Just reading around and stumble upon the decent espresso machine being built. Sounds like it ticks all the boxes. Anyone heard any more about it??
Lefteye
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A few weeks ago, at our first Decent Espresso conference, the engineers behind Bengle, our new espresso machine model, gave this extensive presentation.
There's a text summary of the video on the blog entry for this video:
decentespresso.com
There's a text summary of the video on the blog entry for this video:
Inside Bengle: meet the engineers behind Decent’s new espresso machine
The video introduces the Decent Espresso Bengle machine, highlighting its design philosophy focused on user empowerment, consistency, and physics-based control. Key improvements over the DE1 include a new look, integrated scale and cup warmer. Decent Espresso will continue supporting the DE1...
decentespresso.com
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5 espresso profiles for light roasted beans
If you've ever wondered how to use profiling to make the best espresso from light roasted beans, this video will explain that.
We try the same light roasted bean, making coffee with five different profiles. How to dial each profile in, and how each profile tastes when it's not dialed in right.
We explain to you the flavor that comes out of each profile.
This is the order in which we make each espresso, in increasing amount of coffee extraction. We put Allongé at the end as it's mid-way between an espresso and filter coffee and thus in a different category from the other profiles.
We use 18g doses in an 18g Decent basket. The bean is Chelchele from L'Alchimiste in Bordeaux, and we use a 98mm flat burr “FM Grinder” at its lowest RPM setting (500).
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Hide DE1XL cables and tubes with this back panel
Currently, if you have tubes or wires that disappear in a hole in your countertop, people can nonetheless see them.
Now your Decent Espresso machine can look as sleek from the back as it does from every other angle. If your DE1 sits on an open countertop, you don't need to face the back against a wall.
Slide our panel over the back to hide any tubing or cables from view. It looks great from any angle, and it's easy to insert.
Order a color-matching back panel for your DE1XL here:
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Coffee Kev's Most Excellent Decent Review
This is the most thorough review so far, of our little espresso machine. Full of detail, interesting information, incredibly complete yet the pace moves along quickly.
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117 Posts
5 profiles for dark roasted beans
If you've ever wondered "What's the point of profiling espresso machines" and you're a fan of dark roasted coffee beans, this video will answer that.
We'll dial in 5 profiles, which go from fruitier flavors toward more traditional flavors. At the end, we show to edit a 3 stage profile to change the acidity and flavor balance with sliders.
Profiles:
- 80’s - best for getting fruity flavors (raisins, red wine)
- Londonium (LRv3) - best for getting a full bodied cup without harshness
- Cremina - best for classic Italian espresso, big, strong, wake-me-up
- Best overall - best for milking
- E61 - best for balanced acidity
Note: this is filmed at the Decent Espresso Factory Cafe, and as this is a real factory, you can (especially at the start) hear pallets thundering around on the floor above us.
The previous week, we made a similar video for "5 profiles for light roasted beans"
and next week, we'll be completing the trilogy, focussing on medium roasts.
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Video: 5 profiles for medium roasted beans
In this 3rd video in the series, I suggest and explain 5 profiles, using medium-light beans from L'Alchimiste and a medium dark bean from Dark Arts.
In a digression, I explain why espresso machines generally use 9 bar of pressure, and not more or less: the secondary compression that happens above 9.5 bar, completing at 10.5 bar, causes increasing pressure to decrease flow, contrary to what you might think physics would predict.
The last part of this video (49:23) gives an extensive tutorial on D-Flow, one of the most innovative features on the Decent.
If you don't know about D-Flow, you really should! It's not so much a profile as a family of profiles that you can easily change to mimic many other profiles, using coffee-concept adjustments. You don't need to become a skilled profile programmer.
I explain how Flow Profiling works and its benefits. Most people only use Pressure Profiling, and so this is not a widely understood ability. I argue that stopping a shot at the "Pressure elbow" during flow profiling is likely a winning strategy, as the extraction rate has greatly slowed after the elbow point.
The difference between fines-producing and no-fines grinders (ie, large flat burrs) is discussed, in terms of what kind of extraction curves you'll see on-screen, and how you should dial in differently for each.
