Very nice. Can you provide more info on the Aeropress plunger you are using on the double spout? Does it require any thinker or cutting or dose it just fit there? I'm waiting for my robot and I'm researching for good pre-heating routine and I'm thinking of something similar to what you're doing but maybe also heating the basket and wiping it off after. Also, are you filling the water while pre-haeting to the top to touch the piston or just below it?
I’ve had the robot for about three months now. And, I’ve already slightly modified this preheating method a little bit. Hopefully within another couple weeks I’m going to make a video showing my top five robot hacks including the rubber stopper. But in short, let me try to explain. The method I have outlined below diverge is a little bit from what you see in the video since I changed it so I’m explaining the updated version. However, the concept of using the AeroPress stopper is the same. 1) the rubber stopper fro AeroPress fits perfect in double spout to stop water flow. Some people fill with food grade silicon instead. 2) fit spout to portafilter 3)fill portafilter with hot water.(this initially heats the Porta filter. I don’t leave it filled for very long) 4) decant to heat drinking vessel 5) refill porta filter with hot water again but only fill it about a fourth of the way. 6) fit the Porta filter on the robot and let the arms drop down. This should allow the piston to have water on it and will heat the piston. If you fill the Porta filter to high, water will spill over the top when the piston falls in. 7) let this heat piston 8) finish prepping your shot 9) remove portafilter and decant water 10) remove spout 11) pull your shot I used to try to heat the basket but I don’t think there’s much heat loss in that. There is a fb Cafelat Robot page i would highly recommend joining! Great ideas on there Also, I plan on adding additional videos on my workflow, so if you subscribe to the channel I believe it gives you alerts? Thank you
@@shanesettle7832 Thank you for the break down! for 5) have you measured the weight of the water? How much water would that be? It would really help to not guess this stage.
Hey, nice video. Pretty relaxing. I would like to know which hand grinder are you using. I got the cafelat robot a week ago, but due to the lack of a proper grinder, for now I can get decent results only with the pressurized basket (I got both, pressurized and pro). I'm looking for an affordable grinder (I'm totally ok with a hand grinder, I enjoy the process as kind of a ritual), and yours seems to give a pretty fine grind. Thank you in advance. Cheers,
Daniel Besalduch Díaz Lido e. Not sure that’s what I’d go with again? I feel like it is right on the edge of being able to grind fine enough. It was great for the flair though. I’ve heard good things about the Apollo and kinu I believe. It’s not that I’m unhappy with the lido and truthfully I don’t have experience with any of the other espresso quality grinders
@@worthashot9327 thanks for the swift reply! Well, if the quality of the grind is good enough to work for the cafelat robot, then I guess it would be enough for me. Anyways I will keep checking, but I will have that one into account. (espresso)Cheers!
@@phcalama thanks for the recommendation. That one is definitely on the list; quality-wise seems like the best one around. However, the price is a little bit high, and also the device itself would take a ton of space I don't really have (I'm currently in Japan so... no space). Also, if I'm correct, I already checked and the company don't ship here, so it's not even an option.
I have read somewhere that requires 15kg of power to pull down. He used a domestic scale to find out. In another review i readnthat is not recommended for those with shoulder issues. I hope that info helps.
As someone new to the world of espresso, I am considering this instead of a semi-automatic machine like the Gaggia or Silvia. However, I really would like to get something for steamed milk as well. Is there anything that would go well with a lever-based machine like the Robot or do you think one would be better off with a full machine? Thank you!
I may not be the right person to answer this question. I have never owned or used an automatic machine. I do make an occasional cappuccino for my wife using something similar to a French press. It works good but if milk drinks were a priority I may go with a steamer of some sort. There is a Cafelat robot fb page you could join and others may have more experience using an automatic machine. But, I love the simplicity and quality of the robot!
Shane Settle thanks so much for the honesty and quick response! Totally didn’t think about looking for a Facebook page. I’ve tried the french press technique and it doesn’t work too bad for already having one. Just weighing my options and over-analyzing of course 😅Thanks again!
