My Vibiemme

May 24, 2012/17 Comments/in Mesin Espresso /by toniwahid

Two years ago, I wrote about unboxing a Vibiemme espresso machine, which you
can read here. And now, the machine which is produced under the same brand
but equipped with more features and called as Vibiemme Double Domobar
Manual Stainless Version 3 is going to be a permanent resident at my crib. Just
think of it as a present from Vibiemme Italy and its Indonesian distributor, Toffin,
for Cikopi.coms fourth year anniversary!

Image 2: The Whole Package. Single and double portafilters, a blind filter, a
plastic tamper, a cleaning brush, a coffee spoon and a manual. Theres also a
flexi pipe to connect the machine to a water supply, and a hose for water waste.
This is the third version of Vibiemme, when previously it has released similar
types of machines that Ive reviewed, titled Domobar PID & Double Boiler. So I
wont bother you with too many unnecessary details, except for the significant
differences such as the changes in its pump, which previously worked using a
vibration method, and now has been modified into rotary instead, as what you
can find on any commercial machines. Other upgrades include its ability to
choose its water tank or water supply by using a lever on the bottom of the
machine. Vibiemme also claims an important improvement on the consistency
of the boiler temperature and a steamer that is more powerful than its
predecessor.

Engineering and Design Aspects. Vibiemmes exterior design, which is

intended for home appliance or light commercial use, has not changed a lot
since it was first released in the 80s. Made of shiny stainless steel with a
legendary E61 grouphead, its classic look still remains a favorite to its fans. Look
at the curves on its surface, from top to bottom, you can see that Vibiemme
pays a lot of attention to details, making it one of those machines that will
remain famous in the world of espresso machines.
One thing that needs to be considered is even though a stainless surface looks
prestigious; it requires a lot of attention to keep it that way. Overlooked water
droplets can quickly stain and create dull spots on its surface think about
maintaining the surface of a car in metallic black and youll know how much of a
pain it can be. If you cant be bothered to polish it regularly using a micro fiber
rag, dirt and droplets will soon become permanent decorations of the exterior.

Features and Specs:

The Package: Inside the cardboard, youll find a single and a double portafilter,
a blind filter for backflushing, a cleaning brush, a plastic tamper, a manual and
hoses for water supply distribution and waste. As usual, the plastic tamper is
merely a formality, so to tamper coffee on a 58 mm portafilter, use an aluminum
or stainless one instead.
Electricity power: Lifting a machine that weighs around 31 kg in total requires
the ability of two grown men, and the machine must be placed on an even and
strong surface. The length reaches 53 cm and its width is 27 cm, with the height
of 42 cm and takes up the total power of 2100 watt which is divided for brewing
(which takes up 900 watt) and steaming (which takes up 1100 watt).
Power source can be an obstacle for any home barista, who usually has to
supply an extra power source to meet the machines needs. The good thing
about this machine is that it doesnt use a 3-phase system, so your home
electricity can be fairly distributed with a miniature circuit breaker or MCB. As a
side note, the large electricity power on this machine requires prime quality
electricity outlets or power supply which is necessary for safety and short-circuit
prevention.

Water tank: The machine cover can be opened and closed to access the 1.8
liter water tank which has a small hole to adjust the Pressure Stats using a flatblade screwdriver. The water tank can also be detached not only for easy
refilling, but also quite handy should you need to change the water supply to
direct plumbing, which can be tightened using a Phillips screwdriver.
Tightening the screws is meant as a bypass, so that the automatic shutdown
feature, so in case the water tank is empty, the machine automatically turns of
its electrical flow to protect itself from any heat from the boiler due to
insufficient water supply. If youre using other brands who do not have this
feature, it is advised that you check the water supply frequently so fatal damage
on important parts such as the heating element can be avoided.

