NEW STANDARD ESPRESSO MACHINE?: Unica Pro Deep Dive Review
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- Опубликовано: 7 июл 2024
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TIME CUES
0:00- Introduction
1:27- BetterHelp
2:23- Temperature Responsiveness Test
4:30- Build, Steam, Hot Water
7:09- Flow Displacement Pump
10:39- Firmware Updates/Lance-Samo Profile
12:16- Menu Overview
14:40- Shot #1 and Analysis
17:03- Shot #2 and Analysis
18:21- ThumbDRIVE Chat (NOT thumbnail)
19:21- Extraction Settings
26:04- Shot #3 and Analysis
28:09- Pressure Profiling?
30:24- Menu Extended Options
33:12- AutoSteam and Lart
33:52- Some Cons Summed
34:13- Some Pros Summed
34:39- Boilers Obsolete?
35:37- Conclusion Развлечения
it would be the world if you could give a like to this video! I work really hard on these and likes and subscribes help more than you know!
Many have been misinterpreted the video as saying this machine is what everyone should get- that is horribly myopic. The excitement is moreso the approach and the dissemination of thought that will undoubtedly lead to a better future with regards to approaches to extraction, sustainability, etc. Anyway, thanks for the support!
No doubt you really do and thank you so much.
I'd love to see the power consumption measured as I'm not sold on the sustainability of this thing, especially when I see so much water having to be flushed/purged to regulate the temp on the grouphead.
The above aside, USB-A and FAT32 in 2023. Wow.
@LanceHedrick Did you go to college and if so Where ?
@@espressomaticdon't need it. Wifi capable now.
@CoffeeAndSmoke23 yes. And graduate school. Why does that matter?
Certified doctor here. The way this machine leans forward suggests that it has the PSP form of frontotemporal dementia. Very sad tbh.
I was wondering:
- hmm how much?
Then you’ve said: “Swiss company”
And that’s when I realised I won’t be able to afford it 😂
From what I could find, it's 7200 swiss franc, or about $8500 US.
@@Kiaulen DAMN HOMIE DATS A LOT OF MONZ MONZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@KiaulenAlready lost us market, except collectors 😅
@@DaddyMakesCoffee Yup. No commercial use either - too many options and too flimsy, no one would use this in any cafe or restaurant.
😂 pricing is nuts. Flair 58, 500 bucks best espresso machine money can buy. Done
Bro you have out done yourself in this video . The intro izzz hilarious, love the choice of song. I didn’t know u could mix comedy and machine review All into one. Kudos bro…. Love the geeky pretty deep technical review & comparing it with commercial machine… don’t stop believing… hold on to dat feeling…Bro … your passion rocks 😄👍
UI designer: How much drop shadow do you want across the interface? Unica: Yes.
No real UI or UX designer was harmed in this process 😂
Hope that you had a wonderful Christmas, Lance?
Happy New Year my friend.
Great video, thanks! Awesome to see tech from other industries used, when only ever seen in custom hotrod style machines!
Thanks Hugo and Lance. Love your videos ❤and coffee ☕️ and coffee machines 🤖
Lance bringing the goods this Twixmas. Have a great 2024 Lance! Thank you for your coffee passion and entertainment!
Great review Lance. Can't wait till it's available in the U.S. Better control, better espresso!
Amazing video. I wonder if a short format digest to accompany this would help boost ur channel. It’s definitely a deep dive here, and i dont think the length is for everyone. Maybe chapters would also help. Either way, ur providing a valuable resource and I enjoy watching.
Great review! Really appreciate the deep dive and demonstration of what the machine is capable. I am definitely interested, assuming it is ever released in the USA.
These people are brilliant. Pulling cold water through the pump to mitigate scale buildup is king. Great video!
?? Its common.
Oh I wasn’t aware! GCP owner here
@@Noyb266 I have a Simonelli Oscar in pieces at the moment. The Ulka pump sits directly under the water tank fron which it is fed. Also no slime in 10 years.
The GCP also pumps cold water, I think in the current era pumping hot water is a big no no.
What machine pumps hot water?
I did field service on medical equipment for a while. doesnt surprise me to see a company in that field making espresso machines.
Fantastic walk through, it must say machines come a long way the last few years and I fully agree boilers is a redundant technology that we really should not need to see anymore especially not in the home market. One of the reasons why I was so interested in the Meticulous lots of capabilities in a low maintenance package. I can’t wait to see an actual home friendly and affordable version of this as it offer so many “new” very useful set of features… the design is a rather hard sell, certainly look like it indeed was designed by a pharmaceutical equipment maker.
the hotwater spout on my Rocket R9 is exactly the same, i love it! you can mix cold water with the hot water and program the volumetric
Top notch Swiss made product! Waiting for the Maro review now! 😊
You did great on this one Lance. Excellent video. I'm excited to buy one of these when they're available in North America.
