Why does nobody talk about how long it takes to dial in a new espresso machine?

I got a used Rancilio Silvia off Facebook Marketplace about 6 weeks ago and I thought I'd have it figured out in a weekend. Well, it's been 6 weeks and I still can't pull a shot that doesn't channel or taste sour... I've gone through like 3 bags of beans from a local roaster in Portland trying to get the grind right. Turns out I was tamping way too hard and the machine's pressure was all over the place because of a gasket issue. I finally replaced the gasket last Tuesday and the first shot came out drinkable but still not great. Has anyone else spent way longer than they expected getting a used machine to behave?

3 comments

3 Comments

simon_carr16d ago

Tamping harder actually helps with channeling, you might be going too light now.

evan54316d ago

yeah totally with you on this @simon_carr, i had the same thing happen when i started out. i was doing this super light tamp cause everyone online said not to press too hard, but i kept getting these weird channels in my shots. finally i just said screw it and pushed down harder and it made a huge difference. i mean, you're not trying to crush the puck into dust or anything, but a solid firm tamp is way better than being too delicate. idk why people make it sound so complicated sometimes, just press down like you mean it and you're usually fine.

stella_scott9616d ago

yeah totally agree with you on the tamping thing @evan543, i used to be so scared of pressing too hard cause of all the videos saying "just level it off lightly" but honestly i think that advice is more for people with super expensive machines that have perfect pressure already. my silvia has this old vibe pump that's kind of inconsistent and a firm tamp actually helps even things out way more than being gentle. i started doing a solid 30lb press and the channeling almost disappeared on my end. plus with a used machine like that you're fighting against years of wear and tear so you gotta compensate somewhere. i also found that fresh beans make a huge difference too, like if your roaster gave you something that was roasted more than 2 weeks ago it's gonna be way harder to dial in even with perfect technique.