When closed, the top part can be used to store or warm up your coffee cups,
and this is done by using the heat from the boiler. As an additional feature, some
double grouped commercial machines use an activated warming system which
is basically a heating element placed on the covers surface like Vibiemme
Lollo, for example. Its a useful feature nonetheless, since its advisable that you
keep your cups warm, to prevent the coffees temperature dropping drastically
due to any contact with cold equipment.
The Front Panel: Two manometers show the boiler pressure indicator (on the
left) and the pumps (on the right), which are important to monitor while
brewing. The manual does not tell you exactly how much is the pressure for the
pump and the boiler, but on the previous machine I used, 8.6 to 9.2 bars for the
pump pressure is the safe range, as advised by the manufacturer.
Theres a steam wand on the right hand side, and a movable steam with two
holes each has 1 mm diameter are placed on the left. The steam wand
produces heat when the machine is operated because its not equipped with an
anti-burn feature. You can find the hot water lever on the right hand side, which I
rarely use.

The Manometer. On the left is a gauge for boiler pressure and on the right is a
pump pressure indicator. I set the boiler pressure to 1.1 and to a maximum 1.5
bar, and 9 bar for brewing.
Double boilers and a rotary pump: This third version of Vibiemme is
equipped with two 500 ml boilers to brew coffee, and 1.9 liter for steaming
purposes. The boiler is specially coated to keep the water temperature stable.
The rotary pump is attached on the back of the boiler a common feature for
commercial, double-grouped machines. In the manual, it says that the pump is
not designed to support water that flows against gravity so basically, you need
to use an additional pump like a flo jet if you want to utilize a water gallon
under the cabinet.

The Cup Warmer. With the dimension of 26 x 25 cm, its enough to warm several
cups, as pictured above.
PID: This is the selling point for Vibiemme V3. PID is an abbreviation for
Proportional, Integral and Derivative; it allows brewing temperature setting to
accommodate the operators needs. The temperature parameter is adjustable
Celsius or Fahrenheit by pressing both buttons when the machine is off. While
both are pressed, turn the switch to the I position so the display shows F.03,
and then release them. Adjust the C or the F by pressing the button on the
right hand side, and when youre done, turn the machine off to execute the
command, and then turn it back on.

The PID feature is adjustable to even the lowest temperature, which is 80C to
the highest, which is 125C. So what is the ideal brewing temperature? For me,
95 to 98C is sufficient, but then again it goes back to the machines operator to
adjust the temperature as needed. Additionally, the manufacturer claims that
when the machine is idle or when it is on but not used, the temperature will
automatically drop to 1C.

The Shower Screen. This part must always be looked after its cleanliness, since
the remaining of brewed coffee usually precipitates here.
Operating V3

For my convenience, I use the water supply from the machines 1.5 liter capacity
water tank. Like I said before, when the water in the tank has run out, Vibiemme
will automatically shut itself down to prevent overheating from the boiler due to
insufficient water supply, which in turn can cause damage. If thats the case,
simply switch it on by moving the lever to the I position and the pump will
start drawing water into the two boilers, which takes only less than a minute. To
make sure that the water is in there, I lift the brewing lever and flow water into
the grouphead an initial process called priming. Next, I move the power switch
lever to II and the heater will start working which is shown by the temperature
indicator gradually increasing. It can be adjusted by pressing the P button. 20
minutes of all that and Vibiemme is all yours to use.

Pressure Adjustment: This process requires changing the boiler pressure

parameter and pump by a preinitial test using the blind filter. Check the pump
and boiler pressure shown on both manometer while lifting the brewing lever. I
did this with the cover open so I could access both parts from the machine
which are the pump and the P-stats. I only change the pump pressure to bar 9, a
moderate number that usually works for espresso extraction especially for home
appliances. My thanks to Andy Kho who was kind enough to share his home
barista knowledge while tweaking the V3 machine.
Brewing: A good grinder will definitely compliment a V3, and Anfim Caimano
On Demand is the brand that we chose as its partner in crime. Andy and Hideo
who coincidentally brought fresh coffee with them tried VST 7 basket and 22
gram attached to Vibiemmes portafilter. The extraction result made by two
home baristas, Andy Kho and Anto who came several days later, can be seen
below. Especially for steaming, the machine which has 2 liter boiler capacity
is able to froth with all its might within 5-7 seconds on a 300 ml pitcher.