The Unica Coffee Company are currently offering for potential buyers to be informed of their current purchase options when it is announced. Place your name on a list if interested.
As always an amazing video with an in depth review. Thank you. I noticed the nice black cups. Ceramic I would imagine. What are they and do you have a link?
You’re a legend Lance, literally laughed out loud with the Little Mermaid performance at 5:44 😂 would love to see how far you took it pre-editing 😁
Dang they Swiss’d the price! Dang Swiss!
Hi Lance,
Do you know if, at some point, you will be able to review the Heylo? It should have many of the capabilities that the Unica Pro has and is furthermore boilerless. It has a separate steaming unit, though. It can, however, steam without heating the milk, only introducing air, apparently.
Great content, keep it up!
Pressure profiling section is pure gold. Puuuure gold.
Hey Lance,
Love the video as always ! Do you have a review of the Baby T planned? Would love to hear your thought on it
This seems like the Decent DE1 on steroids. Very cool! I just wish it had a bigger display to more easily dive into the data (they seem to have the space for it if they get a slimmer display - and open source the software.
Edit: Also hope they can make the V2 look more minimalistic, but that's just my subjective opinion on the looks I want.
I still think the decent has definitely a few features up its sleeve compared to this machine here.
No temp profiles (change temp during shot), advanced pressure/flow in a combined profile etc. All this is possible with de1. I think they did a few things right regarding the heating, no boiler, pump steering etc. But no real competition for de1 (Unica it is even more expensive). No app modifications possible (which made the de1 a huge community driven success).
@@obiwan007 depends how you look at that. all these features are mostly to geek on the Decent, make a lot of shots that none taste good. With Unica the basic profile is like the most advanced Decent profile with the difference that it actually works and makes consistently super tasty shots.
@@100brsta How is that different from the Unica? Here you can basically geek out the same - you only see that the software is not as far as the de1 software is right now.
I use a more or less basic recipe since I bout my de1. No issue at all. What is the Unica doing "advanced" here? Maybe I missed that in the video. Beside doing it via a "magic" flow calculation. I do have a scale and I hit my shot within 0.1g...
It is both way more beautiful and way better technically than a Decent to be honest. The Decent is nice but it’s basically old tech with tons of sensors and software. A rotary pump in a Nespresso-like aesthetic for 4 thousand? No thanks. The step motor on the Unica Pro is game changing.
@@100brsta Don't agree but that is fine.
Do you have the Unica? I have a decent de1. No issue at all with consistency.
I do not need 100 profiles - I usually use always the same. But you could geek out. and experiment there.
One nit to pick - copper would be more hygienic as it’s strongly antimicrobial at its surface, but it’s likely too thermally conductive for their design.
I get it. This machine is a prototype of what may be to come with other designs, brands etc but hopefully it leads to better and more energy efficient technology in the industry (or at least more options).
Yes! Intended takeaway here. Thank you!
@@LanceHedrick You’re welcome! 😊
I hope you will also get a MaRo Model 1. Can't wait to see some reviews in Q1 or Q2.
My head exploded at about 14 minutes. Man I’ve got a lot to learn.
This Unica mechine seems to approach the ideal. Thank you, Lance.
Nice and responsive display, so it can be done! Breville should learn from them.
Brewille will never build a machine like that
Thanks< Lance for your fantastic look into this unique espresso machine.
This machine is full of unique features and you provided an excellent demonstration & explanation to many of these specific options. I look forward to chapter ‘2’ of your extended review when the Unica & software is finally available for release.
There were a couple of distinctive options offered for the Unica Pro but your time was limited for a full elucidation.
So here is a short explanation of these features offered. 1. Steam. 2. Cup warming.
1. The milk steam timer/temperature function ( adjustable in single digit degree and seconds) offers the opportunity to make micro-foam in a repeatable way.
In a commercial setting, this option will provide a supply of silky smooth micro-foam for all the cappuccino's & Lattes required.
2. Since the Unica doesn’t produce an appropriate amount of excess heat ( lack of boilers) . A alternative solution was provided in the form of a special heat film that is installed under the top stainless tray. This film will provide the required heat for the cup tray. The cups can be warmed to an adjustable set time and/or temperature before the initial start of the day.
