Some animals can smell fear. James can taste pressure. Jokes aside, this is fascinating!

Tbh mostly clicked on this video to hear how James would pronounce my name if he ever greeted me irl

Let's be honest: Those B Rolls were amazing. It actually made me brew some coffee.

I bought one in the kickstarter. It’s still like new. It’s a tank. I had a learning curve. I dialed a lot with grind, dose etc… I pre heat it 3 times to the first coffee. From the second dose it’s ready. 21 grams of coffee to 45 grams out it’s my best receipt. I don’t use to make quick coffee. It’s part of my relaxing ritual everyday. Great machine imo.

Great video, as always! I'm from Brazil, and from the same city as the guys from Aram, so maybe I'm a little bit biased, but I do enjoy their espresso machine, and while it is expensive, I think the build quality and the fact they are a small company with mainly handcraft work, together with a great wood piece, justify the cost. Great to see a local product getting reviewed here!

I love he speaks about the whole process. Not just the coffee, but the design and the experience. I think that’s a sign for a good content creator! Thank you James!

Spot on highlights, great review. We use ARAM commercially at our coffee shop on a daily basis for 2 years now. Regarding your comment about finding the start ot the screw's thread: take a look at the moon and the sun symbols, just align them and you should have no struggles screwing the filter. About temp control, yes, we do 3 scaldings before making the exctraction. The upside to that is that once someone at the coffee shop orders an ARAM other patrons get curious and also order their shots, so it is already warm and ready to go for a couple more extractions right at the customer's table.

I love the design, the price is silly. For that price you could just get a basic home espresso machine and a cheap travel espresso machine, both of which could brew the 1970s coffee which we all want to see James.

Can we talk bout how the 70's brewer seems to have gained a spot on the shelf?

8:21 As Boris said "Heavy is good, heavy is reliable. If it doesn't work you can always hit them with it."

I've waited literally years for a review of the aram

I just received my Aram, i run two preheat cycles and then load up the portafilter and run a normal espresso cycle. I dose at 18gms of a light roast Panamanian coffee. I use the Comandante C40 at about 11 or 12 setting for espresso. I get lovely, sweet 36gm shots reliably and enjoy the process of “pulling” shots (screwing shots? Turning shots?). And it looks beautiful on my kitchen counter.

That is one of the only espresso mashiens that speaks to me, because it is so elegant! That is a beautiful piece of work 😄

Still waiting on some of that delicious, rancid 1970s coffee espresso James 🤔

Aside from the brilliant opinions of the equipment, you've really taken into consideration on how to develop great lighting setups for camera. Great work, James! Your dedication to this channel clearly shows :)

Is it expensive? Very, however it has to be noticed that the whole ethos around its production (made by hand, by local people paid fairly) was not covered in the review. Would I have this as my main brewer? No, however it really depends on the issue you are trying to solve and the areas in which you are willing to compromise. In my case I needed something manual non-intrusive to sit at my desk in the office and the Aram fitted the bill nicely. I pre-heat it twice and I am fairly happy with the consistency of shots I've been "pulling".

Universal way to find thread on any screw: Put bolt (or whatever has thread) into screw hole and turn the wrong way until you hear and feel a click. You have now found the engagement point of the thread. Now you can turn the correct way without any chance of damaging the thread.

The KZfaq gods have recently blessed me with your content, I've gotten hooked to your videos, thank you so much for everything you do 👍

That tactile feedback is one of the reason i love lever espresso machine.

I used to live in Rio, and in one of my favorite coffee shops they had this Aram machines, which you could order your espresso on it. It was some of the best espressos I had. But, yeah, I think the temperature thing might be an issue, I remember being a bit more acidic some times, but I don't really mind. I've being living in NYC for a year already, and haven't found yet as good coffee as I used to have there. Aram went back to the top of my wish list again after seeing this video hahah.

I have one since last week. So far I like the experience very much. It is very easy to use and to build up pressure. As I prefer slightly darker roasts, I don‘t have a problem with the brew temperature. I will the brew chamber with close to boiling water and leave it there for 2-3 minutes while grinding the coffee and preparing the filter screen. Nice machine so far. The first coffee was almost perfect - didn’t expect that!

James let's be honest about this, when can we expect your "Aram Espresso Maker Powerdrill Edition Turbo" Video?

