Perfect Steam Wand Positioning for 1, 3 and 4 Hole Steam Tips

It is possible to get some good results with the standard steam wand position (explained in the video), but I've found I get MUCH more consistent results by switching it up when using 3 and 4 hole steam tips.
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[@tomarsandbackagain8917]

I'm so mad bro. No one told me this. Not Emily Bryant, James Hoffman, Lance Hedrick, or even morgandrinkscoffee. I literally don't understand. I cannot compute. I've been trying to steam at work like the tip has 1 hole bc I didn't know there was a different technique for 4 holes. I just thought I sucked. That's not fair man

[@homecafecharlie]

Haha try both, and it could just be that the machine doesn't have much power. It makes a big difference 😎

[@jacquesguillotte3270]

👍 You are so right my friend... I was struggling by switching from my old one tip Breville Roma to my new 3 holes tip of my Bellezza Bellona and no one of the so called "influencers" you mentioned dare sharing this secret. What a bunch of selfish egoïst ! ☹️

[@Stan_sprinkle]

@@homecafecharlie I’m gonna try this tip now with My four holes (Bambino plus). Your tips on getting a roll instead of a vortex has made all the difference for me. This should fine tune it further. I guess now I understand why the Breville automatic steaming function works so well with it pointing straight down…. That’s probably why they had to design it with four holes.

[@Stan_sprinkle]

So first try doing this on the Bambino plus, because the wand only has One position for manual steaming mode and it’s at a 45° angle, I can’t really achieve the same behavior you’re showing in the video here. In this case, I do think slightly off-center to the right or left works well, just a lot closer to the center than you would do for a single hole

[@drewseman9389]

This is a weirdly relatable comment

[@Legerma]

You contributed something substantial to the coffee community with this video! Cant thank you enough - Pro X 4-hole owner

[@haaduria32]

why i always stumble upon these videos at night 😢 i will try tomorrow after work and i will come back here to post result

[@AzureJay1214]

how did it go

[@unstable.barista]

This is super helpful. Tried it out as soon as I finished watching, so much difference in the milk's texture and consistency.

[@homecafecharlie]

I'm glad it helped!

[@alphadoll_]

I followed your advice on positioning the steamwand in the centre and I FINALLY got to make beautiful glossy microfoam. THANK YOU SO MUCH 🫶🏽

[@homecafecharlie]

So glad it helped!

[@DH-oh1zr]

It’s 2 am and I am obsessed to create tomorrow mornings cappuccino as perfect as possible. This video is by far the most eye-opening tutorial I have seen within the last two sleepless hours on how I have to exploit by dedica ec680s new milk steamer incl. one or three of its holes as suggested by you. You chad, are the man! Thanks a lot(te!)

[@homecafecharlie]

Oh me oh my, I hope your cappuccino doesn't give you any more sleepless nights my dude! 😍

[@DH-oh1zr]

@@homecafecharlie it wooooooorrrkkkwwd. I can’t believe it! I am still awwwwiiing in front of my coffee like I had 10 of them. Thanks again! You made my day!

[@Afzalive]

@@DH-oh1zr This is awesome and I'm very much looking forward to my tomorrow morning's cappuccino!! Did you use the built-in panarello, or the inside tip, or did you mod it with the Silvia wand??

[@yun514]

Dude I have a commercial machine still not know how to make nice perfect foam yet . Seeing my steam tip I it had 3 hole instead 1 .

[@henrikeverheijen153]

I can’t believe my eyes! I have an ECM Mechanika with 2 holes that went quite well but was also curious about their 3.4.5 hole tips. And did not manage to create beautiful foam anymore until I found your tutorial ❤. Any tips (pun intended😂) for the 5 hole tip? Love from the Netherlands!

[@soeyannaung9654]

Found your video on my day off, can't wait to start my shift and try ur four holes technique.

