CAFELAT ROBOT REVIEW: Then and Now

[@q_branch_]

I am a lever fan - affordable, straightforward designs, easy to maintain, and makes espresso more accessible for everyone at home. Great video and content - it keeps getting better over time.

[@colinmt1980]

What I love about using my Robot is that whilst it is certainly possible to pull shots that aren’t great, it really is so easy to pull shots that are simply incredible👌 But more than that, the freedom to play with variations around pressure/grind/pre-infusion/ratios/flow etc. means you can intentionally go off-piste with shots that don’t follow the ‘usual standards’ for good espresso. I often stumble across ‘hidden treasure’ shots, which outshine shots pulled the ‘correct way’, and which are unique to each roast. Every time that happens I have a renewed love for my Robot 😍

[@anyadatzaklatszjutub]

this is the way may I ask you what grinder you are using? i'm thinking about the green timemore to match the green robot 😊

[@TheLever]

Thanks for the mention Lance, it's nice to see that modern and vintage lever espresso machines are finally getting some attention

[@zenadventurer69]

Just signed up for the newsletter and purchased issues 1 - 4…all credit to Lance for this great resource and Claudio, who was super helpful getting me hooked up.

[@lambda_calc]

Why do you think lever machines fell out of favor and are now experiencing a resurgence? I have had my mind blown lately by how good the coffee coming from my Flair 58 is, and it's making me wonder why it has taken so long for the market to catch up.

[@AnatolBogun]

I've had my Robot for about 2 ½ years now and am using it all the time. To me there are so many things to love about this machine: the thought, quality and quality control that went into its production, the design (not everyone's favourite, but I think it's fantastic), the super simple workflow, it's easy to clean, and I have no doubt that it'll last a lifetime. So far I didn't even need to replace the piston seal which is the only part I can see that'll ever need replacement/maintenance. Living in a Tokyo apartment I don't have much counter space, so a smallish and portable machine really helps. And not to forget the taste! Also, as this was my first attempt at making espresso at home, it was a great way to learn because a manual lever machine allows you to experiment a lot more than most pump machines in an affordable price range would. It's no problem to compare shots with considerably more or less pressure (I'd say in the range of 6-14 bar), and try longer, shorter or no preinfusion. In the beginning making espresso was a steep learning curve for me. I kept a diary for the first 2 months or so and it really helped to identify why a shot comes out more or less to my liking, and then to get delicious and repeatable results. I agree that preheating helps and just putting the portafilter, basket and shower screen onto my kettle to catch the steam helps a lot. The basket is very thin, so it would not absorb much heat, and the heavy 300+g portafilter doesn't have much direct contact with the basket which I'm sure is a conscious decision. Paired with an (absolutely essential!) espresso capable grinder, this is a great gadget to have. I've even taken it on a few holidays.

[@LanceHedrick]

100% agreed here!

[@Kylosgrande]

im having trouble getting a sweet shot, any recipe tips?

[@jacobfiksel3600]

Great video, I love my robot. One useful tool to have is an espresso shot mirror so that you can see how the pre-infusion/shot is going without having to bend down and ruin your leverage and constant pressure

[@brunocyclist]

I absolutely love my Robot. Using the same beans my local specialty coffee bar uses, I'm able to duplicate and at times surpass shot quality at a - for espresso - very affordable price. Lungo, espresso, ristretto, turbo shots, anything goes. In the beginning I used the bathroom scale conversion table to get a feel for the required pressure and now I use muscle memory and modulate to optimise flow. If you know the ground coffee approximately absorbs its weight in water, it's easy to use a kitchen scale to pour only the required amount of water into the basket and press all of it through to end up with a dry puck. Eyeballing it is of course possible as well. Side note: the Robot draws much more attention and interest from house guests than the semi-automatic I used to have.

