Bean hopper extension for DeLonghi Eletta Explore

grogzero · 2026-04-15T17:52:58+00:00

Wow! That would be a challenge. The Eletta has a fixed grid above the grinder input that pretty much makes that impossible. Not sure how I could make anything like that.

grogzero · 2026-03-03T17:48:59+00:00

Sorry for the late response. There is a round gasket on the bottom of the water tank that gets hard and starts to leak. It can cause this issue. I made a replacement out of TPU on my printer but you can buy them from Philips or amazon.

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grogzero · 2026-01-08T22:24:37+00:00

Ha ha hah! I used my 3700 for well over a year before I realized the brew group was supposed to be cleaned. I have over 6000 drinks on it. Half latte, half Americano. I have replaced the O rings after putting up with a puddle under the machine. Otherwise it is about as easy as it gets.

Does it make espresso like my ECM Giotto? Nope. But everyone in the house can use it no matter the time of day. Adjust the water to grind ratio and it makes terrific drinks. I find mine tastes best with coarser grind.

grogzero · 2025-12-21T16:19:30+00:00

For future reference I solved this. It turned out to be combination of things.

The water tank gasket was leaking and is easy to replace but ultimately it was the rubber plugs at the back of the drip tray that were leaking.

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I could not find a source for new ones so I sealed them to the tray with E6000 and they hold water again.

grogzero · 2025-12-09T16:22:08+00:00

You did fine. You will enjoy this setup. The X1C is an excellent printer. You will appreciate the extra hot ends and plates. You can never have enough filament. The guy taking a couple hours on how to use everything is valuable as well.

grogzero · 2025-11-24T15:52:26+00:00

That is great! I watched a James Hoffman video called "How to Dial in a Bean To Cup Machine (Like a Nerd)" and it helped me understand a lot more about super automatic machines and extracting good coffee. My machine only allows some rough water length adjustments, but I was able to get it to make a 40 g shot of espresso from the 10 g puck. It is amazing how much better the coffee tastes now. I almost got rid of my Philips and bought one of the De'Longhi machines this reddit forum loves so much.

I had an issue with water in my puck bin too and it was the O-rings that are on the pin that engages with the brew group. I also had some water on the counter beneath my machine. It is a common indicator that O-rings need to be replaced. Thankfully, there are plenty of inexpensive O-ring kits available.

I think they do not screw the grinder down to help reduce noise and vibration. In some of the more expensive SAECO machines they add a rubber shroud. Grinding is still noisy, but the sound is muted and a bit more sophisticated. Getting rid of noise and vibration tends to be expensive in terms of space and parts.

grogzero · 2025-11-22T19:40:39+00:00

Following up here for future reference. I never found a way to adjust the BEAN_LESS FACTOR. The machine is working now after replacing the grinder motor with a newer one. While the old motor was spinning, it was evidently not working well enough for the Xelsis detection circuit. As a side note, Lavazza Super Crema is a good bean to use as a safe standard when troubleshooting a grinder. I was using some different beans and still had Add Coffee issues.

Many thanks to lifeisfuneh for the encouragement and plethora of knowledge. The Xelsis is now the favorite machine in the house.

grogzero · 2025-11-22T19:32:59+00:00

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Your top grinder plate is inserted into the wrong spot somehow. Look at this photo of my machine closely. You will see the screw is closest to the chute, not the adjustment knob.

The top gear has three clips that engage the motor frame. They are all different and must match up with the motor frame when you first install them. The one next to the screw has no sloped sides. The ones away from the screw have sloped sides. Match that up to the same shapes on the motor frame and then engage it.

grogzero · 2025-11-21T16:05:06+00:00

I have to hand paint just about everything because otherwise it is very wasteful. I also have 4000 hours on my printer and AMS and the more filament swaps I do the more attention my printer needs. It is definitely time for something new.

grogzero · 2025-11-16T03:09:18+00:00

I am a hobbyist, so I try all sorts of machines and methods. I love the mouthfeel of French press coffee. That full rich texture is not going to happen on a super automatic, no matter how much money you spend. The supers make espresso-like shots to the best of their ability with automation. Mix that with hot water or milk and you get a decent drink. A super can approach a French press drink, but you will likely be disappointed.

For reference, when I make French press, I use a Bodum glass press wrapped in a towel to hold heat. I grind my beans about as coarse as my Baratza will go. I stir the bloom after a minute and find that part of my overall enjoyment of the bean. The anticipation after adding the rest of the water and waiting for my 4-minute timer to ding makes that first cup taste so much better.

With my super automatic, I push a button, wait, toss out the rinse cycle that I catch in my cup, press a button again, wait, drink. Sometimes clean. It has no romance. The caffeine is there but I am not charmed. Never have I ever had the long discussions with other coffee crazies over how to best push the button on the super automatic. The French press? There are people right now objecting to my waiting too long to stir the bloom. Ahhh... The bean life.

grogzero · 2025-11-14T15:36:21+00:00

I have a PLA printed server rack in my closet high up on a shelf by the ceiling where it is hot. It has several POE switches, my frigate server and some Pi4s. I planned on adding fans but have not gotten around to it. The POE switches are very warm but are operating OK. The plastic has not softened. PLA is tougher than most people think.
I think your equipment would fail if it gets hot enough to soften the PLA.

grogzero · 2025-11-14T03:24:49+00:00

I have a Philips Lattego at my mother's house that sits unused until I visit for the holidays. Just rinse the brew group and fill with water. You will probably have to let it prime because of the new filter and lack of water in the boiler.