[@realretrorelapse]

THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! I was a professional barista like 20 years ago and I was AWESOME at making the perfect, silky foam. Literally had coworkers ask to teach them. I tried my old technique on my new home machine and I can't get a roll. So frustrating. Now I see that with this 1 hole steam wand I need to do a completely different method. I was so mad lol. Thanks again!!!

[@homecafecharlie]

Glad it helped you!

[@dr.angerous]

Oh god finally found this. Jeez. The only one video on whole yt finally explained this. God. Thanks

[@homecafecharlie]

You're welcome!

[@dr.angerous]

@@homecafecharlie awesome 😎

[@AnggerikHitam]

I've been practicing from 2 holes to 4 holes. All i got was a thick foam. Gladly found your video and only 1 try i got a silky smooth milk. Thanks!

[@homecafecharlie]

Great well done!!!

[@checkmvv]

Thanks for this video. I'm a beginner and was trained in 3 steamer before. Later then have been struggling in the past 2 weeks for using the 4 hole steamer. Looking around the solution online and still didn't get a clue until I saw this. Will definitely try it on tomorrow.

[@homecafecharlie]

I hope it helps you 😉

[@andreiakg]

Wow this is a treasure! Thank you! ! never knew you have to position the want differently according to the wand holes.

[@homecafecharlie]

I'm glad you found it useful!

[@shuuya_ch]

this was a life saver, i was having a mental breakdown at work because of this

[@homecafecharlie]

😅

[@benholland3682]

This is super handy. Ive been putting way too much air in my milk. I can pour a basic heart, an apple or a leaf but my foam has never had the definition and also sometimes too buoyant. Cheers!

[@my_beard_vs_your_beard6001]

I’ve been trying to prepare the milk with my 4 hole steam wand like a one hole forever and it’s always been crazy inconsistent. Thank you for clearing this up.

[@Lexxo777]

Ahh... thank you! Was having no luck on my new machine with 4 holes, this worked better!

[@michaelestrinone2111]

Thank you! I have the same Silvia Pro X and I was doing the steaming wrong. Just had my morning coffee, will wait to do your method int the afternoon.

[@shinycheeto5779]

Late comment but thanks so much for the video. I have the same Rancilio and couldn’t get silky milk after all the other videos I watched. Putting it in the center was the trick!

[@homecafecharlie]

Awesome! I'm so glad it helped!

[@trannel73]

Thank you very much, Sir! We’ve got a super large La Cimbali machine in our office and I struggled with the steam wand (coming from a Leli Bianca dual boiler at home). Positioning the steam wand in the middle made so much more sense. I’m running the leli Bianca with 2 holes… but 3/4 in the office, with so much more power is such a game changer. :D

[@homecafecharlie]

Glad it's working out for you. Learning how your machine works is OP 😜

[@avr198]

I inherited a LM and it's a few grades above my abilities, so for the life of me couldn't get it right. Thank you so much. You made it register that the steam holes were essentially 'blowing air' and it's about knowing where to position the holes (not where to position the steam wand) to get the milk to spin -- or the way I think about it now is, where to position the air to whip the milk... Thank you!!!

[@greggeis918]

Thanks for posting this. Got my 4 hole steam tip in about a week ago and after trying my best with my usual vortex technique it was just obvious there was something I was missing. Giving this a try in the morning! Love how fast it is but I couldn’t get it to stop gulping air.

[@juantastico]

Hi I would like to buy the 4 whole tip for my Pro X, do you know the part number or where can I buy this? Thanks

[@AsCitiesBurn32]

@@juantasticohmm, I’m not sure the part number but the default steam tip for the pro X is now the four hole. I’d imagine if you look for replacement ones it might get you in the direction.

[@juantastico]

@@AsCitiesBurn32 hi thanks for your reply in Europe the standard is 3 wholes, I will keep looking. Have a nice day and thanks again

[@shenarivera-nguyen7067]

Hi, I have the breville touch it has a four hole steam wand. I don’t have control on the level of the tip after aerating it as it is positioned on the tray on the sensor. And I cannot for the life of me achieve silky wet paint milk. Help!

