Product Description
Watch the set-up and use video here.
Don't miss the ARO Orbit PRO™. We've taken our best-selling ARO Orbit ECO™ to the next level! Now featuring durable aluminum construction, metal gears, precision ball bearings, and an ultra-smooth mechanism. Built tough for dedicated home baristas and demanding commercial cafes! Purchase here!
Introducing the ARO Orbit ECO™, an economical spirographic espresso distribution tool with unmatched performance, made from PLA plastic. We've optimized every aspect of this tool — from meticulously engineered gear ratios and pin placements to a mechanism that spins with the ease of a finger. Elevate your espresso with precise consistency in every pull. Perfectly fluffed and distributed baskets of espresso are just a few spins away.
Here's a quick geometry lesson: Hypotrochoids and epitrochoids are curves defined by tracing a point attached to a circle that's rolling along the inside or outside of a fixed circle, respectively. Spirographs use this concept to create dazzling geometric patterns. The ARO Orbit ECO™ utilizes this mechanical motion to efficiently distribute and fluff the grounds, ensuring consistency no matter how early in the morning it is.
Magnetic vs. Non-Magnetic Sleeve
Choose between a magnetic sleeve for a secure, one-handed operation or the standard non-magnetic sleeve with precise, tabbed cutouts.
- Magnetic Sleeve: This premium sleeve is equipped with three powerful neodymium magnets, ensuring a firm grip on most* portafilter baskets. It auto-aligns itself and allows for effortless one-handed use, making it the recommended option for magnetic portafilter baskets.
- Non-Magnetic Sleeve: Features tabbed cutouts designed to fit around the ears of your portafilter to retain the tool and ensure it remains aligned and secure while spinning. This option generally requires two-handed use — one hand to help secure the Orbit, and the other to rotate the tool.
*Please ensure your portafilter basket attracts magnets before purchasing.
Key Features
-
Novel and Innovative Gear Design: Features three separate gears working in harmony for optimal mixing, distribution, and fluffing in as little as four spins.
- The Sweeper: This extended-armed gear whips the pins at high velocities slicing through any clumps in its path.
- The Scrambler: This short-armed gear bounces the pins back and forth across the basket to scramble and mix the grounds, ensuring even distribution and a level bed.
- The Edge Dancer: This small gear pushes and pulls grounds near the edge for complete basket coverage.
-
Precision Pins: Utilizes 10x, 0.25mm diameter pins to trace dozens of hypotrochoids and epitrochoids, distributing and fluffing espresso grounds in your portafilter basket.
-
Efficient Distribution: Spirographic mechanical motion ensures consistency and fluffs grounds in seconds, providing a uniform and level espresso bed.
- Adjustable Needle Length: Features the ability to adjust the needle length for a custom fit with virtually any portafilter basket depth.
- Unique Finishes: Available in four distinct finishes (textured, carbon fiber, geometric, galaxy) to personalize and enhance your espresso station.
Set-Up and Use
- Install 10 pins by inserting them into the holes in the gears. If a pin hole is hard to reach, try rotating the tool a bit so that the gears move into a new position. You can also remove the adjustment sleeve to get better access to the pin holes. The deeper you insert the pins, the tighter they will grab. Be careful here and take your time. Our pins come with a dulled tip, but they are still pokey!
- With your portafilter basket empty, place the tool inside of the basket to determine if you need to adjust the pin height on the tool. Holding the tool under a bright light will help significantly. If an adjustment is needed, hold the jam nut and rotate the adjustment sleeve until you reach your desired height. Then tighten the jam nut against the adjustment sleeve to lock its position.
- Fill your portafilter with espresso grounds and place the tool on top. You will notice a white circle around one of the pin holes. The tool can be rotated until the white circle is closest to the edge of the tool. In this configuration, the pins are furthest away from the edges and the tool is easier to place on your portafilter without a pin getting caught outside the basket.
- Spin the tool 3-4 times, no need to overdo it. After the final spin, hold the tool on top of the portafilter and give the portafilter a few light taps on the counter to settle the grounds. Give the tool one more final slow spin and gently remove it from the portafilter basket.
- Place the tool in its stand, tamp your grounds, and go brew some espresso.
What's in the Box?
