Pre-Infusion Time and Pressure Settings
Every maker words its pre-infusion setting differently, and the numbers aren't shared between models. Treat the figures below as examples of what manuals list.
Three manuals, three styles
| Machine | How the setting works | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lucca Tempo | Pick 0 to 9 seconds of pre-infusion with the arrow keys | 1 |
| ECM Estetika | Set an active time and a passive time, for example 4 seconds then 5 seconds | 2 |
| Profitec Move | Hold a shot button for 4 seconds to switch pre-infusion on or off for that button | 3 |
The Lucca Tempo manual gives a range of 0 to 9 seconds.1 The ECM manual's example has the pump run for 4 seconds, then pause for 5 seconds.2 The Profitec Move works by pressing and holding a button, and the setting is stored per button.3
A maker's suggestion
La Marzocco, writing about its machines with a pre-infusion valve, recommends trying 2 to 8 seconds.4 That's a suggestion for those machines, not a limit for yours.
Two kinds of numbers
A manual might give you a time, a pressure or both.
- Time is how long the soft start lasts. Most of the figures above are times.
- Pressure is how hard the water pushes during it. La Marzocco mentions 3 bars or line pressure as examples of a low pressure.4
Your manual says which settings your machine offers.
Set, then save
The ECM Estetika lets you program a button live, and the manual says the machine brews while you program.2 You press and hold the button for 4 seconds, and the display shows ON or OFF for that button's pre-infusion. With pre-infusion ON, briefly press the button to start the active pre-infusion. Press it a second time to end that phase. Press a third time to resume brewing. Press a fourth time when the shot reaches your target volume, to end it and save the setting.2 On the Lucca Tempo, you confirm your choice by pressing the coffee button for two seconds.1
Few steps. Easy to get wrong if you guess. Follow the order in your own manual.
Why one number won't fit all
Look at what the manuals measure. The Lucca Tempo describes a gentle saturation of water before full nine-bar pressure.1 The Profitec Move counts a pump run and a separate pause.3 These aren't the same quantity. A "4" on one machine isn't a "4" on another.
That's the reason this page lists no target. A target would only be right for one model.
How to use this page
- Find the pre-infusion section in your own manual.
- Note whether your machine measures it in seconds, or in button presses.
- Make one change at a time.
Don't copy a number from another model, even one from the same maker's range. Write down what the manual says before you change anything, so you can go back to it. If the manual doesn't list a setting for the soft start, your machine may not have an adjustable one. For what one maker says about a lever machine, see lever machines.
Notes and sources
- Lucca Tempo espresso machine user manual, Clive Coffee
- ECM Estetika user manual, Clive Coffee
- Profitec Move user manual, Clive Coffee
- Pre-Brew, Pre-Infusion, and Pressure Manipulation Explained, La Marzocco USA
More soft-start notes
What Is Pre-Infusion in Espresso?What the gentle first stage of an espresso shot is, what it's meant to do to the coffee puck, and how makers describe it in their own words.
Pre-Infusion Versus BloomingPre-infusion and a pour-over bloom both wet the coffee first, but they aren't the same step. Here's how the two terms differ and where each is used.
How Pump Machines Pre-InfusePump espresso machines make a soft start by pausing the pump or by opening a valve to low pressure. Here's how three makers describe their versions.