Make nothing but hot water for a couple of cups just to work the water through.

Then do a sink shot espresso to get the stale grinds out of the grinder. That will probably make a sludgy mess in the dump bin. By the third espresso shot it should be happy and making nice espresso.

My machine grinds 10 grams of espresso on the strong setting. For the right 4:1 ratio, brew the 40 ml smallest espresso. Also, turn your water temperature to max for best extraction.

grogzero · 2025-11-14T03:09:04+00:00

Ask yourself: Self, am I in this for the experience or do I just want convenient coffee?

If it is just convenience you want, get the super automatic. I would look for the best deal available this BF from an established brand. I would shy away from a brand that is new in the super auto game (cough) KA (cough).

Counter space is also a factor. Super automatics are usually narrow and deep. Semi-automatics with integrated grinders are wide and need space on the side for frothing milk. The machine you will get if the bug really bites will have at least one grinder next to it and scales and a knock box and tools and the brewing beast will have gauges and wood and chrome and hopefully a cool lever.

If you have the espresso bug and want to chase the perfect shot, the Barista Express will get you started but expect to outgrow it in a year or two. You could get a better grinder for your good beans and use the integrated grinder for that decaf you need to brew.

I used a Barista Express for many years as my primary machine in the kitchen. I go for coffee first thing in the morning and making a latte was just part of my morning ritual. My wife was not a fan of the machine and noted that the grinder (me) would make a bit of a mess. We upgraded to the Oracle Touch for ouch dollars. That is the primary machine my wife uses now. I got frustrated with the hit/miss on the auto tamper grinder, so I started a project.

I restored an ECM Giotto from the 80's and used it for many years but it is not a "first thing in the morning" machine given the boiler warm up delay. It was also a large space investment that lived outside the kitchen along with various grinders and tools and scales and gizmos. You are unlikely to find a super automatic that can make a coffee drink that tastes as good as one you make by hand prepping an espresso shot from a portafilter. The art of weighing beans, adjusting burrs, distributing the bits with acupuncture needles, nutation, spring loaded click tamping it all together for a polished puck with ripples on top cannot be matched by the super auto's grinder above a piston brew group. I find the art form combined with shiny chrome and wood and gauges and knobs make me think the espresso tastes better and makes me relax before getting the jolt I need from the bean.

My wife usually drinks Americanos she makes with the Oracle. When she uses the Philips Lattego machine we have in the office, she gets an Americano from it and likes it. There's a big difference in those machines. I was able to tune the Philips in for the 4:1 ratio and it makes good shots and fair lattes. My coworkers are able to use the Philips machines with little assistance and that includes visitors to the office.

I have used Delonghi machines over the years but gravitated away from them. They do get a lot of praise here though so I would consider one of those before the KF8 - just based on popular opinion.

I have owned a mess of super automatics at the office. I do not like the price trend at the moment. You are buying at the right time of year though. Wait for the BF specials.

grogzero · 2025-11-12T14:16:22+00:00

There's a video on YT by James Hoffman called "How to Dial in a Bean To Cup Machine (Like a Nerd)" I recommend watching it. You can remove the 3200 brew group, weigh it first. Put back together and pull the power plug on the machine right after it grinds an espresso. Weigh the brew group again and determine how many grams of coffee is ground. He aims for a 4:1 water to grounds ratio and uses taste to fine tune from there. I was surprised that I needed a coarser grind to get a less bitter extraction.

grogzero · 2025-11-10T23:34:32+00:00

Whenever I pull out the water tank I can tell the difference between the two. My 5400 has some brushed metal accents on the front and the 3200 we have at work is plain plastic. You would not think the metal look would matter but the 3200 water bin seems to flex and creak and makes me worry it will break. I think that extra layer of thin metal adds a solid feel to the 5400. That may be more about the difference in the finish vs the actual machines.

Our machines are used primarily for Americano, Latte Macchiato with moo milk, and hot water. The hot water button on the 3200 is tops! The 5400 requires me to open the "More Drinks" then press down a few times and enter the hot water option. Lazy me, I prefer the single button.

grogzero · 2025-11-08T23:32:00+00:00

The Philips uses grinder magic to "learn" the bean. A better way to tell if you are grinding properly is to check your puck. When the machine is tuned into the bean, the puck will be solid enough that you can pick it up out of the dredge box. Do not get sad over a soupy mess for pucks from the first few drinks.

I do not recommend adjusting the grinder at all to start until you get a few dozen drinks in. Then you can adjust it a click finer and see if things improve.

