FrancisFrancis! X6 Trio Espresso Machine Report

The X6 Italian architect / designer Luca Trazzi's latest creation for FrancisFrancis! It is a departure from previous design philosophy in terms of construction but is a great advance in espresso making technology. The X6 works only with E.S.E. espresso pods, and as such, it is optimized for pods. We at PodMerchant will tell you that they have succeeded in raising the bar for delivering a new level of espresso quality for the dollar.

• Unique Trio brewing system for long, normal, or short (lungo, espresso, and ristretto) shots
• Quick, 6 minute ready time
• Advanced electronic temperature control system to maintain ideal brewing temperature and safety
• Steam wand for frothing milk for cappuccinos and lattes or dispensing hot water for tea, hot chocolate, or caffe Americanos
• One year parts and labor warranty with FrancisFrancis! USA

The Trio System

The FrancisFrancis! Trio system is designed to allow users to create the long, normal, and short shots (lungo, espresso, and ristretto). The portafilter handle is rotated to the appropriate setting and the machine produces a taller or shorter shot given the same extraction time. (One does not produce more or less espresso by shortening or lengthening the extraction time. To do so would either over-extract — producing bitter flavor components, or under-extract — leaving behind delicious flavor components.) In a commmercial machine, the barista changes the grind and tamp to produce the long, normal, and short shots — all brewed for the same length of time. The Trio system allows you, the home or office user, to get the same control and produce the exact shot that you want.

But there's another,even more important benefit to the Trio system. Different roasters produce pods with slightly different grind size or tamp hardness. This means that not all pods work optimally in a given machine. As an example, Lavazza pods are somewhat coarsely ground and result in slightly watery espresso in many machines. Lucaffe espresso pods have a slightly loose tamp. Conversely, the Segafredo pods have a hard tamp, sometimes producing a slow drip. The Trio system allows you to adapt your machine to the characteristics of any pod. Set it looser for the Segafredo pods and tighter for the Lavazza pods, extracting an optimum shot from each espresso pod.

The Trio portafilter, which holds only pods, is engineered to properly contain the pod and prevent seepage of water around it. This is a problem with many machines that are "pod-capable" but not "pod-optimized".

The X6 has a handy green/red light system that makes it clear when the machine is ready for either coffee or steam. It has a quick, 6 minute ready time — faster than most other machines. The temperature gauge gives you additional indication of the machine's state, which is useful when you are switching between brewing coffee and using the steam wand.

The drip grill is rugged stainless steel. The drip pan is plastic and has a nice indicator float to warn the user when the drip pan has become full and needs emptying.

The water reservoir is convenient to access for refiling, even with the machine against a wall.

The large capacity (12.4 oz) brass water boiler is protected against heating element burn-out. There is a water level sensor inside boiler — when the sensor is not touching water, the pump is turned on. The brass boiler retains heat better than aluminum and avoids corrosion problems. The X6 is safe: if the temperature ever goes over 165 degrees, the machine shuts off.

The advanced X6 has a diagnostic program to allow for better servicing of the machine. It keeps track of how many cups have been made, how many hours of steaming performed, and the temperature of the boiler.

The X6's body is constructed of high-impact ABS plastic. Its surface does not get hot as do metal machines, making it much friendlier for users in the home or office.

The X6 has an electronically controlled vibration pump (18 bar static/10 bar dynamic) which maintains the ideal pressure for extraction.  

At right you can see "under the hood" of the FrancisFrancis! X6. Near the front of the machine is the brass boiler with temperature and pressure sensors and switches. In the middle is the Ulka vibration pump. Near the back of the machine is the electronic brain that controls the pressure, temperature, safety, and diagnostic functions of the machine.

Below right you can see the grouphead and the spring-loaded "shower screen" of the grouphead.



Technical characteristics

• Water reservoir: 1.2 litres
• Weight: 6 kg (13 lbs)
• Maximum electrical power: 1100 watts
• Made in Italy

Dimensions

• Width: 11 in
• Depth: 11.5 in
• Height: 12.5 in

Note: The X6 may arrive with water inside from the manufacturer's testing.

The X6 includes the following accessories:

• Chrome-plated brass portafilter with Trio pod holder (high-temperature plastic with stainless-steel screen.)
• X6 Product Instructions
• Knock Box to easily eject pods from portafilter
• A tin of 18 illy Normale (Medium Roast) pods
• 2 spare O-rings for the grouphead
• 1 package of descaling powder
• 6 coffee-oil cleaning tablets

The X6 comes in this handsome retail display box, which is securely protected by an outer rugged shipping box..