5 Cafelat Robot Hacks Espresso Techniques

[@danbodoh]

Love the music while pulling the shot! In my workflow I do arms up preheating, but without the scale underneath. I fill to the brim and let a bit overflow so I know the piston is getting heated.

[@worthashot9327]

Is my mouth off a bit with my words? I uploaded this at the same time KZbin had an issue.

[@danbodoh]

@@worthashot9327 Looks ok to me

[@amandac3658]

I use a rubber band to secure the arms too but I just wind it around the corner of one arm a few times and tie a knot. Then when you lift it up the friction basically holds both arms up in place.

[@shanesettle1548]

That’s a good idea.

[@readitbooks]

If I drank Espresso I would use your tips my friend. You make espresso look so yummy.

[@worthashot9327]

Well... it’s never too late to start

[@Edfireman1]

Great video, thanks. Why not just put Portia filter into a juj of hot water to preheat?

[@shanesettle7832]

Thank you. You could do that. But I mostly am aiming to preheat the piston.

[@EugeneBuvard]

@@shanesettle7832 I thought the robot doesn't need preheating

[@blebla4]

@@EugeneBuvard depends on the roast.

[@Grace-lw4hd]

Thanks! This was great- I appreciate your efforts!

[@worthashot9327]

Thanks

[@orrinbelcher6593]

Nice video fun and informative, nicely done

[@shanesettle7832]

Thanks

[@mc-gl8rx]

Could you glue on two disc magnets to hold the arms up?

[@shanesettle7832]

Yes. It has been done by some folks. Not sure how well it worked but it was done using tape I think instead of glueing

[@NachaBeez]

I’ve also seen 3D printed holders for magnets that slip onto the arms

[@crossxcats]

did you strip the pant and polish the robot are did they at one time make a shiny metal one ?

[@shanesettle7832]

Older ones could be purchased this way

[@sidneywhite749]

First time seeing this machine, are the coffee holder and water cup the same unit? I missed something.

[@joepal843]

Why do you need to warm the piston? I thought there is air between the piston portfilter so there shouldn't be any decrease in heat

[@shanesettle7832]

I would suggest doing two things 1) try a shot without preheating and then try a shot with preheating. I am convinced there is a difference. 2) I understand that air is a good insulator. However, I just did a mini experiment at home. If you pull a shot and then feel the piston, it is quite hot to the touch. I suppose that could be explained simply by water, evaporating, and re-condensing. However, I decided to try to fill water up just to be low level that would touch the piston and let it sit there for 30 seconds to a minute. It only very very very slightly warm is the piston. In my opinion, the air gap must be so minimal or nonexistent by the time you compress the air that in fact, you do lose heat to the piston. Not sure if my above! Sense or not? Also, I do believe that Paul, Pratt and others have done tests on the thermal stability during shots and in fact, they are more stable and stay hotter when the piston is preheated

[@joepal843]

@@shanesettle7832 Thanks. I did just see those test of the heat loss from the piston. I just tried non heated and heated piston shot. I honestly couldn't detect a difference, but i enjoy medium roasts. I read that you can really tell a difference with Light Roasts

[@Lee-he2qp]

You looked to be pushing down on the arms with a lot of force, was that 9 bars? getting mine in 2 days, worried l’m not that strong 😟

[@shanesettle7832]

You got this. 6bar will still pull a good shot imho

[@action-nerd]

What is the minimum amount of coffee grinds? I find sometimes trying to make a small coffee the tamper doesn't even touch the grinds. I guess it can't do it?

[@ThePlayahans]

Apparently around 10 grams (Paul Pratt the inventor posted a video of a shot on home barista some time ago).. less is not possible due to the shape of the basket I think

[@ARiversEdge]

Great video, thanks so much!

[@Lee-he2qp]

The spirt level is a good idea but I don’t think you should be using it to compress a high area down, as you are only going to make that area more dense, shouldn’t you be using it to just check the surface is already lvl and to ensure you are pressing down evenly, if not lvl then probably best to bang and shake the grounds again to make them lvl, then recheck with the spirt lvl.

[@Snidel]

Any pressure/time combo that you recommend? Do you apply any pressure ramp?

[@worthashot9327]

I usually do about a 20 second pre-infusion and a pretty fast ramp up to nine bar after that. My starting point is about 35 second shot time not including the pre-infusion… 55 seconds for everything

[@bowieknife]

@@worthashot9327 When do you start counting preinfusion? The time you start pouring water into the basket to the time you see drops on the bottom?

[@worthashot9327]

@@bowieknife I start counting when I add pressure. This is the arm start to move down, I count for about 15 seconds. Usually I start to see coffee accumulate around the bottom of the basket around 1/2 way through that time and hold the pressure for the other 1/2. I try not to let any espresso drip into the cup during the pre-infusion. And then ramp up pretty quickly to nine bar

[@bowieknife]

@@worthashot9327 Thanks for the info! I'll try that tmr!

[@GOTTT]

Hey man, nice video! How many grams of coffee do you use compared to the water?

[@shanesettle7832]

17-34 is my starting place

[@GOTTT]

@@shanesettle7832 Thanks mate, I just pulled a 17-33 shot and it was really nice

[@fiftythreeeleven]

What scale are you using here?

[@worthashot9327]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGGbknmpgNqHZtU

[@brutebernard1770]

Why preheat the piston? It doesn't touch the water in the pro basket. It would be better preheating the professional basket, but probably unnecessary unless using light roasted coffee beans.

[@worthashot9327]

Please read comments I wrote below to @joepal

[@puffmutter54]

Why is your robot all in chrome and shiny? Looks amazing, I want one too!!

[@worthashot9327]

Paul was making them this way for while. My understanding is that it was more labor intensive and maybe not worth it to him? For awhile they would come out and then sell out right away. I think I got one of the last runs he did. I don’t know his plans but I noticed it said they are no longer available. I’m assuming that meant he is no longer producing them this way.

[@ericpmoss]

Yup -- no more shiny. :( OTOH, the new red model looks great.

[@jules5350]

I have one of the yellow ones that he no longer makes

[@geogiokas]

hi , noticed you dont monitor pressure on the little gauge, why?

[@OriginalBlueFrankie]

If you want to preheat the porta-filter just put it in a cup of hot water. Why is everyone bothering with these silly seals?

[@worthashot9327]

It’s not to preheat the Porta-filter as much as it is to heat the piston. www.home-barista.com/levers/cafelat-robot-temperature-tests-t65550.html

[@or1227]

You great

[@phillipgraves4721]

So much unnecessary nonsense here.🤣🤣

[@jm7720]

This all looks like a major pain in the ass like buying a car to find out it doesn't have wheels. Why not just buy a sem-auto and be done with his fiddly crap

[@ericpmoss]

I don't think all this fiddling is needed -- otherwise I wouldn't put up with it, either. I bought one with the 'donuts' that make the lever ends a lot more comfortable. I also got the self-leveling tamper Cafelat offers. After that, I just use boiling water and don't waste time. It compensates for whatever heat the metal sucks out. I don't have to do any fiddling at all, and the result is better than 99% of the coffee houses out there. Cleanup is also a LOT faster and easier than with a regular grouphead.

[@r_bear]

because it makes better espresso-hope that helps!

[@aleksandarstojceski3139]

Semi-auto are more fiddly that this.

[@rjejames28]

@@ericpmoss agreed I do the same basically