Quick Start Guide

Welcome to Meticulous!

We’re thrilled that you’ve received your Meticulous Espresso.
The purpose of this guide is to help you get started right away.

Quick Start Guide

If you have any questions as you get started - feel free to email welcome@meticuloushome.com or reply to this email and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

When removing the machine from the packaging, we recommend lifting it by the Heated Chamber (D). It is solidly connected to the body of the machine and will be balanced. We recommend keeping the plastic protective film for transporting the machine in the future as placing the machine directly into the foam could make small scratches along the surface coating.

The Machine

Fulcrum Enclosure
Motorized Piston
Max Water Line
Heated Chamber
E61 Shower Screen
Drip Tray
Alignment Cup Mark
Tray Spout
Acaia Scale
Scale Plug
High Resolution Screen
Dial
Speaker
Context Button
Tare Button
Heel
I/O Notch
IEC C13 Plug
USB C Port
Four Expansion Ports
Power Button
Base

Navigating the UI

The Meticulous was designed to be easy to navigate. The Dial (L) is the main interface to interact with the machine. It can turn left or right. The Context Button (N) opens up context specific menu options.

Dial Button - Press: Select an option.
Dial Button - Press and Hold: When highlighting a Profile, start the shot (i.e., begin heating water and make the espresso).
Dial Button - Double Press: When a Profile is active, a double press will abort the shot and return you to the Profile selection screen. Note: If the water is already at temperature, this may raise the piston, so yo have removed the portafilter to avoid wasting a shot.
Context Button: Press the button once to open the Context Menu.
Tare Button - First Press: Opens the scale overlay. This allows you to weigh your beans while the Profile is actively heating the water in the Heated Chamber.
Tare Button - Second Press: Scale overlay to Full Screen.
Tare Button - Third Press: Remove scale overlay.

Connecting to Wifi

There are multiple ways to connect Meticulous to WiFi. The most reliable is to connect to WiFi from the machine.

Context Menu → WiFi → Add New WiFi Network

To connect using the app:

Download the Meticulous app
You’ll see the setup screen
Tap “Start Setup”
Give the app Bluetooth permission (so it can find your machine)
Your machine should then appear in the app

Updating the Software

Once the machine is connected to your home WiFi, it should automatically begin downloading updated software. The machine ships with a stable Factory image, but the team releases updates daily that range from bug fixes, to UI improvements, to new functionality. We recommend moving to the Beta image to get the latest and greatest as we’re still making meaningful improvements on a regular basis. In a few weeks with the official release, we’ll update the Factory image and recommend most users switch to the Stable channel.

Context Menu → Config → Advanced Settings → Channel → Beta
Exit to the main Context Menu. You’ll notice a message “Downloading Y%” and then “Updating Y%”. When it reads “Update Complete” you can restart the machine by cycling the power off and on. Upon restart you will be running the latest software.
Note: Upon initial set up of the Meticulous, you may need to restart the machine more than once as we download and update Firmware and Software.

Profiles and The Meticulous App

Download the Meticulous App from the Apple App Store (iPhone, iPad, Mac) or Google Play Store (Android).

App Store Play Store

Your device must be connected to the same WiFi as the Meticulous in order to connect to it.

The Meticulous App will allow you to download Community Profiles, import profiles shared by friends, edit profiles, and create your own. Meticulous includes built-in profiles, making them an excellent starting point for your espresso. You can also adjust the variables via the app and save your preferences.

To install a new profile, click “Create New Profile” and then scroll through the Community Profiles. After selecting a profile, scroll to the bottom and save it to the machine. If you and the machine are on the same WiFi network, it should immediately appear on the machine’s display. Under Settings ( ⚙️ icon) you can also see your Shot History, or easily access the machines IP address (called the URL in Bean Conquerer) if you would like to connect it to Bean Conquerer to save your favorite shot data and settings.

Choosing the Right Profiles

The Meticulous is a lever machine and may take some getting used to depending on the espresso machine you are coming from. Like all lever machines, once the piston retracts the water will come into contact with the puck, beginning a gentle de-facto pre-infusion. Don’t be surprised if you’re getting 20%+ Extraction Yields on shots that read 8-15 seconds long on the shot clock!

