My Coffee Journey #6 – Finally, the Espresso Machine

Brewing coffee with Kompresso for 2 weeks, I enjoyed drinking this sweet espresso-like coffee. With a cheap Ikea milk frother, I sometimes made a caffè latte. However, the brewing process was over-complicated. I needed many tools to brew one cup of caffè latte. If I wanted to brew more, I had to clean all the tools and redo the same process, which is troublesome and time-consuming. An espresso machine was essential to simplify the brewing process. Therefore, I started searching for my ideal espresso machine.

I had a limited budget. Prosumer-grade espresso machines like Breville the Dual Boiler were then out. Gaggia Classic Pro (GCP) was one of the espresso machines available in the Asia Miles store. Due to the lockdown, I couldn’t use my Asia Miles points for flight tickets. Thus it looked like 60% off on buying the machine – less than 2000 HKD.

There were 2 other reasons to choose GCP. It fits in my tiny kitchen – though I still sacrificed one of the two stoves. The second reason was that GCP is a well-known model for customisation. I might troubleshoot the problem by disassembling the machine myself.

In May 2022, the machine was delivered, but I didn’t have the essential equipment. I had to buy a tamper, a VST basket, a WDT tool, a bottomless portafilter, and Eureka Specialita, the electric grinder. Much more money was spent. It is hard to find espresso equipment in the market in Hong Kong. Most coffee fairs sell drip coffee equipment.

GCP is an affordable machine that can brew good espresso. It is easy to be disassembled for maintenance. However, the brewing pressure is much higher than the standard. I then bought an Over Pressure Valve (OPV) kit, which caused a few hundred HKD, and replaced the original spring. The machine doesn’t show the water temperature either. The customisation community told me I could install a Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) kit, which cost a few hundred HKD, again. This would maintain a stable temperature.

Here is my advice: If you are fascinated by brewing home espresso, save more money and invest in a prosumer-grade espresso machine. It is irrational to buy a 5000-dollar espresso machine and spend another thousand dollars for the “plug-ins”. And you, the user, are responsible for the installation. Why don’t I spend 7000 HKD for a machine which I don’t have to worry about the extra plug-ins?

Without a PID kit, I couldn’t read the temperature. I then learned some hacks to tame GCP. Temperature surfing and poor man’s pre-infusion help control the brewing temperature and pressure. I also learned a hack to steam the milk.

GCP solved the issues when brewing with Kompresso. Now I don’t need a kettle or a microwave oven. All I need is the espresso machine. However, it is still unavoidable for me to memorise plenty of steps in brewing espresso. Practising day and night, I have internalised brewing espresso and steaming milk with so many steps.

Since July 2021, from brewing drip bag coffee to espresso, I have learned a lot (and spent a lot) from the tools, experiments, and conversations with coffeeholics. This doesn’t come to an end. My coffee journey continues. It’s time to improve my barista skill and gain more coffee knowledge.

… (to be continued)