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Hints and Tips
 We've put together a few hints and tips to
hopefully help you get the most out of your machine. All we ask of you
is, if you've been helped by this information please send us a quick
EMAIL
to let us know. It'll encourage us to post more. These are tips that have been gathered
from our own experience in using FrancisFrancis since 2000.
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Video Guides
Cleaning your FrancisFrancis
Machine
You should regularly clean
your Francis Francis machine to keep it in tip top shape. This includes using
descaler if you live in an hard water area. Standard descaler is fine to
use, utilise it as you would descale your kettle about every two months. If you live in a
hard water area and don't descale regularly, it will invalidate your
warranty.
Dissolve descaler in 1 litre
of water and pour into the water reservoir. Switch on your machine and
flush through about 2-3 cups worth. Turn off your machine and wait
about about 15 minutes. Turn on again and flush 2-3 cups worth.
Repeat until all the water is used.
Important: Now you must wash
the water reservoir out and fill it with clear water and flush again about
10 times until the boiler is completely free from residue. Otherwise
the flavour of your coffee will be impaired.
No steam
is coming out of the steam spout. Cleaning the Steam Pipe
If your machine is reaching steam
temperature, but no steam is coming out of the spout, then it's 99% that you
have a blocked steam pipe. This is caused by tiny droplets of milk
being sucked up into the pipe and over time congealing and restricting the
flow of the steam. Don't worry you don't have to send it in to the
workshop you can do a bit of careful DIY yourself.
Ensure that the machine is at
coffee temperature NOT steam temperature (coffee switch down - not steam switch). Run some water
through the pipe (by turning steam knob). If the water doesn't come out, take a paperclip and
straighten it out. This provides just the right thin tool to unblock
the steam pipe.
Remember to unblock the hole
at the bottom, you're not working on the hole at the side.
Prod up with the wire, and
then try to run water through again. Keep prodding and trying the
water. After a handful of tries this should work and your steam pipe
will be fine again.
To prevent this from
happening again takes a little maintenance after each usage.
After using the steam function to froth milk, simply run some water through
the pipe (not steam) to flush it out. Wipe over the outside of the pipe to
complete the job, ensuring the small hole on the side of the pipe is clear.
Remember, coffee temp, not
steam temp. Be careful, your using hot water, don't risk burning yourself.
Has this worked? We've
just saved you at least £50 for the service charge.
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us know.
How long
does it take to make an espresso?
Fill the coffee handle with ground, level the
surface and tamp (see section below). Brush off any coffee residue on
the side or top. Use a warmed cup for best results.
If the machine
is already up to coffee temperature, then a espresso shot should take about
23 seconds. Turn on the water, one elephant, two elephant
.................................. twenty three elephant. Turn of the water.
If your boiler as just been
switched on, the temperature will slowly rise, and will go beyond coffee
temperature on the dial. It will then cool down to coffee temperature.
This initial process takes about 3 minutes.
Note: Less than 20 seconds
will produce a weak espresso. Over 30 seconds will result in a burnt
bitter espresso.
How much should I press down when tamping the coffee?
Two answers to this one:)
1) Use about 30 lbs of pressure when pressing down. This isn't as
complicated as it sounds. Put your bathroom scales on the kitchen
worktop, put your coffee handle on the scales, tamp down until you get a
reading of 30 lbs. Ok you can't do that every time, but if you are
unsure then it's a good way to train your body to press down the correct
amount. After a few practices you'll soon get the hang of it.
2) Less scientifically answer. Keep
trying, keep experimenting, it's half the enjoyment, practice until you get
what's right for you.
My
temperature gauge has stopped working.
If you own a X1 Classic (pod + ground)
machine and you find that your temperature gauge as stopped working then you
don't necessarily have to be overly concerned.
The temperature gauge in the
Classic machine isn't required to make a coffee or to get the machine up to
steam temp, although it's 'cosmetically nicer' to have a visual
representation of temperature, this can be bypassed by simply using the
light indicators as a guide as they provide a good and true indication.
Coffee temp is about 92
degrees. If the coffee light illuminates and hot water is coming out
when you make a coffee then all is well. It's not going to get too
hot, if it gets above 100 degrees than it would be steam, not water.
Have faith in the lights.
A faulty temperature gauge is
not necessarily a faulty electrical item. It's basically a leaf spring which
touches the boiler.
Of course, if it's within the
warranty period then you can contact the service centre for warranty.
Please click on
warranty information.
If your machine is out of
warranty, you can also contact the service centre for an out of
warranty
repair - you are responsible for carriage both ways and the repair is going
to be fairly costly. Repairs are guaranteed for 3 months.
The fuses are tripping in my house.
Your element is faulty. An
occasional fault that we've seen in models up to 2007. The latest
models Nov 2007 onwards (we can only speak for our customers of course) have
had no reported element faults.
If it's within the warranty
period then you can contact the service centre for warranty. Please
click on
warranty information.
If your machine is out of
warranty, you can also contact the service centre for an out of warranty
repair - you are responsible for carriage both ways and the repair is going
to be fairly costly. Repairs are guaranteed for 3 months. Time
to look at a
replacement new model with two years warranty.
How to best froth milk for cappuccino and lattes?.
Get yourself a small stainless steel jug
-
we sell them - and some milk, semi skimmed works best for frothing. Stainless steel helps you feel the temperature of the contents. Hold the jug in your palm and fingers, not just by the handle, and hold at an angle and slowly
rotate the jug around the end of the steam pipe. Keep the frother tip close to the top of the milk. This warms and
froths the milk at the same time. Do this for 25-30 seconds.
The milk needs to be about 60 degrees (more
trial and error - if you want more accuracy you could purchase a thermometer). Wait a
little while until the frothed milk settles. Pour on to the espresso -
this should create a slight dome.
We are not
born as 'know it all baristas', so you may have to have a few goes before
you get it right. Before long you'll be enjoying cappuccinos wondering
what all the fuss was about. Word of advice, practice before having
friends around - they'll think you a star.
How to make a cappuccino?
Cappuccino is an espresso with frothed
and warmed milk.
Cappuccino is one third espresso, one
third warmed milk, one third frothed milk.
At coffee temp, make an espresso shot (23 seconds) in a cappuccino cup.
Turn off water and click steam switch. Wait a few seconds for steam
indicator to illuminate. Pour milk (semi skimmed) into stainless steel
jug and start warming and frothing for about 25-30 seconds. Pour
contents of jug over espresso shot.
How to make a latte or caffe latte?
Latte is an espresso with steamed
milk but no froth.
Latte is one third espresso, two thirds hot milk.
At coffee temp, make an espresso shot (23 seconds) in a cappuccino cup.
Turn off water and click steam switch. Wait a few seconds for steam
indicator to illuminate. Pour milk (semi skimmed) into stainless steel
jug and start warming for about 25-30 seconds. Ensure that the steam
pipe tip is inside the milk, we don't want to froth the contents - just heat
the milk. Pour contents of jug over espresso shot.
How to make an Americano?
Americano is an espresso with extra hot
water - a longer or diluted coffee.
At coffee temp, make an espresso shot (25 seconds) in a cappuccino cup.
Turn off water. You now need to add extra water using the hot water
feature.
Ensure coffee
and steam switches are in the up position. Place your cup under the
steam pipe. Turn the black steam knob anti-clockwise and then switch
the coffee switch down (NOT the steam). When complete, switch up the
coffee switch and turn the steam knob clockwise to close.
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