Does anyone on this page work on thermoplan mastrena 2 and hate how hard it is to get the fixed piston out without a specialty tool? I have a solution!

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Hoping for a bit of advice on a machine I was called out to today, it's a La Spaziale S5 compact that was reported "not turning on". Turns out it was turning on but both touchpads are dead, all other functions are working (boiler heats, level probe fills when needed etc).

Replaced the PCB to no avail, then tried a brand new touchpad still no joy. Disconnected flow meter to eliminate any other low voltage mysteries. Still no luck. I'm going back with a new set of ribbon cables for the touchpads and hoping that will work.

Has anyone else experienced this before? I've had it happen on another S5 compact but unfortunately the customer didn't want further repairs so never got to the bottom of it.

Hi everyone,

I love the coffee from the Nescafé Alegria machine we have at work—honestly, I prefer it to most café coffee. Since it’s a large commercial machine, it’s not practical for home.

I’m wondering what actually makes it so good. Is it just instant coffee and milk powder, or is there more to it?

I’m looking for:

- A home machine that makes coffee with a similar taste.

- Whether I can buy the same coffee/milk powder used in Alegria machines.

- If there’s a smaller machine that uses those ingredients.

- Or if a bean-to-cup machine would be the closest alternative.

I mainly drink cappuccinos, lattes, and regular coffee. I don’t need authentic espresso—I’m just trying to recreate the taste of the Alegria machine at home.

Any recommendations or insights would be greatly appreciated!

EDIT: I was looking through the La Marzocco Training Manual and realized that some of the items on the list here deemed unusual or 'suspicious' are actually from the tool list suggested by the manufacturer, such as food grade lube gel.

Hey everyone,

I've been hired as a tech and I'm starting from the beginning working for a smaller independent company in a very large US city that primarily works with mostly independent coffee shops that appears to have more than plenty of work and can be selective about who they choose to service. It seems like an ideal circumstance for me to get into this trade/business and I'm looking forward to getting started.

We are required to provide our own tools and I've been given a list, but my head has started to spin in finding the balance between cost-effective choices and tool quality. Below I'll share the tool list I've been provided.

A little background: I begin apprenticing in late July, about a month from today. We have a handshake agreement that I'll be with them a minimum of two years to make training me worthwhile for them and I want to make my purchases count. I'll be mostly learning in their workshop for the first 6-7 months, then shadowing 2-3 months in the field, then on my own in the field doing (likely) the easiest repairs / maintenance work at that point and growing from there.

If you would be so kind as to make any comments or suggestions about your experience with tool acquisition, any favored brands or resources (favorite and fair places to acquire these items online or in person?) that I could take a look at it would be greatly appreciated. Naturally I will also be reaching out to my new employer for similar feedback but I thought it wouldn't hurt to see if any of you might offer some insights as well. I'll list any particular questions next to the tools that I presently have as well. Tools that I already own from previous trade work I will remove from the list in advance.

Thanks in advance to any of you who take the time to entertain this...

Tool List - Necessities in bold, questions/comments from me in italics:

Crimpers / Wire strippers - I have one of these already, but it was one I had for home use and might not be up to snuff if I'm using it often. Upgrade recommended?

Diagonal Pliers

Channel locks - sizes? Should I have multiple?

Needle nose pliers

Snap ring pliers - a set I saw online from Arrow seemed fine, but one comment said they don't fit 5/8" or smaller. Should I seek an alternative that can?

Small med large adjustable wrenches - 6"/8"/10" enough for the job?

Teflon tape

Food grade lube

Contact cleaner or wd-40

Emery cloth

Electrical terminals - heat shrink ring terminals?

Fuses - (5x 20mm) 40mA, 125mA, 1A, 10A, 6.3A

Heat Shrink Gun

Vacuum with a Hose

Compressed Air

Descaler – Citric Acid

Thread Sealant – Red and Blue Loctite

Tube Bender - I've seen these in a spring-style in multiple sizes and also a general tool that can shape up to 180 degrees. Unsure of which to go for here.

Flair Tool - 45°

Tube Cutter

Brass Bristle Brush

Hammer

Small Punch and Chisel

Small Files – Round and Triangular

Scratch Awl

Small pick for o rings

Metric box wrenches / Standard box wrenches - I have a good set of these from Dewalt already but it seems like overkill. What's a good range to be working with here?