Conclusion:
The Vibiemme V3 just like its predecessor is always a pleasure to use, as it is
a machine that has a renowned reputation in the world of espresso machines.
But of course, just like us humans, no machines are 100% perfect there are
always one or two things that could have been better, like the brewing lever
which I personally think is too close with the E61 grouphead. Of course, you
must understand that due to the limited constructions, you have to watch your
hands more carefully to avoid being scalded by the hot grouphead. Every now
and then, flushing must be executed, especially when the machine is idle this
is to reduce the heat accumulated within the group head. Putting all those
things aside, this is basically a glance of how we use the V3 machine, and of
course revisions will be added when we do find further information, along with
further usage.
Last but not least, I would like to thank Vibiemme and Toffin for their kind
attention and appreciation for Cikopi.com, and this machine will definitely be my
favorite partner in crime in my coffee lab. Cheers!
***

Hot water wand : When you want it hot. I rarely use this feature, but the hot
water wand is a standard feature for an espresso machine.

The Pressure Adjustment. Always remember that Vibiemme advises 8.6 to

9.2 bar for the pump boiler. The first step is to definitely take all the panels off
to have full access to the pump.

Two Water Sources. You can either get it from the left hose, or the water tank
within the machine which functions can be adjusted by rotating the lever on the
right. This feature is accessible at the bottom part of the machine.

The Water Tank. With the capacity of 1200 ml, theres an automatic shutdown
feature, which means the machine shuts down automatically when the water
supply is empty, in order to prevent damage from the heater in the boiler. The
yellow tab with the plus and minus symbol on its sides is an access to change
the pressure stats or also known as the boiler pressure.

The Rotary Pump. This is the heart of every espresso machine. It distributes
water into the boiler and the group heads. The part highlighted in red can be
tweaked to change the pump pressure.

The P-Stats. The pressure stats, which is used to set the boiler pressure, can
be adjusted as needed. I didnt make any adjustment to it 1.1 bar was
powerful enough to steam milk.

The Power Switch. : O = off. I = the pump fills up water, while the heating
gets warmed up, II = The heater starts working inside the boiler. First, slide it to
the I position if the water has filled up the boiler and the pump has stopped
working, slide it over to the II position and wait until the machine is ready to
use. This is the mechanism that is meant to protect the machine from the
heating element due to insufficient water supply in the boiler.

The OPV which stands for Over Pressure Valve or as I call it, Expansion
valve which expels any overflowing pressure. For example if theres any
accumulated pressure on the grouphead due to over extraction (over-refined
ground coffee) will be expelled from the OPV pipe with a hissing sound.