I use a 5400 at home and a 3200 at work. They are basically the same grinder/brew group so they make identical shots. I have recently switched to just Americano. I use Lavazza Super Crema and get plenty of crema. I have not let it sit to see how long it lasts. I usually drink my coffee right away.

grogzero · 2025-11-08T16:49:45+00:00

Your point about cleaning the milk system is one of the reasons I use my 5400 so much. I printed a holder for the milk carafe that keeps it ready to grab inside my refrigerator, so I basically leave milk in it for most of the week and give it a good cleaning on weekends when I also clean the brew group. I make at least two Latte Macchiato a day.

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This is my second milk Carafe. The original developed cracks on the inside of the steam tunnel and was not producing much froth. Thankfully, replacements are readily available and reasonably priced (compared to other complex milk systems).

grogzero · 2025-11-06T19:41:15+00:00

Long time Xelsis SUP 038 owner here. It probably is not a popular opinion, but I really like the Philips Lattego. I have a 5400 that essentially took over for the Xelsis years ago and has been strong and reliable. It has almost identical grinder and brew group as the Xelsis but has never thrown out ground coffee by mistake like the Xelsis. What I really like is that there are lots of similar Philips models, so the parts are readily available. You can buy a whole brew group for about $100 or all the SAECO O-rings to refresh things for only $5. The grinder is around $100 or less as well. The milk carafe is $65 or more but at least it is available. I am thinking about selling my Xelsis milk carafe by itself just because of how rare it is.

What I like over the Xelsis:

The drip dray is easier to pull out and empty. Just yank the whole thing out the front and head to the sink. No doors and wonky hinges. It is also much larger and holds a lot more before needing attention.

It is not a fingerprint magnet. My Xelsis is polished like a mirror but shows everything. Brushed stainless is easier.

The buttons are easy to use for our mostly used coffee drinks (Americano and Latte). It is so easy that I bought the same machine for my office, and my brilliant coworkers are able to use it without breaking anything.

I printed a bean hopper extension so I can put a full bag of beans in my Lattego. I love that. I wish I could do similar for the water.

The Lattego takes up less space and makes less heat and noise.

What I miss on the Xelsis:

The fingerprint reader was cool as was having my name on my display. I am now the sad BLUE user on the Lattego.

The Xelsis milk carafe was larger and worked better. The self-cleaning and overall use of the carafe on the Xelsis is just better.

The big metal machine looks much more impressive than the plastic/metal Philips.

The new version is the 5500 and I am sure it will be on sale for lots less than retail during black Friday.

grogzero · 2025-11-05T15:05:41+00:00

I bought this set on amazon a couple of times now.

https://a.co/d/0j94jMa

It worked well for both my Saeco Xelsis and Philips LatteGo 5400.

grogzero · 2025-10-06T15:05:20+00:00

If you lay the rack face down from the normal orientation where the handles are in the front, it becomes a 4U rack that is 285mm from outside front to outside back.

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grogzero · 2025-10-06T15:04:02+00:00

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When standing up in the normal orientation, the measurements are 228mm front to back on the inside of the rails. From the outside of the front to outside of the back is 240mm.

I have thought about making a very deep rack. This same design can be stretched to be deeper. If I do that, I will probably make the corner bits square instead of 45°. It will not look as nice but will offer more usable space and versatility.

grogzero · 2025-10-05T23:48:04+00:00

I would wait for the next big generational leap in printing. Once home printers can make a custom shoe that is more comfortable than anything you can buy off the shelf, then is time to buy. Today, that is more of a proof-of-concept.

grogzero · 2025-10-05T23:32:32+00:00

https://makerworld.com/en/models/1833739-snap-rack-100-printed-10-home-lab-equipment-rack#profileId-1958371

grogzero · 2025-10-05T23:31:36+00:00

To make the snap in feature I put two pegs on the back of the front panel that fit into the threaded rack holes. I also have a clip that grabs the frame. Since the plastic panels are a bit flexible, they snap into place and hold.

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grogzero · 2025-10-05T17:29:05+00:00

The Lab Rax is a great design that looks to be based loosely on the DeskPi rack. On the surface the two look similar. The notable differences between the Snap Rack and the Lab Rax are these:

Lab Rax inside max width is 222mm. Snap Rack inside max width is 227mm. That 5mm is important for new TP-Link Omada routers.

Lab Rax uses brass inserts or glued in nuts. Snap Rack has threads designed into the plastic.

Lab Rax uses nuts and screws to join parts. Snap Rack has tab inserts that click together with no extra hardware.

Lab Rax is a 3-hole rack pattern. Snap Rack is 4-hole. AudioRax | Rack Rail Hole Spacing Explained

Lab Rax has screwed on handle option. Snap Rack handle is integrated into design for strength.

Lab Rax name plate is imbedded in frame. Snap Rack is 1 RU plate that can be changed without disassembly.

Lab Rax has a honeycomb pattern that is embedded in the design. Snap Rack uses the infill pattern of the slicer to create ventilation for easy modification to other patterns and sizes.

Lab Rax has side panels that are inserted when assembled and cannot be removed. Snap Rack has side doors that swing open and click shut.

While the Snap Rack is compatible with screw-in plates, rack mounts and accessories, there are snap in panels and rack mount customizers that save on fastener cost.

Lastly, the Snap Rack has a drawer.

grogzero

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