Thanks for the video. I am looking at purchasing a manual espresso machine so was wondering how you compare that to the Flair. Was there a reason you did not just keep using the Flair? Thanks
Robert Rob You cannot go wrong with either machine in my opinion, Honestly, I think it is a bit of a tossup for me depending on what things you may want to emphasize. If portability is a major factor, then I would go with the flair. It makes great shots, and BTW I still have mine. It now stays permanently in the back of my truck and I use it for travel, camping, hotels, etc. But, it is a great machine in it’s own right and I have been very pleased with the espresso shots from it. However, the robot has its own strengths. It is not quite as portable, but I do think I get a slightly better shot of espresso from the robot. It took me a while to get used to the workflow of the robot, but now I like that better also. I think that the robot is slightly better at thermal management and Therefore, I can squeeze a little more out of lighter roast with the robot. Having said that, I still think either machine makes a great shot of espresso if you are willing to put the effort and time in. Hope that helps! Shane
@@worthashot9327 Great can you share on how that looks like? An image link or maybe for your new video. I've found some people custom-made that using the spout as a mold. Using Aeropress stopper is brilliant.
Two questions now I have my own robot, 1. Why did you attach the spout during preheat, when the shot was pulled with naked extraction, 2. is the pour at 1:53 filled with coffee? Reason for asking is that my water turns dark even after forceful tamping upon hitting the shower screen. Any remaining tips for a fellow user?
I am in the works of making a video of some of my hacks I use with the robot. Some are my own and so I might have stole from others. In order to preheat, I use an areropress gasket to fill the double hole spout so water cannot get out. I then put the double hole spout with the gasket on the Porta filter and fill with water. Then I put this on the robot and allow it to warm the piston. I have modified this workflow since making this video. And I will explain that when I do the follow up video. Are you a member on fb Cafelat robot page? If not, I highly recommend it and if so, you should search for preheat in that group. You will see that I stole this idea from Doug Orton. With a modification from Gary S. Anyhow, I let that sit for a minute and then I dump the water out and then place in the basket with the coffee to pour my shot I do not have a gooseneck kettle, so in order to prevent the fines from mixing with the water when I pour it, I tip a little to the side and allow the water to drip down the side of the basket You can see this in the video The water still turns a little cloudy but not too bad. Also, are you actually pushing down the dispersion screen into the bed of coffee before you fill with water? I usually use two fingers to push it down and then rotate 90° and use two fingers to push it down again I hope all this makes sense? If not, maybe you can piece together what I’m saying with the video again and see if it makes sense that way. Also I highly recommend the Facebook group and I am going to do an updated video breaking down the ‘hacks’ I use in my workflow. Stay tuned. If you subscribe, I think you will get a notification when I post? Have a great day.
How much pressure do you tamp with? It seems like you’re doing 10lbs+? If I tamp more than just lb or two then trying to get to even 4 bar is way too strenuous. I’m grinding from a niche zero.
lowell a I honestly have never thought about how much pressure I’m ramping with. In the video I struggled a little to get out of the way of the camera so that probably does not exactly represent my method. I usually use my thumb pressure to tamp. Not really sure if that get me up to ten lbs or not to be honest. Seems like it may be a bit less than that? Sorry I can’t answer your question better.
Looks like a lot of work lol. We used to have a really good, small espresso machine years ago, but the part that holds the ground coffee got lost in a move.
DongFeast420 Digital Scale 1000g x 0.1g and a Customized Collapsible Silicone Bowl with Silicone Lid 600ML - MAXUS MATE 1000 Portable Mini Kitchen Scale 35oz x 0.01oz Ounce Gram Red www.amazon.com/dp/B07MQ8Z1RL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dTOYEb9VQWNYA
@@phcalamayep , but it's best to use acaia lunar , best espresso scale ever, cheaper , and has more modes (with the robot i use: Auto-Tare Auto-Start Timer Mode mostly , or Auto-Tare Timer Starts with Flow Mode , but for weight coffee beans i use the Weighing Only Mode that pyxis also has ), needs less calibrations because less sensitive, and has optional resolution 0.01 g (similar to pyxis but little less accurate) , the lunar fits under the robot legs diagonally, lunar is water resistant , lunar has alot better battary and warrenty , also all acaia products are supported by smart espresso profiler by naked-portafilter
Dang. I can't not pull a good shot on my Robot if my life depended on it. I either get spraying everywhere or runny espresso. I can not get a good steady tail from the middle. The only tip I have to save you time is you could put the whole portafilter in a cup and pour the boiling water in the portafilter and cup to warm up both. Pull out the portafilter when hot and proceed.