This is Andy Khos creation, who happens to own a V3 and knows the machine
so well, including its technical specification and other features not written on
the manual.
Semoga pembaca masih ingat bahwa dua tahun yang lalu saya pernah
mempunyai mesin espresso Vibiemme yang saya unboxing di sini. Untuk kali
kedua mesin dengan merek yang sama namun berbagai fitur tambahan yang
nama lengkapnya : Vibiemme Double Domobar Manual Stainless Version
3 akan menjadi penghuni tetap di rumah saya. Katakanlah sebagai kado dari
Vibiemme Italia dan distributornya di Indonesia Toffin akan usia blog kopi ini
yang menjelang 4 tahun !
Ini versi ke-3 setelah sebelumnya Vibiemme mengeluarkan tipe yang sama yang
pernah saya tulis dalam artikel dengan judul Domobar PID & Double Boiler. Jadi
saya tidak akan terlalu detail mengulas kecuali beberapa perbedaan signifikan
seperti penggantian pompa yang pada versi terdahulu menggunakan
tipe vibrasi menjadi rotary sebagaimana yang biasa terdapat pada mesin
komersial. Upgrade yang lain meliputi kemampuan versi ini untuk memilih
tangki air atau sambungan langsung ke sumber air dengan perpindahan satu
tuas di bagian bawah mesin. Vibiemme juga mengklaim penyempurnaan
penting pada konsistensi suhu boiler dan steam yang lebih bertenaga dibanding
tipe terdahulu.
Rancang bangun dan desain. Desain eksterior untuk mesin Vibiemme yang
biasa digunakan untuk rumahan atau hanya light commercial tak banyak
berubah sejak pertama kali diperkenalkan di awal tahun 80an.
Berbalut stainless yang mengkilap dengan group head legendaris tipe E61
dengan tampilan klasik yang tetap mempunyai banyak penggemar setianya.
Lihatlah setiap lekuk permukaannya dari atas hingga ke bawah, attention to
details, yang membuat mesin dengan group head E61 seperti tak hendak
segera hilang dari jagat mesin espresso.
Satu hal, Stainless memang mengkilap dan enak dipandang, tapi menyisakan
sedikit ketaletenan untuk tetap membuatnya selalu berkilau. Sisa-sia air yang
menempel dan lupa dibersihkan akan cepat membekas lalu membuat bercak
kusam di permukaannya. Sebagaimana mobil berwana hitam metalik, bila tak
rajin dipoles dengan lap microfiber, kotoran akan menjadi penghuni tetapnya.

Spesifikasi & Fitur :

Kelengkapan : Dalam kardus Vibiemme V3 kita akan mendapatkan masingmasing satu buah portafilter single dan double, blind filter untuk
keperluan backflush, sikat pembersih, tamper plastik, buku petunjuk, dan
selang untuk distribusi air bersih dan kotor. Sebagaimana biasa, sisihkan tamper
plastik dan gunakan yang terbuat dari aluminum atau stainless yang bisa
menekan kopi pada portafilter ukuran 58mm.
Daya listrik : Mengangkat sebuah mesin yang berat total berserta kardusnya
sekitar 31 kg tentu memerlukan dua orang dewasa dan harus ditempatkan pada
permukaan yang rata serta kokoh. Panjangnya mencapai 53cm dengan lebar 27
cm dan tinggi 42 cm serta akan menghabiskan total daya listrik 2100 watt yang
dibagi untuk brewing sebesar 900 watt dan 1100 untuk steam.
Besarnya daya listrik seringkali menjadi kendala bagi para home barista yang
harus menyediakan suplai listrik tambahan demi memenuhi kebutuhan mesin

