Best water filter?

[PaulM]

Hi folks,

We'll be plumbing in a new machine in the next week or so and need to choose a water filter. I used to be smart on these things but am not anymore. What are you guys using these days? We're looking for something with readily available replacement media. I personally like the old salt-based ion exchangers, but since this is just for the espresso machine, maybe a few gallons a week, we are not concerned with the cost of replacement filters, rather we are looking for a robust plumbable system that can be maintained with readily available filter media.

Thanks in advance,
Paul

[mp]

Have you considered a reverse osmosis system?

I know you had a Faema commercial unit  ... I would have thought you would have had the water facilities already set up.  Did you move?

Personally I have a whole house carbon filter with a water softener and reverse osmosis unit under the kitchen sink.  The soft water is nice.

 

[PaulM]

Have you considered a reverse osmosis system?

I know you had a Faema commercial unit  ... I would have thought you would have had the water facilities already set up.  Did you move?

Personally I have a whole house carbon filter with a water softener and reverse osmosis unit under the kitchen sink.  The soft water is nice.

 

Good memory MP! This machine will be installed at the woodworking shop where I am spending most of my time these days, no filter there. I believe RO leaves the water too "flat," requiring the addition of minerals (mostly salts I think) downstream to make the coffee taste right.

[mp]

Right you are ... I mix a little of the soft water to the RO ... I find that the best tasting for the shots.  Then you would have to install a soft water system.  That may be more $ than you may want to spend.

 

[Tex]

Hi folks,

We'll be plumbing in a new machine in the next week or so and need to choose a water filter. I used to be smart on these things but am not anymore. What are you guys using these days? We're looking for something with readily available replacement media. I personally like the old salt-based ion exchangers, but since this is just for the espresso machine, maybe a few gallons a week, we are not concerned with the cost of replacement filters, rather we are looking for a robust plumbable system that can be maintained with readily available filter media.

Thanks in advance,
Paul

This kit is used by a lot of us: http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/plumbing/softenersystem. Good thing about it is it uses standard-sized cartridges, not the proprietary ones some folks sell.

Replacement cartridges are cheapest here: http://www.wateranywhere.com/

[PaulM]

Thanks Tex, but I think that link is broken?

[mp]

This kit is used by a lot of us: http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/plumbing/softenersystem. Good thing about it is it uses standard-sized cartridges, not the proprietary ones some folks sell.

Replacement cartridges are cheapest here: http://www.wateranywhere.com/

The first link did not work ... this one did though:
http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/plumbing/infilterandsoftener

Was that the link you wanted to display?

 

[Tex]

Tryitnow.

[headchange4u]

I thought I read that RO water was not the best choice flavor-wise for espresso.

[Tex]

I thought I read that RO water was not the best choice flavor-wise for espresso.

Everything you ever wanted to know about water & coffee: http://big-rick.com/coffee/waterfaq.html

[mp]

Tryitnow.

Yes ... works now.

 

[shakin_jake]

I'm using a 24 gallon per day Kent Marine RO system to filter my well water before using in my pour over Salvatore One Black HX espresso machine

http://www.kentmarine.com/products/full-size-ro-units.htm

Then I route that water through one of Chris's carbon calcite filters before I capture it in a 2.5 gallon water container

http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/plumbing/calcitefilter

Using Sofcheck total hardness test strips (bought a bottle of 50 test strips), my treated espresso water is 50 PPM trace minerals

The RO system removes almost all of the water hardness, the carbon calcite filter puts back 50 PPM trace minerals (natch)

I have this system set up in a room in my barn with a 3 bay sink.  I'll turn it on and some hours later, the 2.5 gallon container is full, then I'll manually shut off the system, distribute into one gallon water jugs to take to the house for my pour over machine

My espresso shots and drinks taste mighty fine using this water=:-) 


Jake
Reddick Fla.
Vagrant, vagabond, transient, hobo, bum. But park a motorcycle next to him and PRESTO! He's an advrider! -d0gWateR

[peter]

I think your best solution will be an RO system for drinking/cooking, and a dedicated setup for your espresso machine, a charcoal filter and a softening cartridge. 

[shakin_jake]

Chris,  I wouldn't be concerned about softening the water before it entered an RO unit...the membrane is designed to remove all of the hardness...metals, etc.  Looking back at my last post to this thread, I'm still using the system I have except I now use this make up water going directly into 5 gallon water bottles which I then use a flo jet pump on top of the bottle for my plumb in HX machine


Anyways, most of the RO units you would buy to filter wagter for your ewspresso machine, the membrane is going to last a real long time considering how much water will go through it strictly for your espresso machine...and you can check how well the membrane is filtering via water hardness test strips.

The two test strips you see here, one was used prior to the water entrering my RO unit, the other is after it exited the RO and the carbon calcite cartridge
Typically I'm only checking the hardness of my water *after* it exits the carbon calcite cartridge.  That's the number I'm concerned with and FWIW, the 50 PPM I end up with makes fabulous tasting espresso


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
The Democrat Party: the last refuge of unsuccessful people

[juker]

Chris
I’m using two stage setup with a softener cartridge ($8  from watereverywhere) as a first stage since June 2010. I use water from the filter for drinking/cooking/icemaker and coffee
My water is pretty hard ( I have to wear a helmet while taking a shower  )…
Anyhow, I have an electric glass kettle with stainless steel mirror polished bottom. It required by-weekly citric acid treatment to remove very visible calcium deposits on the bottom. But since I started using softener there is no need for that - my kettle is sparkling clean. I monitor my kettle and as soon as I see any sign of calcium deposit on its mirror-like bottom I recharge the softener cartridge (approx. once in 3 month). In two days after recharge the traces of calcium deposits get dissolved.
After a year of use I inspected my Brewtus (with partial disassembly) and didn’t find any traces of scale.
Pretty happy with my low cost – low maintenance setup. I use green (best) GE cartridge as a second stage and replace it once in 6-12 month when flow rate drops significantly.