I'd need to have a coffee BEFORE using this contraption in the morning

Love your videos! I've learned so much and have so much fun watching them. Really appreciate your humour 😉 greetings from a Salvadoran in Germany!

Ooo, perfect timing. I just finished roasting some coffee, looked up and there was this. Seems like a fairly unique manual machine but definitely on the expensive side.

7:13 - James Hoffmann: "No corners have been cut." Me, an intellectual: "But it's a cylinder..."

What a fascinating ,thorough and comprehensive review. Brilliant!

Some of the camera angles in this video were absolutely stunning. Keep it up James!

"with the ancient money of temperature" 😂 Loved that one!

Now there is an awesome pressure gauge for it, the pressure is shown by little concentric discs that rise up every 2 bar pressure increments, and people are also fitting pre heating coils, which makes it even more compeling

That is an absolutely beautiful piece of engineering that I have absolutely no desire for. I love seeing interesting ideas in how to change everyday devices and I’m excited to see what comes next.

I’ve been loving my Aram. It does take a bit to get it up to temp as you mentioned but the espresso it produces is so much more forgiving I’ve found than my big machine. Darker roasts do particularly well in it, producing a wonderfully creamy sweet shot in my experience. I find It’s less finicky with grind size adjustments and tamping, I suppose because of the manual nature of the extraction. I travel a lot (and was just too curious not to try) so I was ok with the buy but it it is pricey, no doubt. As always, thanks for the review!

The wood on the exterior is very aesthetic, you can't knock that

As a Brazilian barista, I've been waiting for this review for so long. I have played with it a couple of times, and I love the final result.

This is fantastic video - well structured, showing how it works with your own editorial comment and opinion. Thanks James.

Pleasantly surprised to see this is more than just a novelty. Really interesting and aesthetically pleasing product.

Thanks for another informative review, James. I’ve been pulling shots with the Aram for a few years now (I purchased it it right after the Aram team visited Seattle for the 2018 SCA). A few cons: it took about two months to arrive after ordering, with very little communication during that time. The tutorial was not very helpful so learning how to achieve a great shot is a bit of a crash course. I don’t think it would perform well at all while traveling. In my experience, pulling (or in this case pushing) a great shot requires more than what comes in the box. I use the Comandante for the grind- which needs dialing in because rarely will you have equal results between roasts; though I concede the likelihood of carrying multiple roasts in one’s carry bag may be a stretch for most- which further illustrates the point. In addition to the Aram, and a good grinder, you’ll need to heat your water to the right temperature (and the means to maintain that temperature), AND you’ll need a scale. Granted, all of this could fit into a custom made case- but it’s not really compact then, is it? Finally, it requires a bit of strength to achieve 9 bars in a timely fashion (and yes the seals will fail if used often at high pressure). The stand is really helpful in this regard- but again, not easily stored. In its current design, stabilizing it against one’s knee or in the air is unrealistic. Maybe if they updated the crank to something resembling the Comandante, this might be possible. Lastly, the craftsmanship and price tag accompanying it discourages me from taking it camping or anywhere else (and I actually brew coffee on most hikes I go on- using the Pourigami, a stove, kettle, and pre-measured beans which I grind with a spare Comandante, that I carefully pack- all of which weighs me down considerably. Of course, I could and have used fire, it’s not always an option nor easy to moderate the water temp). That said, as a home manual espresso machine, I love it. It took significant trial and error to get it right, but having figured it out, I use it almost daily with amazing results. How fast is it? Several of my friends have machines in the 3-4K range and it seems they spend the same if not more time dialing them in as I do the Aram. I am not concerned with speed, I am concerned with quality outcomes. I enjoy the mechanics of it all. There is a reward at the end of measuring out the beans, hand grinding them, and then pressing them into a shot that automation cannot provide for me. Jay Leno mentions the relationship he finds from driving classic automobiles: they need his interaction to function, unlike modern cars where everything is automated and virtually operate independently. I submit, brewing espresso manually requires the same level of attention. It’s a craft, and depending what one puts into it will determine the outcome. If I were to upgrade, it would be to a Cremina... which I am secretly considering....