ini. Bagusnya tidak menggunakan sistem 3 phase, jadi pendistribusian lsitrik di

rumah bisa diseimbangkan sedemikian rupa melalui miniature circuit
breaker (MCB). Sebagai catatan, daya listrik yang besar pada mesin Vibiemme
memerlukan peralatan yang berkualitas prima terutama untuk outlet atau
sumber listrik demi keamanan dan pencegahan arus pendek.
Air galon atau tangki : Penutup atau cover mesin bisa dibuka tutup untuk
mengakses tangki air yang berkapasitas 1,8 liter serta satu lubang kecil untuk
memasukan obeng (-) saat kita akan mengubah Pressure Stats atau tekanan di
dalam boiler. Tangki air bisa dilepas bukan saja untuk kemudahan pengisian,
tapi terdapat satu sekrup kecil (+) yang harus dikencangkan bila pengguna ingin
mengubah sumber air ke direct plumb. Pengencangan sekrup dimaksudkan
untuk mem-bypass agar fitur automatic shutdown, dimana saat tangki air
kosong mesin secara otomatis akan mematikan sambungan ke listrik untuk
melindungi kerusakan elemen pemanas di boiler karena kekurangan pasokan
air. Tentu saja mesin merek lain yang tidak memiliki fitur seperti ini diharapkan
untuk rajin-rajin melihat suplai air di tangki sehingga kerusakan fatal bagian
penting seperti heating element bisa dihindari.
Bila sudah ditutup kembali, bagian atas selalu digunakan untuk menyimpan dan
menghangatkan cangkir yang dihasilkan dari udara panas boiler. Sebagai
tambahan, pada beberapa mesin komersial dua group banyak digunakan sistem
penghangat aktif yakni sebuah heating element ditempelkan di bawah
permukaan cover-nya (Vibiemme Lollo misalnya). Cangkir yang akan digunakan
memang disarankan atau lebih tepatnya diwajibkan untuk selalu hangat,
setidaknya untuk mengurangi penurunan suhu kopi yang drastis akibat
peralatan dingin.
Panel depan : Dua manometer yang menunjukan indikator tekanan boiler (kiri)
dan pompa (kanan) adalah hal penting yang harus diperhatikan setiap
melakukan brewing. Buku petunjuk tidak memberikan berapa besar tekanan
pompa dan boiler, tapi pada mesin yang saya miliki dulu, 8.6 hingga 9.2 bar
adalah angka aman yang dianjurkan oleh pabrikan untuk tekanan pompa.
Satu buah steam wand di bagian kanan dan steam yang bisa digerakan secara
bebas dengan dua lubang ukuran 1 mm diletakan di bagian kiri. Steam
wand menghasilkan panas saat mesin dioperasikan karena tidak dilengkapi
dengan fitur anti burn. Tuas air panas berada di sebelah kanan yang snagat
jarang saya gunakan.
Dual Boiler & Pompa Rotary : Versi tiga Vibiemme dilengkapi dengan dua
buah boiler masing-masing berukuran 500 ml untuk menyeduh kopi dan 1.9 liter
untuk keperluan steam. Boiler diberi lapisan khusus untuk menjaga suhu air
tetap stabil.
Pompa rotary terpasang di bagian belakang boiler, sebuah kelengkapan yang
biasa terdapat pada mesin komersial dua group. Vibiemme dalam buku
petunjuknya menyatakan bahwa pompa ini tidak didesain untuk mengalirkan air
melawan gravitasi, dengan kata lain mereka ingin mengatakan agar
menggunakan pompa tambahan seperti flo jet bila memanfaatkan galon air
yang dipasang di bawah kabinet.
PID : Nah ini fitur yang menjadi selling point Vibiemme V3, sebuah istilah yang
dikenal dengan Proportional, Integral, Derivative, yang memungkinkan
pengaturan suhu seduh atau brewing sesuai dengan kebutuhan pengguna.

Parameter suhu bisa diubah, baik menggunakan sistem celsius

atau fahrenheit dengan menekan kedua tombol pada saat mesin dalam keadaan
tidak menyala. Sambil terus menekan kedua tombol, putar switch ke posisi I
hingga display menunjukan F.03 lalu lepaskan. Atur C atau F dengan
menekan tombol pada bagian kanan, setelah selesai matikan mesin sebagai
eksekusi perintah lalu nyalakan kembali.
Fitur PID bisa diatur pada suhu terendah yakni 80 derajat C hingga tertinggi
sebesar 125 derajat C. Berapa suhu seduh yang ideal ? Untuk saya angka 95
hingga 98 derajat C sudah cukup memadai, tapi tentu terserah kepada
pengguna untuk mengatur suhu sesuai dengan kebutuhan. Sebagai
tambahan, pabrikan mengklaim bahwa perubahan suhu pada saat idle atau
mesin yang menyala tapi tidak dioperasikan lalu digunakan hanya berkisar 1 C.

