ECM Mechanika Max : The Smart Heat Exchanger Espresso Machine

Introducing the Mechanika Max, ECM's latest heat exchanger (HX) espresso machine built to raise the bar of what the specialty coffee world knows as heat exchangers.

The Mechanika Max offers dual boiler capacities thanks to its intelligent HX system without the footprint of a standard dual boiler machine. The 'brain' of the machine lives in the digital PID Display, offering unprecedented control over the brewing experience. The PID controller allows precise temperature regulation, resulting in consistent extractions and exceptional coffee flavor.

Build of the ECM Mechanika Max

The Mechanika Max weighs 23.5kg and stands at 40cm tall and 27.4cm wide with a depth of 44.5cm, making it slightly bigger and heavier than the previous ECM Mechanika VI Slim. This machine also houses a 1.9L insulated stainless steel boiler connected to a rotary pump, giving you a machine with a longer lifespan and more consistent pressure.

The boiler pressure gauge and pump pressure gauge are at the top of the E61 group head, giving you easy visibility without having to bend down to view the gauges that's commonly found near the exhaust valve or drip tray.

Mornings with the Mechanika Max is a walk in the park too. With its quiet rotary pump and the automatic on/off schedule, your machine will be up and running by the time you're ready for your morning cuppa (or two!). Two different on/off times can be set for weekday and weekend schedules, giving you flexibility for your days off from work. The scheduled on/off times can be set at 10 minute increments.

Underneath the removable cup warming tray on the top houses the water tank that holds up to 3 litres, or it can also be plumbed in for ease of mind. The joystick toggles for steaming and hot water outlet also make it quick and simple to be used.

Brewing with the ECM Mechanika Max

Brewing with the Mechanika Max is made easy with the intelligent PID controller. The features include brew water temperature, boiler temperature, ECO mode, setting the temperature unit between Celcius and Fahrenheit, schedule when to turn on or off your Max, and two modes of pre-infusion, among others.

Heat-up time can range from 20 to 30 minutes, but you can program the on/off times using the PID controller so that your machine will be ready to go in the morning or whenever you need it.

The Brew Temperature Control (BTC) mode is the star of the ECM Mechanika Max. To put it simply, this mode limits the build-up of temperature inside the boiler to avoid overheating. There are 3 temperature settings in this mode, ranging from BC1, BC2 and BC3. BC1 is the slowest heating mode, BC2 is the recommended heating mode, and BC3 is the fastest heating mode that is designed for experienced users.

Even when using the BTC mode at BC1 (the slowest heating mode), you can briefly ramp up the steaming power by pressing the up button during the brewing process.

With standard single boiler or other heat exchanger machines, a cooling flush would be required to bring the temperature down after steaming.

One unique feature on the Mechanika Max is the Flush Advisor. The PID controller will show you how long to flush your machine to bring the temperature down to your desired brewing temperature ONLY if your machine is on the standard HX mode. This removes the guesswork you have to do to determine whether your flush was adequate to get the right brewing temperature.

When the brew temperature is too hot, the PID will display 3 dashes at the top, and you can perform a flush without the portafilter. Once the timer starts, push the lever down, and the PID will display 'RDY' once it has cooled down enough.

As mentioned previously, if the machine is set to the BTC mode, you would not be required to perform a cooling flush to bring down the temperature.

Another feature involving the Mechanika Max's ability to control the temperature is being able to prioritize brewing or steaming by using the PID controller to set the machine to Brew Temperature First or Steam Temperature First mode. This functionality enables you to prioritize either brewing or steaming, depending on your needs.

With this function, the Mechanika Max will focus its power into either brewing your espresso or giving you strong steaming power.

The Mechanika Max also allows for two modes of pre-infusion: active and passive.

The active pre-infusion initiates the pump for a programmable duration, ranging from one to ten seconds.

As for passive pre-infusion, it serves two purposes. When used alongside active pre-infusion, the pump runs for the time set in the active pre-infusion stage, and then pauses for a programmed duration of 1 to 9 seconds. This intentional pause allows the coffee grounds in the portafilter to expand, providing a more even extraction.

However, when the machine is plumbed in to the waterline, passive pre-infusion is used on its own.

In this scenario, the plumbed pressure gently pushes brew water into the coffee grounds for the programmed time before the pump commences the full pressure extraction. The Mechanika Max's comprehensive pre-infusion system guarantees the utmost control and precision in your coffee brewing experience.

The steam wand is also insulated, so you won't burn yourself when you touch it while steaming milk. It also produces a drier steam, so less water gets into your milk.

Conclusion

True to ECM's philosophy, this heat exchanger machine may be compact but it surely does pack a punch. The build quality is ECM standard, the design is timeless and fascinating, and as for the features; the brew temperature control, flush advisor, pre-infusion and so on are definitely game-changing for a heat exchanger machine.

All in all, the Mechanika Max has all the advantages of a double boiler like good brew temperature control, along with all the extra benefits of a heat exchanger machine like energy saving properties.

The Brew Temperature Control mode works efficiently to stabilise the temperature of the E61 grouphead while giving you strong steam power whenever you need it.

The ECM Mechanika Max is the perfect heat exchanger espresso machine for your home if you want to enjoy dual boiler capabilities without the hefty price tag.

Want to watch the ECM Mechanika Max in action? Check out our YouTube video below for a full review from our very own Hazim! You can also drop by the Lamarsa Coffee showroom and check out more coffee machines and grinders that we offer.

ECM Mechanika MAX Espresso Machine

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