About taste and shot size: this machine has a naked filter basket which produces a wide range of outcomes. For instance, the taste of the last drip is vastly different than first drops. My wife prefers the tailings when I make myself shots... I found the second crank produces strong coffee that can smooth out harshness when mixed together (I just uncrank and generate a second shot until all water is out of the chamber, which also creates an easy to clean, dry puck).

That feel when you invoke the "UI/UX" element of an experience in use. 10/10 Would love to hear more of your opinions around the UX of the labor involved with machines, not just the product interaction itself. All in all, huge fan!

I realise I've been subconsciously drawing inspiration for my living room corner design from your background

I bought it two weeks ago and I'm in love with it. I'm aware of the temperature problem so normally I do two rounds of pre-heating and the outcome is actually very satisfying.

Feels weird to see you test something that actualy taste good :D

Really smart review. The critiques you made are insightful and really helpful.

So nice to see something from my country reviewed on your channel.

I tried Aram in São Paulo, and guess what? I had one of the best coffee cups of my entire life! Of course the coffee beans they used were awesome as well, so if you have ARAM + Good quality coffee bean, you are on the way to the happiness. :)

Little caveat about the thermocouple set-up that may be worth checking: Yellow connection are for Type-K thermocouple; Green wire are usually for Type-S thermocouple Using Yellow connector with green wire may actually lead to temperature measurement errors of few degrees;

I love the totally different direction they took with the style and functionality of this espresso maker

Some of the sharpest 4K footage I've seen in a while. Your lenses are on point sir.

This guy brewing coffee through a 400$ manual expresso: "Tastes pretty good, tastes like the pressure is off, more heat would bring out more flavor." Me brewing coffee through a sock: "This is amazing, I'll have 20 cups."

You don't have to turn the crank all the way up to let the water go out at pre-heating, one turn is enough. Also screwing the brew basket is not really fiddly, because there is a full moon on the Aram and a half moon on the basket. If you align them, you have the right position to srew it easily. But you are right, pre-heating takes some time. I always pre-heat twice and use 100 °C water and never had more than 93 °C inside the Aram. So temperature control and also pressure control is an issue. I also recommend darker roasts, lighter roasts come our very sour with the Aram. I use 21-22 grams of coffe with my Aram (it depends on the beans), after tamping the basket is filled up until the line. With turning the crank all the way up and down I get 50 ml in my cup (~1:2.3).

I really love the cinematography on your videos, I have watched quite a few of them and I don't even drink coffee regularly

production on this one is insane James. Good job.

James: "...brewing in the 90's..." My brain: Initial D

Nice Review, the Aram looks indeed very nice. My all time favorite is still the Lapavoni Europiccola. Would be interesting to see that James think about it.

Love all of your manual espresso machine reviews. Price is a huge deal with these machines, where for me the whole point is to allow the average home consumer to get great tasting, proper shots at home without breaking the bank

My morning brewing whilst watching your channel is now habitual.

'the ancient money of temperature' HAHAHAHA

The cost of actually paying humans to make something. It is absolutely beautiful. Kind of want to get one.

Thank you, love the way you present it

I love the way it looks

Since I’ve just bought an espresso machine I would love to see another dialing in episode. Other than that keep up the good work, love it.

It's so cold where I live this morning that people are skipping work and school. - 44C. So I'm watching a James Hoffmann vid instead. Thanks man.

Love your videos James! I always learn so much

Love the man talking about the things I will never buy but cannot stop listening to

James, the easiest way to find the start point of any screw is to start by rotating it backwards while applying slight pressure until you hear or feel a "click" this will guarantee you are indeed starting on the correct thread. All screws and bolts are designed like this. Cheers from the US!

This device reminds me a great deal of my Staresso V3 with it's hand pump instead of a screw. The Staresso is more portable, much cheaper, and made of black plastic and metal. Very utilitarian in design (reminds me of a Star Wars Droid). I am just starting to get it figured out for pulling my morning shots, and appreciate the new (to me) knowledge that the water temperature being high is so important for proper extraction of less dark beans. That explains why I am getting acidity when using medium roasts !

A great looking machine, Very well demonstrated; I’d love one ☕️👍

You have such a relaxing, lovely speaking voice.

Thank you for another good review James. And I wonder you have any plan to review La Pavoni lever machine. It would be great if you review one of those.

James' sweater game is unreal.

