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CT scans of coffee-making equipment

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Re: CT scans of coffee-making equipment

#71

Post by johnnyApplePRNG »

tdullien wrote: post #65
C-x_C-f wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bialetti has been on its last leg since 2015. They're drowning in debt and (in the best case scenario) are headed toward restructuring soon; in any case their future's not looking bright.

Any insights into what went wrong?

They started making garbage quality products and their brand recognition plummeted? Look at the mukka express for example. [0]

They did one thing well and succeeded for decades and then tried to expand their business and failed miserably.

I have seen crap quality bialetti everything. They make pots and pans now too.

[0] https://www.amazon.ca/Bialetti-Express-Cow-Print-Stovetop-Ca...

Re: CT scans of coffee-making equipment

#73

Post by culi »

C-x_C-f wrote: post #59

Very cool as always! If I may be pedantic about the lede: > The history of coffee provides a rich index of global economic and cultural exchange going back thousands of years. The history of coffee is less than 600 years old.

If I may be pedantic in return

> The history of coffee is less than 600 years old.

The history of coffee being traded internationally is around 600 years old. Coffee began being "domesticated" (more in the Graeber "play-farming" sense of the word) at least 7k years ago

Likely even longer before that given the dominance of the plant in parts of Ethiopia. Today the few "coffee forests" remaining are protected ecosystems by UNESCO

Re: CT scans of coffee-making equipment

#74

Post by anamexis »

MarkMarine wrote: post #70
felipc wrote: post #60

The point about the newer Bialettis being cheaper is absolutely true. My mother has an old (>10 years) Moka that feels heavy and sturdy. A couple of years ago, after accidentally leaving it on the stove for too long, the bottom chamber and the filter basket got a permanent burnt coffee taste, and we bought a new one to replace it. That one was lighter and came with a significant thinner filter basket, which I also at…

You see a similar thing with the glass chemex. There is a healthy market on eBay for pre-1980 models that were hand blown from great quality glass. My wife got me one for a gift and the difference in feel is remarkable. New ones feel fragile, this feels solid and strong. I’ve broken two of the newer versions and it’s dangerous. The old one is still standing strong in my house, surviving trips in my RV, and generally…

They still make high quality ones, you just have to specifically get the "handblown series" (at 2-3x the price of the regular).

e.g. https://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/eight-cup-handblown-series...

Re: CT scans of coffee-making equipment

#76

Post by dgfitz »

beojan wrote: post #57
crazygringo wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure what the point is you're trying to make? I'm sure you're aware that US sockets are 110-120V. The power required by a European kettle would too often trip someone's circuit breaker in the US, especially if any other equipment were also plugged in (you usually want to stick to max 1500 W on a circuit). Clearly the "powerful 1200 W" is in the context of equipment designed for American residential sockets --…

A heating element is basically just a resistor, right? Which means if you run one on half the design voltage it'll draw half the current it's meant to and produce ¼ the power.

Half the voltage = 2x the amperage draw, not half, if I’m not mistaken.

Re: CT scans of coffee-making equipment

#77

Post by eastof »

angst_ridden wrote: post #20
bowmessage wrote: post #3

Incredible scans! > Removing used coffee immediately after brewing and storing the AeroPress with the seal pushed all the way through the chamber (as shown) can help minimize wear by reducing compression to extend the gasket’s life. But, that's not what's shown. Pushing the gasket all the way through isn't possible unless the filter head is removed.

Proper storage is just pulling the plunger out entirely. Every few years, soaking the rubber seal in mineral oil overnight then cleaning will restore flexibility (otherwise it shrinks over time, reducing the quality of the seal). Unrelated: using paper filters is less eco-responsible than the gold foil filter, but makes for better coffee.

On the eco-responsibility bit, just curious do you actually have a source that logging uses more carbon than mining?

I'm not sure but my gut would say the opposite since rocks are heavier but idk.

Re: CT scans of coffee-making equipment

#78

Post by GuB-42 »

cjs_ac wrote: post #24
kwhitefoot wrote: post #16

Interesting images and a very well put together page. But a little off topic, I was struck by this: > With the powerful 1200 W heating element A typical European kettle is at least 1800 W, comfortably less than the power deliverable from a 10 A, 230 V circuit. A typical UK kettle would be more like 3000 W, such as this one (it seems that all the kettles on that website are 3 kW): https://www.argos.co.uk/product/93631…

UK plug sockets are rated at 13 A, giving a maximum power rating of 2,990 W. Kettles are consequently amongst the highest-drawing household appliances in the UK. Back when there were only three television channels, the National Grid planners used to pore over the Radio Times, looking for popular programmes like the Morecambe and Wise Christmas Special (21 to 28 million viewers in 1977), so they could prepare for the…

Is there a reason why European kettles are typically 2200W and UK kettles are 3000W?

European plug sockets are typically rated for 16A, secured with a matching breaker and allowing for about 3500W of power. Appliances that use the full 3500W are rare but they exist, so it is not like it is illegal. So why don't Europeans get the 3000W kettles too?

Maybe some people have 10A circuits, maybe this is a margin so that other appliances can be plugged in the same circuit, or maybe it is just more expensive.

I have noticed that most 3000W+ appliances I can buy in France are more "professional", like what you can find in commercial kitchens or in workshops, but again, it does not mean they are not sold to consumers.

Re: CT scans of coffee-making equipment

#79

Post by arp242 »

angst_ridden wrote: post #20
bowmessage wrote: post #3

Incredible scans! > Removing used coffee immediately after brewing and storing the AeroPress with the seal pushed all the way through the chamber (as shown) can help minimize wear by reducing compression to extend the gasket’s life. But, that's not what's shown. Pushing the gasket all the way through isn't possible unless the filter head is removed.

Proper storage is just pulling the plunger out entirely. Every few years, soaking the rubber seal in mineral oil overnight then cleaning will restore flexibility (otherwise it shrinks over time, reducing the quality of the seal). Unrelated: using paper filters is less eco-responsible than the gold foil filter, but makes for better coffee.

> Unrelated: using paper filters is less eco-responsible than the gold foil filter, but makes for better coffee.

You can use the paper filters more than once too; typically I need about one or two a week (depending on which coffee and how lucky I am), meaning that one €4 350-pack filters will last for years (I just bought my first refill after 4 years, but I didn't re-use the filters for the first few months and I gave a bunch of them to a friend when he ran out).

Re-use isn't necessarily more eco-friendly by the way, because cleaning takes energy too and cost of production can be much much higher. But realistically, the eco-impact and differences are so small it's not really something to worry about.

Re: CT scans of coffee-making equipment

#80

Post by jcul »

cjs_ac wrote: post #24
kwhitefoot wrote: post #16

Interesting images and a very well put together page. But a little off topic, I was struck by this: > With the powerful 1200 W heating element A typical European kettle is at least 1800 W, comfortably less than the power deliverable from a 10 A, 230 V circuit. A typical UK kettle would be more like 3000 W, such as this one (it seems that all the kettles on that website are 3 kW): https://www.argos.co.uk/product/93631…

UK plug sockets are rated at 13 A, giving a maximum power rating of 2,990 W. Kettles are consequently amongst the highest-drawing household appliances in the UK. Back when there were only three television channels, the National Grid planners used to pore over the Radio Times, looking for popular programmes like the Morecambe and Wise Christmas Special (21 to 28 million viewers in 1977), so they could prepare for the…

I remember discussing this during a lecture as part of my electronic engineering degree, speaking about planning for demand during half time of big football matches when everyone went and boiled the kettle at the same time.
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