[@greggeis918]

@@shenarivera-nguyen7067if you’re using the automatic frothing mode then none of this matters. It isn’t perfect but in my experience it has been fine. I like to use manual but when I have used the auto mode your three have to turn down my froth level to something like a 2 or 3 or it gets way too foamy. You can also adjust the level of the milk which I bring about 1/4” over the neck. Finally you can adjust the position so it is off center and can create a bit of a vortex. It’s also import to purge the wand before hit steam, let it spit out all the water, turn it off and right away lift it and put your milk in and resume. You can also learn to steam manual by pulling the lever out and hitting steam.

[@seunghwanlee7681]

Thank you so much. the 4-tip method works perfectly!

[@Conan_1997]

So that’s what was wrong with my milk steaming technique!!!!! I thought I really sucked at using a La Marzocco Linea Mini….the tip is different???? How come no one mentioned this before 🤬🤬🤬🤬 Thanks a lot bro Edit: I tried your technique this morning and it worked like magic….forever grateful 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@homecafecharlie]

Awesome glad it helped you!!!

[@Conan_1997]

Subscribed ❤

[@Conan_1997]

@@homecafecharlie Now that I’ve perfected steaming full fat milk (thanks to you of course)…how do I go about steaming low fat milk and lactose free milk? Same technique?

[@homecafecharlie]

@@Conan_1997 I have a trick for non-fat milk I used in the cafe. Put just a drop (20ml or so) of full fat milk into it. Gives just enough fat content to make a silkier milk. If it's just non-fat (skinny) latte, it won't work. I've never gotten good results with 0% fat milk. Plus it's gross and unhealthy haha

[@Conan_1997]

@@homecafecharlie Thanks again brother 🙏🏼 Mad respect for engaging with followers and responding to questions/queries, I will follow your advice 🙏🏼

[@raiyantyrone5132]

I'm really glad someone took the time to talk about this. I'd also like to add, with one hole steamwands, it's better to tilt the milk jug to get a better vortex

[@Majnun74]

Exactly what I needed to know! I had no idea about the steam holes

[@Michelsen3K]

Thank you so much for this well explained video! Finally made it with a 2-hole tip. Technique is the same. This is so valueble for us 🎉😊 no more 1-hole vortex 😂

[@julian7]

mind = blown! I just made my first adequate foam in years on my Bezzera with its default 4 holes wand.

[@homecafecharlie]

Well done!

[@theWillN]

well this explains why my 4 hole steam tip on my linea has been making it so difficult for me to steam for the past 2 years LOL. thought I was just terrible.

[@homecafecharlie]

Nah it just takes a bit of practice. If you want to send me a clip on my discord I can give you some pointers ;)

[@jacquesguillotte3270]

👍Thank you very much Charlie 👑 for sharing your experience and what you have learned by switching from 1 to 4 holes tip wand. I was struggling myself with my new 3 holes tip Bellezza Bellona. I am mad about those so called "influencers" like Hendrick, Hoffmann etc. for not sharing this personal knowledge of theirs. They are a bunch of selfish egoïst. ☹️

[@homecafecharlie]

I think those guys are great and know their stuff. They probably just have bigger fish to fry, but I bought a bunch of steam tips and wanted to talk about what I learned 😉 I hope it helped you with your 3 hole steamer

[@jacquesguillotte3270]

@@homecafecharlie Thanks a lot Charlie for answering to my comments the diplomatically way. II am looking forward

[@varolacikalin]

Thanks for posting 4 hole steam tip. Awesome

[@sciencescience9102]

That’s why I don’t see the swirl of the milk every time with my four-hole wand even following all the steps suggested by the pros. And my husband, who did not watch a single video and claimed just wanting to warm up the milk, went straight with the pitcher and got perfectly glossy milk almost every time!

[@homecafecharlie]

😅 it takes some practice, but the correct practice

[@noinimod]

Fantastic knowledge sharing. Thank you Charlie!

