Brew at the right pressure with a flutter-free gauge:

The dynamic pressure gauge gives you insight on what happens in the filter basket while brewing. Not only is it important to pull the shot at the right pressure, but the gauge supports your understanding of good preparation, and helps fast-track your learning curve.

The pressure gauge is essential if you decide to explore pre-infusion, pressure profiling and/or “lever like shots” with the flow control dimmer, for even better result in your cup.

This gauge is glycerine filled to eliminate needle flutter, has a sleek dial that sits in line with the front of the enclosure, and is made of durable stainless steel that perfectly matches the design of the Classic.

Unlike in other gauges on the market, the capillary tube can be unscrewed and replaced if ever needed, and it also has an in line 0.6mm orifice to ensure the needle is totally flutter-free.

Pre-infusion and Pressure profiling:

The flow control dimmer gives precise control of the brew pressure from 0.5-12bars while pulling a shot, for pressure profiling and “lever like shots”, it also allows pre-infusion and soaking without switching the pump off (that action would open the 3-way solenoid valve, releasing valuable essentials of the brew to the drip tray). The dimmer in the BoostBox works with both ULKA and Invensys/ARS pumps (48-65W) very precisely and uses a superior plastic/ceramic housed power resistor with a dedicated heatsink for longevity and to comply with the highest safety standards unlike other options on the market.

A streamlined design with no compromises:

Safety-wise there are no compromises in the design of the Flow control dimmer & gauge kit. Compared to other kits on the market, we include brass spade connectors with heat-resistant push on insulation (like the ones you can find in the machine from factory). In addition, the wiring and design of the BoostBox keeps all conductor surfaces isolated in order to comply with factory safety specifications.

The electronics and gauge are wrapped in a streamlined enclosure that nicely fits the GAGGIA Classic. The tilted design provides clear view angle of the instrument. Durability and heat resistance are guaranteed by the 3D printed ABS material. I have designed the enclosure so that it can be moved out of the way in no time, while the machine is serviced; routine maintenance and servicing can be easily performed without the need to disconnect any components!

CONS:

– The enclosure is 3D printed, so printing layers are visible.

– Increased height of the machine (35mm 1 1/3″)

– The pressure gauge is only up to 11 bars on the dial, however it is happily whitstanding the maximum pressure of the machine

– Heating/pump interference (dropping pressure when the SSR kicks in to add heat to the boiler) Especially in America (120V mains voltage) This is applicable on every product even from other vendors

– Installation:

• adjusting the biting point of the dimmer could be a daunting task
• seized bolts (3 way valve, OPV or water inlet) could be really stubborn during the installation
• tight spaces especially around the pump could cause some headache