Tips and Tricks for Single Boiler Espresso Machines

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Single boiler espresso machines are a great first step for home baristas looking to dive into the world of espresso, however they inherently have more limitations than more expensive machine types. In this video, we'll teach you how to squeeze every last bit of functionality out of your single boiler machine without performing any modifications or voiding any warranties. The tips and tricks presented in this video apply to most machine-grade single boiler machines such as the Gaggia Classic Pro, Bezzera Hobby, Rancilio Silvia, ECM Casa V and more. If you're not sure if these techniques will work on your machine, try it and find out!
0:00 Intro
0:56 Tip #1: Pre-Infusion
2:19 Tip #2: Early Steaming
3:56 Tip #3: Make Room
5:43 Tip #4: Temperature Surfing
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Опубликовано:

16 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 75

@leumas75 2 года назад

This may be the single most important collection of tips (for us poor, single boiler espresso lovers) that I have ever seen. Thank you so much!!!

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Haha thanks Stephen, glad you found it helpful! AJ

@tonycannon3906 9 месяцев назад

Great tips. Thanks man

@royoser3055 2 года назад

In addition to these good tips, you can leave the Gaggia Classic on for about 20 minutes, warming up the whole machine including the portafilter, before pulling the shot. I find that improves consistency. If you forget to return after 20 minutes and the machine becomes too hot, you can flush out some hot water to cool it back down a little.

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Yes, great idea to let everything fully heat up before brewing AJ

@thomaslindsay358 Год назад

Yes, while the Gaggia Classic is technically "ready" after about five minutes, I find everything works much better when it's been on at least twenty minutes. My normal morning involves waking up and turning on the machine, doing all my morning things, then flushing it. I weigh and grind my beans, flush it until the light goes out, put in the portafilter, and flip it on when the light comes back on. I aim for a 30 second extraction from 19 grams to produce 45 grams of espresso for my best shot with the machine.

@guidoandreoli 2 года назад

Really helpful video! Thanks

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

You're welcome. Thanks for watching! AJ

@davethetaswegian 2 года назад

I hadn't seen that pre infusion technique before, thanks.

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

You're welcome. Thanks for watching! AJ

@davethetaswegian 2 года назад

@Message me on telegram Scam?

@user-vf7xx5vu5s 4 месяца назад

Yo dis might be a game changer!

@dancitydancestudios 2 года назад

Great great video!

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Thank you! AJ

@damonm3 2 года назад

This is on point. I learned these things over several months with my GCP..I second a 9 or 6.5# spring if you change to a bottomless filter basket. Steam and temp surfing are a must for consistency.

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Thanks for the comment. Glad you're getting great results out of your GCP! AJ

@damonm3 2 года назад

@Message me on telegram I hope you get arrested and jailed🎯💩🏆

@grahamboyd2217 2 года назад

Really nice video. I've had a Gaggia for 9 months now and have found a couple of these tips through trial and error. As mentioned in a couple of other comments, the pressure of the Gaggia is >12 bar (near 14). Before buying a grinder, and having to use pre-ground coffee, I used to get round the high pressure using the same tip as for pre-infusion i.e. Keeping the steam partially open. This lengthened the timing of my shot and made the coffee palatable. (You end up with a half cup of water). Now I have a grinder, (a Niche Zero), I adjust the grind to get the timing of shot I'm after with the 12-14 bar pressure. So probably finer than with a better machine. The thing that I've found really makes a difference with the Gaggia is ensuring it is fully heated before using it. The book says you can use it as soon as the light comes on from cold, but I always run a full cup of water and a full steam extraction before making a coffee, sometimes twice. Also, because it's quite a small boiler, if I'm heating a lot of milk, I will stop just after aeration, allow the steam to fully heat again, and then do the circulation part. I'm not sure if the above would work with the other machines but if you have a Gaggia, maybe worth a try. Cheers p.s. I would also love to change the screen for a IMS but I can't get the fixing screw out!

@saifulbahrimahfuz 2 года назад

It should be easy to unscrew the brew head unless your brew head has calcification buildup. You will never be able to unscrew it due to the scale bonding to the screw thread. What you can do is flip upside down the machine, pour de-scaling solution to the shower screen, let it do the work for 15 minutes. Try unscrewing again. Repeat for another 15 minutes for a few more rounds until you are able to unscrew. Good luck.

