What the needle valve does

On most espresso machines, water reaches the puck at full pump flow from the first second. On the Espresso Single Group, the paddle’s pre-brew position sends water through Slayer’s needle valve, which meters it into the coffee at a much lower flow rate. That slow start lets you grind finer than usual without the shot choking, and you choose by hand when to open up to full flow. This is where Slayer’s reputation for sweet, heavy-bodied espresso comes from, and since the valve is adjustable, you can change how restricted that first stage is to suit the coffee.

Temperature and steam

The 1.1 L, 600 W brew tank is PID controlled and separate from the 3.3 L steam tank, so steaming milk doesn’t pull heat from brewing and you can do both at once, shot after shot. Slayer’s heating system comes up to temperature quickly and holds the group steady. A touchscreen menu covers brewing and programming settings, and a shot mirror under the group lets you watch the puck saturate.

There is no internal water tank. The rotary vane pump draws from a water line or from an external reservoir, and an optional removable drip tray covers setups without a drain. The group head and internal parts are the same commercial type as in Slayer’s larger machines, and Slayer rates the group for one million cycles.

Standard or built to order

The machine shown here is the standard configuration: black powder-coated side and rear panels, silver powder-coated X legs, and actuators and portafilter handles in European Ash. Slayer also builds the Espresso Single Group to order. Panels can be powder coated in a range of colours, plated in chrome, nickel or black nickel, or swapped for clear acrylic side panels, an option only offered on the single group. The X legs, hubs and screws have finish options of their own, the wood comes in nine species from maple to black walnut, and there is an optional cup rail. Custom builds take longer than the standard machine, so contact us for a quote and delivery time.

Espresso Single Group or Steam Single?

The Steam Single is the plug-and-play Slayer, with an internal reservoir, saved shots and a pre-infusion circuit that handles the slow start for you. The Espresso Single Group is the hands-on one: the needle valve and paddle give you direct control over every shot, it needs a water line or external reservoir, and it is the one you can customise. Because the needle valve lets you grind finer than usual, the grinder matters as much as the machine, and a high-end single dose grinder such as the Option-O Lagom 01 gives it the consistency it needs.

Specifications

Dimensions do not include the portafilters, actuators or cup rail.

Slayer on the Espresso Single Group