JasonBrandtLewis Senior Member Joined: 9 Dec 2005 Posts: 6,099 Location: Berkeley, CA Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Elektra T1 - La Valentina -... Grinder: Mahlkönig K30 Vario -... Vac Pot: Yama 5-cup Drip: CCD, Chemex Roaster: No, no, not another...
Posted Wed Nov 21, 2012, 10:00am Subject: Re: Plumbing
To the quality of the coffee? Doesn't that depend upon the quality of your water? Whether it's plumbed or a reservoir, you're going to want good quality water. Assuming this to be the case, then the short answer is "no," in that it wouldn't matter in so far as the quality in the cup (which is, after all, where it counts).
OTOH, Thomas, I would never again opt for a machine at home that wasn't plumbed in. It makes a HUGE differnce in terms of convenience.
qualin Senior Member Joined: 30 Jun 2012 Posts: 464 Location: Calgary, AB Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto 3 Grinder: Mazzer Mini Elect. Type A Vac Pot: Looking to buy Drip: Manual Roaster: Considering?
Posted Sat Nov 24, 2012, 1:13pm Subject: Re: Plumbing
I think one of the major advantages of plumbing, short of never having to fill a reservoir is that you can put a water softener inline to the machine. This can help preserve the machine since scale really is a killer of machines. The big disadvantage to running an in-line water softener is that you have to refill it with salt about once every quarter or so and run through a recharging procedure, which isn't that much of a big deal...
Since my espresso machine is right next to the sink in my kitchen, I see no reason not to plumb in, except for the cost of getting a plumber to add in a tap to the cold water line. (The dishwasher comes off of the hot water line tap and that just isn't good for any espresso machine. Not to mention that drinking hot water from a hot water tank tastes really bleh...)
The only other thing I should mention.. Your espresso machine should have a rotary pump if you want to plumb-in. You can plumb in a machine with a vibe pump, but vibe pumps don't like water line pressure so you need a pressure regulator. I worked it out, for the extra cost of a pressure regulator and what it would cost to modify a vibe pump machine for plumb in use, you might as well just get a rotary pump machine anyway. The cost difference is minimal.
Posted Sun Nov 25, 2012, 12:58pm Subject: Re: Plumbing
it also depends on the machine (which you do not have listed nor mentioned in your post). E-61 lever machines, as an example, can make use of their pre-infusion ability when plumbed if they have a rotary pump. Mine is plumbed and the drip tray goes to a three gallon waste bottle. I, as well, will never willingly go back to a reservoir machine again.
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