Profitec Drive Espresso Machine: Setup Guide

Congratulations on your new Profitec Drive Espresso Machine! In this guide, you should find everything you need to set up and operate your dual-boiler espresso machine.

Please read through the entirety of the setup guide before following along. If you have any questions, contact our team at Clive Coffee. Additional information can be found in the Profitec Drive User Manual

Remove the machine from the box and place it on a stable, level surface.
Before adding water and turning on the machine, inspect for damage that may have occurred during shipping. If you notice any damage, contact us immediately.
Please note that it is normal for a small amount of water to be on the machine when it arrives. It is also normal for the portafilter to not fit perfectly at 90 degrees!
Save all packaging in case of returns and repairs.

Before introducing water to your machine, it's essential to test it to ensure it's adequately soft, around 50 ppm (parts per million). Use the included water test strips from your home barista starter kit to verify the hardness of your water. To learn more about our recommendations for water quality, check out our blog post, The Importance of Water and Your Espresso Machine. Do not use distilled or Zero water in your espresso machine, as the machine will not register that the reservoir has been filled.
Remove the cup warming tray by lifting the cup railing. You can remove the reservoir using both hands or fill it with water from the top. Fill the water tank with your filtered, softened water, and place the cup warming tray back on top of the machine.
Please note that you may have to fill the reservoir once more after the initial boiler fill phase.

Your machine is set for use on a 110v outlet. Prior to starting the machine, check if the steam valve is closed. Check to ensure the machine is off (the power button is not pressed inward) and the drip tray is inserted accurately.
Plug your machine directly into a grounded socket (do not use an extension cord) and turn it on by using the ON/OFF button on the front panel.
Fill mode will now commence, and the PID will display the "FIL" message. Simply lift the brew lever and allow water to run from the group head for 35 seconds, then lower the brew lever to the fully closed position. Your machine will now begin heating.
Note: You may need to refill your water reservoir during or immediately after this process.
When you move the brew lever down, FIL will disappear from the PID display. After the brew boiler has been filled, the steam boiler is automatically filled with fresh water. As soon as the filling of the steam boiler is finished, you no longer hear any pump noise. After the boilers are filled, the machine starts heating up the boilers. The PID display shows ”Heating Up“.
Place the portafilter into the group head to ensure maximum temperature stability.

The brew boiler will overheat to 130C (266F) for about 4.5 to 5 minutes to stabilize the grouphead temperature more quickly.
Once at temperature, a flush message will appear on the PID. Lift the brew lever to flush water through the group for 20 seconds to remove the overheated water.
When flushing is complete, the PID will read ready go! The PID brew temperature will display your set brew temperature plus or minus a few degrees. You are now ready to make espresso.
Note that if you do not initially flush the machine during fast heat-up, after 60 seconds, the machine will automatically heat down and come to your original set brew temperature.
Fast heat-up can be turned off in the advanced PID settings.
At this point, your machine is ready to pull your first shots. With coffee in your portafilter, lock it into the group head and simply lift the brew lever all the way up to begin pulling espresso, and flip it all the way down to stop.

After about 15 minutes, the Drive’s steam boiler is pressurized and ready to steam milk and purge hot water.
To activate the steam wand, move the joystick down until it clicks into place.
You’re now ready to steam milk!

For help dialing in your equipment or pulling shots, check out the articles below or reach out to our team of coffee experts and technicians.