10m challenge #4: latte, 1x DE1
In this Ten Minute Challenge I makes lattes on a coffee cart with one DE1XL machine, and one Niche grinder. Result: 5 latte drinks in ten minutes.
The big surprise is that I was as fast with one espresso machine, as I was with two espresso machines. With two machines I didn't make any more, and I was more likely to make errors, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJPTzfaP-W0 for me with two machines, making lattes.
The main lesson I learned in this video is that I should start the next espresso brewing before I pour the milk to make the latte art. I only realized this at the last step, and you can see that it'd save a lot of time.
However, in order to start the next espresso then, I'd need to have the next portafilter ready. I'm not sure if I have enough time to do that, with just one Niche grinder. It might be that I need two Niches, in order to have that next portafilter ready to go, after the milk was steamed. But maybe there is enough time… I'll have to try that workflow in the future.
Nonetheless, without rushing or stressing, I was able to make 5 lattes, from double-espressos, poured into 200ml cups, in that ten minutes. That's faster than many cafes I go to.
-john
Updated 2021/02/26