[Gogar]

Fresh beans and clean water are a big part.

I think you can get there with great beans and clean water and an -ok machine.

If a more expensive machine is more expenseive because of the guts that’s awesome. If it’s just bells and whistles then .... you know.

A machine with a good pump and a good size boiler and a metal group cup will get you closer. Consistency of temp and pressure through the whole pull. Machines with plastic group cups wil have a hard time.

As mentioned if you do a blank pull before you actually run your shot you will get those water lines and the cup up to temp.