Espresso Shot Reader films your espresso from below, through a bottomless portafilter, at up to 240 frames a second. Then it reads the video on your phone and tells you what the shot did:
- First drip — when the first coffee comes through the basket, timed from the pump start
- Spray jets — each jet that shoots sideways out of the basket, with the time and its clock position
- Blonding point — when the stream turns pale and the shot starts to run thin
- Flow balance — which side of the basket wets first, across eight sectors
Every shot becomes a card with your dial-in (bean, grinder setting, dose, yield, time). Compare two cards to see what a change did. The first analysis is free; unlimited analysis is a one-time €9.99 purchase. No subscription.
Available for iPhone (App Store) and Android (Google Play).
Setup for a good reading
- Use a bottomless (naked) portafilter. With spouts the camera cannot see the basket.
- Lean the phone on the drip tray, lens angled up at the basket. Keep it steady — a small stand or a folded cloth helps.
- Fit the basket in the ring on the screen before you start.
- Light: turn on the phone’s light or put a small lamp next to the machine. Dim light lowers the confidence of the reading.
- Steam: wipe the lens after a steam purge. Steam in the picture makes parts of the video hard to read; the app shows this as lower confidence.
- Start recording, then start the pump. The app hears the pump and starts the timer. If it does not hear it, tap the timer when the pump starts.
Questions
My phone does not offer 240 fps. The app uses the highest frame rate your camera supports. 120 fps also works well; at 60 fps or lower the spray detection is less exact.
I bought the unlock on another phone. Open the paywall and tap Restore purchase. Use the same Apple account or Google account as for the purchase.
I reinstalled the app and the free shot is gone. The free first analysis is one per person, and the app remembers it after a reinstall. Your earlier purchase is restored with Restore purchase.
Where are my videos? Only on your phone, inside the app. See the privacy policy.
Contact
Write to info@ilscipio.com with your phone model and, if you can, a short description of the shot. We answer in English or German.