[@ToddParker]

I was a former Rok owner and enjoyed it. I have always wanted to know more about the robot. Had no idea about Faema being the inspiration, that was a great nugget; very cool you got your hands on one as well! I went and got on pre-order for the Argos because I decided I wanted a more traditional pull lever experience next. Would totally jump on the robot bandwagon if opportunity presents itself though. Great video Lance!

[@stingrae789]

Had the Robot for about 9 months now and used it for the most part 3x per day. I don't really have access to light roasts generally and certainly not super high quality stuff in fact the best cupping score a coffee I've had this year has had was 86 and it was superb (a Sudan Rume). I have found a few rare occasions where there's a slight difference preheating but I've found preheating the piston to be more effective than heating anything else, also more convenient. There are a number of different ways to preheat from a breville blind disc, aeropress plunger in the spouts, thundies and even a tea candle, I've not tried these. I actually use the pressurized basket which I got for novelty and red espresso (rooibos tea powder). If you doubt preheating the piston has an effect, just pull a shot back to back. I think this is a good thing to do when deciding whether you need to do this. For the most part I don't find it necessary but I'm not solely drinking espresso either so your mileage will vary. Play around. I also have found very little reason to do anything at 9 bars of pressure, between 4-6 provides good consistent shots and after a while you stop needing to even look at the pressure gauge. That said if you are new to espresso as I was, the pressure gauge is incredibly helpful, that said you can use the bathroom scale to get an idea of pressures (roughly) so it's not entirely essential. Overall really love the ease of use and maintenance of the Robot. Currently the only method that I do in addition to the Robot is the Aeropress. In the far future I think my next espresso machine would probably be a La Pavoni due to the different basket size. Also the basket will stick to the piston you have to angle the portafilter when you remove it to avoid this. :) As a very large tangent for DF64 owners if you get this ramp 3D printed it fits the robot basket and you can grind directly into the basket (/thing:5180158, thingiverse, not including link because sometimes youtube comments get removed because of links). Also the DF64 dosing cup fits perfectly on the robot basket so if you prefer to use a dosing cup that's no worries either.

[@julianpark93]

Very cool comparison. I often don’t find preheating too necessary even with specialty roasted mediums and I tend to get some pretty decent sweetness in the cup!

[@endoalley680]

I always preheat. Doesn't take any effort or extra time.

[@joelspitsnaugle]

Same: I rarely ever preheat and thoroughly enjoy my shots. Running Cafelat Robot + Niche zero + bellman electric steamer combo.

[@ThorD4602]

@@endoalley680 bingo. There is no reason not to preheat, since the hot water is already there.

[@ghostAFsky]

I prefer NOT preheating honestly, except in the winter when my kitchen tends to be a bit colder. Even then I do a very modest preheating.

[@robertjason6885]

So thoughtful of you to dive into the history of these wonderful old machines. I loved my 1st gen Robot.

[@jesusmedero2065]

So happy to see the Robot getting some love. Got mine just before the pandemic and love it. Ive been able to get about 60g of liquid out using an 18g dose

[@LanceHedrick]

ATTENTION: Many were saying preheating wasn't necessary except for ultra light coffees. I respectfully disagree. To double check, I grabbed my fluke and thermocouple and measured slurry with and without preheating and using boiling water. Robot: Without preheating on kettle- Max temp was 87.5C. With preheating on kettle- Max temp was 91.5C Temperature drops a bit immediately. Probably 2 degrees by the time of insertion and pressure applied, wherein it will inevitably raise a bit. Baby: Without preheating on kettle- Max temp was 87C. With preheating on kettle- Max temp was 90C Temperature drops rapidly. After the same amount of time the Robot drops 2C, the baby drops 4-5C. Urgency is critical after pouring water and locking in. Why this test is useful- I measured directly the water as it hit the screen above the coffee. Since there is no heating element, this is (almost) as high as the temperature can get. Even with a preheated piston, or thundies, you won't be able to raise the temperature any more. The only bit of the equation that affect temperature is the pressure of the piston, which can raise the temp a degree or two. While a preheated piston will absolutely aide in thermal stability, it won't raise the ceiling on max temperature these machines are willing to go, unless you make it actively heating. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@jankorecky151]

I have a Robot since May 2021. For medium roast or slightly darker medium, I am getting great cups without pre-heating. With the robot you get a slightly different extraction due to the falling temperature. That is why experimenting with time as one of the variables gives you some surprising results. You cannot replicate a pump machine with the robot. So most of the experience with lever machines is not directly transferable.

