Make Better Espresso: Secrets And Mysteries 

Hi Thomas, I wanted to thank you for creating this channel and sharing your knowledge with us. I recently bought a manual espresso machine, the Flair 58, similar to the Cafelat Robot, and I've been pulling bad shots no matter what I do. I was a bit sad and I was about to return it, but seeing a couple of your videos gave me a bit of confidence and I have been able to pull better shots since then, pretty much solely due to your videos. So, thank you, a lot. Love, from the US.

I really love your communication style, let alone your advice. Your channel is so refreshingly different from the overstimulating, brainwashing style of most RU-vidrs these days.

Just seeing this video. Trying to dig through your catalog and absorb all the information. I really appreciate how straightforward you are about wanting a quality product for a certain level of invested money and effort and the reality of reduced returns at high levels of investment in espresso haha. You helped me decide a Niche Zero was my best option to pair with a Bambino Plus. Thanks again and hopefully this helps the engagement algorithm on this video

Your content never disappoints. Suggestions are worth a try... thanks for your work and provocative views!

Thanks for putting these together. These videos are top shelf.

This channel is like this old tony but for coffee. Beautiful work! Thank you a lot!

So much info! Thanks!!

Great video Thomas! I can't believe I never thought of the Americano trick for analyzing espresso - it is very effective. I do the same with spirits (with cool water) when I'm trying to separate flavors.

Also awesome video keep it up! Looking forward to aeropress hack

I can't say I subscribe to the single basket suggestion. I feel that only works because the smaller dose as well as the shape of the basket mitigate the channelling caused by incorrect puck prep, reducing harshness, but it will never produce a stellar shot. Channeling is a bigger problem than people like to admit, and is usually the cause of a disappointing cup even if it mathematically and visually seems like you nailed it.

I'm in camp 1:3. Glad to hear that I'm not alone.

Hello Thomas, I really love your channel. So well made, presented and such great information. I love your prose too - its like Yoyo Ma playing on the cello's G string or equivalent to watching the golden crema on a perfect espresso. Do you sing or recite poetry?

awesome!, thanks

My brain blew just now - dilute espresso with water, why I never thought of it! I always wanted to experiment with espresso, but it's very tiring - after few tries the mouth goes numb. Especially if some shots happened to be very harsh. So in one sitting I can do only few experiments. Will definitely try the americano method!

Awesome! As always :). One small detail which may be important is if the brew ratio is computed with the volume or mass of espresso. I also have the robot and it's an awesome machine, and I as well would like a smaller single basket. I'm having the same problems which you describe here. The coffee is good, but not mind-blowing - even with expensive fresh beans. I wonder how you control the temperature.

Thank you for your video, great insights!

the chances of channeling become much higher when using a single basket........ and letting it flow longer to yield a 3 to 1 ratio will make it worse. the bizarre configuration of many single baskets actually leaves the ground coffee almost unextracted because of the short contact time. many double baskets on italian machines are 14 gr. baskets, but will be used as single baskets using only 10 or 11 grams to make the single shot.....

Great video! By the way, would love to see a tutorial of fining the true zero in your specialita! I’ve seen only blogs of how to do it but not a video showing how to do it

You inspired me to dust off that single basket.

when to start timer, the moment it pour? thank you

Single basket is the way..

I guess I'm a heretic because I mostly do that heresy with 1:3 triple shots. Temperature is one of many variables that people don't consider because they've never used a manual espresso machine

Why are the captions in Portuguese? What the hell? Anyway thanks for the video.

Great video as usual. I don’t own a espresso machine but love watching videos on them. I do however use my Moka pot all the time. I’ve tried your method with tapping the basket to slightly compact the grounds but I find I have to turn up the heat in order to brew around the 2-3 minute mark and the coffee always tastes burnt? I’ve tried adjusting grind size with no luck. Any ideas? I went back to loading the basket the “normal” way with great results. Thanks

Great video, i am thinking about getting an espresso machine at the end of the year (maybe next year). Im torn between the flair pro2, the cafelat robot or maybe a rocket apartamento or a lelit machine. What machine would you recommend? I would start with my comandante that i already have and maybe get a niche zero later on.

Nice video, I was wondering what machine to buy, because I am in Europe, so cafelat is out of question (400€+), I have found the rok espresso that is around 180€, do you recommend it or Do you know any other way that is around 200€???{or maybe a little more than 250}(I would like to use it for large espressos or with a little milk, like flat whites or cortado's), So keeping in mind all of that, what do you recommend????

Can't say I agree with the argument about ratio. 1:3 helps extract more from the coffee than a shorter ratio but isn't necessarily better (this depends on taste preference, equipment, solublity of the bean) and is not the 'correct' espresso ratio (1:3 is a lungo). Double shots are used because they are more forgiving than a single shot and it saves time dialing in a single. I don't believe that all coffee professionals are blindly following ratios either, a lot of innovations and experimentation has been made from the 'Starbucks' approach to try new things and you're doing them a disservice to say they are binding following pseudoscience.

Love the videos. If I wanted to do my 16g dosing but at 1:3, should the timing still be around the same 30s as if I were doing 1:2, or any other ratio? (Meaning the timing stays the same but the grams and grit size change) Cheers.

So if 1 to 3 is the correct ratio what time do you look to pull that volume in? I'd like to try that

How much coffee are you using for your 1:3 single? I would also love to have a single basket for the robot!

When you say 3 do you mean gram to gram, like 18 grams in 36 out?

first shot: 14g in / 20g out / 25 sec (first drip after 8sec) / beans : prod date is 26/june / brand: Corsini in Grani Espresso / exp date 6/2025 / Delonghi ECP35.31 / NEOUZA bottomless portafilter the shot was creamy, dense but bitter. the beans are a dark roast (mixed with some random medium roasted one / 100% Arabica) and are being grinded with 0,5 Mignon Manuale grind setting. (probably too fine for a overall dark roast and / or the brew group/water was to hot for it considering i wait 20min minimum before pulling a shot(?)) 'water stuck in the basket' issue was present but if i let, all that water, drip after the shot and remove the portafilter after some minutes, the puck came out perfectly. i wonder if it can be completely solved or theres the need to buy a more expensive machine (or experimenting with puck screen?). a pulled a second one, 14g in / 30g out / 38 sec (first drip after 11sec). still too bitter for my taste, and just a bit too diluted, considering also the time that id prefer to bring down to 20/30sec. tomorrow im gonna try new shots. afterall its a 100% arabica, why its so bitter? cant this be solved cause its a (kinda) very dark roast? thanks