The ECM Puristika: How it works

[@Squilliam-Fancyson]

Good explanation. I first thought the Puristika got a unique expansion valve within the ECM lineup. But unless the knob it's the same old valve sitting behind the shiny steel plate. So not rly intended for use during extraction. ECM even says in the manual that you should only use the expansion valve with blindfilter for pre extraction pressure adjustment. Basically the same story as before with the Classika II(PID). Out of curiousity I played around with a improvised knob connected with the valve screw of my Classika PID. I was able to dial back the pressure to about 6 bars, which would make sense to start extraction with. But after playing around for too long with it I screwed up the silicone plug that in conjunction with the spring controls the pressure. There are also two o-rings within the valve plunger, that would brake over time with constant pressure profiled extractions. The better option is definitely the flowmeter that is available for all E61 groups. Changes in Flowrate will affect pressure to some extend too.

[@Dave-ne2jf]

If you want to adjust pressure in real time and don’t want to steam milk, save your money and buy a Flair 58.

[@MrAndrew60]

Amazing simplicity. Did they fix the issue that the group doesn’t heat until the pump kicks on?

[@sebastianbjoernestad]

You say that increasing the brew pressure will increase extraction and lowering the pressure will decrease extraction, but the research made by Chris Hendon proves that its the other way around? The pressure for extraction peak is actually closer to 6 bars. And for those wondering, as the pressure increases the likelihood of channels increase, which will cause a decrease in extraction. At around 6 bars of pressure the pressure is doing a good job at increasing the extraction while not causing excessive channeling!

[@AlazneIturriondobeitia]

And it must be taken into account that the Puristika or machines with a similar pump do not go below 8.5 bars

[@Gk2003m]

Low pressure preinfusion takes care of this. Pre-infuse around 3-4 bar, let bloom, then go with whatever pressure makes you happy for the full shot

[@pserafei]

Would be interesting to see how this machine will work with the ECM flow control gadget

[@Srv02]

It does like a charm

[@cdnmember]

What about flow control? Is this an option on this machine?

[@clivecoffee]

We are working on a flow control device which will be compatible with this machine!

[@iraeich]

@@clivecoffee Removing the steam wand was a mistake. Even the hardest core espresso drinker would like to have that option, from time to time.

[@Srv02]

@@iraeich Not really

[@davebesansonoriginals9932]

How would one go about adjust down to say 6bar of pressure on this machine?

[@kg-Whatthehelliseventhat]

Hey Julia, I really like this machine. The lines running to the water tank, can they be customised to be longer than stock? What other customisations are available? Wooden accents, flow control on the E61 grouphead? Thank you so very much for your time answering my questions.

[@raphaelvilamiu]

So, can we do pressure profiling with this machine? Also, can we have the water tank bellow the machine hiding inside of a cabinet?

[@clivecoffee]

You can do pressure profiling if you get an E61 flow control device. Yes, you can place the reservoir anywhere but the connecting tubes aren't very long.

[@ronykubik]

i still dont get the water reservoir, its heated whole external tank or where is the water heated? My La Pavoni heats all the water inside the machine, how does this one work?

[@clivecoffee]

Very simple. The machine draws water from the external reservoir into the brew boiler. The brew boiler has a heating element that then heats the water inside of it, and a PID controls that temperature. The boiler is never empty and only draws fresh cool water when it's needs. Does that make sense?

[@ronykubik]

@@clivecoffee thank you for your answer. I coulndt find that info:)

[@clivecoffee]

@@ronykubik My pleasure. Cheers!

[@mshah556]

Hi, Where does it make?

[@fgmenth]

so does this work in the same way as a Lelit Bianca?

[@clivecoffee]

Do you mean does the expansion valve work similarly to the flow control paddle?

[@fgmenth]

@@clivecoffee Yeah, and more specifically the workflow. The video is kinda short so I was trying to figure it out.

[@thetruthh.8836]

@@fgmenth no it's not the same, but you can order and mount the flow control kit ;).

[@johnnylovesjesus]

Does the have a timer to turn on automatically in the am?

[@clivecoffee]

It does not. The eco mode will turn it off automatically but not back one. You could leave the machine on and plug it in to a smart timer.

[@nielsaras]

I would love to see you at Clive pulling a perfect shot from that machine

[@jkim972]

I totally understand removing hot water. But steam wand is kind of big deal. Would rather spend little bit more and have steam

[@vex123]

Yea. The main reason why they removed the steam wand is so you can achieve a more steady temperature than a heat exchanger. Otherwise you'd need a dual boiler setup.

