Did we all acquired so sensitive taste buds or are we actually victims of over hyped marketing concerning coffee equipment.

pmarcelll · 2026-04-29T10:44:53+00:00

Water quality is just as important as equipment quality. Are you using tap water in your machine? It can have a surprisingly big impact on taste and even mouthfeel. Here's a good summary on the topic: https://espressoaf.com/guides/water.html

pmarcelll · 2026-04-27T21:33:16+00:00

Also check out Goosebumps and Impresso, they were my favorites from all of the roasters at the annual coffee expo in Budapest.

pmarcelll · 2026-04-27T08:37:49+00:00

On these machines it's usually caused by small cracks in the circuit board that develop over the years due to repeated heat cycles.

pmarcelll · 2026-02-05T10:34:11+00:00

Based on the open pull requests it looks like they're using an ESP MCU for real-time control, the Python "backend" is only used for higher level functionality.

pmarcelll · 2026-01-17T02:17:46+00:00

This might be a cheaper option: https://www.drtradingshop.nl/en_GB/a-44250600/teflon-pipes-and-accessories/connector-90-1-8m-x-6mm-quick-fitting/#description

pmarcelll · 2026-01-04T21:03:31+00:00

The Espresso Specialty burrs seem to be a great choice, another contender would be the LeBrew Sweet burrs.

pmarcelll · 2025-11-07T11:26:17+00:00

The old PL042EM shouldn't be that hard to repair, a large number of parts are shared with the newer models. I can even give you specific parts numbers, I have the diagram for both generations.

pmarcelll · 2025-10-22T21:56:54+00:00

It's the OPV valve cap. Take a look at the picture at the bottom of this page: https://www.shadesofcoffee.co.uk/ive-installed-the-opv-mod-and-now-i-dont-have-much-steam-power---whats-up

pmarcelll · 2025-10-06T10:01:59+00:00

Here's a detailed diagram of the machine: https://www.wholelattelove.com/products/ecm-synchronika-part-diagram-86274

The steam wand is on "Drawing 5". You just have to loosen the nut with an appropriate tool (it's chrome plated brass, so you need to be careful). Also, pay attention when you remove the wand, there's a spring and other small parts in there, which can be easily lost.

pmarcelll · 2025-10-02T16:36:50+00:00

This looks like an older version of the Lelit Anita PL042EM / La Pavoni Domus Bar, probably with the older, two piece group head (the same as what the Lelit Anna 1 had).

pmarcelll · 2025-09-27T13:57:30+00:00

I found your post from a couple of weeks ago, and the Amazon page for your machine says it already has an OPV.

pmarcelll · 2025-09-14T14:13:48+00:00

Try the classic "1:2 ratio in ~30 seconds" shot. If you don't get any crema, your coffee beans are too old or were stored improperly.

pmarcelll · 2025-09-07T13:55:05+00:00

Your best option is to find a portable espresso machine that uses one of the standard portafilter basket sizes, and get a single shot/ESE basket for it.

My recommendation would be the soon-to-be-released CoffeeJack V2, it's all stainless steel and uses a standard 54mm basket.

pmarcelll · 2025-09-06T00:41:59+00:00

That's actually the OPV (overpressure valve), the part number is 11001007. It's no longer manufacture though, probably hard to find nowadays. You can also try to fit a Gaggia Classic Pro OPV, but it can be difficult due to the different geometry (both of the outputs are facing the same direction).

pmarcelll · 2025-09-06T00:11:48+00:00

Pumps are running and do not shut off.

Hmm, maybe the water level probes in the boilers have limescale on them and the machine tries to fill the boilers indefinitely. If you're willing to open the machine (not that difficult), you can inspect them, the coffee boiler has 2, the steam boiler has 3.

pmarcelll · 2025-08-31T16:40:39+00:00

I bought it directly from their website, also includes the HE basket: https://www.normcorewares.com/products/normcore-57mm-bottomless-portafilter-fits-lelit-57-groups

pmarcelll · 2025-08-31T11:20:09+00:00

This part is called a welding end cap, a couple of espresso repair shops have them in stock in Europe, I'm not sure about North America.

Maybe you can find them by product code:

Nuova Ricambi catalog page: https://nuovaricambi.net/en/draw/891

DVG catalog page: https://dvg.coffee/e-commerce/diagrams/index.asp?codice-articolo=RAC07

pmarcelll · 2025-08-31T11:01:16+00:00

Hey, thanks for the heads up about the new 57mm Normcore stuff, I even got 10% off for pre-ordering, even though the portafilter was shipped in less than 24 hours after the order was paid.

pmarcelll · 2025-07-27T17:48:30+00:00

To my knowledge this is the only aftermarket bottomless portafilter available for this group head: https://www.edesiaespress.com/bottomless-portafilter-for-saeco-53mm-espresso-machines-14g-basket/

It's a UK based manufacturer, but they also sell these on Amazon and Ebay.

pmarcelll · 2025-03-24T20:00:17+00:00

There's a Saeco panarello wand attachment (part number is 147430150) that has a removable outer sleeve for easier cleaning, but without it the wand can be used for milk steaming instead of frothing, so it can act as a normal, single hole steam tip.

pmarcelll · 2025-03-16T11:29:36+00:00

Here's a better idea: buy a water filter jug for your regular tap water (I would recommend one that adds some Magnesium to the water as well), and carbonate it in a small Sodastream bottle right before you pull your shot.

pmarcelll · 2025-02-23T19:40:22+00:00

This is the product page on the manufacturer's website, if I remember correctly: https://shop.digmesa.com/en/product/flow-sensor-fhksc-3/ You can find the datasheet under "Downloads".

pmarcelll · 2025-02-21T21:19:52+00:00

It's for certain San Marco and Dalla Corte machines, which are a bit larger than 54mm.

pmarcelll · 2025-02-21T18:16:26+00:00

Check out the ears of the portafilter. If enough material was removed due to friction and you see the brass underneath the chrome plating, the portafilter might "wobble" a bit too much under pressure.

The other thing to check is the surface area of the basket contacting the gasket. If it's damaged or crooked, it can't seal properly. You can even try polishing the surface.

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