[@bokapetkovic8464]

Man thanks a lot. I have ECM Technika II it’s awesome machine, made in Italy. Old but gold. I wanted to give up and sell it because of this trick. Thank you a lotttt. I already try it and it’s much much better 🙏

[@homecafecharlie]

Amazing, so glad it helped you!

[@namorcaz]

Thank you so much omg. You have no idea

[@oxstorm644]

how was this not taught to me in my costa training.. had a few shifts now and was starting to doubt my skills. i noticed less of angle was getting me a better result. i had a look at the steam wand tip and suddenly it all makes sense! thanks for the explanation, this is really gonna help

[@homecafecharlie]

Good on you for going out of your way to be a better barista! Your customers are lucky to have a barista who cares enough to gain skills beyond basic training!

[@philyb3883]

Thanks for the video! I just bought a 4 pack of rocket steam tips (ranging from 2 to 4 holes) to play around with and this video will definitely help me figure out the best way to use them.

[@homecafecharlie]

I'm so glad it helped you 😁

[@Michelsen3K]

which one of those steaming tips was your final choice? I find the 4hole a little to agressive. Trying with the 3holes atm

[@CharisGR2023]

Thank a lot for your information. Really a very helpful video.

[@Wayne-Jones]

Very helpful, thanks 👍

[@bahtiarzulham]

This is really helpful to understand how to steam on every amount of tip holes. Great Job Man, Kudos!!!

[@NatJulianBelza]

I practiced with a 1 hole. I start with the tip and then I go deeper after a few seconds. Angling works wonders if you ask me.

[@TheGuitarLesson]

My breville baridta pro eand had 4 holes, but they are sort of facing forward, not sideways like yours... So with this in mind, should I do the traditional 1hole angle, or your 4 hole one? Thanks!

[@homecafecharlie]

Try the 1 hole method in that case..usually the steam tips are in an array facing outwards.

[@ebusive]

Im definitely going to practice this with water. Even with my Silvia Pro I can't for the life of me get microfoam

[@shanewilson2152]

Great video Charlie, l just have a one hole tip

[@dawsons3424]

Amazing.

[@grant88889]

I couldn’t do the 4 holes on the Silvia Pro so got a custom one hole tip from Chris Coffee. Way easier in my opinion for those struggling with the 4 hole tip.

[@homecafecharlie]

I thought the same, that's why I got a 1 hole, but then I got used to it and now I can't go back 😉

[@BeelzeRobert]

I wanted to get some tips for myself but got stuck on you showing off with your two-boilered Silvia pro while steaming the milk and pulling the shot at the same time. I want so too!

[@HaekalAlchatieb]

THIS, thanks man 😉👌

[@brmbltbr4]

Mine has two holes...

[@MaxVsLife]

Hey man, thanks so much for this video! I've really struggled with the 3-hole tip my Pro X has, but this helped! Question: where did you buy these nozzles? I'd love to try out the 1 and 4 hole tips but can't find the right ones anywhere.

[@homecafecharlie]

I don't remember where I bought them, I think I just looked up "Rancilio Silvia steam tip". The 1 hole one from the Silvia V4 (I think) and above fits. Not the hexagon shaped one, it's the same steam wand so try that for the 1 hole tip.

[@foodiefan4lifez]

Charlie, you saved me with this video! Thank you! But where did you buy the one hole steam tip? Does Ranchilio sell those?

[@homecafecharlie]

Yes, you can use the one hole steam tip from the single boiler Rancilio Silvia (I think V4 and above). They cost about £8 or something from any local espresso machine parts site.

[@nicholaskroll8]

Had my Spaziale for a week, with a 4 hole tip and a ton of power, and I was 100% failing at this process because I was using 1-2 hole techniques. I’m about 5 tries into this technique and while nowhere near perfect all 5 have been actually combined and way better than any attempt before. Thank you!! If you had to say where the tip was pointed at the bottom of the pitcher how would you describe it? Right off dead center pointing straight down? If I’m understanding the video. Thank you again!