davidhunternyc Major bummer!!! Just out of curiosity, do you have any experience with other espresso machines? Are you part of the robot Facebook group? If you take a video of your workflow, there may be people there that can help out some I have no idea your experience so please forgive me if you already know this but The following would be the things I would check first: Quality of grinder, freshness of coffee beans, Correct grinder settings so that you are getting about a 30 pull at 6 to 8 bar, and possibly distribution of coffee grounds and or tamping. Those would be my initial thoughts without seeing what you were doing. But there are many smart people on either the lever fever face group page or the robot face group page. If you posted a video of everything you’re doing and the type of coffee are using and what happens when you pull a shot, there will be a lot of people willing to help I’m sure
@@worthashot9327 No. Not a proper espresso machine. I have a Rosco Mini Mill but I hate grinding for espresso. My wrist is about to fall off so I go to the coffee shop and have my beans ground in front of me. It's easier. I make two lattes a day and I still can't pull a good shot. I do RDT also. I tried the Facebook page and I was asked alot of questions but they can't really help me if they aren't here to really see what's going on.
davidhunternyc if I had to speculate... it is your grinder when you’re grinding your own coffee beans at home, and it is likely the fact that you cannot dial in the grind at the coffee shop to match what you were doing with the robot. When I roast coffee, each time I switch roasts I have to dial in a new grind setting. In addition to that as the coffee ages from say three days old to one week old the grind setting will change. Even humidity and temperature have an effect on how you will grind the coffee from day to day. If you’re serious about being able to have your own espresso at home, I would start with a good grinder and possibly start roasting your own coffee. Roasting your own coffee will save a ton of money. To get decent coffee where I live it cost about $16. Through Sweet Maria’s I get about a pound of coffee for seven dollars or less. I actually use a heat gun to roast that I bought on Amazon for about $50 and I’ve been using that same method for the past six years. I would love a real roaster but I don’t have the funds for that right now. FYI.. I have the lido E grinder. I don’t know if I would recommend it for the robot because it seems to be maxing out how fine I can grind for the robot. But, it works and it costs under $200 but you’re still going to be using a manual grinder. An electric grinder that is capable of espresso is going to probably be more money than that? I haven’t done much research on that. I do know that people like the niche zero but the cost of that is About $600 I think
@@worthashot9327 Thank you for you continued help. I am thinking about going all-in on a hand grinder and getting a Helor 106 Flux Grinder. I also want to get a Kafatek flat or conical. Not sure which, but might as well save for the best! I've ordered green beans from Sweet Marias also. I do roast my own beans from time to time. : )
I just did a quick search for your grinder because I wasn’t familiar with it and it a cursory glance it looks like your grinder should work OK. Is the coffee shop you get coffee beans from fresh? I drink most of my coffee from between two days if I can wait that long, and about a week or maybe two weeks old at the most. I think I would go back to trying with your hand grinder for a while? And just make sure the beans you are getting are really fresh.
Do you find the robot arms comfortable? Recommend buying the "mittens"?
I prefer mittens
I find this oddly soothing and have to admit that I've watched more than once 😉☕💜
Very nice. Can you provide more info on the Aeropress plunger you are using on the double spout? Does it require any thinker or cutting or dose it just fit there? I'm waiting for my robot and I'm researching for good pre-heating routine and I'm thinking of something similar to what you're doing but maybe also heating the basket and wiping it off after. Also, are you filling the water while pre-haeting to the top to touch the piston or just below it?
I’ve had the robot for about three months now. And, I’ve already slightly modified this preheating method a little bit.
Hopefully within another couple weeks I’m going to make a video showing my top five robot hacks including the rubber stopper.
But in short, let me try to explain. The method I have outlined below diverge is a little bit from what you see in the video since I changed it so I’m explaining the updated version. However, the concept of using the AeroPress stopper is the same.