- ARO Orbit ECO™ gear mechanism with adjustable pin height sleeve
- Self-aligning stand with weighted base
- 20x pins (0.25mm diameter), including two pin storage tubes
Compatibility
- 58mm, Magnetic Sleeve: Fits all 58mm portafilters and baskets. Ideal for baskets that attract magnets.
- 58mm, Non-Magnetic: Fits all 58mm portafilters with 2 ears. If you have a 58mm portafilter with 3 ears, you MUST choose the magnetic sleeve option.
- 54mm, Magnetic Sleeve: Fits all Breville stock and aftermarket 54mm portafilters and baskets. Ideal for baskets that attract magnets.
- 54mm, Non-Magnetic: Fits all Breville stock and aftermarket 54mm portafilters with three ears.
- 53mm, Magnetic Sleeve: Fits 53mm La Spaziale (post-2000) portafilters, and the 9Barista espresso machine basket. Ideal for baskets that attract magnets.
- 53mm, Non-Magnetic: Fits 53mm La Spaziale (post-2000) portafilters and baskets.
We also have a special version for the Cafelat Robot. Please message us to order.
If you have a different type or size of portafilter, please contact us. We plan to offer additional options to increase compatibility in the future, so please let us know what you're using.
Care and Maintenance
For daily maintenance, simply brush off any loose grounds and/or wipe clean with a cloth. When it's time for a more thorough cleaning, remove the pins, sleeve, and lock nut from the gear mechanism. Wipe down the gear mechanism with a damp cloth while avoiding getting water inside the rotating parts. The pins, sleeve, lock nut, and stand may be hand washed with lukewarm water and soap. Be sure to rinse well, and dry immediately. The ARO Orbit ECO™ is not dishwasher safe.
Do not expose to high heat. Do not leave it on top of your espresso machine and keep it out of direct sunlight for extended periods of time.
Other Useful Info
The outside diameter of the base of the 58mm version is 77mm. For the 54mm and 53mm versions, it is 71mm.
The galaxy surface finish utilizes microscopic variations in the surface texture to create a holographic effect. Depending on the angle that light hits the surface, you will see a dazzling rainbow of colors. This effect may fade if the tool becomes oily or dirty. If this occurs, wipe the top surface of the tool with a damp cloth and soapy solution to restore the holographic effect. Do not submerge the tool!
This item is additively manufactured – hand wash only with lukewarm water and soap.
Good quality print and does a great job at breaking up your coffee grinds!
Helps to create consistent extractions. The problem is I added the magnets and they’re weaker than expected, resulting in a loose hold. It barely sticks on the basket so I still have to hold it down with one hand while spinning with another. It also feels rather cheap and light, like a toy. I guess that’s what you get with a 3D print; perhaps the PRO instead of the ECO would feel better.
IT IS HARD GETTING THOSE ULTRA-FINE NEEDLES INTO THE PORTAFILTER WITHOUT BENDING THE OUTER LAYER. IT IS EQUALLY DIFFICULT GETTING BACK IN THE BASE. IT IS NOT USABLE FOR ME. I HAD HIGH HOPES, BUT IT JUST DIDN'T WORK OUT. I BOUGHT ANOTHER UNIT WITH RECESSED NEEDLES AND HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM AT ALL.
I'm editing my original review. The first WDT tool I received had some quality problems, with needles being uneven after being fully inserted.
Following my original review, their customer service team proactively contacted me to resolve the issue. They were fantastic and immediately offered to remedy the situation. I'm updating this review based on this excellent, proactive support and how professionally they handled the situation. It's rare a to see a company stand by its product like this.
Good product, lives up to expectations.
The gears have a bit of play. Let's see how it ages.
Tighter axles with bearings and counter magnets on the "parking cup" could be an improvement.
It does an excellent job for coffee distribution in the puck. Better than most spinning ones.
The only downside for me is that there is a bit of samurai action in order to put it in place both in the portafilter and on its holder to avoid bending the needles. This annoys me a little but overall it’s a great WDT !
I purchased the one with the magnets, and my only complaint is the magnets are too strong, lol. This sometimes pulls my basket from the portafilter. But I'm still giving this 5 stars because it does exactly what it's supposed to. Great height adjustment feature. Works smoothly. Comes with two sets of needles. I love it!
