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I would recommend a more powerful grinder that can offer a consistent, finer grind. Many grinders under $50 can grind for the occasional espresso, but should be used primarily for drip coffee and French press. Prices for heavier-duty espresso grinders start at about $70, and usually have a low-speed, gear-reduction motor or a low-speed, direct drive motor. For an espresso grinder that can offer the consistency that you need to get the great shot that your espresso machine is capable of providing, you should consider the Gaggia MDF. This is the grinder designed to match Gaggia machines. For more information on the different types of grinders, please read our article I have attached below, titled "Coffee Grinder Buying Guide."

As an alternative, you could buy vacuum-sealed containers and have someone grind your espresso into those for you to try and keep your ground coffee as fresh as possible.

In regards to your question about the perfect crema device, it has been discontinued due to its inconsistency, as it required quite a bit of adjustment before it yielded ideal results. For the best espresso, follow what we call "The Golden Rule," which I have attached for you below. One final note- if you haven’t already, I recommend investing in a 58mm tamper. This will also help you to get a more even shot.

Coffee Grinder Buying Guide
The Golden Rule
Tampers
Vacuum Coffee Saver
Gaggia MDF

Refurbished machines, excluding Capresso models, come with a six-month warranty covering limited parts and labor through Whole Latte Love. Before a machine can be offered through the Outlet, our technical staff carefully inspects it to ensure it is in perfect working order, so you can always be sure you’re getting the best in quality and performance. Each refurbished machine comes complete with all components that are necessary for proper use.

Capresso refurbished machines come with a full one-year warranty and all repairs will go directly through the manufacturer. Before these machines were made available for resale, Capresso’s own technicians carefully inspected each machine to ensure it is in perfect working order. Each refurbished Capresso machine comes complete with all the accessories that normally come with a new product.

For more information on our refurbished machines, please read the article linked below and visit the Whole Latte Love Outlet.

Whole Latte Love Refurbs

Whole Latte Love Outlet

Comments (1)

There are a few things that will help get your espresso hot. The first, which you mentioned, is letting the machine heat up a little longer before you use it. Make sure that the temperature ready light comes on before you try to use the machine. After the machine says its up to temperature, you’ll also want to run a "blank shot". This is simply activating the brew function while the empty portafilter is in place to allow hot water to come through the brew group and portafilter. In addition, you should preheat the cup you’ll be brewing into with hot water. Cold brew groups, portafilters, and cups will absorb the heat from your espresso, making it colder and reducing the amount of crema you get. Preheating all of these components prevents that from happening and helps you to get the perfect shot.

The Achille does have a frothing wand that’s mounted on the right side of the machine. Gaggia also built this machine with a heat exchanger boiler, so there’s no wait time between brewing and steaming.

Like all manual espresso machines, the Achille does have a bit of a learning curve to it. This is because the barista - you - controls the rate at which water flows through the ground coffee in the portafilter by using the brewing lever. Everything else about the Achille is just as easy as any semi automatic. It has a Turbo Frother that makes frothing easier and a heat exchanger boiler so you don’t even have to wait for the machine to change temperature when you’re switching from brewing to frothing. So once you get brewing down, using the Achille will be a breeze.

There are several possible causes of this problem. Please follow the instructions below to determine the cause:

Solution 1

The most common cause is an uneven tamp. Make sure that you’re not tamping more heavily on one side of the portafilter, as water will try to find its way through the path of least resistance - the more lightly tamped side. If you’ve determined that this isn’t the case, you may want to clean the shower screen. Follow Solution 2 for instructions.

Solution 2

The shower screen is located right above where the portafilter attaches to the brew group. It is used to evenly disperse water over the coffee grounds when you brew. As a daily maintenance routine, you should remove the portafilter after brewing and then press the brew button for a few seconds to let the water clean off any grounds that may be stuck to the screen.

More thorough cleaning should be done about once every other week to keep the machine working at its best. To clean the shower screen thoroughly, follow these instructions:

1. Use a short Phillips-head screwdriver to remove the screw in the center of the shower screen. The shower screen should fall out into your hand.
2. Soak the screen and screw in descaler and use an old toothbrush or group brush to clean them. DO NOT push a pin through the holes in the screen. It can cause future clogs because it will enlarge the small holes.
3. Rinse the shower screen and screw thoroughly.
4. Replace the shower screen and screw.