[@homecafecharlie]

That's awesome glad to hear it! Yes right down in the middle always gets me the best and most consistently aerated milk foam 😎

[@nicholaskroll8]

🎉🎉 Love your posts!

[@sameersathaye]

You da man!

[@quaxie]

Why is this the first time I am hearing this.

[@homecafecharlie]

I don't really know. Emilee Bryant teased me about it when we met last year cos she said I acted like this was hidden knowledge that all the pros were hoarding for themselves 🤣

[@quaxie]

@@homecafecharlie Jerks I say, they all pour the single hole style. No wonder I have such a hard time on the simonelli with 4 holes. Well once that back out on the test bench going try this.

[@JohnSmith-zy1ur]

Thank you ❤

[@lycantrophy024]

jesus christ ur d only one know this. thank you. bbecause other guys like hoffman did evem have this kindd

[@cuquis77]

Y a que temperatura queda la leche?, yo estoy teniendo problemas para espumar la leche ya que se acaba el vapor antes de que la leche tenga la temperatura de 60-70°C , como en 45°C y si la dejo asi me queda tibio el cafe.

[@marcelakarinadelosangelesr6379]

OMG!! cant wait to try this tomorrow ctm :'-) hopefully it's the reason why my coffees suck, i'll tell you tomorrow ;-) *finger crossed*

[@donutwindy]

In the video, it looked like the 4 hole was necessarily producing some big bubbles right in the center near the wand, is this avoidable or does it matter? And how does the foam compare between 1 and 4 holes or does that depend on the power of the machine? Now I'm thinking that if the proper technique with a 4 hole is just stick it in the middle, then that would be something that would be easy to automate yet automated machines still use panarellos for some reason. Someone tell Breville to get on this. Or perhaps not as then I'd drink nothing but lattes and mochas and gain 20 pounds.

[@homecafecharlie]

Haha yeah it still needs some adjustment. The 1 hole is generally easier to use and more consistent if you're a beginner, but it takes a LOT longer. 4 holes will get a better microfoam if you use it properly. Any big bubbles in my videos are deepfake Russian disinformation fake news and should be ignored 😇

[@zzz5824]

Simply.. froth water coffee 1:1 then sugar 2::1:1 Let sit Froth more Put cup in mini oven, ceramic heats better Best way Carmalise water sugar Throw in capuccino

[@homecafecharlie]

🤪

[@Gold_Ken]

2:43 Can someone expand more on how to steam with 3 hole tip?? I’m still a bit confused on the explanation

[@soumynonareverse7807]

If you had a GCP or a Lelit Anna, what tip would you recommend?

[@navinraju]

On your Silvia Pro X, i noticed you turned the knob about two turns. Is it not recommended to turn it all the way up? I’m new at this and was under the impression I should crank it full steam ahead. Thanks for making this video and hope to hear back.

[@homecafecharlie]

There's a certain point after which it's fully open. Don't need to go all the way to the end 😉

[@nikolausn4443]

Thanks Charlie! Never made a mind about this, but it sounds logic :) My machine have a 2 hole tip, which are paralell and close together. Would you recommend to use it like a 1 hole tip?

[@homecafecharlie]

If they are close together pointing the same way, treat it like a 1 hole 😉

[@jhak6]

Which one did you find your favorite or the easiest to use? TIA

[@homecafecharlie]

It's a trade-off. For beginners the one hole steam tip is easier to control, but I don't think I could go back. I use a 4 hole steam tip at home now

[@FuzzFace]

Dope

[@alejrandom6592]

Nice

[@3ede467]

This video was confusing me as hell because I was thinking that my new Rancilio Silvia Pro X had a 4-hole tip by default and I have not been able to create that vortex. Then I realized that it actually has just 3 holes… 😂

[@homecafecharlie]

🤣

[@FinalRhapsodyMusic]

What about a steam tip with 2-holes, but angled almost 90 deg appart? Like on the ECM Synchronika for example?

