Five Senses Coffee Blog

Uber Boiler update

Mark Chandler takes the Uber for a sipin.

We’ve now had a good week to play with our new toy and I’m pleased to say that the Uber Boiler more than lives up to our hopes and expectations. The newly updated version 1.5 software makes the unit extremely stable and easy to operate. I will give you a brief summary of its theory of operation.

When first turned on, the Uber will automatically fill and commence warming up until the “prime temp” is reached. The prime temp is measured in the main tank and can be configured by entering a Service Menu within the software. The factory default setting seems to be 91 deg C.  The prime temp is basically the temperature the water vessel will hold while waiting to be used. When the barista is ready to make some coffee he/she switches the machine into Boost mode by pressing and holding the boost button until the desired temperature is displayed in “Boost Temp”. The Uber will now indicate “Boost Heating” while the heater quickly raises the temperature of the water tank to your set temp. While in boost mode, a recirculation pump is running moving water in a loop from the tank up through the font and back into the tank, evenly distributing the temperature throughout the system.  Unlike the prime temp, the boost temp is measured by a sensor near the base of the font, closer to the water outlet.

Once the boost temp is reached, the Uber Boiler’s electronic controller will maintain a stable temperature while the coffees are being made.  When I measured the temperature at the water outlet on the font, I found it to be within .2 of a deg C of the Boost temperature displayed.

When coffee making is finished, the barista places the unit back into prime mode allowing the water tank to be  refilled, reheated and ready for the next customer.