Thanks for your reviews, I learn a lot!

I watch so many videos of yours. Yet I drink instant coffee because I can’t afford a machine. Yet I ljve vicariously through you!

Aram is perfect for home use! I am using everyday in the morning

ya boy drinking espresso shots and knowing the pressure like a pressure gauge

This is an era of manual espresso makers. ROK and now this. Which is excellent! Lots of choices between 200 -500 $ I am pretty happy with the ROK thanks to your recommendation

Hello, James; Thank you for all you do. I just saw this ( I think it is the 1st time). Lovely machine but I'm on disability & could never afford it. BTW, 2 tips for you. When you want to start 2 threaded parts together without cross-threading, here is what to do. Turn the part you hold backwards, as in unscrewing it while pressing slightly into the mating part. You can feel the ends of the threads slip past each other & then turn it correctly. Works great, always. [Unless you are drunk?] To 'preheat' a part to make coffee put the part in (very) hot water or in a pot of water & heat it. By preheating that way you can get the temperature desired. Hopefully helpful. Have a GREAT day, Neighbor!

I love manual coffee makers. The price is a bit high, but I I will definitely get it!!

This is such a dangerous piece of equipment! If I get one, I swear I'll inevitably pour beans into it (and hot water in my grinder!)

Thank you very much for the coffee you sent me. You are the best!

Great review, pretty cool espresso machine, fun and informative, thank you

I would be really interesting to see a blind test between this, a lever espresso, and an aero press shot.

There's a similar design made in Poland - but it's more robust, less of a luxury item. It's called Kazak Rota and it is priced at PLN 1500 (300 GBP).

That's a gorgeous bit of kit.

That music You are choosing is stunning.

ARAM and Robot owner here. I've been using both machines for a long time. I do agree with JH about heat management. As for me, ARAM is capable of brewing light roasts, but you'll need to do at least 2 pre heat cycles (I always do it 2 times, no matter what roast profile, to have more stable temperature thoughout brewing). Not sure if people use lighter roast then I, which is totally possible, and for lighter roaster ARAM could be a problem. About brewing pressure, it's really unfortunate they didn't include option to add a manometer (besides we insisted in request that). But I think 9 bar is not an issue to get. Actually, there are some users that used so much pressure that filter basket bottom got rounded!

[chanting] 70s espresso! 70s espresso! For real tho I love your videos and this looks like such a cool and different machine but far and away out of the price range of my student hiney xD

James, preheat with boiling water you can reach over 90 C easily. Preheat twice with boiling water you can get up to 90 C. Depending on where you live ,Three times you pass 95C. With a little patience you can get several profiles for different coffees. There are factory test videos measuring pressure that reaches 9 bar easily

Dear James, Thanks for the review. I think lots of people want a good compare video between, Flare. Rok, Robot and Aram. please consider this. You're AWESOME as always.

Yep, James is back to the old grind... wait that's a....

Seems like an expensive novelty that would quickly get turned into shelf decor.

Thank you very much. Your video is very detailed, accurate and extremely useful to me. Once again, I want to thank from Vietnam. I wish you all the best. 💗

1. Great jumper 2. It's a very beautiful and elegant device. Love the wood. And I wondered if the crank could make it easier to get more consistent pressure. Though I do like how the Flare has the option of a pressure gauge attachment. 3. Still, the price is beyond my budget when my Breville/Sage Bambino has nearly all I could ask for for a home machine, as a non-coffee professional, which I got for $95 less. 4. For travel, I still feel so much contentment with the lightness, versatility and ease of the aeropress. The included glass, funnel, and THAT WOOD all get aces in my eyes.

Now please review the Portaspresso--both models--as the Aram is clearly inspired by it. Also, EspressoForge and Pink's Expression.

I can just imagine this guy shuddering when his nan asks him 'milk and two sugars?' while taking the nescafe out of the cupboard

I'm glad to see you've moved back to good coffee. I had to wince at your last two videos every time you took sips.

I find this aesthetically, absolutely beautiful

Blind taste of espressos made at different pressures. Genuinely interested on how accurately you could determine them

Try the Portaspresso, please. I have been using the Rossa PG since last year and it is superb for its price & pressure modulation capability, IMHO

One of my favourite channels!

It looks really pretty coming out