The 5 profiles we show are:
- Default
- Flow profile for milky drinks (and Flow profile for espresso)
- Londonium
- Adaptive v2
- D-Flow
- 00:00:00 - Introduction to Medium Roasted Beans
- 00:00:35 - Defining Roast Types
- 00:01:54 - Differences in Medium Roasts
- 00:03:11 - Personal Tasting Journey
- 00:04:20 - Overview of Espresso Profiles
- 00:05:29 - The Default Profile
- 00:07:39 - Pulling a Default Shot
- 00:10:19 - Tasting the Default Shot
- 00:12:43 - Comparison to Previous Dark Roast
- 00:15:14 - Technical Insights into Pressure
- 00:19:31 - Introducing Flow Profiles
- 00:21:15 - Evaluating Extraction Quality
- 00:25:02 - Londinium Profile Introduction
- 00:29:23 - Exploring the Art of Extraction
- 00:33:31 - Adjusting Grind for Better Results
- 00:39:37 - The Adaptive Profile Explained
- 00:43:25 - Flavor Forward Espresso with Adaptive Profile
- 00:44:32 - Dflow Profile and Its Flexibility
- 00:55:10 - Final Tasting and Observations
- 00:58:25 - Q&A and Conclusion
Related videos:
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D-Flow: an easy editor for the Londinium family of espresso profiles
D-Flow isn’t merely a single espresso profile; rather, it embraces a family of espresso profiles in the Londinium family. The focus is on speed and efficiency — fast fill, soak time under pressure, and a nuanced rise in pressure, which sets it apart from traditional methods.
Unlike traditional profiles, where each step is programmed in advance, with D-Flow you can adjust some coffee-related variables directly. With practice, you can leverage variables like the dose weight, pre-infusion temperature, infusion pressure, and extraction pressure to achieve your desired flavor profile.
Instead of controlling flow and pressure independently, D-Flow allows you to define both in co-dependent terms. The balance between flow rate and pressure helps to eliminate faults in extraction based on grind size.
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117 Posts
Video: Bengle is every barista's eng-game machine (Ryde Jeavons)
Youtubing Coffee Coach Ryde Jeavons was here at our first Decent Espresso conference a few weeks ago, where we ran the first ever espresso on our upcoming Bengle model, and Ryde got to interview the lead people on this project.
In this video Ryde breaks down what his thoughts on this upcoming new model from us.
As an aside: at the end of the video Ryde talks about a problem he had, which he blames himself for. He was fussing with the cup on the scale while the espresso was being made, causing the espresso extraction to falsely stop.
As it happens, one of the great benefits for me, of meeting customers in person, is that I get a lot of honesty, and this came up as a big problem for cafes, and why they don't use the stop-at-weight feature on the DE1.
A week after De-Con, I had a solution, which lets people fuss with their cups on the scale, for around ten seconds while the espresso is being made. Now, as long as the shot is in preinfusion, you can fuss with the cup and this won't cause the stop-at-weight feature to trigger.
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Basket Analysis Software by John Weiss
Decent Espresso hired John Weiss in 2016 to write a espresso filter basket analysis software program for us.
We use this software to quality-control the portafilter baskets we sell.
John Weiss was happy for us to share his work, and thus here it is, for anyone who wants to do something with it. Please give credit to Weiss and Decent if you do anything public with this.
More info, downloads, samples, and source, on the Decent Espresso Blog about John Weiss' software.
decentespresso.com
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Decent Espresso hired John Weiss in 2016 to write a espresso filter basket analysis software program for us.
We use this software to quality-control the portafilter baskets we sell.
John Weiss was happy for us to share his work, and thus here it is, for anyone who wants to do something with it. Please give credit to Weiss and Decent if you do anything public with this.
More info, downloads, samples, and source, on the Decent Espresso Blog about John Weiss' software.
Portafilter Basket Analysis Software by John Weiss
Decent Espresso hired John Weiss in 2016 to write a espresso filter basket analysis software program for us. We use this software to quality-control the portafilter baskets we sell.
decentespresso.com
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117 Posts
Video: How Bengle is different: Decent’s next leap in espresso
"We wanted to make a no excuses, no apologies machine -- and that's what Bengle is," says John Buckman of Decent Espresso. In this short video, John describes what differentiates Bengle from their existing DE1 espresso machines. Bengle, the new model from Decent Espresso
"We wanted to make a no excuses, no apologies machine -- and that's what Bengle is," says John Buckman of Decent Espresso. In this short video, John describes what differentiates Bengle from their existing DE1 espresso machines. Bengle, the new model from Decent Espresso
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Master class: running a cafe in Australia
Cafe owner Ryde Jeavons breaks down the mathematics of trends affecting cafes in Australia, one of the most competitive and lively coffee scenes in the world. Relevant to more than just Australians, this is a master class on running a coffee shop anywhere you have strong competition. This talk was presented at DE-CON 2025 a few months ago.
Full video at:
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Steps to Make Scott Rao's Filter 3 Coffee
Preparation
- Pour 22g of very coarsely ground coffee into the basket.
- Give it a gentle shake to level the grounds.