Menggunakan V3
Untuk kepraktisan saya menggunakan sumber air yang terdapat di dalam mesin
dengan mengisinya sebanyak 1.5 liter. Sebagaimana yang sudah saya katakan
di atas, saat air di dalam tangki kosong maka secara otomatis Vibiemme
mematikan sistem kelistrikan untuk mencegak kerusakan pada bagian pemanas
di dalam boiler akibat kekurangan pasokan air. Lalu tomobo power dinyalakan
dengan memindahkan ke posisi I dan pompa mulai menarik air ke dalam dua
boiler yang berlangsung kurang dari satu menit. Untuk memastikan air sudah
berada di dalam boiler saya mengangkat tuas brewing dan mengalirkan air ke
dalam group head untuk pertama kali, sebuah proses yang
dinamakan priming. Selanjutnya pindahkan switch power ke posisi II dan
pemanas akan mulai bekerja beserta indikator suhu yang perlahan naik sesuai
dengan suhu yang bisa diatur dengan menekan tombol P. Hanya sekitar 20
menit Vibiemme V3 sudah siap digunakan.
Pressure Adjustment : Tapi tahan dulu, bila Anda ingin melakukan pressure
adjustment ini saatnya yakni mengubah parameter tekanan boiler dan pompa
dengan melakukan test terlebih dahulu menggunakan blind filter. Lihat tekanan
pompa dan boiler yang ditunjukan pada kedua manometer sambil mengangkat
tuas brewing. Proses ini saya lakukan dengan membuka cover hingga bisa
mengakses kedua bagian tersebut, yakni pada pompa dan P-Stats. Hanya
tekanan pompa yang kami ubah menjadi 9 bar, angka moderat yang
biasanya tokcer untuk ekstraksi espresso pada mesin rumahan. Terima kasih
kepada Andy Kho yang sudah berbaik hati berbagi ilmu home barista-nya saat
melakukan tweak pada mesin V3.
Brewing : Grinder yang baik tentu akan membuat V3 mengeluarkan segenap
kemampuannya dan Anfim Caimano On Demand kami gunakan untuk
mendampingin mesin ini. Andy beserta Hideo yang kebetulan membawa kopi
yang masih segar bugar mencoba basket VST 7 dan 22 gram yang dipasangkan
pada portafilter Vibiemme. Hasil ekstraksinya bisa Anda lihat di bawah dari dua
orang home barista Andy Kho dan Anto yang datang beberapa hari kemudian.
Khusus untuk steam, mesin dengan boiler hampir dua liter ini mampu
memuntahkan tenaganya untuk mem-frothing hanya dalam hitungan 5-7 detik
saja pada pitcher ukuran 300 ml.

Penutup :

Vibiemme V3 sebagaimana versi sebelumnya selalu menyenangkan untuk

digunakan, sebuah mesin yang sudah punya reputasi di dunia mesin espresso.
Tapi tentu tak ada mesin yang sempurna, selalu saja ada hal yang seringkali
membuat greget, seperti kedudukan tuas brewing yang sangat berdekatan
dengan group head E61. Tentu dimaklumi karena konstruksi yang terbatas
membuat tangan kita harus hati-hati agar tidak disapa group head yang panas.
Sesekali flush perlu dilakukan terutama pada saat mesin idle untuk membuang
panas yang terakumulasi di group head. Terlepas dari itu, ini hanyalah sekilas
pandang bagaimana kami menggunakan mesin V3 dan akan direvisi bila
menemukan hal-hal baru lainnya.
Terakhir, terima kasih Vibiemme dan Toffin atas perhatian dan apresiasinya
terhadap blog cikopi dan mesin ini akan menjadi pendamping setia di dapur kopi
saya. Salam !
***

Roland says:
September 10, 2012 at 22:17

Hi, guys. I am from Manila, and I just got my own VBM, so terima kasih for your excellent
photos.
Just a few corrections:
1) The adjustable valve, encircled in red, is not for pump pressure. Instead, it regulates the
brew boiler pressure, which is distinct from the steam boiler;
2) The pressurestat (+/-) controls the steam boiler pressure (referring to it merely as boiler
pressure is a bit confusing in a double boiler set-up);
3) The OPV you described is actually the exhaust valve;
4) And the real OPV (aka the pressure relief valve) is actually in line with the rotary pump,
which releases excess brew boiler pressure into the drip tray, via a horizontal nozzle.
I learned these things just hours ago, when I tried to tweak my brew boiler from 8 to 9 BAR,
steam boiler from 1.5 to 1.1 BAR, and the safety OPV to about 14 BAR. Hope this helps. It
may keep your readers from tweaking the wrong controls!