[@fatandproud1]

Preheating the piston will have the biggest impact in maintaining thermal stability - check out Thundies. Btw, I love your channel.

[@bowieknife]

Lance, try preheating just the bottom of the piston and the basket. The heavy PF doesn't really touch the basket.

[@TheNoNotReally]

I've had the Robot for a couple years and it's a brilliant little machine that makes me delicious coffee every day. But no matter what anyone says I think trying to extract anything but dark roast without preheating the basket & portafilter is just silly. Even with medium roasts I get noticeably better shots with preheating and it's super easy to heat while the kettle boils. Most of the temperature testing I've seen from others shows preheating the *piston* helps a lot too, but I just haven't found it makes a difference from a flavor standpoint. I noticed you're using a fellow Stagg. Can I see a shot of how the portafilter sits on the Stagg? The chrome the inside of my Bonavita is starting to wear away and I've been debating replacing it with something nicer.

[@stormrage322]

Great video. thank you! My Flair 58 is almost delivered, I can't wait to try it out =) I'm very curious about the brew time. Did it happen by chance that in the video you stopped a brewing after one minute, or did it really take you that long?

[@adambeatty8939]

Loving the robot, thanks Lance

[@eamobyrne1]

Fucking hell Lance you have really grown in awesomeness in a year. This is like multiverse Lance.

[@hodgesmt]

Came for the information, stayed for the Magic! As always, great info and keep doing what you do!

[@franksasse3883]

For temperature stability and to avoid heat losses, I suggest to max. out the water reservoir. The heat capacity of the excess water will greatly support the brewing temperature. The puck will be perfectly dry If you lift the arms after the finish of your shot and then you release the excess water through the hot puck in a separate container. This will dry out the puck.

[@LanceHedrick]

Correct!

[@endoalley680]

Interesting. I preheat everything I can up to boiling water temp. Works pretty well. But maybe for light roasts I should try this system. I usually use 68 grams water for 16-17 grams coffee to get maybe 45-48 grams expresso. Which is maybe pushing the output a little. If I use your system I will have to weigh my output. Kinda difficult on the Robot. Narrow for my scale. The biggest problem with my system is the time I waste on coffee distribution. Maybe 30 seconds of that will allow the basket and porta filter to cool a little bit. Still seems to work ok on medium roasts.

[@m4tth3wh]

Tried early Flair and Espresso Forge. I am glad I got the Robot. At the time I wanted something with a low chance of anything breaking. Using it in the work kitchen is always a great spectacle and talking point. Liked the thoughtful design and the option of splitting shots too. Just love using it to make coffees. 🥰

[@benjaminbutton3476]

Is this starting the lever series of videos/reviews? Manuals, vintages, new age high tech levers…. Keep ‘‘em coming

[@MrMcotoV]

Really looking forward to more lever related content! This is what got me into espresso in the first place!

[@error.418]

God I was so hyped for this video and it fully lived up to my hype. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication! What a wonderful find with that excellently preserved Faema Baby. Absolutely love that color. Any I've been able to spot on other markets had a lot of paint wear and tear.

[@dubhd4r4]

I've had the Cafelat Robot for a year and love it. This and my Hario Switch are my daily brewers. I haven't been preheating, but I think the best method is to get a silicone plug for the dual spout attachment. That way, you can fill the portafilter with boiling water and even put it into the machine to also preheat the cylinder. Since you're pretty fanatical about preheating, you should give this a go. There is also a thread on it at home barista where I got the idea.

[@russjd629]

Really good idea had no clue you could buy plugs for the splitter attachment!

