Since I got a bunch of questions about the accessories, I just posted a follow-up video going over more of the specifics of the accessories. Hope it helps. Here is the link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4tfA7Zx9rLY.html
I was a barista for a few years, so i understand the complexity of having a proper espresso machine and its expenses. Therefore, I bought myself the picopresso. I must say that the ims basket and the puckscreen are a must. If you are running on a budget, I would invest in those two things first. The leveler is indeed essential as well, but i must say that the tamper that comes with the picopresso is good enough for me. I invested $10 bucks in a handheld milk frother, put the milk in the microwave and froth it after. Its not going to achieve the results of a proper steam wand but you can manage some good foam, good enough for art. My best piece of advice is to research your coffee beans, invest in that and get beans that make you happy.
As for grind setting- that’s very difficult as each grinder, bean, roast profile, age of coffee, etc, will all impact on how you dial in. For this coffee I was using #9.5 on my Timemore Chestnut X. You always have to dial in.
I’ve heard you can get one on Alibaba.com/ Aliexpress. But I haven’t personally tried it. If you do some searching on RU-vid, you can find a video of one, and sometimes they will share the url to purchase it.
Just ordered a pico yesterday and didn't know I accidentally entered into the espresso espresso world alongside an accessory blackhole.. thank you for your recommendations though!! *click click click*
FWIW - I've got the La Pavoni 21g IMS Basket and it works well on the Picopresso, however it doesn't seem to work when used alongside the new Picopresso pressure gauge accessory, for me it doesn't seem to seal/tighten up far enough to reach pressure and leaks
Hi - can you confirm the mm size of the basket - is thiis 52 or 51mm basket size (ie is it smaller or same as the 52mm of the picoopresso) AND what puck screen size fits - (there's drop menu with wide range of sizes ) ? - Cheers
The screen I use is a Bplus screen which is 51.6 The “upgraded” basket is an IMS Post Millennium La Pavoni basket. The “extra” size accommodates a 20gram dose. The big difference between this basket and the stock basket, is 1) the rim is slightly bigger than stock, and 2) the walls are straight vs the stock having a slight bend in at the bottom.
@@brentroman hi - many thanks - does the post mil extra 20g fit in the picopresso when its all packed up and in the carry case (ie is it the same depth size as the picoproesso 18g ) ? ALSO : will the picopresso supplied tamper/leveller surfice with the 20g basket on doses of around 18-20g and if not does the adjustable tamper you recommened fit in a picopresso when packed and in the case too ? Cheers - feedback much appreciated ! sp
Yes- this large size basket still fits inside with everything - sane as the stock. Yes, the provided stock tamper suffices. Especially for travel. I just prefer the weight and feel of the full size tamper when I’m at work. This full size tamper will obviously not fit with the Picopresso.
@@brentroman - hi sorry i have one more question - does the extra size / 20g (Pavoni) basket lip you link to sit up tight to the rim when in place in the picopresso or is there a slight gap ? I've heard you need to insert an o ring to enable them to sit comfortably together - is that the case ? Cheers - last Q i think !! many thanks ....
I have noticed that the rim of the basket IS different in the Pavoni vs the stock. I was worried that the larger rim would cause problems, but for me, it didn't. I was able to use the Pavoni basket without a seal problem. But, that was my experience. I think I'm going to make another video and post it - showing the differences/tolerences between the stock and the Pavoni basket, along with the various accessories - just so that people can get a sense. @@snazpizaz7706
It always surprises me when people have such decked-out setups for this thing. I wonder if that will change with the Flair Go collapsing to about the same size and costing only a bit more- the only appeal I see in the Picopresso (and why I got it) are that it's small enough to easily carry to work or on a hike, and that it's the cheapest espresso machine on the market that can maintain consistent quality. Now the Go is going to be the third-cheapest, second being the Flair Neo, by my reckoning, and it's just as portable, comes with a pressure gauge installed, has a lever for more consistent pressure and extraction time, and just seems generally superior.
All true. But also when I made this video, that Flair hadn’t been invented yet. I still use my Picopresso for easy transport, and when I do, I don’t bring any of these upgradable accessories- just what comes stock. But, since this little guy became my daily machine at work and I had the space, I decided to add these extras - as I was making drinks for everyone in the office.
If the ims basket have no effect on the extraction, why are you using it ? Because Brian Quan (on RU-vid) said that with the ims basket you got a better result (or maybe just for light roast coffee beans). Because i was ready to buy one and now you give me the doubt haha Thanks for your help
I bought the IMS basket assuming it would be better. I’m sure there is a way to use it more effectively than I have discovered so far. At the moment I am using the stock basket more than the IMS. The video I made however was to show the various “upgrades” people could find. Also, the IMS basket holds more grounds, so for people who want larger shots, it might be a good option for them. I can’t talk to light vs dark roasts, as I prefer, personally darker roasts for espresso. Brian Quan is more of a coffee professional than I am. You can decide for yourself who you want to take advice from. I just wanted to give people in this video my own personal experience with these various items. Take everything with a grain of salt.
