Ascaso Brew Head Upgrade Adapter Kit

While a bit spendy for the size and complexity of the part. It provides an even distribution of water to the grounds and results in noticeably creamier and richer espresso. I'd recommend upgrading this part to anyone interested in making better espresso but keep in mind that you won't be able to use the machine for pods once the upgrade is made.

(Posted on 1/4/13)

Installed this on an Ascaso Basic unit I had for about 6 months, never knew the US versions had the pod brew head as I always used freshly ground espresso. Well this brew head upgrade took all of about 2 minutes to install. And it drastically improved the shot immediately.

My friends and I put the Ascaso Basic with brew head upgrade up against the Rancilio Silvia v2 in a espresso shot contest and 7 out of 10 people had the shots in a dead heat.

This is a must for the Basic, Dream, and Arc machines.

(Posted on 6/23/12)

Easy to install on the Francis Francis X-1, took a matter of minutes. Stupid pod compatibility meant I never got a good puck or even pressure from the Francis, but this little piece has made the X-1 into a premium quality machine, and I've stopped shopping for a replacement. My only regret is that I did not find this piece long ago. This is a must-have if you have a pod-compatible X-1.

Pros:
Great Taste,Easy To Use

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(Posted on 6/4/12)

Super easy to install. Takes a philips screwdriver and about one minute and transforms the Ascaso Dream. Others have commented on the improvement in shot quality and once you've installed the kit, you'll never again be tempted to use the pressurised portafilter. It's as good as everyone says. But there's a very interesting side effect. It's generally assumed that once the kit's in place, pods are no longer an option. I discovered that the very opposite's the case. Pod performance with the Versatile machine was never great. Conventional wisdom's always been that you can't have a machine that's good with pods and can pull a good proper shot and I found the Versatile to be fairly ordinary at both tasks. What I discovered was that using the single shot (unpressurised) basket combined with the reduced headroom of the mod allows you to properly clamp the pod tightly in place and force all the water to pass through rather than around it. It's a huge improvement and creates a machine that's truly versatile.

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(Posted on 4/14/11)

I initially bought the adapter kit because the O ring was stretched out. After reading the other posts it became clear that I was using a head designed for pods which I don't use. The difference is noticeable and yes Ascaso should have included this in the original machine. I would recommend changing this part and enjoy a much better espresso. Good Luck!

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(Posted on 2/3/11)

I was happy with my Ascaso Dream for about 2 years. Then I added this and found out everything I knew was wrong. If you have this machine and aren't using pods, you need this brew head. The pre-installed head really is designed exclusively for use with pods. It'd be nice if this was included originally, but it is definitely worth the upgrade. Installation is quick and easy.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Easy To Clean, Great Taste

Cons:
Not for pods

(Posted on 11/9/10)

We all know the road to a really good shot of espresso is long and heavily tolled. From the beans to the machines, excellence comes at a price. Those of us that bought Ascaso due to their promise of quality components and performance must consider this purchase simply another necessary expense.

The result truly is a better, more consistent shot of espresso with richer crema. The improved dispersion from the shower head means better extraction (no more craters!), so one can finally put one's grind and tamping skills to the test. It should also be noted what a pleasure it is, after months of cleaning soupy grounds from portafilter, to knock out a relatively dry puck.

In a perfect world, this brew head would have been the factory design with an option for "downgrading" these stylish Ascaso machines for use with the mysterious espresso "pod" and the somewhat sophomoric pressurized basket.

Ultimately this is a small, tho somewhat begrudging price to pay to finally turn your Dream (as the case may be) into a reality.

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(Posted on 4/7/10)

Richer crema and better distribution through the grounds during brewing, just as advertised. Also, after brewing, the puck will be dry, which was my main gripe about the Dream when I first started using it. Definitely worth the upgrade, though it's unfortunate that the machine didn't come with this brew head standard.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Great Taste, Easy To Clean

Cons:

(Posted on 3/25/10)