1) the rubber stopper fro AeroPress fits perfect in double spout to stop water flow. Some people fill with food grade silicon instead.
2) fit spout to portafilter
3)fill portafilter with hot water.(this initially heats the Porta filter. I don’t leave it filled for very long)
4) decant to heat drinking vessel
5) refill porta filter with hot water again but only fill it about a fourth of the way.
6) fit the Porta filter on the robot and let the arms drop down. This should allow the piston to have water on it and will heat the piston. If you fill the Porta filter to high, water will spill over the top when the piston falls in.
7) let this heat piston
8) finish prepping your shot
9) remove portafilter and decant water
10) remove spout
11) pull your shot
I used to try to heat the basket but I don’t think there’s much heat loss in that. There is a fb Cafelat Robot page i would highly recommend joining!
Great ideas on there
Also, I plan on adding additional videos on my workflow, so if you subscribe to the channel I believe it gives you alerts? Thank you
@@shanesettle7832 Thank you for the break down! for 5) have you measured the weight of the water? How much water would that be? It would really help to not guess this stage.
Eklektik I have not measured this.
do they not sell the non powder coated version anymore?
Hey, nice video. Pretty relaxing.
I would like to know which hand grinder are you using. I got the cafelat robot a week ago, but due to the lack of a proper grinder, for now I can get decent results only with the pressurized basket (I got both, pressurized and pro). I'm looking for an affordable grinder (I'm totally ok with a hand grinder, I enjoy the process as kind of a ritual), and yours seems to give a pretty fine grind. Thank you in advance.
Cheers,
Daniel Besalduch Díaz Lido e. Not sure that’s what I’d go with again? I feel like it is right on the edge of being able to grind fine enough. It was great for the flair though. I’ve heard good things about the Apollo and kinu I believe. It’s not that I’m unhappy with the lido and truthfully I don’t have experience with any of the other espresso quality grinders
@@worthashot9327 thanks for the swift reply! Well, if the quality of the grind is good enough to work for the cafelat robot, then I guess it would be enough for me. Anyways I will keep checking, but I will have that one into account. (espresso)Cheers!
@@DanielBesalduch I'd recommend you consider the ROK manual grinder.
@@phcalama thanks for the recommendation. That one is definitely on the list; quality-wise seems like the best one around. However, the price is a little bit high, and also the device itself would take a ton of space I don't really have (I'm currently in Japan so... no space). Also, if I'm correct, I already checked and the company don't ship here, so it's not even an option.
Great video! Does it require a lot of effort to press the levers? Can someone with back issues do it ?
Thanks
It will require some effort if you are looking for 6-8 bars of pressure. I think it will really depend on how severe the back issue is.
I have read somewhere that requires 15kg of power to pull down. He used a domestic scale to find out. In another review i readnthat is not recommended for those with shoulder issues. I hope that info helps.
As someone new to the world of espresso, I am considering this instead of a semi-automatic machine like the Gaggia or Silvia. However, I really would like to get something for steamed milk as well. Is there anything that would go well with a lever-based machine like the Robot or do you think one would be better off with a full machine? Thank you!
I may not be the right person to answer this question. I have never owned or used an automatic machine. I do make an occasional cappuccino for my wife using something similar to a French press. It works good but if milk drinks were a priority I may go with a steamer of some sort. There is a Cafelat robot fb page you could join and others may have more experience using an automatic machine. But, I love the simplicity and quality of the robot!
Shane Settle thanks so much for the honesty and quick response! Totally didn’t think about looking for a Facebook page. I’ve tried the french press technique and it doesn’t work too bad for already having one. Just weighing my options and over-analyzing of course 😅Thanks again!
Bobby Omari best of luck! I love the Robot! Some people use stove top Steamers too. Hopefully you find something that will work for you.
I'd like to taste a shot from a science teacher. I can only imagine the theories and science behind a cup of espresso.
I’m a total amateur in comparison to the hard core coffee nerds.
Thanks for the video.
I am looking at purchasing a manual espresso machine so was wondering how you compare that to the Flair. Was there a reason you did not just keep using the Flair? Thanks
Robert Rob You cannot go wrong with either machine in my opinion, Honestly, I think it is a bit of a tossup for me depending on what things you may want to emphasize.
