We were lucky to find it, but the machine didn't seem to be working right and it didn't come with a user manual. Easy, we thought. Just jump on to all-knowing google, or download it from the manufacturer. Aren't all manufacturers going to make user manuals available on the products they sell? The short answer is, no.
After searching for what seemed like hours, we found posts on home-barista.com alluding to manuals, but nothing like what we were looking for. Here's the post we found.
The next morning I called Astoria to see if they could send me a PDF user manual.
General Espresso Equipment Corporation (Astoria's United States Distributor)
7912 Industrial Village Road
Greensboro, NC 27409
Tel: 336-393-0224
Fax: 336-393-0295
Email: info(at)geec.com
Greensboro, NC 27409
Tel: 336-393-0224
Fax: 336-393-0295
Email: info(at)geec.com
GEEC did send a manual, thankfully -- a blazing twenty-four page user manual for the Astoria Argenta, completely useless. But here it is if you'd like to read it: Astoria Argenta User Manual - Basic.
The next morning I GEEC again to see if they could send me a better, more useful PDF user manual. Why they didn't offer to send this originally, I'll never know. Thankfully, they sent me a ninety-four-page technician's manual, wonderful! here it is if you need it: Astoria Argenta Technician's User Manual.
In the manual, it said that if espresso is coming out too fast (our problem), that the beans are too course, grind them finer... So, we bought a Mazzer Mini a couple nights later and our problems are solved (for now) :-D
Anyone up for a coffee? Leave a comment and you're welcome to come by for an espresso!
Cheers,
-Cody Hayes
