The stepped (raised) area should face outwards. Flat area inwards.

We’ve designed the Presso Smartshot to perfectly balance the extraction pressure so you get a tasty coffee, cup after cup. Extraction pressures will vary depending on the amount and fineness of coffee grinds. Expect between 6 and 10 bar.

It’s not normally necessary to take your unit apart. You can clean the black filter disc by removing it from the underside. The factory fitted o-ring will last many years and can be cleaned by rinsing the unit through, first with soapy water followed by clean water.

After many years of service it is possible to dismantle your unit after purchasing a Service kit from our webstore. See our movie here.

An unwinding handle is a sign that the black silicone seal needs a clean. Remove the seal and clean both sides with soapy water. Also clean the round area in the body where the seal locates. Rinse both areas then dry the seal before replacing and using. The silicone screen and portafilter basket (not the wooden handled portafilter body) are also dishwasher safe. 

See a video here.

Technically you can, but we do not recommend it.

Actually it will not. This is because the entire basket area above the exit hole is pressurised. The extraction pressure will equalise everywhere between the exit hole and the o-ring. This ensures a very even extraction.

Presso Smartshot is designed to be used with hot water. If you raise and lower the arms when dry, it may make a noise. A bit like running an engine without oil. If you wish to reduce this dry-run friction, try this lubrication tip here.

Friction between the sliding o-ring and the inner body can become increased by mineral deposits or even when very new. Try this tip to reduce the friction from our ROK community - first remove the silicone seal (black disk with holes) and raise both lever arms. Using your finger, smear a very small amount of olive oil or margarine onto the inner wall of the cylinder. Raise then lower the arms a few times to reduce the o-ring friction. Wipe off any excess oil with kitchen roll. Replace the black silicone seal and use it as normal. 

To watch a demo video go here.

Interested in the relationship between oil and coffee? Go here.

No. Many coffee machines with moving parts make a sound. The noise you may hear is the metal parts moving together when the springs compress. Somewhat like the noise made when cycling. To lessen the noise you can add a little lubricant.

To see a video of where and how, go here.

After each use we recommend you clip out the basket from the portafilter. Simply rinse it and the portafilter cup under a tap. We also recommend rinsing off any used coffee grounds from the black silicone seal. This can be done with it in place, no need to remove. See movie here.

For a deep clean you can make a 'coffee-less shot'. Attach the portafilter without filling with coffee, then pull a normal shot using warm soapy water. Repeat, then thoroughly rinse with fresh, clean water. Dry with a towel or allow to air dry. See movie here. 

Occasionally, you can place the steel basket and black silicone seal into a dishwasher. Run on a normal cycle.

If you live in an area with high mineral deposits in the water, follow this guide to descale your Presso.

If coffee is left on the base for prolonged periods it can cause some staining. We make a silicone mat which looks great and sits beautifully onto your Presso. Take a look in our webstore.

The shower screen has very fine holes (300 microns) to reduce the chance of channeling. For more clickhere.

Our espresso machine is simple. There's a linear series of events that starts with hot water at the top-end to coffee at the bottom-end. The amount of coffee (dose) and it's fineness of grind that's crucial when using either our regular or naked portafilter. That's because it's the coffee itself that creates the pressure needed for espresso, not the holes in the basket.

If you feel only a little pressure when pulling your shot, then it's normally down to the coffee grind. If you are using pre-ground coffee try completely filling up the basket, tamping down hard and leaving 20 seconds between lifting the arms and pulling down. This 'pre-infusion' allows the grinds to swell. If you're using a grinder then try a finer grind. If you grind your beans, grind finer.

If all else fails you could get our crema-plus portafilter or crema-plus kit. Check out this video for more information.

To clean your ROK EspressoGC, simply remove the portafilter by turning to the right, knock out the coffee ‘cake’ into a bin and rinse off any remaining coffee grounds that may be left on the body. Occasionally wash with soapy water but do not put the ROK EspressoGCthrough a dishwasher. The salts will destroy the high quality finish.

Occasionally, you may want to maintain your EspressoGC more thoroughly. See video here.

