My $200 espresso machine burned me twice before I learned the trick

I bought a Breville Bambino Plus six months ago and kept getting bitter shots. After dumping $50 on different beans I finally realized I was tamping way too hard. The machine's manual says 30 pounds of pressure but I was going ham on it. My buddy who works at a coffee shop in Denver told me to just level the grounds and let the machine do the work. Anyone else ruin their morning routine by overthrowing tamping?

3 comments

3 Comments

hollyl4515d ago

Same thing happened to me with my first machine. Thought I needed to crush the grounds like my life depended on it until a local barista set me straight too.

the_linda15d ago

Right?! My neighbor said the same thing after ruining a big bag of beans.

averymartin2d ago

Jumped into espresso thinking I needed Hulk-level tamping strength too. Spent a month choking my machine with rock hard pucks before a friend finally laughed at me and said just tap it level. Now I tamp with the same pressure I use to push a door closed, lol. Way better shots and way less wrestling with my morning coffee.

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