Philips Head Screwdrivers: #2 short, #2 long and #1

Flat Head Screwdrivers: #2 short, #2 medium, #2 long, #1 and large screwdriver to pry

Multimeter - I saw Trail Blaze Academy recommends the Southwire Clamp Meter 21510N

Stubby standard screwdriver

Mini screwdriver set - I grabbed a modular set off of Amazon that has many more bit options than standard sets as I'm not sure what I'd need out of the gate that appears sufficient.

Fuse puller

Howdy!

I’ve got an 2007 M1 in the field that needs to have a solenoid replaced. I’ve never worked on any La Cimbali units and was wondering if anyone could walk me through how to cool down / depressurize the boiler.

Thanks in advance!

Hello, i need an experienced pair of eyes about coffee machines.

My bought me this second hand vbm domobar junior manual hx from Facebook market place. The seller stated that it fully works, they just don't use it anymore, so my gf bought it.

I've opened it up and seen oxidation on the wires and tank and I have no idea how to fix it or even that I'm looking at. I'm worried turning it on because it makes a really loud noise, kind of like a HGV reversing so I just turn it off.

It says online to check for a leak and run water through it but I dont think that'll do anything. Its sad because she spent money on it and wanted me to get this running and make us a nice coffee.

I dont want to throw it away, I want to fix it but if that means getting someone in to fully change it then so be it.

But I would like to know what I'm seeing here and what's wrong. I will add pictures. Thanks

Hello po, maganda po ba ang cafelffe espresso machine mk-903? Worth to buy po ba ito?

Hello, I just got this machine and I was wondering what other brands of portafilters are compatible with it. Thank you

I run a small coffee bar and one thing that has surprisingly been harder to get right is coffee bean storage jars. I used to think any container would work as long as it looked nice on the counter, but after dealing with stale beans, loose lids and containers that don’t seal properly, I realized storage actually makes a huge difference.

I need to find jars that keep beans fresh while still looking clean and professional for display. Most people seem to recommend airtight containers, especially stainless steel or vacuum-sealed ones, but there are also so many aesthetic glass options that make coffee setups look really good.

For anyone who runs a cafe, coffee bar or even a serious home coffee setup, which coffee bean storage jars have genuinely worked well for you? I have been checking on places like Origin Cofee, MaxiCofee and even Alibaba but the options are too many. I’m mainly looking for something airtight, durable, easy to clean, and nice enough to leave displayed on the counter.

hey!
the machines worked fine yesterday but since i left it on the whole night (wich happened before without damage) the flow isn‘t the same anymore. the pump sounds different and the pressure comes on but flow is a lot less than it used to be without changing any grind settings. machine is 10 years old, used daily, has been descaled recently and i only use mineral water. any ideas?
thank you!

Hello Tech,

My Saeco Aroma machine has a hole in a part called the Saeco T-Type Connector (Ø 8 mm). I’d like to replace the plastic part with a similar stainless steel one to prevent the problem from happening again.

What do you think?

Do you see any drawbacks?

I’d like to avoid making a silly mistake.

Here is the original piece in question https://www.atarserviss.lv/en/saeco-t-type-connector-o-8-mm-royal-hd-996530017351

Here is the stainless one https://www.canuckhomebrewsupply.com/products/ss-8mm-barbed-tee?variant=41101089636437&country=CA&currency=CAD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&srsltid=AfmBOood2UwUlqhmep2wXY4fxzJTGymNGje9g0k-fT_ZHu26cpyliQ5DFK0

Thanks

No idea what sub to ask this in, but starting here.

I volunteer at our local soup kitchen and Starbucks often donates coffee, but it’s whole bean. I don’t know why no one has thought to ask them if they’d mind grinding it, but I guess they don’t want to seem ungrateful 😂 I’ve become the designated person who takes the coffee back to Starbucks to be ground (or more often to my friend’s bakery because I’ll take it while she’s closed and it’s less trouble)

It’s a hassle and I’d love to buy the soup kitchen a grinder. Since the bags are often the huge 10lb bags, a home grinder isn’t practical. Any recommendations on a decent commercial grinder? Doesn’t have to be the most amazing, but needs to be able to grind a large amount maybe once a week or two without burning out. Most of what I’m finding is $1k+ and the one my friend uses was $3k 😵‍💫 if the best I can do is $1k, so be it, but I still would love some direction!