[@erinsjourney315]

Thank you so much for this review! Once I got the coffee/espresso bug I watched EVERYTHING on grinders, brewers & machines and was leaning towards the Gaggia Classic style. However, when I began seeing 👀 lever machines, I knew I’d found what I didn’t know I was looking for. The Cafelat Robot 🤖 stole my heart I dudpect due to its similarity to to Robot in the original Lost in Spcae TV series 😊. Thank you again!

[@erinsjourney315]

SCAMMER: I’ve reported the poster posing 😤as Lance in this thread offering a prize.

[@dtholloway28]

If I recall correctly, Paul Pratt often says that preheating isn’t necessary. The basket itself is double walled stainless steel, so preheating the portafilter will have only minimal effect on the temperature. When I use it I put in the filter paper then the metal shower screen on top of the coffee and pour in a few grams of boiling water. After about 5 seconds I pour that out and drop in my brew water. This has been more than sufficient for my preheating needs on any blend I’ve tried. Maybe more aggressive preheating is useful for much lighter or fruitier coffees.

[@LanceHedrick]

Yes. I drink pretty exclusively really light coffees. Extreme preheating is a must.

[@gpapa31]

Depends on the location, season, altitude etc. For example, spring/summer/autumn where I live (London) preheating isn’t necessary most of the times. Winter time where the house and appliances are so cold, I have found preheating to be a must.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

@@LanceHedrick preheating the plunging cylinder would have a bigger effect(still small). There's very little contact with the portafilter

[@LanceHedrick]

@@veganpotterthevegan yes. I am not measuring portafilter. I measured the slurry. Preheating the basket and the screen was important to see just how high I could get the slurry temp. Preheating the piston won't incresae temp, just stabilize it more effectively. the basket being preheated DOES affect temp by about 3 degrees. It is ideal to preheat both piston and basket. Using the PF is ideal so you can place it on top of the kettle.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

@Lance Hedrick stabilizing keeps the espresso warmer. The pocket of air it compresses will stay warmer which will make a small difference. For where I live now, I don't care because my boiling point is only 202 degrees anyway and I'm never getting good extractions with very light coffee but heating the piston did the job before and there are devices to help do that now

[@paulwyand6204]

I am getting a robot for my sailboat. Electricity is always in short supply. But having a nice shot of espresso at anchor off a nice empty beach in the carribian island seems perfect.

[@stayfido]

Looooove my robot! No descaling, broken solenoids or pumps, looks cool and semi portable too. 🎉

[@russjd629]

Was waiting for this after I noticed them in your live a few weeks ago about V60!

[@Hybridog]

One thing I do is hold the portafilter with the loaded basket over the sink and pour boiling water into the basket. I let the water slowly overflow and run down the sides of the portafilter, tilting it so hot water does not get on my fingers. I might do this for 20-30 seconds giving the heat time to move into the basket and portafilter. I use a heavy mesh screen from Shades Of Coffee so there is no worry about disturbing the ground coffee in the basket. You have to be very careful doing this to avoid burning yourself - it's very easy to forget or even get the angle off a bit and boom - ya burnt! 😄 I feel this gets plenty of heat into the metal without having to balance it on top of the kettle.

[@user-kd2ez2mb3c]

Robot is still the MVP of minimalist pure manual levers and workflow KING. No PERSISTENT updates, no marketing fomo add ons. Yes I think it's troublesome for light roasts. I like mine medium above. Light or nordic roasts are for my filter and that's personal preference.

[@sunvalleydrivemusic]

Appreciate the great work, Lance! And love being a supporter on Patreon! The Discord chats have really helped me in my journey!

[@unknownentity222]

Fascinating video. Assumed the Cafelat Robot was a unique design. Thank you for sharing!