Love that auto flush.
Great video as always, Hopefully the Unica Pro becomes available soon in the USA
@LanceHendrick Great review, thanks Lance. I fully share your excitement for this machine. I have it for nearly 2 years since its launch. It's pricey but very innovative with custom-developed parts, not mass-produced ones. Excellent build quality, endless coffee brewing options, minimal kitchen footprint, and great for the environment due to its energy efficiency, without compromises for temperature consistency and steam performance.
Insane review, super geeky AF with all the tech, I think I'll stick to my Gaggia with the Gagguinno mod, too poor like most people to look at this
the next step is to run a neural network and use supervised trained to allow younto choose the coffee you want. viscous, clear, sweet and let the machine pick the variables and adjust to the grind.
Damn i was hoping that it would finally be without teflon... Hopefully someone will eventually do it ! Anyway thank you for the review!
What would be used instead though?
@@nhayes927 could it be stainless steel pipes ? I think it exists on some machines
@basilkodi2456 that would be a thermal disaster though, which machine has that?
PFOA in Teflon is not used anymore. Because PFOA is no longer a component of Teflon. Thousands of medical devices and componentsuse the same tubing. From catheters to dialysis machines…. Don’t blame the espresso machines 😂
Nice review
Lance! Any chance you can review the Turin Legato? Looking to buy my first machine, and seems like it could be a good alternative to the Bambino Plus or GCP. Thanks!
great vid and explanation - which scale did you use for the water volume?
Around the 5:00 mark, do you mean watt hours? Watts are an instant power usage measurement, and do not represent how much energy streaming a drink actually uses.
I can Imagine Lance hosting a dinner party for friends and aftwr the meal Lance asks friends if they would like an after dinner espresso, he starts up the Unica Pro and starts using the profiling to get his friends a great espresso, however I hope they are staying over by the time he's gone theough all the finessing it will be time for breakfast.
Having worked in biotechnology field I sometimes wonder why my espresso machine couldn't do X, Y, or Z that some piece of lab equipment can. Makes total sense that some instrument makers decided to make an espresso machine. At CHF 7350.00 this is mighty expensive compared to my Rancilio Silvia but a lot cheaper than my lab instruments. Then again, the Decent DE1 Pro at $4K seems a relative bargain for the home user.
it's really annoying to see youtuber and salesman get excited over PID as if it's some sort of high tech shit.
You obviously haven't tested any machines ever, silly boy. And I'm a coffee pro and technician first. RUclips is a side thing. Jumping to conclusions seems like a thing you do, huh
By the off chance you read this what’s your opinion on the best espresso machine/grinder combination for under $2500?
Hey Lance! I love your videos and look forward to every single one.
I do have a critique about this one, however. The numbers for power saving are absolutely ridiculous, even in a cafe environment.
As a former owner of a Lelit Bianca, for home use, the savings would be below 100Eur per year. I know, because I just switched to a Decent and I've been running these calculations for weeks. Even in a cafe environment, I can only get close to those numbers assuming 16 hours of heavy usage per day, which the Bianca is not made for, so maybe an even bigger machine.
However, this machine is NOT made for a cafe environment with that 0.5l steam boiler. Unless I am misunderstanding how it works, that steam boiler cannot in any way handle a commercial environment, maybe a very low volume one.
So this machine should either be compared to something of the same caliber when it comes to number of shots per hour, when it comes to a commercial environment, or to a reasonable home use scenario.
You are misunderstanding how it works, indeed. It isn't just a boiler. There are other heating mechanisms. It isn't made to be a Cafe machine but a catering machine or small pop up
Or for a company with geeky coffee enthusiasts like IT engineer fe. (:
For home, the ascaso duo pid seems better suited now but perhaps that's the kind of tech we gonna see in coming years. Looking fwd.
Thanks!
Excellent video, can we get a thermal stability test for this machine with the portafilter probe readings ?
Yeah I didn't see it necessary because how stable and my testing agreed with their testing..can do it that on an unfiltered video, though!
It looks BEAUTIFUL. I bet it costs an arm and a leg ha ha!
I do hope you do possible multiple deep dives on the Gaggiuino? Maybe some comparison videos with other machines? A 6 month/1 year revisit after using it for a long time?
I am really really hoping that can be my ultra-wannabe-posh machine I can rock for a long while going forward for myself :)
Thanks for the review. It is a pretty awesome machine geared towards the ultra coffee nerd. This machine would require some training on how the flow rates affect the cup as compared to pressure. Perhaps this is something to aspire to.