- Flush the group head (using the Decent “Dimples” shower screen, which has 50 small protrusions to ensure even water distribution).
- Latch the basket onto the machine.
- Press the buttonto start the brew—everything else is fully automated.
- The entire process takes ~4 minutes.
- Remove the basket to check the slurry level:
- Optimal grind: Slurry is ~50% up the basket.
- Too coarse? Slurry is 60% or higher → use a slightly coarser grind next time.
- Too fine? Slurry is below 40% → use a finer grind next time.
- Pre-wet phase: 3:1 ratio (~66g water for 22g coffee).
- 30-second bloom follows pre-wet.
- Slow-flow stages with gradually declining water temperature (to avoid over-extraction).
- Extraction yield: ~22-23%.
- TDS (Total Dissolved Solids): 1.4-1.5%.
- If too strong, dilute with 30-40g water after brewing.
- Simple & consistent – just press a button.
- Time-saving – ideal for events or roastery use.
- Reliable – produces perfect filter coffee every time.
Filter3 baskets are available at Scott Rao's web store and at Decent Espresso's website.
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Our next espresso machine model, "Bengle", just arrived at my home. I'll be taking it with me next week, to the World of Coffee show in Geneva.
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From the very beginning of Decent Espresso, we decided to invest in building our own manufacturing ability, instead of outsourcing it. It's taken a long time, but now it means we can build Bengle totally in house, controlling every step. All our staff have engineering degrees (electrical or mechanical engineering) and on average, have been with us 3 years.
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Video: Jem, Lance, Rao argue Home vs Cafe for best coffee
Bugs and I sat in on an after-hours "debate" in Geneva last week. Two things stood out:
Before Decent, I used to love searching out speciality coffee shops. Clouds parted and angels sang at my first God Shot enjoyed at Berlin's Bonanza Coffee Heroes. Now, I somewhat frequently find excellent coffee beans, but the best extraction--by a mile--is always on a Decent.
So, in a way, I am nostalgic for the "bad old days" when I thoroughly enjoyed thoroughly mediocre coffee at cafés.
Bugs and I sat in on an after-hours "debate" in Geneva last week. Two things stood out:
- there was total agreement that the best coffee is drunk at home. The argument became about "what's the better experience".
- Decent was called out 3 times by 3 different speakers. Jem [Barista Hustle] ("this must be music to your ears"), Scott Rao, and Lance ("I don't want to drink 9 bar shots"), which quite honestly shocked me.
Before Decent, I used to love searching out speciality coffee shops. Clouds parted and angels sang at my first God Shot enjoyed at Berlin's Bonanza Coffee Heroes. Now, I somewhat frequently find excellent coffee beans, but the best extraction--by a mile--is always on a Decent.
So, in a way, I am nostalgic for the "bad old days" when I thoroughly enjoyed thoroughly mediocre coffee at cafés.
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117 Posts
Bengle's steam wand, redesigned for the DE1
10 samples of Bengle's steam wands, redesigned for the DE1, just arrived. These replace the ball joint (no more hot bolt on the front panel, and also greater movement range) and are compatible with Bengle's steam wand tip.
The shape is slightly altered from the current DE1XL wand shape, for better hands-free steaming. The tip is made from a no-stick material, which greatly eases wiping milk off, as the tip doesn't get to milk-burning hot temperatures.
They're going to (Decent Engineer) Ben now for testing. More news soon.
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10 samples of Bengle's steam wands, redesigned for the DE1, just arrived. These replace the ball joint (no more hot bolt on the front panel, and also greater movement range) and are compatible with Bengle's steam wand tip.
The shape is slightly altered from the current DE1XL wand shape, for better hands-free steaming. The tip is made from a no-stick material, which greatly eases wiping milk off, as the tip doesn't get to milk-burning hot temperatures.
They're going to (Decent Engineer) Ben now for testing. More news soon.
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117 Posts
We made a one-off test of Bengle's sculptural wings design, in gold. The color is not quite right yet, I feel. But the idea is interesting. What do you think?
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117 Posts
Building Bengle, final cables arrived
Today 23 packs arrived of “final production samples” of all the cables for our upcoming Bengle espresso machine, from our supplier BMA.
We're building 500 pieces of Bengle now, and expect to have 200 machines all done by the end of August. This week, we're testing these cables out and if all tests out well, we'll tell BMA to go ahead and finish the whole lot. For every cable we use, we specify everything: exactly what company provides the ends, the specs of the wires, everything. Years ago we experienced the low quality that comes from “works like” and “counterfeits” and now buy all cable connectors directly from their manufacturers, have those shipped to the cable assemblers, so that we're assured of what we're getting.