[@ThePlayahans]

My most favourite video of yours.. without even having watched it 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@faisalmohamed6058]

I use Faema Baby daily to make my espresso for the past 2 years. However I made a few modifications on it like cutting off the bottom of the portafilter turning it into a naked version & using Robot’s screen. I also replace the standard piston with Gabor’s; made from food safe plastic and utilize Robot’s piston seal. The modified piston is game changing due to the fact that heat loss is minimize when brewing water coming into contact with it. The geometry (longer piston) help keeping the puck dry by the time the lever is pressed all the way down. Basket is heated using off boiled water and after getting familiar with the workflow, I find my modernized Baby as my fav way of making daily delicious espresso.

[@renewimbauer2546]

Unbeliveable how cool the Baby looks. Sixties Italian design, that could also be from today.

[@Yardie_in_Tampa]

3 yrs with my robot and still going strong.

[@Cenot4ph]

very informative, thanks Lance

[@cheekster777]

Thanks Lance.

[@sympathetic_crustacean]

Really cool video, thanks for showing us the history behind our Robots. And preheat the piston: that's the big heat sink, not the basket!

[@LanceHedrick]

Yeah I know. Piston is a massive heat sink. I like declining Temps. Preheating the piston doesn't increase the temperature, though. The temp is maxed out at the Temps I said. Preheating piston just disallows much thermal drop mid extraction. Cheers!

[@sympathetic_crustacean]

@@LanceHedrick A lot of us Robot-ers like doing long-ish preinfusions, and that's where preheating the piston matters most, so you dont lose heat mid extraction with lighter roasts.

[@montagdp]

Nice video! I have pretty much no interest in getting into espresso making, but you've succeeded in making me interested in this machine nonetheless.

[@jonoabroad]

This was just joyful, I may possibly be googling lever Machines

[@user9b2]

Very nice history info. 👍

[@apple-dad]

I didn’t know tamping isn’t necessary, I’ll give it a try tomorrow 🙏🏽

[@ayex86]

The best espresso lever machine ever..

[@daRock1212]

I learned espresso on the Robot. It works very well for all but the lightest coffees, and through muscle memory I learned so much about puck prep and extraction. I haven't used it much since picking up a DE1, but I've always been meaning to go back to compare. Thanks for the vid!

[@alexmontanus]

Try an allonge shot for light roasts (see videos from decent), easy way to get good shots. Not really classic espresso though

[@rolandlickert2904]

DF1 stand for what?

[@xipalips]

Was the repetition in the beginning intentional or was this mis-edited?

[@lexkleren]

Big fan of the faemina baby. It's still one of the fastest and most uncomplicated ways to make really nice espresso.

[@zenadventurer69]

What a GREAT video. Much prefer the old-school Lance to the caricature and the goofy hijinks. That’s just an opinion, but this was really interesting, content rich, relevant and informative. Just don’t need all that insubstantial clickbait nonsense that the Tik Tok generation are so painfully fond of (I wish they’d get rid of KZbin shorts for that very reason). I understand that the algorithms these day require this crap, but old school Lance with the production values of the new studio - wow, just can’t beat this combo. Thanks for this. I have a LaPavoni Europiccola from the early 90’s, so it was good to have an actual comprehensive assessment and comparison of another lever, plus the introduction to The Lever publication (I just worked with them to find issues 1 - 4 and it looks like it’s going to be well worth the exploration). More of these, please. Thank you.

[@LanceHedrick]

You mean the intros? I have always wanted to do them but my past videographer had no desire. I don't try to cater to anyone. In fact, those videos with the jntros are by far my worst performing. But I still do them because I enjoy doing them. I don't like shorts. But youtube pushes them so heavily I fear I might miss loads of traffic without them. My recent short, though, was an addendum to my tips video.

[@LanceHedrick]

Also, I've got a 1964 eurapiccolo, 1953 faemina, 1952 Gilda, la peppina, caravel, campeona, etc, with videos I'll pepper over the months.