@@brentroman Thank you for your answer. It's good too to hear different point of view. Maybe the difference will be little and the ims can be good for someone with a very fine palate (which it's not my case (yet haha))
This is at work. I use a hand grinder, so it is not noisy. The milk frother too is not that loud. People in my office talk louder than my coffee making. Since they all get free coffee from me whenever they want, there is NEVER any complaints.
I bought these per your recommendation and received an obviously bent and misshaped La Pavoni basket that did not fit evenly in my picospresso. I reached out to BPlus for support through email and this was their response. I sent them a video of the basket not sitting evenly in the picospresso so I was not able to screw it togwther. Thank you for your order. According to your order, you are ordering IMS extra basket. The basket will be deeper than usual. Maybe the basket is interfering with your coffee equipment. And the IMS extra basket is for the La Pavoni lever not for other coffee device. I don’t think you have defective products. Even if I send you a new one, you will face the same problem. Please double it.
Hi Brent, thanks for sharing this video! I too am trying to use a good quality puck screen but am having difficulty pumping water, despite trying various temperatures from 98 to 90Cº. The pumping is too hard and the safety valve often trips. I grind coffee (100% Arabica, dark roast) at 6 clicks with the Comandante. Without the puck screen, with this type of grind and coffee, with the water temperature at 90 degrees, the coffee came out perfect! With the puck screen it seems like everything has to change. At what temperature do you heat the water? And how finely do you grind the coffee? Would you like to give me some advice on this? Thanks anyway!!
Hi. I usually preheat the unit with off-the-boil water. Squeeze through a few bits, and then let it sit while I grind. When ready, I dump the water and refill with fresh off-the-boil water once again. That’s what works for me. As for grind setting- that’s very difficult as each grinder, bean, roast profile, age of coffee, etc, will all impact on how you dial in. For this coffee I was using #9.5 on my Timemore Chestnut X (not that that would help any). You always have to dial in. Make sure you are using the right grind and right amount of coffee for your basket so that you get about double out what you put in, around 25-30 seconds. That’s what I tend to shoot for. Hope that helps.
I didn’t adjust anything, but I do know the pre-millennium vs the post millennium are different and fit different. So, you need to make sure it fits properly.
I can see that you are using a rubber rim with protrusion around it. Everytime I finish with brewing an espresso I have hard time to actually get that rim out. Any suggestions? I didn't have that problem before with that stock flat rim.
@@robertrudolf8070 oh, that. The rubber gasket. Tough getting it out after your shot? Hmmm…. My guess is that you may not be waiting long enough after the shot to take it out. Another thing I would suggest is: after I finish my shot, I will then continue to pump ALL the remaining water/air out of the system - into another cup. This - I believe- does two things- gets rid of all the pressure that was built up in the first shot, and gets rid of the left over water, which, for me, makes for an easier cleanup AND a drier puck actually. You might want to take the top of the unit off as well. Try those things and see if that helps any. Good luck.
I suppose that’s a subjective question. 20g is a standard double shot these days. In Italy 14g was the standard double shot. So, I suppose it depends on the size/strength/volume you want per person.
HI~ mate. It's nice video which you performed the workflow video. Specially I am very interesting in that brown leather cover where you bought in Vietnam. I am wondering if I could know where is about it? I could buy it on online shop. thank you so much~^-^
@@briank7061 if that is the question, then yes, the aftermarket basket still fits in the case. The separate tamper does not, but the original mini tamper does.
Yes. Right off boil. I do pre-heat, with a leather sleeve. But, I guess it ‘somewhat’ depends on your roast level and density of the beans you are using. The lighter/more dense, the higher the temp you are gonna wanna use. Since this is a total manual machine, you gotta try to put in the hottest water you can, and pull quickly, in order to try and maintain the temp stability. But pre-heating, water off boil, leather insulation sleeve, not-to-light/dense beans, pre-infusion,…all will help with your extraction.
Yabano gooseneck electric kettle with thermometer. Electric Gooseneck Kettle, Thermometer Thin Spout Goose Necked Kettle, 34oz/1.0L, Pour Over Coffee Kettle with Coffee Dripper for Drip Coffee, Tea, Stainless Steel, Auto Shut-Off, 1000W, by Yabano a.co/d/4QjfjPp
Can you please publish a complete description and the source for each of the aftermarket items that you used in this video? It would be very helpful. Thanks.
On the Timemore Chestnut X, I'm around an 8.5-9 for the stock basket. The beans I'm using is a South American blend. Medium dark. For the La Pavoni basket, I grind a little finer, around 7-8.