If you enjoy Medium or Darker roasts with higher body, we recommend the Met - Italian profile under Community Profiles. This profile introduces water very quickly before moving to a constant flow rate (green line). You’ll notice pressure (blue line) gradually decrease as puck resistance erodes to maintain the flow rate. Dial in the grind size by targeting a peak pressure of around 6-8 bar, and then dial to taste by adjusting the End Flow Rate on the profile to extend or shorten the contact time.

For higher clarity, lower body, juicy lighter roasts, we recommend starting with Long’s LC (Low Contact) profile. This profile injects water at a very high flow rate until Pressure (blue line) builds to 4 bars, employs a short dynamic bloom, and then shifts to a maximum flow rate (green line) of 4 ml/s. You may only need an 8-14 second shot time to get extractions north of 20%. You can experiment with ULC (Ultra Low Contact), Medium Contact and High Contact to see what you enjoy best.

Note: Turbo shots require coarser espresso grinds - often in the 130 to 150 micron range for flat burrs.

The Meticulous and EAF Discord Communities are a great place to go for help with Profiles and Dialing In.

Making your first Meticulous Espresso

This is a common workflow for most of us:

Select a Profile and Press and Hold the Dial Button to start the shot. This will move the piston to the bottom position so you can add water. If the piston is already in the bottom position, you can add water directly.
Add water, fill the chamber up to the -max- line.

Note: if you’re planning on making many back to back shots, you can use a kettle with boiling water. This will reduce the heating time required.

Button label

3. Do your weighing, grinding, puck prep.

4. You can weigh your beans using the built-in Acaia scale. Add your dosing cup to the Drip Tray and press the physical Tare button on the bottom right side of the machine.

5. Insert the portafilter. It will auto-tare so you don't need to.

6. Start the shot when ready! And don’t forget NOT to move your cup once the cup has started as Meticulous relies on the scale reading to know when to stop the shot. Touching the cup or drip tray could spike the reading and end your shot.

Wait until the shot is complete. The Meticulous will chime when it’s done.
Remove your espresso and replace the cup with an empty purge cup.
Do NOT remove the portafilter yet. There is still 100mL of hot water above the puck!

Purge

After your espresso has been brewed you’ll need to purge the remaining water.

Press the Dial Button to begin purging the shot. If you have Auto Purge selected in the Brew Settings, removing the coffee cup will trigger a purge, so ensure your purge cup is in position.
You can purge directly onto the drip tray but we recommend you use a dedicated purge cup. That makes it easier to clean up.
Once the purge is done, remove the purge cup and portafilter.

Button label

Understanding Flow Profiles

Many of you might be coming from the world of standard 9-bar espresso machines. In this world, the machine maximizes water flow to build puck pressure up to 9 bars. As the puck erodes, the water flow rate increases to help maintain that high pressure.

The only variable (aside from Ratio) to adjust extraction is the grind size. Grinding finer increases extraction through higher surface area as well as increased puck resistance, which increases the contact time. For example, if a shot runs in 22 seconds and is under-extracted, grinding finer may increase the shot time to 26 seconds and also increase extraction due to the finer grind size.

The Meticulous allows you to set a target flow rate - like 2.2 ml/s. Imagine dialing in a shot that results in a 23 second shot time. On this profile, grinding finer will increase extraction, but the shot time will remain 23 seconds - because the shot time is largely determined by the target flow rate. What this means is that you will want to get into the ball park of the appropriate grind size, and then you can simply adjust the target flow rate to increase or decrease contact time. We find that many coffees have a range of contact time that tastes great at various extraction levels.

The great thing about the constant flow is that as your beans age, you don't need to adjust the grind because the Meticulous will compensate the constant time. What you will notice is the peak pressure decreasing over the course of the week as the fresh coffee degasses - but this his a relatively small impact on taste profile.

Making Changes to a Profile

The easiest way to change variables on a profile is through the dial. Select a profile → Context Button → Edit Profile. You can edit the Name, Temperature, End Weight and any “Global Variables” that have been defined via the Meticulous App to be editable from the machine. You can then Save these changes to the Profile, or Brew without Saving.

Brew Settings

We recommend changing the Brew Settings (Context Button → Brew Settings) to manually confirm the Brew Start and Purge with a button press. This will avoid any unintentional starts or purges.