[@zenadventurer69]

Well then if you enjoy them and don’t have to do them for clicks and likes, then keep on doing them. I’m really referring more to the “shorts.” And it’s not just you. Emily Bryant used to do these great latte art how do vids and they devolved into shorts of heart pours. Same with the guys at Artisti…they went from being one of my favorite resources to doing shorts on opening coffee bags. I work in marketing, and I know that there is a lot of “content” being created right now for the sake of creating content/clicks/likes to feed the algorithm monster. That’s what I was referring to. Glad you don’t need to fall into that trap. Still, this video absolutely rocks (and truth be told, I don’t miss the intros…but that’s just one dufus’ opinion…keep up the great work). Your hard work really makes a difference (just connected with Claudio at The Lever and he hooked me up with resources here in the US and the UK and I was able to get the first four issues, which are pretty much sold out everywhere. So thanks for that, too.

[@zenadventurer69]

@@LanceHedrick Levers are just so much fun…I just love the “ceremony” to them, the care that goes into brewing with them and how great the espresso is. It’s a ritual that takes you away from the world, if even for only a few short minutes. Thanks for all of this.

[@LanceHedrick]

I've only done two shorts. One was just b roll from a video and the other is something I needed to do because people were asking about how to get rid of chaff without making a mess. I know you mean no harm but I am curious which of the two you find obnoxious?

[@D1PHAM]

Like and subscribe people! No one else is putting out coffee content at this level! Keep up the great work! #goat

[@jakobw135]

Can you do a test of the Odyssey Espresso Argos lever machine and compare it to the cafelat Robot, in terms of workflow and final result? Would you recommend that the Bellman Steamer to go with this?

[@timryansmith]

Thanks for sharing! I just purchased my Cafelat Robot and Naked gauge. When I pull a shot, the gauge leaks - did I just not tighten things down enough? I feel like Naked sent an extra rubber gasket…

[@stemazzo84]

Great one Lance! Someday I’d love to hear what you think of the 9barista as compared to the flavor profile of the levers you are experiencing !

[@stemazzo84]

Someone hacking your KZbin channel I think, Lance

[@greghorsky2747]

Unless you drink really light roasts preheating isn't necessary. The basket brings the water temp down from boiling just enough for most roasts.

[@LanceHedrick]

It is a heat sink. Anything lighter than medium needs preheating. I do know that most lever heads prefer darker coffees, so I imagine no preheating is just fine for you!

[@SoupPot]

Hey Lance, I notice you are really cranking up the pressure to just over 9 bars for that classic shot. Curious if you've tried pulling shots with the robot around 6 bars? I think I've been getting some really satisfying results.

[@jankorecky151]

My experience as well. Up to 10s pre-infusion and pulling at around 6 bars. Trying to replicate what a pump machine does may not be the best approach. These manual machines have their own secrets I think :)

[@bowieknife]

@@jankorecky151 If the shot is being pulled at a lower pressure, does it mean it doesn't have to be as finely ground?

[@NadiaandRob]

Nadia and I have been using the Robot for a couple of years now (kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4TUpYOdhKxqf9E) and we’ve found that it’s very responsive to small changes in grind and pressure. Nadia’s smaller than I so she doesn’t want to ramp all the way up to 9 bars.. so she adjusts our Kinu Pheonix to a slightly coarser grind and goes for 6-8 bars and enjoying the result. I go a bit finer grind and apply more pressure to get a great classic espresso with medium light roasts. Experimentation leads to great results with this machine! Thanks Lance for this and all your great content!

[@stingrae789]

@@NadiaandRob i actually find I get better results in the 4-6 bar range. The 9 bar obsession is from pump machines and even then people mod things like the gaggia classic to be 6 bars. So many variables but yeah it seems common for Robot users to end up at lower pressures. I don't really think it excels at traditional 9 bar espresso especially not for lighter roasts.

[@stingrae789]

@@bowieknife usually is the case some do find they then only lightly tamp. But I like a good tamp.

[@coffee.viridi]

lovely machine

[@alexisdelgado]

I hope you get to do the ROK GC both the espresso machine and the grinder

[@jakobw135]

P.S. where did you get the pressure gauge that you used in this video?