@grahamboyd2217 2 года назад

@@saifulbahrimahfuz That's great, thank you. I'll give that a try this weekend.

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Hi Graham, Here's a video presented by our lead service tech showing how to get out a stubborn screw. He says this technique has never failed and he's worked on hundreds of Gaggia Classics: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Kigi1ggnTJ0.html

@ihavenospacebar231 Год назад

You can also run the pump for a few seconds after the brew light turns on to reduce the brew temp rather than waiting

@Wholelattelovepage Год назад

Hi Ron, thanks for sharing the tip!

@garyn7067 7 месяцев назад

Pre-infusion point. You said do a quarter turn on the steam knob. On the two machines that I've used, a quarter turn of the steam knob goes from OFF to FULL ON. So you have to find where your machine releases water out of the steam wand. So rather than 1/4 turn, 1/4 open makes more sense.

@jeremiahsstudentpilotadven7834 2 года назад

Nice! But I would strongly suggest anyone with the Gaggia Classic Pro to swap out the pressure spring to a 9 pound spring (if you never use the pressurized basket). This greatly improved my shot consistency and ended my channeling issues. That, is the best upgrade for the machine, and only cost $7.00.

@omerfarukaydogan 2 года назад

I'm gonna try this, looking for this spring on internet .I didn't cut off myself because I scare a little bit that i can broke the machine. I have the channeling too.

@jeremiahsstudentpilotadven7834 2 года назад

@@omerfarukaydogan I could NOT get it to stop. Everything I tried failed. I learned the standard espresso machine pressure is 9 bar and that Gaggia is around 12. Swapping it to 9 instantly fixed my issue. Now I have better flavor and no channeling.

@omerfarukaydogan 2 года назад

@@jeremiahsstudentpilotadven7834 So cool.I am pleased for you. 😊☕️ I watched almost every 12 to 9 bar upgrade/change video and saw the flow difference but i dont want to cut the original spring. I want to buy a new one. Still searching in Türkiye.

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Glad you found value in that mod and are pulling great shots. This video is more focused on tricks you can do with a stock machine without having to buy any additional parts or take anything apart. AJ

@chrissantos7865 2 года назад

9 bar not 9 pound

@MrArdytube 2 года назад

Btw… one other thing I have noticed As you know… the coffee bloom tends to get sucked back into the group head when the OPV valve opens I have noticed that using a puck screen almost entirely stops this issue… which keeps the machine much cleaner much longer

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

I have a puck screen sitting on my desk waiting for testing! We just started carrying them here: www.wholelattelove.com/products/caffewerks-puck-screen-58-5mm AJ

@MrArdytube 2 года назад

AJ… a few other comments on puck screens On my old Silvia… the pucks are sometimes a little watery. Then when the 3 way valve opens… the puck gets sucked up an occasionally sticks to the group head screen…. Which is annoying Using a puck screen stops this… there is maybe a tsp of water. On top of the screen…. And a dry puck underneath The downside of puck screens is the problem of removing the hot screen from the puck with out dumping it in the knock box What I do is as follows First I have two puck screens to let one cool a bit But to clean the porta filter I tap out on to a plastic cutting board Then flip the puck so screen is on top Which lets me drop the puck In The knock box while holding the screen in my fingers

@simon.revill 2 года назад

I’ve found steaming smaller pitchers of milk for one cup matches the capabilities of the machine better; and extracting some water through the group between steaming sessions yields better consecutive steaming. Down side of smaller pitches is it takes more effort, up shot is more opportunity to practice steaming technique (and if the first steam was below par, you get another go).

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Great tips, I agree on all accounts! AJ

@simon.revill 2 года назад

Timing for consistency and control is such a good tip, I found this one out myself and I get very consistent results which allows me to focus on improving other techniques. The pre-infusion was interesting, I’ve tried this to date by switching the brew switch off, once I see the coffee start to come through the basket; I’ll try the other metros suggested. I imagine this reduces the pressure in the boiler during brewing?