[@homecafecharlie]

I would use that in a similar way to the 3 hole. You need to control the swirl, so angle into the side and make sure the hiss is quiet mostly from one hole. The other should help with the roll!

[@akokada973]

Gaggia classic got 2 tips. Im sad.

[@homecafecharlie]

I wish I could have gotten a 2 hole for the Silvia to test, but I could only find a side by side one, not one with different directions 😭

[@combetgaming3071]

What about four tips and 2 bar temp steam??

[@russelli4485]

What about 2 holes ?) my steamer has 2

[@Cccoast]

No answer… it he says use the one hole steam technique.

[@omegadejavu92]

:(

[@juantastico]

Hi I would like to buy the 4 whole tip for my Pro X, do you know the part number or where can I buy this? Thanks

[@ramiralvarez3880]

Hi sir, i am using 5 holes for my coffee machine.can you give an idea how to use so i can create a good milk texture.thanks

[@homecafecharlie]

Never seen a 5 hole steam tip. I imagine it's similar to a 4 hole. Give it a try and if you're struggling send a video to my discord chat and I can give you feedback

[@lucatonipeperoni]

Can someone give me a tip for my bezzera duo? Its a 2 hole tip and the steamwand is pretty short and I cant pull it out a lot. The angle is more steeper down compared to my old sage/breville. I‘m having problems getting a good vortex with the steep angle of the steamwand

[@timpiiiss]

I line up with everyone else, change to 4 holes early done the same thing from the beginning tilt the jug make a vortex... But this makes everything way more easy 🫠 maybe I can convice my gf to steam her own milk now 😅 Thanks for this!

[@paologallares3634]

❤❤❤

[@Joebabylon]

Ok so the wand is pointing straight down, slightly off center but the jug is angled or horizontal?

[@homecafecharlie]

Angled 😉

[@mugiajipratama9010]

I followed your tutorial for 4 holes steam tip and what i get is that the milk doesn't even have the microfoam. It's just getting hot to the point that it has burnt smell😅 can you please kindly tell me where di i do wrong ? i usually steam around 200ml milk with small pitcher. and sorry for my bad english

[@homecafecharlie]

If there's no microfoam you're not getting air injected. Can you hear the hiss? Are you lowering the jug till you hear the air injecting?

[@lycantrophy024]

can you help with a thin steaming wand w/ 1 pin hole. what is the right position of the wand? is the tip of the pinhole submerge or half of it??

[@homecafecharlie]

Size of the steam arm shouldn't matter. I would do the same thing with any size wand. Just submerge it to the point that you get a roll, that's the most important thing!

[@lycantrophy024]

thank you. okay my only problem now is the chirping sound. i success made a whirlpool

[@smarsh599]

Thanks for this Charlie. I have a tip which has an aerator attachment. What do you recommend for this?

[@homecafecharlie]

Take it off if you can! That's what I used to do with the DeLonghi machine I had when I started. It should have 1 or 2 holes under the plastic aerator, so you can do something with that while you look for your upgrade 😅

[@smarsh599]

@@homecafecharlie Yes my machine is a de Longhi. If I take the aerator tip off it just leaves a very short plastic stub which won't reach the milk. I'll see if I can find a replacement tip.

[@loukasmallios5811]

Hey, I have a delonghi bar14f. Its steam wand has a white plastic that looks like a bell and it has one hole. Shall I use a different technique to produce latte art or is it the same with the single hole technique demonstrated in this video? Your answer would be really helpful...

[@homecafecharlie]

The bell ones are autofrothers. The same technique won't work with that. I used to take the bell off and use the metal part of the wand but it didn't work well. You might need an upgrade to get better milkfoam 😅

[@alifaisal5588]

Hi Charlie, I have Delonghi La Specialista Maestro with 3 holes tip. i tried so hard to make a smooth silky foam but i couldn't. no Swirls and foam separates from the milk. appreciate your advice.

