INTRODUCING FOR THE FIRST TIME…SLAYER 2.0!

Last week, our Norwegian distributor New Works installed the world’s first Slayer 2.0 machine into No3 restaurant. We are proud to have them as our first Slayer 2.0 clients and look forward to the waves they make in the Norway coffee scene. Photo’s of No3’s Slayer courtesy of  Martin Scherer

We are passionately committed to learning about what makes coffee taste it’s best. Until now, Slayer has been at the forefront of ingenuity and innovation in espresso preparation. Now, Slayer’s even better. The 2.0 is still the beautiful powerhouse we know and love, but with over 30 improvements. The 2.0 is available as a 2 Group and 3 Group as well. Now all Slayers are version 2.0…and we couldn’t be more excited!

One of our most valuable sources of education is our Slayer owners. To all of you who have a Slayer, thank you! Thank you for your faith in us as a leader of the espresso industry. Thank you for trusting us these five years of Slayer 1.0, and for making the 2.0 possible with your feedback and encouragement. Thank you for your patience with us as we have endured some changes this year. Most of all, THANK YOU for your dedication to crafting the world’s best espresso. We are inspired by you, and we promise to keep giving you the best, so you can keep making the best.

We’ve been revealing pictures of Slayer 2.0 on our Facebook page. You should ‘Like’ us on FB to get all the latest news and information. Several people have been asking for a full list of the updates, so here is a detailed list of some of the changes that make Slayer 2.0 so amazing:

1. There are now two o-rings on the top side of the valve stem to prevent leaking through the cap. The lower o-ring has been moved to a lower position on the shaft to ensure that it is always sealing into the group.

2. The valve stem hole is now smaller to prevent the hole from digging out the valve insert o-ring.

3. The valve stem is now electropolished to ensure it is always perfect and consistent.

4. We are now have a new replaceable valve insert seal. Originally the seal was attached to the valve insert and the whole unit had to be replaced whenever the o-ring wore out. Now only the custom moulded seal needs to be changed, proving users a cost savings and less waste. Also, the seal is now made of Viton, a significantly stronger material that will last longer than the original silicon seal.

5. The bottom of the interior of the group has been given a deep cutout to allow hot water to get closer to the screen to increase temperature stability.

6. The shower screen has been raised 1 mm to allow more head space for clients who prefer larger doses.

7. The diameter of the dispersion block has been made larger, eliminating the gap between the side of the screen and the block. This change ensures a tighter seal against the group head screen

8. We have made it impossible for the dispersion screen screw to be over-tightened, preventing kinks from occurring in the screen.

9. We are no longer using a 3-way valve with the needle valve, as the connection was not as sturdy as we wanted. The 2.0 sports a new 2-way valve and a different plumbing configuration. Everything will work the same, except now it will simply work better.

10. New higher quality pressure gauges have been installed that don’t loose their calibration. The insides were previously made of soft copper, but are now made of stainless steel.

11. Changes to the spar (the skeleton of the machine that holds everything in place) allow wires to pass between sections easier.

12. The fill probe, PRV and anti-suction valve have been moved to the top of the steam tank rather than the side. This solves the auto-filling problem some clients experienced and it provides more space on the side of the machine for plumbing

13. The electronics box has been changed to create a water section, an electronics section and a power section. This means the electronics can be dropped without having to disconnect the plumbing, making repairs much easier.

14. Gaskets have been added above the PIDs so that if water leaks it wont go on the PIDs. Little drain slots have also been added beside the PIDs so that, in the rare chance that water goes into the electronics tray, it will drain onto the counter instead of pooling in the electronics.

15. The steam valve can now be removed without having to take off the front side panel.

16. New steam actuator shims have been added so that the bolt doesn’t come loose over time.

17. We now offer a lowered versions of the brackets that hold the drain tray so that clients who use spouted portafilters or pull shots into larger cups can fit the cup under the portafilter.

18. Drain pan modification to prevent the buildup of coffee grounds on the left side of the drain pan

19. Added safety thermostats to the sides of all tanks which will shut off the heating elements if things get too hot

20. New heating elements – same wattage, but are actually more powerful

21. New higher quality temperature probes

22. Made a modification to the back of the group cap and cover, so that it wont pinch the vent tube going to the drain – this should help with pucks sticking to the screen after a shot

23. All wiring of the electronics is now done by a professional company – all wires are numbered and we have a wiring schematic

24. We made a little cover that partially covers the breaker so that people can’t accidentally turn the heating elements off

25. Rounded all the edges of the stainless steel so that the edges wont cut

26. Hot water now comes from the steam tank and we’re going to be using a much better button to control the solenoid valve. Plus a larger giggleur so that the water flows better. We’re also using a new hot water switch.

27. Changed the position of the expansion valve so that it automatically bleeds the air out of the pre-heat tank

28. We are changing to copper lines instead of stainless. This saves money and is easier to work with.

29. Previously, the stainless tubing was bent by hand. Now the new copper tubing is bent professionally by another company, so that every machine fits perfectly together and looks exactly the same.

30. New stainless steel bayonet that is designed to fit properly with our group cover – there is no gap between the two parts

31. Pre-brew timer upgrade – when you press a button under the group you engage the timer. When engaged the time is quickly set with a rheostat and controls the Pre-brew phase of the extraction. After the time expires the machine automatically kicks into full pressure. If desired, the barista can still move the actuator back to the pre-brew position to lower the pressure towards the end of the shot. Each group is independent and can have different times or simply be turned off and the group is back into full-manual mode.

Stay tuned for more information about Slayer 2.0!

If you have questions about Slayer, don’t hesitate to contact us. For East Coast USA inquiries, contact East Coast Slayer Rep Molly Soeder at molly(at)slayerespresso.com. For international and other USA inquiries, contact owner and creator, Jason Prefontaine at jason(at)slayerespresso.com. As always, you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and in the office at 206-284-7171.