If portability is a major factor, then I would go with the flair. It makes great shots, and BTW I still have mine. It now stays permanently in the back of my truck and I use it for travel, camping, hotels, etc. But, it is a great machine in it’s own right and I have been very pleased with the espresso shots from it.
However, the robot has its own strengths. It is not quite as portable, but I do think I get a slightly better shot of espresso from the robot. It took me a while to get used to the workflow of the robot, but now I like that better also. I think that the robot is slightly better at thermal management and Therefore, I can squeeze a little more out of lighter roast with the robot.
Having said that, I still think either machine makes a great shot of espresso if you are willing to put the effort and time in.
Hope that helps!
Shane
Great video! That part that you use to hold the water for warming up the portafilter, that doesn't come with the Robot, right? How do you get that?
Wasn’t my idea. Was someone else that suggested an Aeropress stopper! Some people use food grade silicone also.
@@worthashot9327 Great can you share on how that looks like? An image link or maybe for your new video. I've found some people custom-made that using the spout as a mold. Using Aeropress stopper is brilliant.
@@worthashot9327 ah after watching the video again I get a glimpse of that. It seems that it fits perfectly.
Two questions now I have my own robot, 1. Why did you attach the spout during preheat, when the shot was pulled with naked extraction, 2. is the pour at 1:53 filled with coffee? Reason for asking is that my water turns dark even after forceful tamping upon hitting the shower screen. Any remaining tips for a fellow user?
I am in the works of making a video of some of my hacks I use with the robot. Some are my own and so I might have stole from others.
In order to preheat, I use an areropress gasket to fill the double hole spout so water cannot get out. I then put the double hole spout with the gasket on the Porta filter and fill with water. Then I put this on the robot and allow it to warm the piston. I have modified this workflow since making this video. And I will explain that when I do the follow up video.
Are you a member on fb Cafelat robot page? If not, I highly recommend it and if so, you should search for preheat in that group. You will see that I stole this idea from Doug Orton. With a modification from Gary S.
Anyhow, I let that sit for a minute and then I dump the water out and then place in the basket with the coffee to pour my shot
I do not have a gooseneck kettle, so in order to prevent the fines from mixing with the water when I pour it, I tip a little to the side and allow the water to drip down the side of the basket
You can see this in the video
The water still turns a little cloudy but not too bad.
Also, are you actually pushing down the dispersion screen into the bed of coffee before you fill with water? I usually use two fingers to push it down and then rotate 90° and use two fingers to push it down again
I hope all this makes sense?
If not, maybe you can piece together what I’m saying with the video again and see if it makes sense that way. Also I highly recommend the Facebook group and I am going to do an updated video breaking down the ‘hacks’ I use in my workflow. Stay tuned. If you subscribe, I think you will get a notification when I post?
Have a great day.
Shane Settle thanks a lot for the clear reply. Very interesing stuff! Will gladly join the robot page.
What is the brand of the scale that can fit under?
Funny you ask.
th-cam.com/video/n08aFsKuT0s/w-d-xo.html
Thank you!
Nice....👍
What is this coffee voodoo?!!
Simple Morning Worship it is just that.... coffee voodoo!
Nice!
How much pressure do you tamp with? It seems like you’re doing 10lbs+? If I tamp more than just lb or two then trying to get to even 4 bar is way too strenuous. I’m grinding from a niche zero.
lowell a I honestly have never thought about how much pressure I’m ramping with. In the video I struggled a little to get out of the way of the camera so that probably does not exactly represent my method. I usually use my thumb pressure to tamp. Not really sure if that get me up to ten lbs or not to be honest. Seems like it may be a bit less than that? Sorry I can’t answer your question better.
WORTH A SHOT?! No problem! Thanks for the reply. Nevertheless, the robot is very forgiving and i am still trying to dial it all in.
Looks like a lot of work lol. We used to have a really good, small espresso machine years ago, but the part that holds the ground coffee got lost in a move.
what scale are you using? it's hard to find one that will fit under a robot.
