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Espresso Gauge Notes

Reading the pressure gauge on an espresso machine

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  1. What an Espresso Machine Pressure Gauge Shows

    What the needle on an espresso machine gauge is actually measuring, how a dial gauge works inside, and what the numbers on the face mean.

  2. Bar, PSI and the Colored Zones on the Dial

    How to read the units on an espresso machine gauge, what bar and psi mean, and how marked zones on the dial relate to the needle during a shot.

  3. Pump Pressure Versus Boiler Pressure Gauges

    Why some espresso machines show brew pressure, others show steam boiler pressure, and some show both, and what each needle is really telling you.

  4. Reading the Needle During a Shot

    What a brew pressure needle does from the first second of a shot to the last, which part of the shot to watch, and what a sudden drop can mean.

  5. Why the Gauge Reads High or Low

    What can push an espresso machine gauge needle above or below the marked zone, from grind and pump wear to mains pressure and the gauge itself.

  6. How the Gauge Shows Pre-Infusion

    Why the needle on some espresso machines rises slowly at the start of a shot, what pre-infusion is, and what one maker's manual says the zone means.

  7. The Gauge and the Over-Pressure Valve

    What the over-pressure valve (OPV) on an espresso machine is, how it relates to what the gauge shows, and why adjusting it is a job for the maker.