[@homecafecharlie]

Might be tough with that machine, it doesn't have all that much power. Try the same technique with a little less milk.

[@TheRockStar777]

Man I’ve tried every thing possible and I still can’t froth and get that nice silky texture from my Silvia Pro X. This video makes sense in theory but it doesn’t work for me. I don’t know what else to do. I’ve tried center, off center, putting the tip at the surface, submerging the tip to the bottom, opening the valve full, half way, quarter way, same result each time. Boiling milk with no texture. I have a temperature gauge and it gets wayy too hot too fast and the steam is way too powerful. I’ve used different types of milk (usually use grass fed whole milk) and tried different sized pitchers. I’m open for suggestions. I just bought this machine but I’m strongly considering sending it back or something. Makes great espresso but steaming is impossible with this machine.

[@homecafecharlie]

Add me @homecafecharlie on IG and send me a video, I'll give you some pointers

[@TheRockStar777]

@@homecafecharlie Just did !

[@Acxtcx]

I wish i knew this sooner. Wasted like 1,292,829 liters of milk already. Im using 4 holes steam wand

[@homecafecharlie]

🤣 you and me both

[@furkanoe6276]

Hey we have one with 5 holes, do you maybe know how to use this one i cant find any tutorials

[@homecafecharlie]

I've never seen a 5 holes one before but probably going with the 4 hole technique would be more likely to work.

[@Russel.Idrive]

I directly pointed down my 4 hole machine and it got bubbly. Why it doesnt work for me?

[@homecafecharlie]

Make sure you're not pulling in too much air. It should be under the surface just enough to start pulling in air, but slowly, like a hiss not a gurgle. Keep trying you'll get it!

[@Alex-zv4oc]

I understood the 4 tip is not available in Europe. The 3 tip is send with the machine and the 4 in US. Anyone knows where I can buy the 4 tip in Europe for the Silvia pro X?

[@homecafecharlie]

I'm not sure where you might get it since it comes with the machine. I checked the espresso shop where I got the 1 hole for this video, but they didn't have the 4 hole. Probably best to contact Rancilio 😉

[@larry770]

Hey Charlie, what about the six holes steam wand from synesso. does it work the same way?

[@homecafecharlie]

Ah I couldn't say for sure as I've never tried one!!! 😅

[@nicksorrento9901]

What happens if you do all the steps but your milk is still watery…. I’m new to steam wands and can’t seem to get a good foam or micro foam. 😢

[@homecafecharlie]

Could be a lot of things. Make sure to purge the steam wand first to get water out. Add more air if it's not thick enough and if it gets too foamy make sure to bury the wand and get a good roll to incorporate

[@VoeHermes]

Hello, by any chance, you own Rancilio Silvia V6, and you are willing to test if V6 is good for using 3 hole steam tip?

[@homecafecharlie]

I don't have a Silvia anymore 😅 it's a great machine, but it's difficult to get enough power. I was using a one whole steam tip and that seemed to work the best

[@homecafecharlie]

The one in the video is a Pro X

[@VoeHermes]

@@homecafecharlie I was not expecting I would receive your reply, to be honest. Thanks you for your reply. I will not find 2 holes for my Silvia V6 for now. Thanks again.

[@Joan6000]

Wand position is the key if you position the wand in the middle then it s done?

[@homecafecharlie]

Not as simple as that. Think of it as how much air, how fast the air goes in (small bubbles Vs big bubbles) and how well the milk is mixed together.

[@TheAlbaz]

I switched from a 4hole to a 1hole and I just can’t stretch the milk properly anymore. Maybe I’m the minority but a 1hole wand is much more difficult to use than a 4….and after 3 weeks I’m still struggling

[@homecafecharlie]

It depends a lot on what you are used to. For me switching from one to four was really hard, but now it's hard to go back 🤣 The main thing that makes a one-hole easier for beginners is that it takes longer to steam. So you have more time. But if you are already used to it four hole steam tip, they are generally better in my opinion

[@rhett237]

Meanwhile I’m over here with the 2 hole wand GCP

[@talhacaglayan8843]

I want to buy a machine with which i can do good silky milk for Latte Art.Would you recommend the rancilio Silvia pro x for that?

