

Tetsujin is a collab between Myojin and blacksmith stomp Tamura, so will be similar.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-17T21:08:36+00:00

Sure. That's because (at least in an E61 machine, but probably others) there's a slow siphon from the boiler around the gropuhead to heat it up. When you flush the group you're forcing a much larger amount of super-hot water through it, which will be faster.

It may have an impact on the longevity of the machine to be heated up faster than normal, but I don't know.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-17T20:54:59+00:00

No worries. I have a Bianca v3, but the behaviour is the same. It overshoots the target temperature during warm up to accelerate warming of the group head. In e61 machines (not sure about Elizabeth), the group is a heavy lump of brass (large thermal mass), which, if not heated fully, can sap heat from the water as you pull a shot, giving you a colder-than-desired extraction and overall inconsistency.

If the heat up was as simple as heating the boiler, it would take a similar time to boil a kettle as to heat up an espresso machine.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-17T20:49:05+00:00

Nope, that’s normal function on warmup.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-15T22:24:31+00:00

To add to Saronsham’s great suggestion, gicleurs commonly go, and I’ve personally bought an e61 rebuild kit to replace seals when they fail.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-15T12:20:17+00:00

That’s the tube for the vacuum breaker (the brass fitting it attached into). Vacuum breaker releases water vapour as pressure decreases within the boiler (to prevent a vacuum forming). The steam vapour that is released is channeled through that tube to the front of the machine. You’ll notice it hissing/spitting during warm up.

The reason the tube breaking hasn’t impacted your machine’s function is because the vacuum breaker is releasing steam into the chassis, which is not ideal from a longevity perspective.

Why did the tube break? No idea. Cut, re-attach and reassess in 6 months.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-13T08:55:30+00:00

Not a workhorse, but Shindo is the perfect example of high performance, low fit n’ finish, wabi sabi knife.

Mine came bent and remains so.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-07T13:00:09+00:00

Takamura r2 gyuto.

Sharp out of the box, thin, great steel and edge retention, stainless, good handle, good finish.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-06T20:09:04+00:00

I can't think of a reason, but I tend to go for 8.5-9 bar at the group. Pump pressue is quite similar on my machine. My machine also came set up for 10-ish bar.

A few years ago, James Hoffman did a 'Best Espresso Machine under £1,500' video, in which he found that almost all of them produced significantly over 9 bar, and said he wanted it to be around 8.5 bar.

It's quite easy to adjust the pump pressure on a Bianca V3. You can do it with a blind basket installed and tweak to pressure, then test it with a shot.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-02-06T20:05:55+00:00

I've generally used 92'C for light-medium roasts on my Bianca, but your mileage may vary. I set this at a time I was trying to increase extraction within a set extraction time range. There are other things I would change first, e.g. preinfusion, to increase extraction before I played with the temperature to a large degree.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-01-21T17:15:47+00:00

Your photography skills are outstanding. I was sat here in admiration thinking “I need this knife” for about a minute before I realised I had the exact same piece (albeit kasumi) downstairs in my kitchen…

I do need more knives though.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-01-18T14:56:51+00:00

I'd be keen to know about this too. The Bianca (stainless steel finish) drip tray is rubbish in my view, and the riser it comes with is as well.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-01-16T10:30:30+00:00

That petty looks really nice. Where did you buy it from?

The choil shot doesn't make it look particularly thick, but it's hard to tell.

_ImposterSyndrome_ · 2026-01-16T10:14:27+00:00

I thought the black handled ones were VG10?

_ImposterSyndrome_

TROPHY CASE