The brand ECM uses a variety of components on their espresso machines, some are unique to the coffee machines of ECM but a lot are just generic parts which are interchangeable with other manufacturers.
The portafilters used on the espresso machines of ECM depend on which type of brewing group you have. If you have the most common one, the e61 style, you can use a more generic type of portafilter (not all will fit). These are available as a original/OEM spare part or as a after market model. With the original ECM portafilters you have the name ECM casted into the body of the ECM portafilter and the metal plug at the end. But those are also a bit more expensive.
Most of the espresso machines of ECM use the brewing group which is the most standard one on coffee machines. The e61 brewing group can be found on various ECM models such as the Mechanika, Synchronika and the Technika. On this brewing group you will find a lot of parts which are interchangeable with most other E61 style brewing groups. This does not mean with the Faema E61 brewing group, seen that is different.
The German brand ECM makes a variety of coffee machines, for commercial and domestic use. But ECM is mainly know for their domestic coffee machines such as the ECM Giotto, ECM Classika and the ECM Puristika. Other famous models can be found below.
This model of ECM, the ECM Synchronika is one of the later espresso machine models ECM has made. This means that it also has some more modern features. One of these features is the dual boiler system, where in most cases this is a single HX system. But a other new feature is the electronic temperature control, instead of the pressure temperature control you normally have on most espresso machines.
This espresso machine is also fitted with the E61 style of brewing group, as you would find on most other ECM coffee machines.
The ECM Mechanika has been made in various versions over time, you have the early ECM Mechanika but the later model is called the ECM Mechanika IV. The Mechanika espresso machine is a single boiler with a heat exchanger (HX). The water comes from the water tank in the back and is pumped with the help of a vibration pump into the boiler. This pump is also used to create the brewing pressure inside the group.
On the left side you have the steam tube and on the right side a water tube, behind this you can also find the pump pressure gauge and the water pressure gauge. on these gauges you can track the pressure of the boiler and of the pump
Of the model ECM Technika there have been build various models. From the regular ECM Technika III to the later models ECM Technika IV profi. In a lot of cases these models are similar, they both use the E61 style of brewing group and also have a HX boiler. But the difference becomes visable in the types of pumps. Seen you have versions with the standard Ulka vibration pumps, but there are also versions with a motor and pump combination. Which you normally find on commercial coffee machines.
Maintenance on your coffee machine is maybe one of the more important things you need to keep your espresso machine in good working order. With this you need to think of backflushing your e61 grouphead with a blindfilter and Puly cleaning powder and cleaning the steam tube with the Brooks milk cleaner.