This is a great tool that has helped me get consistent distribution. That having been said, there is one needle slot that doesn't hold the needle very well. I've had to reinstall the needle there about three times over the last two weeks. Build quality could improve, too, but the needle issue is really annoying. Good work, but hopefully the next iteration solves the needle problem.
Excellent and put it together pretty easily. Trick is taking it apart inserting the thicker end until there all even and then adjusting with the lock key for reach. All in all an excellent purchase
Great product
Great product
I recently got a new machine and I was looking for a good WDT tool. I have seen Aro before in social media. I didn't know that my machine basket was not magnetic since every tool that I used that has magnets was working fine with my portafilter. I bought the aro with magnets while it works great and everything. Sadly the magnets are either not strong enough or my portafilter basket hates magnets. I should bought the no magnets one just to be sure. One thing I should note for those that complain about the mechanism not being smooth. You can have the rings tight. You have to have them a bit loose. With that said. I think the tool works great. I don't regret the purchase.
Good distribution device which require some adjustments
High quality 3d print. Works perfectly. Well done ARO!
Tool is quick and easy to use. Have been using it for three weeks with my GS3.
Overall I really like this tool I’m getting better distribution than my previous units. However I think that the needles are too thin as they bend very easily. I know this keeps the grounds from moving but I think that a set of .035 needles would be more durable and still achieve the desired result.
Very happy with my purchase the only thing I use a triple basket in a 53 mm portafilter for a la spaziale and I can’t adjust it so it just scrapes the basket, but other than that great tool.
I thought the colour/design would be more prominent.
Absolutely perfect!
Very helpful customer service and quick to respond. Will definitely be purchasing a couple more in the future. Also the product came in perfect condition.
Lovely product. Truly distributes my coffee evenly! Life changer
I wish I had read the reviews before I purchased. It feels flimsy in my hand and I have the most trouble slinging it over the portafilter. I’m constantly bending the fingers because it doesn’t align properly. I wish the pro was available in 54MM.
Thank you so much for your purchase and feedback. I am sorry to hear of the difficulty placing the tool on your portafilter. To help with that, flip the tool over and align the gears so that the pin with the white circle around it is closest to the wall. In this configuration, the pins are closest to the center of the tool and it will make it easier to place on your portafilter. You can also place it on at a 45 degree angle to help make sure all the pins make it into your basket. The tool also comes with 10 spare pins so if you do damage any, there are plenty of spares. Also, stay tuned as we will be releasing the 54mm ARO Orbit PRO (aluminum) in the next few months!
The quality is not as good as expected.
Thanks for your order and feedback! We do now offer a premium version of this tool called the ARO Orbit PRO which has an aluminum housing and ball bearings in the gears. The 58mm version is available now, and the 54mm version will be available around September 2024!
Very easy to set up very easy to use and very effective, exactly the right number of needles and exactly the right thickness, perfect in every way.
3d printed, feels fragile and lacking weight. Because of this, despite the magnetic base, it sometimes slips off of the portafilter. Does not come with needles installed but does come with an extra set. Overall it works as advertised.
Very difficult to use without damaging the needles. Actually works quite well if you get everything lined up properly, but what a pain!
Thanks so much for your feedback! If you look at the bottom of the tool, you will notice a white circle around one of the pin holes. The tool can be rotated until the white circle is closest to the edge of the tool. In this configuration, the pins are furthest away from the edges and the tool is easier to place on your portafilter without a pin getting caught outside the basket. Also, if you bend a pin you can usually bend it back so it's straight again. But you can also replace it with one of the 10x spares we include in every order!
Kvalita a funkčnost jsou super.
Depth adjustment is a great feature, produces an excellent fluffy and uniform bed of coffee to tamp. Overall great product that I am very happy with.
I do wish that there were an option for a metal locking ring on the height adjustment. This iis largely, if not entirely a 3D printed assembly- some aspects of it feel a bit more delicate than I’d prefer.
Only additional want- wish there were a knob on the spin ring that moves the assembly gears- you end up doing many small partial turns- having a small knob or post on this ring to help created full rotations would be nice.
I love it! Its fun to use and works great. Also incredible service! One part arrived broken, even though it was VERY carefully packed with a lot of bubble wrap. I got a reply immediately with a free delivery to Germany of the broken part.