ECM Synchronika II Espresso Machine Overview

ECM Synchronika II Espresso Machine Overview

One of our best-selling machines for a decade, the ECM Synchronika, gets a much-needed refresh while maintaining its commitment to the craft. It is constructed with meticulous attention to detail and tight tolerances—perfect for those who appreciate the art of handmade products. Let’s dive into the Synchronika II, the cutting edge of home espresso—combining effortless style with precision engineering. The Synchronika II remains tactile yet bleeds precision. Those who begin or end their espresso journey here will appreciate the ability to effortlessly make café-quality drinks at home. The Synchronika II sets a new standard for E61 espresso machines for the next decade and beyond. 

Excellence, Dynamism, and Consistency

shot pulling, underside view, ECM Synchronika II lifestyle by Clive Coffee

These are hallmarks of the ECM Syncrhonika II, the governing ethos under which ECM operated when updating the beloved Synchronika. How did Michelangelo decide when to put down his chisel and reveal David to the world? In ECM’s case, small refinements were still needed, thus bearing the fruit by which we can make espresso faster, better, and tastier—a masterpiece of machinery and execution. 

Thankfully, the Synchronika II remains precisely the same aesthetically, with its glitzy mirrored stainless finish, easy-to-remove panels, custom wood upgrade options, seamless one-piece stainless steel frame, and attractive eye-level pump gauges. Functionally, the Synchronika II is similar in that it has a quiet and smooth rotary pump, a flow control add-on option for tinkerers, precise PID temperature control with a shot timer, and 2-bar steam pressure. Okay, this sounds great, but what did ECM change if all these things remain the same?

What’s New with the Synchronika II? 

Most significantly, the Syncrhonika II is ready to pull shots within six and a half minutes. This is blazingly fast for a full-size dual-boiler E61 machine. Traditional E61 machines have an infamously long heat-up time, mainly because E61 group heads are external and are a hefty chuck of chrome-plated brass. Unsurprisingly, this thermal mass takes 35 to 40 minutes to become temperature stable. ECM’s fast heat-up mode can be enabled in the new OLED PID. Nothing is stopping you from literally being able to pull delicious shots right when you roll out of bed. 

  • OLED PID—The updated PID is a welcome quality-of-life change. Instead of using button presses, you can turn a knurled steel dial to intuitively change settings such as your brew and steam temperatures, temperature unit, ECO mode, cleaning reminders, and more. Smartly and tastefully, ECM has integrated the PID and dial into the machine's front panel, which does not distract from the beauty of the unit and gives it a sleeker look. 
  • Active and passive programable pre-infusion—The versatility of ECM’s programable pre-infusion is significant for all home baristas because it enables proper pre-infusion, whether you’re plumbed into a water source or using the internal reservoir. As with most E61 machines, pre-infusion was controlled manually with the brew lever or with a flow control device and was only available when the machine was plumbed in. Now, when plumbed in, you can run pre-infusion automatically, and when not plumbed in, you can program active pre-infusion, letting the pump run for a set amount of time and program your pause time as well. 
  • Weekly on/off schedule—You no longer have to fiddle with aftermarket programable timers to have your machine turn on before you wake up. Now, you can program your on/off schedule in the PID, with two different time slots each day. This feature is handy if you have a varied espresso-pulling schedule. 

Café Quality Milk Steaming 

One of the best features of the Synchronika II is its ability to steam cafe-quality milk drinks with ease— you can quickly knock out a few cappuccinos for yourself and your friends. The Synchronika II boasts 2-bar steam pressure. The workflow is easy and fast, and with the flick of the joystick, it locks into place, letting you feel the milk temperature rise, and finishes steaming within 10 to 12 seconds. While the milk steaming on the original Synchronika and the Synchronika II are the same, it still bears mentioning that even though we focus a ton on espresso quality, the Synchronika II is a showstopper at steaming milk. Let the latte art flow. 

One thing that is difficult to gauge from reading about espresso machines or watching YouTube videos is that it’s hard to really know what the machine is like, which is understandable because you don’t really know what it’s like until you get your hands on it. The Synchronika II is the water cooler at Clive HQ. Everyone from  accounting to our technicians pull their daily espressos with the Synchronika II. We talk about our weekends, how our kids are doing in school, and planning our next staff camping trip—all the while, the Synchronika II looms large and punctuates all of the little moments throughout the day. The Synchronika II is simply a pleasure to use. User experience isn’t discussed often enough; Synchronika II has that in spades. Coffee is a tradition, art form, and ritual. Bring all that home with the ECM Synchronika II.