FAQ

Do I need to fill the Heating Chamber fully for each shot?

We recommend you do. This ensures the most accurate temperature readings and most consistent espresso. By not filling the chamber completely the chamber will be filled with part water and part air. When the piston begins moving the air will compress, changing the time between the piston starting and water being introduced to the puck.

I added boiling water but the temperature reading shows a lower temperature (50-65°C)

The temperature reading shows an average temperature in the chamber. When the machine is “cold”, the boiling water will lose energy to the machine until they come into equilibrium. Once you start the espresso, the heater will bring the water temperature up to brew temperature.

The temperature reading is not at the exact target, but says it’s ready to brew

Unlike other machines with boilers that take 30-60 minutes to heat water to temperature, Meticulous is dynamically heating the water in the chamber to brew temperature for each espresso. We use a combination of temperature sensors and algorithms to determine when the water will reach brew temperature. Water at different parts of the chamber are at different temperatures and mix when the piston is being retracted. For most people, only large (5°C+) differences in brew temperature lead to a noticeable difference in the cup, so you shouldn’t notice a degree or two above or below your target.

My target weight is not exactly right

You might notice that the shot ends within 1-2grams of your target weight. Because of changes we’ve made to the behavior of the initial piston retraction our algorithm needs to be updated. Our goal is for shots to end within 1g of the target under all types of shot profiles. As soon as we get enough shot data with the new piston behavior, the algorithm will be updated via a software update. In the meantime, you should be able to add 1-2 grams to your target weight to get it where you want it to be.

How do I clean my machine?

We’re creating a simple Cleaning profile. But for now, we suggest cleaning the machine at the end of each day (or every few days):

Add water to the Heating Chamber until the rim.
Start a profile to begin heating the water.
Place a Purge cup under the Heating Chamber.
Once the water is ‘hot’ (70+ degrees C), double press the Dial Button to Abort the shot.
Press Context Menu → Raise Piston. This will release the hot water through the shower screen, removing any loose grounds.
Press Context Menu → Purge.
Wipe the inside of the chamber with a lint-free cloth if you notice any residue.

SAFETY & WARNINGS

Place the machine on a level, dry surface away from children.

Use only the original power cord supplied with the machine.

Connect the power cord to a 3-pin, earthed outlet; never remove or bypass the grounding pin, and do not use 2-pin adapters.

Do not switch mains voltage while the machine is on. Turn the machine off and unplug it before moving from a 100 V outlet to a 240 V outlet (or vice-versa).

Hot surfaces – parts around the heating chamber (heated funnel, piston tube, chamber lid, group-head area and portafilter) become extremely hot during operation. Do not touch these parts while the machine is on. Grip the portafilter only by its handle and lock it firmly before brewing.

Keep face and hands away from the heating chamber area for the entire brew cycle; hot liquid may splash when pressure releases.

The heating element and surrounding metal surfaces remain hot after use; allow the machine to cool before cleaning or storing.

Do not open the filling aperture (heating-chamber lid) during brewing.

Avoid spilling liquid on the power inlet, precision-scale jack, or rear accessory jacks; keep all connectors dry.

Do not start heating for brewing without water in the heating chamber.

Ensure the piston path is clear before starting the machine, and never touch the motorised piston once it is moving.

Do not touch the motorized piston once it starts moving.

Do not remove the portafilter until the brewing sequence is finished and all pressure has been released from the brewing chamber.

Disconnect the mains power before cleaning internal parts. Wipe the exterior with a damp cloth only. The appliance must not be immersed in water. Never immerse the machine, scale module or electronics.

Use filtered water to minimize scale; never add milk or other liquids to the chamber.

Do not plug—or insert—anything into the precision-scale jack or the rear accessory jacks unless it is an accessory approved for the Meticulous Espresso machine.

This appliance is for household use only.

This appliance can be used by children aged 8 years and above and by persons with reduced physical, sensory or mental capabilities, or lack of experience and knowledge, only if they are supervised or instructed in safe use and understand the hazards. Children shall not play with the appliance. Cleaning and user maintenance shall not be carried out by children without supervision.

Welcome to Meticulous!