Getting Started with the Crossland CC1
We’ll admit that we have a little bit of a soft spot for Crossland Coffee’s CC1. While it may not be the sexiest machine on the block, it’s hard to beat all the excellent features for the price!
Setting it up for the first time does involve a bit of care and feeding to ensure the boiler is filled properly and will then recover/heat consistently afterward. So we asked Gail to show us how to set this little baby up right out of the box — and, thankfully, she agreed.
Watch the setup process as well as tips Gail has around troubleshooting the ‘HH’ error that appears if your boiler is not filled properly and, therefore, overheats.
Crew Review: Bottomless Portafilter for the Crossland CC1
You know we dig the CC1 — for the price and features, it’s a tough machine to beat! But one thing it has been missing is a bottomless portafilter, so we were very happy when Bill Crossland introduced one.
Watch Gail demonstrate the new bottomless on the CC1 – available now (and currently included on all new purchases of the CC1).
Compare: Breville Dual Boiler vs. Crossland CC1
In the left corner, we have the new Breville Dual Boiler; in the right, the Crossland CC1. Both machines were released this year, and other than having a difference in boiler design, have some similar functionality in terms of steaming and temperature control.
Watch Gail break ‘em down for us — features and specs — and make lattes on each to show how their performance and practical results.
Blind Taste Test: Rancilio Silvia vs. Crossland CC1
There’s a new kid in town and we’ve been asked by folks how the practical results compare with one of its primary competitors — so we put them to the test! Watch as Gail pulls espresso shots from the Rancilio Silvia and the Crossland CC1, offers them up to Rob, Jess and Allison and finds out which they prefer in this blind, side-by-side taste test.
How Much Time to Make 4 Lattes?
If you’ve got a party rockin’ hard, you don’t really want to be away from it too long, do you? That’s the question posed to us by several of our YouTube viewers: How long does it take to make 4 lattes on a few different machines?
So we asked Bunny to perform some testing for us! Watch as she whips up four drinks on the Rocket Giotto Evoluzione, Nuova Simonelli Oscar, Rancilio Silvia, Crossland CC1 and Saeco Via Venezia to see how quickly each of them will produce these lattes.
Experimenting with Lungos
If making espresso was a children’s fairy tale, this experimentation is all about good ol’ Papa Bear. According to Kenneth Davids, an espresso lungo is 2 oz of espresso, or 2/3 of a demitasse, pulled using the coffee dosage for a single espresso.
We have had several folks ask us if some machines are more suited to this than others, but we really think it’s probably going to be more defined by the coffee you’re using. However, we still tried it out on a few different machines to see if any of them produced a better long shot than the others. Watch Gail pull long shots from the Rocket Giotto, Nuova Simonelli Oscar, Saeco Via Venezia and Crossland CC1.
Crew Review: Crossland CC1
We asked Gail and Josh to take us through the technical aspects, features and functionality of the new Crossland CC1 espresso machine. Josh gives us a tour under the hood and Gail talks about pros, cons and demonstrates making a latte.
Selecting a Single Boiler Espresso Machine
In our next round of updated buying guides, Gail takes us through several single boiler espresso machines under the $1k mark, giving us a basic overview and comparison of their features. She talks about the Saeco Aroma, Via Venezia & Sirena, the Francis Francis X7, the Rancilio Silvia, the Ascaso Dream & Uno Pro with PID and the Crossland CC1. If you’re in the market for a machine, this is a great primer on some of the available options.
Introducing the Crossland Coffee CC1
Always on the lookout for new gear, we were excited by the prospect of a new entry-level machine being shepherded through development and into production by Bill Crossland, who previously designed the La Marzocco GS/3. Over the past year, we were lucky enough to play with different iterations of this machine, give general feedback on the basic functionality and beta test a final production model in our store for the past couple of months.
You know that we believe there’s a market for every machine, and while those operating in the upper echelons of espresso machine nirvana might find the CC1 a bit utilitarian, we love the fact that it effectively addresses some of the long term issues of machines in the under $1k class — namely, easily maintained temperature stability.
Watch as Bill gives a functional, spec-based overview of the new CC1, which is now available for pre-order.