We bought ours from RS Components but I'm sure they're available elsewhere too.  With 1000hr battery backup it means you don't lose all your settings the moment you unplug it from the socket.  It allows up to 6 switchings (on & off) per day, for a total of 42 over 7 days.  They're even made in the UK.  On a large commercial espresso machine the savings this timer is likely to generate for you on your electricity bill will ensure a short payback period on your outlay.

After much deliberation with the Loxeal technical sales guys we have decided to offer the Loxeal 55-03 formulation instead of the more commonly used 18-10 formulation.

The reason is simply one of practicality.  The 18-10 formulation is more viscous than the 55-03 formulation, to the extent that it is not practical to offer the 18-10 in a 10mL sized tube as most of it would remain stuck to the inside walls of the tube.  As a result the smallest size the 18-10 formula is available in is 50mL.

Anyone who has used a liquid thread sealant will know that 50mL is enough for several lifetimes for the owner of a Bacchi.  For this reason we felt it important to sell the product in a 10mL size if at all possible.  The less viscous (more 'runny', if you like) 55-03 formulation allows it to be sold in the 10mL size.

What is the difference between the 55-03 and the 18-10?  Well the formulas are the same in many respects, with both being certified for use in potable water.  The primary difference is the higher 'breakaway' locking torque rating of the 55-03 (18 to 23Nm) relative to the 18-10 (6 to 11Nm).  However, as the 18-10 still requires the use of a wrench/spanner to remove the valve from the piston wall of the Bacchi, we are advised that this isn't a significant disadvantage.

As soon as the Loxeal 55-03 arrives we will upgrade our well used Bacchi with the new piston design (no hole in the crown).  We are expecting many owners will benefit from this upgrade as it eliminates a likely source of pressure loss from the hole in the crown of the piston.

We dislike using fiddly PTFE tape to ensure a good seal on all the threaded connections.  A lot.  So now we use Jet Lube's V2 Plus thread sealant for coarse threads, i.e. 15mm diameter water pipe and upwards to 2" or so.  It is not a thread locker, it is a sealant, and can therefore be easily unthreaded when the occasion arises.  Approved for use in potable water.

From time to time your Bacchi may not whistle as shrill as it should.  The 'drains up' way to address this issue is to remove the middle of the three valves in the piston, disassemble it, looking carefully for any debris and removing it, then carefully reassembling.  This is a bit of a prolonged affair, and in our experience is often unnecessary.

Often all you need to do is grasp the flat on the stem of the middle valve between forefinger and thumb(clearly shown in the image below) and jiggle it no more than 30 degrees clockwise and counter clockwise in quick succession.  You will feel that the stem is sprung loaded.  This jiggling action is often enough to dislodge whatever it is that is muffling the whistle, and on takes a couple of minutes to do.  A 2.5mm hex key is the only tool you need, removing the 3 stainless steel screws from the top go the cylinder assembly.

Also worth mentioning is the redesigned casting for the crown of the piston (part no.15).  On the previous casting the screw hole for the screw that secures part no.14 was drilled right through the crown of the piston casting.  The screw was then held in place by a nut on the underside of the piston crown.  There were two issues with this design.

The first is that any attempt to loosen the screw that holds part no.14 in place would loosen the nut on the underside holding this screw in place.  The nut would then be free to turn.  As this nut is almost impossible to get a spanner or wrench on without removing all three brass valves it was something of a nuisance.

Secondly if a thread sealant, like Loctite, was not used it was possible for steam to escape from the bottom chamber through the hole that had been drilled in the crown of the piston to accommodate the screw.  The new design also means that part no.14 can now be easily replaced without the use of any kind of sealant under part no.14 to ensure a pressure tight seal.  You simply unscrew the old part no.14 and screw on the new, with no concerns of whether steam might be making its way up through the crown of the piston.

Below is an image looking up under the crown of the piston on the Bacchi, showing just how difficult the small nut (obscured) is to access on the old casting design:

With the valves removed (apart from the stub of the last one!)

The new casting design has been thickened at the point the screw is fixed with the addition of a rib.  The hole for the screw is now of a smaller diameter and is threaded.  This hole no longer goes right through the crown of the piston.

As a result you can quickly and easily replace part no.14 if you manage to melt part 14 as a result of running the Bacchi without water in the upper chamber.
Secondly, there is no chance of any steam escaping as there is no longer a hole through the crown of the piston.  Again, this just improves the reliability and longevity of the Bacchi.

Additional refinements include bores that are now round as a result of improved castings and the removal of burrs from part 24.

There is a simple test to check that your Bacchi is in good working condition; holding the piston and cylinder assembly on the underside in both hands, use both thumbs to push the piston upwards against the force of the spring.  The movement of the piston should be free and smooth, with no binding or sticking at any point of travel.

A nice refinement over the previous spring, which was zinc plated (galvanised).

This is a question we have been asked more than once.  Whilst not a critical component, it is an added refinement in that it acts as an insulator, slowing the rate at which the heat is conducted from the lower chamber.

This ensures that the water in the top chamber does not become too hot before there is sufficient pressure in the lower chamber to force the water in the upper chamber through the coffee with sufficient force to achieve optimal extraction.

 in stock soon.