As this is a new espresso machine model, we're awaiting the final production parts for each item that goes in. The last thing we'll be waiting for is the main computer PCB, which is due to arrive at our factory on August 22nd.
Our intention is to send out beta units immediately then, and if they look good, we'll ship the rest of the machines we've made in quick succession.
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Today 23 packs arrived of “final production samples” of all the cables for our upcoming Bengle espresso machine, from our supplier BMA.
We're building 500 pieces of Bengle now, and expect to have 200 machines all done by the end of August. This week, we're testing these cables out and if all tests out well, we'll tell BMA to go ahead and finish the whole lot. For every cable we use, we specify everything: exactly what company provides the ends, the specs of the wires, everything. Years ago we experienced the low quality that comes from “works like” and “counterfeits” and now buy all cable connectors directly from their manufacturers, have those shipped to the cable assemblers, so that we're assured of what we're getting.
As this is a new espresso machine model, we're awaiting the final production parts for each item that goes in. The last thing we'll be waiting for is the main computer PCB, which is due to arrive at our factory on August 22nd.
Our intention is to send out beta units immediately then, and if they look good, we'll ship the rest of the machines we've made in quick succession.
Joined
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117 Posts
Bengle with black wings on a white body
We made a one-off test of Bengle's sculptural wings design, in black. The reflectivity is not the same as silver, but still… it has a pretty effective Batman-like goth feel to it. If the metal body were black, instead of white, I'm not sure this would necessarily work well.
Our upcoming DE1 v1.46 is mostly-black, but with a silver drip tray. I'm guessing that silver wings on Bengle, on a black body, might be a good combination.
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In this talk, Decent Espresso CTO John Buckman pulls back the curtain on all the technology running their business. This presentation was given in Bologna, at the EuroTcl 2025 conference.
PDF of the presentation slides
Core Technologies
- NaviServer – The primary web server and application platform used for the company's entire digital infrastructure.
- Tcl/Tk – Used for scripting and application logic, particularly in backend processes.
- MYSQL – Stores product, inventory, customer, and order data.
- BerkeleyDB – very high speed database for real time translation lookups.
- JavaScript – Used for dynamic frontend interactions (e.g., real-time cart updates, currency switching).
- Dynamic Discount & Upsell System – Custom logic to encourage larger purchases with incremental discounts, free and expedited shipping.
- Real-Time Inventory Tracking – Automatically removes short-stocked items when inventory hits zero.
- Multi-Language Support– Context-aware translation system with:
- Naviserver's ns_cache for storing the translations you just saw, the ability to real-time edit the translations used, and then see the immediate effect of your corrections.
- Admin and Volunteer Translation Interface – Allows crowdsourced corrections beyond paid staff.
- Google Translate Integration – Used to create bad translations that annoy people enough to motivate them to do good human corrections.
- Shipping Logic – Handles weight-based shipping rules, customs considerations, and postal service disruptions.
- Custom Shopping Cart – No stock/off-the-shelf solution; fully custom-built.
- Stripe API – For credit card payments with tokenized repeat purchases. Repurchases only need you to enter your security code on your mobile phone.
- Custom Blog Engine– Built into NaviServer with:
- Markdown Support (with regex-based extensions).
- RSS Feed – Boosted search rankings.
- Hashtags & Cross-Linking – Auto-generated related content around keywords.
- OpenStreetMap Integration – For locating “coffee ambassadors” (local volunteers who will make you coffee and demonstration their machine to you).
- YouTube API – Fetches and converts video thumbnails to AVIF for performance.
- Lotus Notes (Legacy System) – Used for parts and product metadata.
- QuickBooks REST API – For real-time accounting integration.
- FIFO Inventory Cost Tracking – Precise per-unit cost calculation of every espresso machine as it is built.
- Basecamp (3rd-Party Forum Software) – Integrated for customer discussions.
- Respond.io– Unified messaging (WhatsApp, WeChat, etc.) for customer support.
- Chillcat Library (Tcl/C) – Used for QuickBooks integration but runs as a separate process due to stability risks.
- OAuth 2.0 Limitation – Lack of native Tcl support forces workarounds for APIs like Basecamp and QuickBooks.
- Legacy Systems – Transitioning from Lotus Notes to web-based forms.
- Deep Customization – Avoids Shopify's limitations (e.g., dynamic pricing, shipping rules).
- Single-Platform Integration – Combines e-commerce, blog, support, and factory ops in NaviServer.
- Human + Machine Workflows – E.g., hybrid translation system, volunteer contributions.
- Data-Driven Manufacturing – Real-time cost tracking and inventory management.
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