ECM Technika V review: our new addition
14.4.2022
Translation: Megan Cornish
Before the pandemic, our office portafilter machine packed up. Now we’ve finally found the perfect replacement in the Technika V. Its constant temperature and quietness are especially impressive.
I've never seen children’s eyes light up like these adults’ eyes did. The graphics department finally has a portafilter machine again! Hooray!
Two years ago, the Bezzera gave up the ghost. We were looking for a successor, and now we’ve found it: the ECM Technika V. It’s a heat exchanger portafilter machine with a rotary pump, a boiler for water and steam and constant temperature thanks to PID control. As far as the specification is concerned at least. In practice, the heavy-duty machine delivers consistent coffees, even in continuous operation. This is important in an office full of coffee snobs. Coffee from the automated machine mostly serves as drain cleaner here.
The Technika: quiet yet powerful
The basic functions are simply explained: one lever delivers steam directly from the boiler, a second one draws coffee, and the third delivers hot water. In addition, the Technika shows the temperature of the boiler to the degree, and it can also be set in one-degree increments thanks to PID control. Even if the machine is running at full capacity in the morning, the temperature remains constant. This is by no means always the case, especially with smaller machines.
As the Technika works with an E61 brew group (article in German), it takes about half an hour to heat up. This is too long for home use, but it doesn't matter in an office. Once heated up in the morning, the machine runs non-stop. The coffee is drawn from the one-spout and two-spout portafilters provided. And this is where the Technika is also forgiving when it comes to operating errors and delivers consistent results, mainly thanks to the rotary pump, which ensures even pressure.
If the coffee is undrinkable, it’s the fault of the person operating the coffee machine. Plenty of these mistakes happen in the office. It looks so easy to operate a portafilter. But it’s not. Here’s a small selection of major errors from the last few weeks:
- Not tapping the portafilter after use
- Not clamping the empty portafilter to warm it up
- Using too little or too much ground coffee (18 grams for double espresso, 9 for single espresso is the guideline)
- Not washing the steam wand with a cloth and rinsing it briefly after frothing the milk
- Using unfiltered water
So far, the Technika has dealt with all of these operating errors with aplomb. The water tank briefly caused problems when the floater for the water sensor got stuck. That was fixed by a quick phone call to the technician. And once the steam wand got clogged with stale milk, which fortunately didn’t feed back into the boiler. If I knew who was responsible, they’d have a lifetime ban from portafilters.
That’s what condition the machine is in after half a week of use.
The fact that the machine hardly makes any noise is evidence of its outstanding workmanship. Rotary pumps are said to be quieter. My personal Rocket rotary pump was apparently the antithesis to this: it woke up half the neighborhood, which is why I sold it. The Technika’s pump is so quiet that I thought it was defective at first. That’s worth its weight in gold in the already noisy coffee room, as we don’t have to shout any more. Unfortunately, our grinder is as loud as a 747 taking off.
Verdict
The ECM Technika V is perfect for the few dozen coffee snobs in our office. It forgives mistakes, works constantly and purrs like a kitten. The Technika V is too big for a few coffees a day in your own home, but it’s perfect for smaller teams as long as everyone treats it with respect. The temperature control and impeccable workmanship are great. The water tank and its jammed floater are a drawback. If you can handle the long heat-up time, this machine is definitely a good pick.
Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.
Coffee
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