After a lot of research (and a bit of hesitation), I finally decided to treat myself to a proper espresso setup. My partner doesn’t drink coffee, so this one's all for me, and I couldn’t be happier!
Went with the ECM Mechanika Max paired with the ECM S-Automatik 64 grinder love how well they match aesthetically. Also added the glass bowl accessory, which I think really completes the look.
The learning curve was steep since this is my first espresso machine, but it’s been a fun challenge dialing everything in. Still experimenting with grind size and extraction times.
Would love to hear any tips from fellow ECM owners or espresso enthusiasts!
by Capital_Garage1283
2 Comments
Very nice! I have the same grinder and a Bezzera Giulia espressomachine.
Enjoy!
What an interesting machine!
I watched [Lance’s review](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ0cxkPF3uI) and he warned that the machine will indicate that it’s up to temperature in 18min but that doesn’t factor in the heating of the big E61 schnoz out front – which needs a full 35min to be fully up to temperature. I think you’ll find that letting it heat up for the full 35min will give you much better consistency in your shots (ie. consistently getting your 36g out in 25s, for example).
For maximum fun do get yourself a bottomless portafilter. This will not change/improve the coffee flavour but is really useful for you to see your consistency in your puck prep. This feedback can help you improve your puck prep (which is most important in getting the best out of your grinder).
You won’t fully appreciate the build quality for the first 3 to 5 years. However, one day it will dawn on you that this beast has been performing flawlessly for yeears. Managing water in high heat and pressure over a long period of time is actually quite hard to accomplish (without good quality materials).
Something which people don’t mention very often is that you will need to lubricate the brew assembly (with food safe silicone gel) from time to time (more often if you clean often with cafizi). You’ll know it’s time to lubricate when your brew lever gets stiff to operate. You can either learn to lubricate this yourself or else hand your machine to a service tech to do it for you. The first time you do this procedure it can be a little intimidating, but it’s actually quite easy, if you’re handy. Check out youtube videos for the procedure.
Enjoy.