[@homecafecharlie]

Absolutely. Mine has been great! There are certainly better machines for latte art, but most of them are significantly more expensive. The main thing is having that high steam power, and using the right kind of coffee (darker roasts, 10-15 days off the roast). My latte art has improved a lot with the Pro X 😉

[@talhacaglayan8843]

@@homecafecharlie Thank you that helps alot. I am currently using the delonghi dedica (was a present from my gf) and want to upgrade to the pro x. As the grinder, i am planing on getting the eureka mignon oro. I appreciate your videos. Stay safe!

[@robducrowasmr4082]

Omg can you please send me a 4 hole tip haha, I can't for the life of me find one in the UK. 😅🙏

[@homecafecharlie]

Ohhhh mine came with the machine, not sure where I'd find one but make sure you look up the right one for your machine 😉

[@user-vt7ql7zd8d]

Whats for 2?

[@homecafecharlie]

Mostly same as 1 works, but depends on the arrangement (straight or out to sides)

[@itshibi9037]

Ok but with my machine which is a 4 hole it is impossible to get the wand perfectly straight down.

[@homecafecharlie]

Doesn't have to be perfect, just down rather than at a steep angle. Which machine are you using?

[@daggerNC86]

Thank you Charlie for another enlightening steaming video. Even after 7 months with my ECM Classika with steam temp set to 267*, I have yet to produce steamed milk with fully integrated microfoam (I usually either get too much dry foam, or steamed milk). It came with a 2-hole tip and I think the orientation is not optimal with the holes at 9 and 3 o'clock versus 12 and 6. So I ordered a 4-hole, and that produces a lot more steam but I still didn't get good microfoam. So I bought a 3-hole tip and I like the visual swirl/roll I can produce, but my holes are 12-3-9 oclock, so not equilateral like the 3-hole tip I believe I saw you have. Would my 3-hole require further angle changes? It also looks like with the 3-hole you don't put the wand in contact in the spout? Any additional guidance/suggestions are much appreciated. Cheers.

[@homecafecharlie]

There are certain positions that work well, but if you break it down to first principles, the most important thing is that you can inject air slowly (light hiss), and you can get a lot of movement between the to and bottom of the jug, what I call a roll. Incorporating the milk is what will change your latte from looking like fluff on top that you can't control to clean silky lines. Small bubbles, well incorporated. That's the key

[@daggerNC86]

@@homecafecharlie Thank you Charlie for the response! What I now experience with the 3-hole is it is very hard to get a "light hiss" as when I slowly bring the tip close to the surface of the milk, there is so much turbulence/vortex like movement that I usually get a few big "slurps" before I can control it with kisses of air. I wonder if the 3-hole @ 267*F is too much pressure and maybe I should drop it down say 5*? Again - thank you for your "real" and educational videos on this great espresso journey we take. Cheers.

[@Michelsen3K]

​@@daggerNC86Hi Dagger! How is your 3-holes steam tip working on your ECM classika. I have the setuo. Tried 4 holes and switched to the exact 3holes from ecm tip you've mentioned. I think i go back to 4holes. Btw. I don't think 267F is too much. I already tried 140degrees celsius, that's 284F and was fine. Suoer fast temperatur raising, but good preassure over 2Bars (which seems too much) right now i am at 135Celsius (1,75bar)

[@donachille3351]

Wait, why didn't he make the whirlpool effect?

[@homecafecharlie]

In my experience a roll (up and down) is better than rotation only (round and round). Often when you see videos of rotation without a roll, they won't be getting as good of a microfoam. You need that up and down rotation to evenly distribute the air bubbles

[@zzz5824]

Hey want to help me build an engine for commercial hydrogen steam power generator