The Christmas gift I did not know I was missing - a new upload from Lance! ❤
You can't go up to 300ml extraction, because you need some volume to saturate the puck. 300ml - saturating volume = max extraction volume. But I agree there should be one limit for all kinds of beverages.
Great Review! How does the Unica stand against Decent? If I were to choose I would definitely go for the Unica
I want the Nurri he reviewed!!! That is my goal!!!
There is no sensor in the tank. The pump detects that it cannot be refilled. You can even run a shot without the tank, if there is enough water in the pump. If the not enough water warning it's coming I can still finish more than one coffee, until the machine detects there is not enough water for the chosen beverage and the button is grayed out.
That step motor is a game changer.
Does anybody know what style group head this machine uses? (I.e. which portafilters will fit this machine?)
Great machine with a very smart build. Price is heavy for most though, if 7000+ CHF is a decent reference. But it will shake up the competition nonetheless and that is a good thing for everyone.
Hopefully after a few years we will see the tech trickle down to a more “affordable” model.
Like Tesla’s, but with hopefully better build quality 😅
This or a modern Spring Lever with 3 way valve, heated group, and programmable PI?
Wow! That video had me on the edge of my seat. Ignoring the price for a moment, the machine seems so innovative in good directions. Love the pump and inherent efficiency. Lance understands about 50 times more than I do about extracting the best flavour from coffee beans. I am quite excited by the idea that I could import some of his painstakingly researched shot profiles to my own machine as a start point. I just completed a repair/refurb on my failing Dedica, but during the downtime have been watching ALL of Lance’s excellent in-depth reviews with a view to buy a more versatile smallish footprint machine. I could make funds available to go straight to endgame, but feel I ought to build up more experience and knowledge first. Maybe try a modded GCP and wait for this tech to appear in mainstream machines?? What would you recommend??
Awesome video, keep it up. I am deciding between buying this and the Decent. Speaking only about control, as I have understood the Unica is more precise/consistent?. Is it 2 times better or 10 times better? Not considering the price difference, what would you suggest me between the two?
Unica. If the price is not an option then Unica. There should be no second thoughts about this. It is technologically so much ahead of the Decent. Because of the operating principle of the pump it is inherently much more precise and consistent in pumping water.
In the end I bought the decent because of budget. I will surely upgrade to Unica in the future if the company will still exist in the upcoming years and my passion will stil be the same 🙂 P.S. the decent is awesome too even if the technology is not at the same level of the Unica@@100brsta
My dual boiler espresso machine had a consumption of 14 kwh for the last 30 days. The price for that, here in Romania, is 2$.
Do you run it from cold to boil for espresso daily?
Yes, twice a day. The trick is that I only turn on the steam boiler maybe once a week. The rest of the time I don't use it.
How much CO2 did that produce?
Bless Romania, in Germany that’s a cool 6€
In theory zero because I'm a customer of a company called Hidroelectrica that produces the energy by using dams. In reality i don't think you can track and know for sure where was produced the energy that you consume. It is a common power grid.
I just bought a Flair 58 and Nanofoamer pro. Can’t decide on what coffee machine is best, so many comparisons, so many promo videos online, no real review after 1 year including the daily maintenance etc. Seemed like the best starting point for espresso, after drinking from my Aeropress for 7 years..
Well to get something noticeably more capable you fundamentally need this or the Decent over a f58 that is quite a lot of money to spend for most of us… the technology surely is interesting but it likely take years before it becomes affordable
Grind analysis is cool
Wow, this looks a lot like a Bentley Gaggiuino. Given that I'm not driving a Bentley, I'll happily keep my Gaggiuino, and ~$8k in price difference. Awesome review!!!
What do the manufacturers of unica pro make in the medical field? Or what’s the parent company’s name?
Great video and summary about a complex and innovativ machine, thx Lance.
OMG loved this till I went to check the price of the machine!!! Way out of my price range lol
Very much will be outsie of my budget but damn that has some neat features
The good thing is that now this tech is out, I'm sure cheaper versions will be available in no time
lance how do you use a fat thumbnail to program this machine?
Interesting. Any ideas on if they will set up shop directly in the USA or work through an importer?
Yes! They will hopefully 2024
Thanks for the reply! What I mean though is the "how" they get here part. Will they have employees here in the USA with a facility or go through a 3rd party importer?
The Unica Pro CO. Will have a local US. distribution network . For sales, support and marketing. I believe this device will in the near future be placed in some specific locations. Its super quiet function and speed provides a unique opportunity for use in specific locations. Specialized bars, broadway theaters etc.
