ECM water filter set of 2 – filter for the espresso machine's water tank
The jug tips over the tank, a brief gurgle, the lid clicks shut – and the machine is ready for the first shot.
What ends up in the cup afterwards is largely decided in that very moment. Espresso is more than ninety percent water. Everything the bean has to offer – and coffee contains over 800 aromatic compounds, more than wine – has to go into that water to become something you can taste at all. The mineral content helps determine which compounds dissolve and how they feel: for us, a range of around 50 to 100 milligrams per litre is a good starting point for dense, round espresso. Go softer and you often get more clarity; go harder and you get more punch in the body. Our opinion is one of many.
What the filter does
It sits in the water tank and filters the water before it reaches the pump. It's designed for ECM espresso machines without a rotary pump – that is, machines with a water tank where a vibration pump draws in the water. Machines with a rotary pump work differently in hydraulic terms and fall outside this scope.
The set contains two. How long one lasts depends on your tap water and on how much you brew – a flat with soft water and two espressos a day is a different calculation from a household with hard water and a jug of milky coffee every morning. That's why there's a second one in the box: you'll notice yourself when it's time to change, and then you don't have to wait.
At a glance
| In the box |
2 pieces |
| Where it goes |
Espresso machine water tank |
| Designed for |
Espresso machines without a rotary pump |
| Brand |
ECM |
| Item number |
C639900940 |
Who the filter is for
For anyone with an ECM with a water tank on the counter who doesn't want to rethink their water every time. The filter is the simplest option: open the tank, put it in, done. If you want to go deeper, you can compose your own coffee water from demineralised water and mineral concentrate – that's the more precise route and the more involved one. Both lead to good espresso. There are no espresso police, and nobody has to take either route.
A look at our ECM collection, or more broadly at coffee machines, shows which of our machines have a tank and which are plumbed in.
What goes with it
Water is one half of care, the group head the other. In our machine and grinder cleaning collection you'll find what you need for the daily backflush without detergent and the round with detergent roughly every fifty shots – it takes about five minutes and keeps the group head neutral in taste.
And because espresso is described by brew ratio, 1:2 as a starting point, a scale belongs under the cup. For anyone who wants an affordable, precise scale: the Normcore collection. If you want an app, flow-rate display and Bluetooth: the Acaia collection. Tamping is the same picture – affordable and good is the Normcore Spring-Loaded Tamper; if you want more, you'll find the tamper from Weber Workshops.
Frequently asked questions
Which machines is the ECM water filter designed for?
For espresso machines with a water tank and without a rotary pump. The filter is placed in the tank and filters the water before it's drawn in. It isn't intended for machines with a rotary pump.
How often should I change the filter?
That depends on the hardness of your tap water and on how much you brew, and can't be expressed as a blanket number of weeks. The set contains two so that you can change it when you need to.
Does the filter change the taste of my espresso?
Water makes up over ninety percent of espresso, and its mineral content helps determine which of coffee's more than 800 compounds dissolve. For us, a range of around 50 to 100 milligrams per litre is a good starting point for dense, round espresso.
Do I really need a water filter?
No. Many people pull good espresso for years with the water that comes out of the tap. The filter is a simple way to steady one variable – we don't claim more than that. Our opinion is one of many.
Can I see the product before buying?
Our showrooms in Bern (Gerberngasse 44) and Zurich (Hagenholzstrasse 50b) show a wide selection, but not our entire range – the display changes. Drop us a quick line at [email protected] before your visit, and we will check whether the product you have in mind is currently there. If you order online: delivery to Switzerland and Liechtenstein takes 2 to 4 working days.
From the roastery
When we change our water, we use a bean that tells us clearly what has changed. Cozy Chocolate and Nutty Delight work well for this – dense, round, chocolate and nuts, and any change in body stands out immediately. If you're after maximum body without any acidity, reach for Very Nutty. And if you're curious how softer water affects a lighter roast, go for Wild Peach – fruity, lively, a discovery on the side. That's our recommendation, one of many; any other bean works just as well.