[@rxonmymind8362]

Late reply. This will be right up my alley as it has a rotary pump, runs quietly. I typically make my espresso in the morning as my family is asleep. I have a separate milk frother to make foam. A MUCH quieter way of making foam which a steam wand would hiss loudly. Besides I make iced lattes so a steam wand would not appeal to me.

[@trojanhman8136]

Does this unit have pre-infusion?

[@clivecoffee]

You can install a flow control device to the Puristika to use pre-infusion. It does not have automatic pre-infusion though. clivecoffee.com/products/lucca-e61-flow-control

[@trojanhman8136]

@@clivecoffee Thank you.

[@maxraymond2138]

How long does it take for the Puristika to warm up and be ready for an espresso extraction?

[@eddieliao1500]

on the manual, it says about 10 mins.

[@maxraymond2138]

@@eddieliao1500 Thanks

[@pserafei]

It takes 10 minutes to reach temp in the boiler and about 25-30 minutes to reach temp in the group head. But it's winter here and the machine is like 10 degrees Celsius in the morning.

[@AlazneIturriondobeitia]

I have a unit and it really takes half an hour to heat up

@@pserafei In your unit it always heats the head of the E61 without activating the pump? In my unit sometimes it doesn't heat.

[@roblucchetti2993]

im not sure this going to do what they think it's going to do. It SOUNDS like a work around for group head valve to limit pressure at the puck. Pressure valves are generally there for safety.

[@penultimatename6677]

If I didn't know any better I would say ECM is putting one toe in the water. Offering a very rudimentary feature that moves them one very small step in the direction of Decent.

[@adammacfarland6415]

I’m having a hard time seeing the advantage of this machine compared to something like ECM’s own Classika PID which, for $50 more, has steaming, a larger and less awkward reservoir, a more powerful heating element, and comes with two portafilters. To me, the external OPV serves no purpose other than esthetics if it is not used during brewing. Am I missing something else that is not obvious from a paper comparison?

[@clivecoffee]

There are many people who know they will never steam milk. In that case, they may prefer the aesthetics of this machine and choose it over the Classika. If you think you may want to steam milk or would like the option, the Classika is a great choice.

[@anupjsebastian]

Pretty much. You are spot on that it is less value for your money. But I would but this over the classika, even if I want to steam milk occasionally. 1. This looks way better, and that makes it enjoyable to use, and also makes the space look nicer. The classika while not bad looking, just has that generic steel box look which I don't like. Was initially looking at a Linea Mini before I went with this, for the aesthetics, but couldn't justify for home use ($700 for a steam wand upgrade - no way, not for me). 2. Less parts less maintenance and likely points of failure, and having the external OPV is nice and convenient so you can make adjustments without any tools. Easy to open up as well. 3. The external water tank looks nice but is also functional to quickly check the water level, and if you really wanted to, you could probably replace the tubes with longer ones later and have in be connected to a much larger hidden reservoir under your counter or something. 4. For steaming and hot water, I would much rather get this and something compact like a breville bambino on the side. Sure the steaming is slower but you can do it at the same time, or without needing to wait for warmup as that machine is basically instant on. Also the quality of your drink isn't really affected by steaming on the bambino, and the steam performance of that machine is pretty decent. I would fully expect that machine to fail in a couple years, but at 299 along with the free $200 accessory package and beans deal that you can get it from brevilles website, I'd just think of it as getting the machine for free having paid for the accessories and beans. As tech improves, it doesn't seem to make sense to have a large steam boiler heated all day just to use it for a few minutes at home (makes sense in a commercial environment). Same for the brew boiler, but they are usually smaller and require less power, and importantly does make a big enough difference to espresso quality. I would fully expect the next gen of cheap breville machines to get closer (not match tho) to the Decent machine steam performance, and would probably upgrade/replace the bambino at that point. In a way, with this combo you are almost getting E61 Dual boiler performance (not quite) for $1900, with better energy efficiency, and some room for upgrades, down the line. Or you could also use something like a nanofoamer.

[@adammacfarland6415]

@@anupjsebastian so, funny enough, I actually ended up buying one of these for the office. I love it. I don’t mind making coworkers coffee, but I didn’t want the logistical nightmare of steaming milk at work. The Puristika is perfect.

[@JerryLiArt]

@@anupjsebastian agreed

[@Srv02]

They put the OPV in the front because the water reservoir is external and the machine doesn’t have a lid on top.

[@clivecoffee]

Totally! We wanted to make sure users understand its function and how it can benefit them too.

[@Srv02]

@Matthew Hayslett Nope … you can completely drain the system with a screw.

[@zuuzuka]

I'm ok for not having steam but at least have hot water would be better.