How are the readings gonna be like with same coffee on different basket ? Let’s say a 17-19g and a 19-22g. Does it make a difference?
That is one super quiet espresso machine!
Lance, thank you very much for your videos! Can you review Bezzera espresso machines? No one makes reviews on them and they have some interesting machines such as the aria r mn with rotary pump
Watts is power, not energy usage. Energy is watts times time. e.g. 1.5 kilowatt hours.
Sorry, I didn't get why it has small lever on it's back?
That’s the Vostok in the background! Different machine :)
Just a quick message : thumbnail is a mini picture, like the picture you make to promote a video or in your phone before you open it fullscreen.
Thumbdrive is the "computer stick" you connect.
wait until the Maro model 1 is out in spring! 😂
Awesome!!!!
Machines that have a display and control electronics in hot humid environments wear out. It is important that these parts be easily replaced, so that the machine itself is not lost when this happens. This is a common issue in kitchen appliances.
I needed this video SO MUCH as I’ve been ill since Boxing Day . Thanks Lance 🎉
Get well!
Hi Lance, I was curious if you plan on reviewing the Profitec Drive?
Looks more like a cafe setting machine. The tilt is weird.
Can we just take some time to appreciate lance's godly voice?
What is that small scale you are using for the water ? :)
I'd love to see what I could get out of this vs. my Mr. Coffee Espressions machine. I'd need to get a really good paying job to afford one of these.
When it comes to sustainability there is “T-technology” from Ascaso and for semi professional or home use there is Ascaso Baby T model which is rather better comparison to this monster than Ascaso DUO.
Btw I would love to see review of baby T ;)
I love it but I hope they hire a UI designer! It makes its look so cheap.
Why including teflon material with all the regulations kicking in around PFAS? That s a weird choice!
I applause the technology in there. But legit question again: what % of the users will be able to appreciate such a fine tuning ability when pouring a shot?
I d not pay for such a machine because due to the amount of electronics in the machine, the chance of malfunctions is quite high. I would not put several thousand bucks in such a machine unless the reliability is insanely high.
I call bullshit on the "it takes more power of you run a thermojet multiple times" argument. It's not the number of watts, it's the number of watts over time. That is why you pay for electricity in watt HOURS, not in watts. Just connect a power consumption trackers to the outlet and see for yourself.
Yeah that's why I made sure to say they said it. I haven't tracked it but they apparently have.
the analogy i can think of is the tankless water heater used commonly in europe and asia. it instantaneously heats the water as it is used rather than a larger amt of water maintained 24/7 at constant temp. they are more energy efficient. i am not an engineer but perhaps someone here is and can explain why a boiler is more energy efficient for steam? maybe the energy;temp curve changes for steam??
Any chance of adding timestamps to these kind of long videos? besides that, great vid and great machine.
Yes! I usually do..parents are in town and I posted absentmindedly
Esthetically speaking the Leaning Tower of Pisa look bothers me a bit too much, definitely enough to not consider it as a purchase.
LANCE! hey there, happy holidays and happy new year! You don't have to do a video about it (unless you want to) but what is your favorite semi-automatic home espresso machine for 2023...or top 5...or 10? Overall best, most user friendly, best features and so on. Love you videos, keep it up along with that epic stash.
Swiss product? Sign me up. Switzerland is 30min ride, I'll go now.
Oh wait... I forgot I don't have a Swiss salary.
Lance, the unit of energy is kWh not kW, which is a unit of power. I'm sure you know this. Great review though!
That's why I'm a supporter of the new L (Lance) unit, Joules per shot. Then parties or cafés can be rated in Ls, Lance-shots.
Maybe do a direct comparison to the Decent de1?
A lot of the features of the de1 I could not find here. How can the Unica lead the pack then?
All software things the unica people left out but can add
@@LanceHedrick Which software things? I just want to see the real differences between the two machines.
The different pump approach is nice - but how does the flow calculation of the de1 is so much off? As far as I understood the unica does some magic resistance calc to actually know when water hits the puck. Very difficult to do and will probably only work on some recipes.
This is obviously a fantastically informative video but it's edited like a load of tiktok videos smooshed in to one. It's not my preference but I'm here for it either way. Clearly Hugo knows what he's doing, it's incredibly professional. I hope the channel makes millions of money off the shorts? I don't know how it works.
Checked that this is a 10k€ machine where I live. That is a lot 😄 I was hoping for something more mortal pricing
Can you review some budget friendly espresso machine especially machines from gemilai or milesto. Thanks
Is this for commercial? Or at home?