See how to clean and polish the metal parts here.

This depends a lot on how firmly you press the arms down. In normal usage expect between 5 to 10 bar.

Pre-warm the portafilter - put it in a cup of boiled water for a few minutes (make sure the ROK EspressoGC body is warm and not out of a cold cupboard etc).

Warm up your cups with some hot water before you use them also. Check out our video here - https://youtu.be/vAf9gG_3mYI

After some time there may be a build up of oily coffee residues on the surface of the silicone screen. This creates a slippery connection between the silicone and the steel basket. This can be solved by cleaning the surfaces with a cloth soaked in warm soapy water. Drying the two surfaces before pulling a shot also helps.

Follow the step by step video:

Simple. More consistent results, higher extraction pressure and easier crema.

Or watch our video here.

No - you will need to have access to hot water. At home this is easy – when travelling maybe just take a thermos flask.

Interested in the relationship between oil and coffee? Go here.

The coffee grind should be specifically for making espresso if you are using the standard basket. The grind should be fine. If it’s coarse, the water will pass through too easily so it won’t create enough pressure. If it's too fine it might be too dense and create too much resistance.

If your are looking for great grinds we suggest having a look at our ROK GrinderGC.

Watch our step by step video here.

Of course you can. It's been designed to make a double espresso but using the supplied accessory spout you can make two single espressos.

If the arms are too hard to pull down, STOP. The coffee might be too fine or tamped too densely.

Empty the portafilter and try one of the following:

1. Use a less fine coffee.
2. Tamp with less pressure.
3. Try both 1 & 2 above.

These 12 symbols act as a guide for your preferred grind setting. To start, loosely tighten the adjustment wheel before clicking back to your preferred setting. Note the symbol directly below the central screw. If you then adjust this setting for another brewing device, you'll be able to quickly reset by repositioning to the earlier symbol.

When the machine is new, the wheel can occasionally freewheel. If this happens, try jiggling the main arm. A click can be heard when it drops down. This video may help.

The wheel may have been over-tightened. Follow our video to get it operational. If the main handle unwinds when the adjustment wheel is turned, then follow this video.

This video shows you how.

You need to clean the base. Take a look at this video.

Some pour-over filters use expensive custom filter papers. We at ROK purposely designed the W1 to take generic, inexpensive papers which are readily available. Ensure you buy the simple cone shape paper in a two cup size. Size 02 for the Hario V60 works well.

As the ROK W1 Filter uses Bamboo we felt it necessary to set the record straight. In recent years much has been written about Bamboo composite materials and their food safety. We chose Bamboo composite for good reason. Grown sustainably, Bamboo is a great carbon sequestrator, is stable and tough and if it eventually goes to landfill, it degrades naturally and is a good fertiliser due to its high Nitrogen content.
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When we first researched this material we questioned its safety as a food contact material. Bamboo composites generally use Melamine as a binding agent. Melamine has been used for a generation for children’s plates and cups as it’s very durable. The latest findings indicated that some Melamine resins may leach Formaldehyde at higher temperatures.
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So we set out to find and test a variant that we can be confident in.
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The strictest standards are specified in Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 and FDA’s CFR 21. Most tests for specific migration use 70 degrees C as a test temperature, but as the W1 Filter may be exposed to 100 degrees we specified our own test to meet and exceed a ‘foreseeable use’. We decided on 100 degrees C for 30 mins. Basically, boiling the filter in slightly acid water for 30 mins, then testing for any leaching. The permissible amount of Formaldehyde is 15 mg/kg. Our test result was thirty times less at 0.1 mg/kg. This gave us the confidence to continue with this material.

We always strive to help ordinary folk craft the best coffee possible.

Watch our movie here.

Coffee beans and grounds release CO2 which should be allowed to 'degas'. Carbon Dioxide is 1.5 heavier than ambient air and when undisturbed will remain amongst the coffee inhibiting oxidisation.

It's best to wipe off excess grounds from the o-ring with your finger. This will ensure the o-ring rolls upwards when inserting the plunger/lid. Some of our ROK community recommend twisting the plunger a quarter-turn when it's reached the coffee bed.