[@NitinSharma-vs8jt]

Lance, shouldn't the lower thermal mass of Faemina translate to better heat retention? This is where Robot scores over Flair Pro 2 and other such brewers as it's relatively lighter.

[@LanceHedrick]

No. Less mass means less heating but doesn't mean more retention. Aluminum dissipates heat really quickly. I'll do the same experiment I discuss in the pinned comment soon and update it.

[@yuyutsusharma6977]

The faema baby was a G!

[@thestudio.coffee]

Surprised by so many people not pre-heating!

[@jons3808]

This looks like a better way to go vs. my Flair Signature because the temperature control looks like it's much better. How would you compare a modded Gaggia Classic Pro (with PID, IMS shower screen, and 6.5 bar spring) to this in terms of results in the cup? The Robot will come in at a better price point but I wonder how the results in the cup would compare, especially since I really enjoy the experience of pulling shots on a manual machine.

[@Caffeine.And.Carvings]

Hey Lance, just was wondering. Some time ago I think you mentioned that you moved to Portugal? Or was it just a holiday ? Anyways, if my memory work correctly, and you are in fact in Portugal, is there a way to order some coffee in Europe? Onyx would be quite a stretch regarding shipping and time ordering from Germany:) best regards 👌🏻

[@fabilemusic9992]

Even though it’s tough to say yet: buy this one or wait for 64mm (if only used for pour over)?

[@trojanhman8136]

So this Robot or the Flair for the best tasting? The Robot here in Australia is about half the price of the Flair.

[@The_Coffee_Rabbit_Hole]

I got you ! You shaved that catterpillar 😂👍👍👍

[@joshmorneau4778]

I live in Slovenia, next door to Italy, I'll have to look into finding a vintage Faema Baby. Any recommended places to start the search?

[@ericpmoss]

Milano or Trieste. Or do you mean online? ebay or FB marketplace is where I'd start.

[@kspaan]

Not able to do magic tricks with it. Key capability requirement. 😂

[@0whitestone]

This was a really awesome comparison, great video! I had no idea about the Faema Baby and the history of this style of lever machine. It's interesting that you really emphasize the mass of the Robot, the company says that it doesn't need pre heating and other reviews have said that it makes little to no difference since there isn't that much mass compared to other lever machines. I'd be curious to know if you've tried it and notice a significant difference, or just doing so out of best practice.

[@LanceHedrick]

I have tried and I do think for lighter coffees you definitely need to pre heat. If you drink darker coffees, likely no need

[@LuisPerez-cx5st]

Is it for cold coffee?

[@NCSUmagnet]

@LanceHedrick can you please send a link to the pressure gauge you have on your robot?

[@endoalley680]

Can you get the newer gauge style fit on an older machine? Oops. I should have waited until the video was over.

[@jevinamsterdam3374]

Ca you share What grinder you using and setting? Thanks

[@tummy_fritters]

When I noticed the Baby in the last video, I literally did a fist pump! Will we be seeing the spring machine in the future?

[@HibiscusFlowerFC]

What about the paper filter? Is it necessary?

[@TeKNiQ50]

Any tips to deal with channeling with light roasts? I am having trouble with this and not sure if there is a strategy specific to the robot

[@cagrerdogan9174]

17:15 Silly goose alert (you love to see it)

[@SureFeelsGood]

how do you like it vs the brua?

[@jesusmedero2065]

What are your thoughts on using shades of coffee puck screen vs the puck screen that comes with the robot

[@greghorsky2747]

Did spring lever and hydro-compression machines fade/fall away in the 70's in favor of pump machines? I must have missed that part lol...

[@fulltang1]

Have you tested the Thundies yet?

[@lazyac_]

what temperature for water?

[@SALTINECRACKUH]

La Pavoni content incoming??

