Bring the future to your kitchen with the Bodum Granos automatic espresso machine! This stainless steel beauty has full programmability for liquid volume, as well as a pressurized style portafilter. Combining these features results in an espresso making process that is extremely user friendly. After brewing is completed, a three-way solenoid valve removes excess pressure and water from the brew group and deposits it into the removable drip tray. The 58 oz water reservoir is also removable, and with the included adapter, it can be replaced with a bottle of water for increased flexibility. The control panel of the Bodum Granos is located on the front of the machine, directly below the enclosed passive cup warmer. Pressing the power button, the largest button on the panel, will cause all of the buttons to flash three times. The power button will continue to blink red while the Granos heats, and all of the buttons will steadily illuminate when it is ready for use. Although the ready light will come on after about a minute, you will want to let the machine heat up for a total of at least 5 minutes before brewing to ensure temperature stability. To brew with the Bodum Granos, press the one-cup button if you’re using the single shot or ESE pod filter baskets, or the two-cup button when you’re brewing with the double shot basket. Both of these buttons will arrive preprogrammed, but they can be reprogrammed to dispense as much or as little liquid as you desire. To begin the programming process, simply press the programming button followed by the one or two cup button. When the amount of liquid you want has been dispensed, press the button you’re programming (the one or two cup button) again to stop the flow of liquid and confirm this as your programmed liquid volume. If you’d like, you can also brew using the manual button, which is depicted as two unequally filled cups. This button can be used in conjunction with any of the filter baskets, and when pressed will continue to dispense espresso until you press it a second time. Most pre-ground coffees should work well with the pressurized portafilter, but if you’re freshly grinding your own beans, you may want to try grinding a little coarser than you would for a commercial style machine. You will also want to keep in mind that the pressurized portafilter will require an extremely light tamp in order to brew properly. Tamping too hard can cause the espresso to merely drip out of the portafilter, or not come out at all. Frothing and steaming with the Bodum Granos is just as easy as brewing. Pressing the steam button will illuminate the green light on the steam button and cause the power button to blink red while the Granos heats to steaming temperature. After about 25 seconds the machine will reach the proper temperature for steaming, and the power button will stop blinking and remain lit. Turning the steam knob counter-clockwise will open the steam valve and allow you to steam or froth your milk with the rubber frothing attachment. Similar in function to a Pannarello wand, the frothing attachment makes it easy to get perfect froth every time. When you’re done frothing, simply turn the steam knob clockwise to the closed position, and press the steam button again. At this point, the power button will begin to flash green and will continue until the Granos has cooled down to brewing temperature. This usually takes about 40 seconds. All of the buttons on the control panel will illuminate when the Granos is ready to brew again. If you’d like to add hot water to your drink, you will only need to press the hot water button. The hot water button will light up green, indicating that it is ready for you to open the steam knob and dispense the hot water. Like any espresso machine, there is some routine maintenance that you need to perform to keep the Granos running at its best. Every time you brew, you will need to empty the portafilter of the coffee grounds or pod you used, and rinse it. The frothing wand should also be cleaned after use by removing and rinsing the attachment and wiping off the steam wand itself with a damp cloth. The drip tray holds any excess water or coffee that is dispensed from the brew group or steam wand and will need to be emptied on a fairly regular basis. This tray also catches the water that is expelled by the three-way solenoid valve, so it does fill quicker than you might expect. In addition, the Bodum Granos should be descaled every 2-3 months to keep the internal portions of the machine clean, and your espresso tasting great. The Bodum Granos espresso machine comes with single, double, and pod portafilter baskets, as well as a 7 gram coffee scoop/tamper, and a bottle adapter for the water reservoir.