Thank you. It helps keep my hand from burning, especially after preheating. Also, it keeps better thermal stability for the shot. I got mine on Etsy through HENRY HOUSES.
@@brentroman Thanks to your video, I ended up patronizing Henry's store and got a leather wrap kit for myself. I noticed you didn't install the lid wrap with the adhesive liner. I found that this addition adds much needed traction to that slippery plastic lid. Plus, it completes the ensemble look.
@@MikeTrieu When he first sent to me, the top lid wrap did NOT fit. So, I let him know and he sent me a new one, which doe fit, HOWEVER, it did not have the included double sided tape on the inside, and so it would not adhere to the top. So, I gave up for now on it. I don't need it. If at some point I feel like getting some double sided tape, I may install it.
Yes. I have 3 vessels. 2 gourds from Brazil and a “cold” version from Uraguy. I just introduced my friend to Mate last week. (I lived in Brazil for about 9 months years back.
You can’t see it in the video. But, yes there most definitely was crema. This video, I brew into a mug. There are other videos where I brew into a clear shot glass. It is obvious then. I was using a medium-dark roast
At first, while i wait for my real espresso machine to ship, i thought this was a great espresso toy to hold me over. My opinion has definitely changed after a month of use with the picopresso…. Horrible experience. Cute little toy/ gadget for the design, but for practical use this thing is a nightmare.. except to burn though at least 20 lbs of coffee to get a feel for this thing, and blisters on your palms. Sometimes it just flat out doesn’t work. Total waste of beans and even with running around like a clown trying to keep the water and serving vessel warm/ hot enough to enjoy after “brewing”. Your espresso will never be hot .. some people seem to have a better experience then me so far, but the build hasn’t lasted me for even a month.. the rubber valve cap on the inside never stays seated and Really this is either a poor mans espresso alternative , a fiddlers toy, or a travel / camping espresso if you can get lucky with the build and get used to the tedious process involved here. I really wanted to love this thing.
Sorry you have had a bad experience with it. For me, it serves its purpose. There definitely is a workflow and it has its own quirks for sure. But, for me, it is the best espresso I can get at work without buying and installing a $1000+ espresso machine; which is just not going to happen. I’m currently waiting for my espresso machine to be built and shipped. It is the new Odyssey Espresso “Argos” lever machine. The production has been pushed off until April. For a while, I thought I would just wait patiently until it arrives, but I missed having a latte every now and then. So, I decided to give this guy a try. I have been very happy with it. I will say that getting the leather sleeve for it was a game changer. I was able to preheat, and then also use water right off the boil, and not hurt my hands. Plus, the sleeve ALSO helps keep in the gear better as well in order to get better temp stability and better shots. Perhaps your unit has some issues? I have heard that the customer service from the company is really good, and if you contact them, they are very good with sending replacement parts or fixing the issue. I’d recommend you reach out to them and see if they can help you out. Best of luck.
@@brentroman I agree. I got my pre-ordered first batch of picopresso, after a few months of using it almost every day, it started to leak at the bottom of the piston. Manage to get the replacement unit from their customer service, I'd noticed some change at the rubber thing on top of the shower head.
??? The puck screen fits perfectly for the stock basket. In fact I’ve been pulling better shots with the stock basket with the accessories rather than the La Pavoni basket.
@@brentroman oh ok I thought the original basket was 52 and the screen 51! But I saw on their website that there is a 51.8 mm screen. The one you use is the 51.6 then ?
I ve watched the RealPrometeus vid about the Bplus screen to see whether or not it s woth it! would you say it s a must have for the Picco? or is it just another geek stuff? in another word will it change my life?? ;p
Hi Brent, Wondering if you could clarify something for me: On the website there is the 51.8 and 51.6 screen and I don't know which to buy. I'm probably going to order the la pavoni basket too just to see if I like it better than the stock basket. Is it better to get the 51.8 since the picopresso is 52mm if I'm feeling like I will probably just stick with the stock one? Will 51.8 be the best fit for both if I want to play around with both? Essentially, why did you choose the 51.6? Thanks!
I bought the 51.6 as that was the one that was suggested to fit the best with the stock basket. And it does. The stock basket is somewhat tapered, whereas the Pavoni basket is straight walled. I believe that a 51.8mm puck screen would fit better in the Pavoni basket. But I just used the puck screen that I had initially. As for the tamp and funnel - The funnel DOES just barely fit. It fits much more securely on the stock basket, but can just barely work for the Pavoni basket. Although I'm sure it would be possible to source a different funnel/colalr that would fit better. But I do not currently have one. I use a Pavoni tamp with both baskets - as I like the feel of a full size tamp over the stock tamp. I think either tamp should work for either basket.
