New drip tray cover with rigid cross beams and cup centering guide, available as a free customization option.
The internal “manifold” (how the water gets directed to where it should go) is changing from a CNCed part that is not repairable, to a moulded part that can be repaired (ie, a bad valve can be swapped out). The benefits of this are lower cost. This new “All in One” AIO manifold is backward compatible with all previous DE1 models, and will be what we use if we need to repair your machine once we are out of stock of the previous generation of manifolds. We have invented a electrical spring clip connector, for solder-less valve connectivity, which also resolves longevity concerns caused by thermal cycling causing solder cracks on the valves.
A newly designed flush diffuser: significantly easier removal for cleaning. This part slows down the high pressure, high temperature water when an espresso shot ends. People who pack a lot of coffee into the portafilter basket (a practice called “overdosing”) would cause very dirty water flushes, which could eventually cause a blockage in the flush diffuser. It's now much easier to take this part out to clean it.
The flush valve has changed in position to avoid trapping coffee particles, which will help with longevity in café environments.
The group head has changed from being CNCed in brass to now be cast in stainless steel. This increases longevity and removes any concerns about lead that can be an in issue when sourcing brass.