Cafelat Robot

[mwynne]

Anyone used a Cafelat Robot? Cafelatstore - Robot Espresso Maker - Powder Coating

I've heard extremely good things and would very much like a little manual espresso machine at home. Just trying to decide if I can afford it... (and if it's worth it)

[J_B]

Mine should be here by tomorrow. I’ll let you know

[mwynne]

Please do! I have heard really good things and I want one VERY badly, even if my partner doesn't think it's quite as necessary as I do...

[J_B]

My new toy arrived this morning, and off the bat, this thing is easily worth the money based on construction alone. It’s weighty, the moving parts are rock solid, and the color (bianchi celeste ) is fabulous. Still dialing in the workflow, namely getting a hang of the proper tamping pressure and grind size. I consider myself fairly intuitive and consistent when it comes to any kind of routine involving coffee, so I opted for the model sans pressure gauge. Three test shots and I’ve achieved some interesting and varied results. Will write a more detailed report later on. Time to enjoy a “cafe ride”

[mwynne]

Exciting and promising!

I'm guessing you got the professional, not pressurized basket?

[J_B]

I am using the professional basket, yes. Ironically enough, my Baratza Virtuoso stopped working yesterday afternoon, and my manual espresso grinder is not yet shipped.

All told, I probably pulled about six(?)shots from the Robot— three using a darker-roasted Colombia Santa Barbara, and three using a blend of 50% Colombia Santafe/ 25% Ethiopia Jabanto Natural / 25% Ethiopia Idido, which is the current batch of Counter Culture’s lighter-medium Hologram blend. The latter was definitely more suited to my tastes in coffee, with its more balanced flavors, lemon tart being the primary forward note, tapering off to a milk chocolate finish. The Colombia Santa Barbara I was using prior yielded a more...”traditional” flavor profile as espresso. Palate preferences aside, the workflow is a treat. Because of the way the basket is designed and integrated with the portafilter, there is very little thermal loss when filling water just off the boil. For darker roasted coffee, there is very little need to do any lengthly preheating measures. When switching to a lighter roast, I did find a need (instinctively) to preheat the basket with a brief soak in off-boil water before drying it and dosing in order to extract a balanced shot. I will perform a test to see if results are similar without a pre-heat of the basket when I am able.

I went ahead and purchased the Robot sans pressure gauge since I firmly believe that learning to get a feel for a proper pressure will negate the need for a measured number of force. In other words, trust yourself and your palate. If the shot looks and tastes good, then you’ve done the right thing. The beauty of a manual lever machine is the ability to completely control the extraction right down to the pressure. If the user wants to slowly ramp up the pressure at any point, they are able. The contrary also applies—in one test shot, I observed I may be using too much force, so I relaxed a bit and the extraction seemed to return to normal in the visual sense. The bottomless portafilter is a fun little window into what is happening inside of there.

The only thing that was a bit of a nag was being able to lock in the basket. One would assume that a full 180° rotation would line up the tabs in the unit to lock in the portafilter, however with the Robot it is more of a 90° rotation, assuming one begins entirely adjacent to the front of the unit. Once that was established, it was all quite a breeze. Also, it’s necessary to note that the scale that one uses with the machine be carefully measured in order to fit not only between the legs of the Robot, but also underneath the piston/basket with a cup on top of it. I don’t have a scale small enough, so I relied solely on observing the flow of water, the color of the coffee, and also the elapsed time, and my results were still impressive.

I’ll be waiting for my new grinder like a homesick puppy, and until then, will be sticking to black tea and last week’s cold brew.