[@goobygoo6105]

funny, dude started talking really fast after sipping espresso 😜

[@BatPotatoes]

I had my eyes on the robot though I couldn't ever justify the cost when a gaggia classic's price is within spitting distance

[@Mandragara]

I'd take Robot of Gaggia

[@artenox7579]

Looks super dope, I would have one for decoration if the price drops on a future sale lmao

[@Klingenschmied]

Why would you buy this just for decoration?

[@artenox7579]

@@Klingenschmied because I like to support businesses that are doing actually good stuff not just selling gimmick cash graps, it's unlikely I replace my espresso machine with this, but could use it to introduce visitors to espresso (apparently It does make a good cup) pulling this out would be less aggressive than a complicated electric expresso machine. And it's beautiful and because I can.

[@deborah_chrysoprase]

If you're going to be on a lever machine reviewing kick, I will certainly subscribe, I would really like one, gravitating towards the flair but really want to know what all is out there have as informed of a purchase as possible :)

[@ikonoklast7]

I JUSS A BABY!!

[@trevorluff8449]

More magic please

[@plupluplutus]

can somebody explain me why I should prefer a (let's say) Lelit Bianca over a Robot? (for just espresso of course)

[@LanceHedrick]

No one can explain because it's subjective. You want semi automation or manual? Robot rocks

[@HibiscusFlowerFC]

I’m only here for the magic trick.

[@Mikey___]

Thanks Lance, great video as always. Would it be possible to brighten up the lighting a little, the dark room and neon lights setup really fatigues my eyes so I've been just listening to your videos recently and not actually watching :(

[@TeKNiQ50]

Lance, do you recommend upgrading to the breville dual boiler from this? Is the temperature that much of a barrier to a quality light roast shot with the robot?

[@yuto03281031]

please chinese EK43 preview

[@atavax311]

nice

[@kcb5150]

If you didn't change the seals on that baby, nos or not you should.

[@LanceHedrick]

Yes I'm aware. Lol

[@Ma_Ba]

@@LanceHedrick Cafelat Robot uses silicone, which lasts longer than rubber, just in case that made misapprehension on the part of any potential customer viewers who could note that extra gasket is easy fix too.

[@ĐÀOBONSAIMIỀNNAM.QUỐCBONSAI]

Bao nhiêu tiền một cái như vậy bạn nhỉ

[@Analyse_US]

Seemed like a long extraction on the Robot..looked like close to 60 seconds.

[@LanceHedrick]

Why do you think that is long? Might need to revisit espresso theory! Cheers

[@Analyse_US]

@@LanceHedrick hah my mistake. Just timed it at 34seconds.

[@anyidulike]

The image is too whitish

[@kasperspardigm]

Im seeing coffee seems to have a culture of its own.... Im assuming store bought coffee beans are probably laughed at conpared to the beans yall are usong????????? Point me in the direction of some beans to give a full blown euphoric feeling possibly????

[@samray3461]

That pressure gauge costs more than the robot. what a joke.

[@LanceHedrick]

Eh. Worth it for me because it fits on all my machines with simple fittings.

[@samray3461]

@@LanceHedrick ah, well at least there's that. Good stuff. I enjoy the Robot immensely but I'm not wow'd by it. I suspect the Niche conical burrs may be the issue. I'm after the excitement I find at local shops. They are certainly using flats.

[@yourfriendwill]

... no scale for your paleo-pull? c'mon, they also didn't have youtube in the 50's & 60's. we're not livin' in that world, this side by side would be far more useful if you'd supplied proper numbers for yer pull. why not provide the details anyone watching this video would want? I'm just baffled. other notes: those slurps are murder on the misophonian lot. the robot gasket isn't rubber, it's silicone

[@wakeawaken430]

I didn't see the video yet, i want only to comment that with robot was nothing new, faema did it first And i am very happy cause i bought a la pavoni 1 month ago and i love to watch about lever machines And i am waiting a la pavoni review from you, with scase2 measurements etc (Edit: there is not a 51mm scase device, you have to do it with Ktype sensor 😭) ....pleeeeeeeeeeeeaseeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!🥺🥺🥺🥺