@damonm3 2 года назад

I’ve heard this isn’t the best way to pre infuse. You want to keep the pressure up and when. You turn it off the pressure releases totally. Not sure if there’s a real noticeable (tastable) dif but I’m ok with wasting an oz or so of water per shot.

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

As Damon pointed out, when you turn off the brew switch the 3-way solenoid valve activates and sucks up the water in the group, depressurizing it but also disturbing the puck. This can lead to channeling and uneven extraction. Yes, it does reduce the pressure while you're performing the pre-infusion. The more you open the steam valve, the lower pressure going to the group. AJ

@simon.revill 2 года назад

@@Wholelattelovepage @damon Interesting, I omitted to add I’m using a Gaggia Selecta Deluxe with no 3-way solenoid. I’ve now tried both ways and don’t taste any difference. After dialling in, I’ve found puck preparation to be really important though.

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Ahh that makes sense, it may not be an issue for you on that machine. AJ

@alannorman1773 2 года назад

Great video thanks. Could you please clarify the point about refilling the boiler to prevent damage to the heating element. Thanks

@szabi_nagy 2 года назад

he just means turning off the steam function after your milk is steamed so the boiler stops continuously heating water to steam temp. followed by letting out the extra steam through the grouphead or steam wand before brewing your next shot.

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Heating elements inside boilers are designed to be surrounded by water. When you steam, you're removing water from the boiler without replacing it. Dry-running the heating element can cause it to burn out or break. By running the pump and refilling the boiler, you prevent that from happening. AJ

@alannorman1773 2 года назад

@@Wholelattelovepage thank you 😊

@MrArdytube 2 года назад

AJ… great tips I have some feedback based on my vintage Silvia with aftermarket PID i have noticed that turning on the brew switch rapidly decreases the boiler temp based on the cold reservoir water refilling the small boiler To aggravate that situation…the heating element does not start adding hear immediately so the temp does not recover till after brewing is completed. Ultimately this results in a highly variable brew temp You might want to test a machine with a scale device to see how water temp varies through out the extraction My technique , for my machine, I start with a water temp of about 195 Turn on the steam switch to get the heating element cooking When boiler temp gets to 202, I do a 3 sec pre infusion Stopping before any espresso emerges This knocks down boiler temp to about 195 with heating element still on Then I start brewing again when boiler r3covers to 200 This knocks temp down about 6 degrees for a final brew temp of about 194 for dark roast Of course the above is specific for my old machine with pid So you would have to adapt this method based on scarce feedback Thx again for your videos!

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Hi Ardy, thanks for the comment and sharing your routine. I agree with you that people need to tailor their routines for their equipment and you've certainly done that! AJ

@MrArdytube 2 года назад

@@Wholelattelovepage AJ… Btw… I finally tired of my elaborate routine… and s9 got a new pro 300 Looking forward… cheers

@AdastraRecordings 2 года назад

The ECM Classika II PID should be on that list.

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Tips 1-3 should work on the Classika PID but no need to temperature surf since it has a PID. AJ

@alanredversangel 2 года назад

My status light broke on my Gaggia and to be honest I haven't missed it. Oh, side tip, put your machine on a timer socket. I used to leave mine on all day when in reality you only need it on for 3-4 hours.

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Great tip! Especially on machines with E61 brew groups that have 30+ minute heat-up times, an outlet timer helps eliminate waiting and ensures everything is fully heated when you want it. AJ

@alono4473 Год назад

Amazing video!! I’m a beginner and still thinking about buying the Silvia. This might be a dumb question but when just brewing back to back shots and NOT steaming, is it necessary to cool it down or you just flush the group head and that’s it to continue to the next shot? Also, when brewing regular americanos, same question, I have to cool it down through the steam wand? Thanks!

@Wholelattelovepage Год назад

Hey Alon, Thanks for the question and there are no dumb questions! No need to cool down boiler if just doing espresso or drawing hot water. Only need to cool down after steaming. I do recommend a flush in between shots. Hope that helps! Marc

@alono4473 Год назад

@@Wholelattelovepage Hello Marc! Thanks for replying all my same questions in here and in the other videos 😂. This answer is very helpful! 👍🏼

@gbf5972 Год назад

I wish the graph you showed in the video had values/numbers. It would be nice to know what temp the machine is at (approximately) when the indicator light goes on and what temp the machine is at after waiting 10 seconds.

