DavecUK Senior Member Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 940 Location: UK Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Mar 17, 2010, 5:41pm Subject: Re: Alex Duetto Owners-Please speak up!
MrShades Said:
Thanks very much for that - very helpful. If I can trouble you and quiz you a little further (I've tried calling Vyair for help, but they seem to be on holiday or something!)
So - if I'm going down the RO route, do I NEED to soften as well - I assumed that the RO process would effectively soften at the same time?
You mentioned your mates system, which sounds ideal - is it something like this one:
Looks VERY cost effective, any downsides to it that you can see (other than fill rate?). Could well be the direction I'm leaning in now...
Sorry to be a pain and keep quizzing you Dave, and thanks for the help. If you'd rather respond by email and keep it off here then please do so - though I think this is probably of interest to all Duetto owners (nay, all Alex owners... heck, all Izzo owners!) - I know I've been looking for good info on it for ages....
I don't have any affiliation with Vayair, so have no idea, but I found them helpful and decent to deal with...a number of us used them for systems. You don't need to soften, but the RO systems work better on softened water, although if you go for the cheaper non pumped one then the pressure drop introduced by an water softener may be too much. It's compact and has few downsides, even the fill rate is not an enormous problem as it's only for the espresso machine and you leave it filling a large 5 litre storage container, not the espresso machines tank. One of the upsides is no storage tank to regularly disinfect and low complexity.
MrShades Senior Member Joined: 16 Mar 2010 Posts: 11 Location: Swindon, Wiltshire, UK Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: Mazzer Super Jolly
Posted Thu Mar 18, 2010, 7:24am Subject: Re: Alex Duetto Owners-Please speak up!
Thanks Dave... I feel a purchase coming on.... will let you know how I get on.
...and will certainly bicarb treat!
One final query - I've often seen it said that using RO water can play havoc with electronic water sensors in the boilers. Any issue with the Duetto in this respect?
DavecUK Senior Member Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 940 Location: UK Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Fri Mar 19, 2010, 2:44am Subject: Re: Alex Duetto Owners-Please speak up!
MrShades Said:
Thanks Dave... I feel a purchase coming on.... will let you know how I get on.
...and will certainly bicarb treat!
One final query - I've often seen it said that using RO water can play havoc with electronic water sensors in the boilers. Any issue with the Duetto in this respect?
No, and none with any of the other 38 or so prosumer machines I have either reviewed, owned or use. Including any low water detection devices within the cold water storage tanks (as I also converted my Duetto to electronic low water detection in the cold tank.
SpeedStar Senior Member Joined: 6 Dec 2008 Posts: 227 Location: Chula Vista, Ca Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Alex Duetto II Grinder: Baratza Vario, Mazzer Mini Drip: Aeropress, Cuisinart
Posted Fri Mar 19, 2010, 6:49am Subject: Re: Alex Duetto Owners-Please speak up!
Dave, can you give me some more info on the bicarb water treatment that you use in conjunction with RO water? I use RO water and am interested in hearing more about you experience. Thanks!
DavecUK Senior Member Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 940 Location: UK Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Fri Mar 19, 2010, 7:04am Subject: Re: Alex Duetto Owners-Please speak up!
Everything you need to know is all in the Coffeetime Wiki. Far better you read the full article and understand exactly what I did & why, together with an easy how you can too....if you want to.
I am given to understand that most US women bake (unlike the UK)? So your best source of this substance is a woman, I think you call it Baking Soda in the US?.
o3 Senior Member Joined: 21 Apr 2008 Posts: 125 Location: MI Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: Mazzer Super Jolly
Posted Sun Mar 21, 2010, 6:03am Subject: Re: Alex Duetto Owners-Please speak up!
Well I’ve had my Duetto for 4 days now (excellent service from Chris’ Coffee)…the newest one with duel no-burn wands. I must say that I am exceptionally impressed (one minor issue below). This thing is built like a tank. Besides this, the temperature stability is fantastic, steams very well. Now, the most important aspect – the cup is the best I have ever had (upgraded from a Rocky/Silvia to SJ/Duetto) The SJ made a noticeable difference with the Silvia, but now I am tasting all sorts of sub-flavors never seen before. I look forward to when my kitchen remodel is finished and it is plumbed in. It is a beautiful machine!
(decal was on crooked – you would think that after spending $2,300 on a top of the line home machine they would pay attention to detail – I initially feared it would be difficult to remove, but it was not, took some patience which I was running short of)
DavecUK Senior Member Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 940 Location: UK Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Sun Mar 21, 2010, 6:36am Subject: Re: Alex Duetto Owners-Please speak up!
o3 Said:
(decal was on crooked – you would think that after spending $2,300 on a top of the line home machine they would pay attention to detail – I initially feared it would be difficult to remove, but it was not, took some patience which I was running short of)
Crooked decals really tick me off....my preference you be that they don't fix them on and give you the adhesive to decide when, where, how and if you want to fit the decal.....One idea I would like to see tried is to have it tastefully Lazer etched on the steel of the Duetto....but it would have to be nice.
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