Finally pulled the trigger on my first setup: DF54 grinder + Sage Bambino ☕️
Still very much in the learning phase, but already amazed at how much difference fresh grinding makes.
Any tips/beginner mistakes to avoid are welcome – looking forward to the rabbit hole 😅 Thank you all at r/espresso for the inspiration!
by LisanAlGaib4
19 Comments
Nice! What scale is that?
> Any tips/beginner mistakes to avoid
1. Get rid of that spinning distributor. Replace it with a WDT tool and (optionally) a self-leveling tamper.
3. Don’t attempt to use pre-programmed shot volumes. Brew manually with your scale under your cup, and stop the pump as you approach your target yield.
2. Don’t get hung up on 18g in to 36g out in 30 seconds. It’s a good starting point but should never be the end goal.
4. Dial in for best taste, not for best numbers, not for maximum crema, not for any other visual factors. The EAF guide is a great resource to learn how: https://espressoaf.com/guides/beginner.html
5. Don’t skimp on beans.
5. Most importantly: Have fun!
Off to a good start. Enjoy!
Hello, can we be friends? Same same
That’s what I have! It’s been good enough.
I just got the exact same setup (with a breville in the US). My grinder arrived today. I have no idea what I’m doing.
If it came with a pressurised portafilter/basket, throw it in the bin immediately and get yourself an ims or vst one depending on budget. The pressurised ones are meant for pre ground supermarket coffee which tends to be too coarse to get good extraction with a regular basket. The real benefit of fresh grinding beyond the obvious freshness is that you can dial in a perfect ratio/dose/time/pressure combination to get beautiful perfect extraction. A pressurised portafilter won’t let you do that.
Nice! I’m thinking about buying the exact same grinder and machine!
A banger setup for a beginner, you did well
What grinder is that
I have the same setup! I upgraded the portafilter to a heavier one. I always run 2 empty shots to get the portafilter to as hot as possible.
The Reddit combo lmao
Sage? Is this the same as a breville?
I could have this exact setup or I could upgrade to a Gaggia classic pro evo 24. Any reason I should or shouldn’t do that?
I’m curious how OP or other beginners are finding the DF54 when dialing in new beans.
Great setup (identical to mine) but needs a tamper
How are you liking the DF54? I’m also a beginner and am back and forth on ordering it.
I’ve had a bambino plus for about 5 1/2 years and it’s been a great machine. No immediate plans to upgrade or anything. Makes wonderful espresso.
To get your (double) shots right, after you switch it on, prepare your puck and attach your portafilter, press and hold the one and 2 shot buttons simultaneously then press the 2 shot button whilst your cup/glass is on a scale and start the timer. Press it again to stop when you have about 36g of espresso and this should take somewhere between 25 to 30 seconds. The telltale that you’ve got it about right is that your espresso should start coming through after about 11s and at 20s you’ll have around 20g.
Sounds more complicated than it is and you only need to dial in when you get a new roast/bean – you get a knack when you’ve been going through the same routine every weekday at 5:30am 🥱
instead of using in “manual” mode, just program the double shot button to a really long cup. That way you don’t have to hold the button all the time, just press it once you start, and once again when you are done. This way pre infusion will be more consistent as well.