@gbf5972 Год назад

For the Gaggia Classic Pro, specifically.

@Wholelattelovepage Год назад

Hi gb f, here's a link to a forum thread where someone charted the Gaggia Classic Pro temps over time. Not my graph and a little hard to read, but hope this helps: www.coffeeforums.co.uk/threads/gaggia-classic-brew-temperature-graph.18659/ AJ

@carychiasson9834 2 года назад

I can watch the videos all the time. I can make coffee and it doesn't bother me. I am 163 days No coffee or caffeine since I gave it up.

@alexdupont1941 2 года назад

Why wait 10 seconds after the light comes up? Another youtuber Lance Hedrick mentioned that temperature was still building up at that time. Are you sure that it's at peak temperature when the light comes back on after the purge?

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

I've heard a couple people say that temperature will continue to drift up a little after the light comes on, but I don't know if I buy that. The heating element turns off at that point, so why would it continue going up? I recommend waiting those 10 seconds to allow the temperature to start going down, as it often overshoots the "ideal" temperature. Obviously this will depend on your beans, recipe, and taste preferences. In the end, it's more about consistency than hitting an exact temperature. Waiting 10 seconds allows me to react to the light, lock in my portafilter, put my glass under, and hit brew. AJ

@alexdupont1941 2 года назад

@@Wholelattelovepage Great, thanks for that really good answer. You guys ROCK!

@misterfisher8862 Год назад

Is that pre infusion hack also working on the old gaggia classic? 😮

@Wholelattelovepage Год назад

For sure!

@misterfisher8862 Год назад

@@Wholelattelovepage amazing thanks so much! love your chanel you do great work helping home barristas making better shots highly appreciated 😇

@sosata866 Год назад

After 40 minutes of the machine being on, is it possible that the portafilter would be so hot that it would slightly burn the coffee grounds as they sit in it for a while before attaching the portafilter and starting the extraction?

@Wholelattelovepage Год назад

Hi s, Well, you don't want to leave ground coffee in the portafilter. Generally load and brew ASAP. It would not burn it but def hasten evaporation of aromatics.

@sosata866 Год назад

@@Wholelattelovepage thanks, I guess I found the reason why sometimes my espresso has a slight burnt taste 😅

@PanzerIV88 2 года назад

Very interesting video but even if it's trick that definitely works, I think it's quite a lot of trouble just for not having a PID. My thoughts are that people that want to pay that little to get a Gaggia Classic, won't be fanatic enough to do all of this and otherwise they will simply mod the machine to install a custom PID or just get a pricier/better machine in the first place. By the way I just placed an hour ago a order for the (Gaggia Classic Pro) black edition at WholeLatteLove's Canadian version for my best friend, and I'll order later this year another identical for my GF. There was a 30$ "Code: Gaggia" discount on top of that so thanks guys as it ended being 620$CAD only, though then all the upgrades with accessories at (ShadesOfCoffee) are going to be around 500$ but then it will be for around 1000$, as good as machines being twice the price! It just sucks that when it said for the Gaggia code to order for 699$ and get a 50$ reduction instead of 30$, they didn't specify that it's not the whole order that needs to exceed this amount, but the Gaggia machine, but hey 30$ is still better than nothing! Sure won't beat my upgraded Rocket R58 but my friend doesn't have the same budget and gotta start somewhere ^^ Still very curious to try it in the next few days.

@Wholelattelovepage 2 года назад

Hey PanzerIV, thanks for the business and for supporting us. I just passed along your feedback on the promo to the marketing team to make that distinction more clear. I see your point that most casual home users won't care enough to use these tricks, or the serious hobbyists will splurge for the more expensive machines in the first place. However, there are two situations where I often see single-boiler users doing tricks like this. 1) They're on a tight budget - they want the most functionality out of a machine but can't afford to bump up to a PID, HX, or dual boiler machine. 2) They bought the entry-level machine as a way to dip their toe into the espresso world, then fell deeper into the rabbit hole. Instead of/before upgrading to a more expensive machine, they want to push their investment and potential to the limit. It's also just fun to uncover new ways to use a piece of technology you didn't previously know how. AJ