DongFeast420 Digital Scale 1000g x 0.1g and a Customized Collapsible Silicone Bowl with Silicone Lid 600ML - MAXUS MATE 1000 Portable Mini Kitchen Scale 35oz x 0.01oz Ounce Gram Red www.amazon.com/dp/B07MQ8Z1RL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dTOYEb9VQWNYA
You could also use the Acaia Pyxis
@@phcalamayep , but it's best to use acaia lunar , best espresso scale ever, cheaper , and has more modes (with the robot i use: Auto-Tare Auto-Start Timer Mode mostly , or Auto-Tare Timer Starts with Flow Mode , but for weight coffee beans i use the Weighing Only Mode that pyxis also has ), needs less calibrations because less sensitive, and has optional resolution 0.01 g (similar to pyxis but little less accurate) , the lunar fits under the robot legs diagonally, lunar is water resistant , lunar has alot better battary and warrenty , also all acaia products are supported by smart espresso profiler by naked-portafilter
Dang. I can't not pull a good shot on my Robot if my life depended on it. I either get spraying everywhere or runny espresso. I can not get a good steady tail from the middle. The only tip I have to save you time is you could put the whole portafilter in a cup and pour the boiling water in the portafilter and cup to warm up both. Pull out the portafilter when hot and proceed.
davidhunternyc
Major bummer!!!
Just out of curiosity, do you have any experience with other espresso machines?
Are you part of the robot Facebook group? If you take a video of your workflow, there may be people there that can help out some
I have no idea your experience so please forgive me if you already know this but The following would be the things I would check first: Quality of grinder, freshness of coffee beans, Correct grinder settings so that you are getting about a 30 pull at 6 to 8 bar, and possibly distribution of coffee grounds and or tamping.
Those would be my initial thoughts without seeing what you were doing. But there are many smart people on either the lever fever face group page or the robot face group page. If you posted a video of everything you’re doing and the type of coffee are using and what happens when you pull a shot, there will be a lot of people willing to help I’m sure
@@worthashot9327 No. Not a proper espresso machine. I have a Rosco Mini Mill but I hate grinding for espresso. My wrist is about to fall off so I go to the coffee shop and have my beans ground in front of me. It's easier. I make two lattes a day and I still can't pull a good shot. I do RDT also. I tried the Facebook page and I was asked alot of questions but they can't really help me if they aren't here to really see what's going on.
davidhunternyc if I had to speculate... it is your grinder when you’re grinding your own coffee beans at home, and it is likely the fact that you cannot dial in the grind at the coffee shop to match what you were doing with the robot.
When I roast coffee, each time I switch roasts I have to dial in a new grind setting. In addition to that as the coffee ages from say three days old to one week old the grind setting will change. Even humidity and temperature have an effect on how you will grind the coffee from day to day.
If you’re serious about being able to have your own espresso at home, I would start with a good grinder and possibly start roasting your own coffee. Roasting your own coffee will save a ton of money.
To get decent coffee where I live it cost about $16. Through Sweet Maria’s I get about a pound of coffee for seven dollars or less. I actually use a heat gun to roast that I bought on Amazon for about $50 and I’ve been using that same method for the past six years. I would love a real roaster but I don’t have the funds for that right now.
FYI.. I have the lido E grinder. I don’t know if I would recommend it for the robot because it seems to be maxing out how fine I can grind for the robot. But, it works and it costs under $200 but you’re still going to be using a manual grinder.
An electric grinder that is capable of espresso is going to probably be more money than that? I haven’t done much research on that. I do know that people like the niche zero but the cost of that is About $600 I think
@@worthashot9327 Thank you for you continued help. I am thinking about going all-in on a hand grinder and getting a Helor 106 Flux Grinder. I also want to get a Kafatek flat or conical. Not sure which, but might as well save for the best! I've ordered green beans from Sweet Marias also. I do roast my own beans from time to time. : )
I just did a quick search for your grinder because I wasn’t familiar with it and it a cursory glance it looks like your grinder should work OK. Is the coffee shop you get coffee beans from fresh? I drink most of my coffee from between two days if I can wait that long, and about a week or maybe two weeks old at the most. I think I would go back to trying with your hand grinder for a while? And just make sure the beans you are getting are really fresh.