Instrumenting my espresso machine with OpenTelemetry

An intriguing attempt to apply observability tools to the art of making espresso reveals that an espresso machine can be treated like a distributed system, using OpenTelemetry to track various brewing parameters. By instrumenting a Gaggia espresso machine with a custom ESP32 controller and collecting telemetry data via ClickStack—an observability stack comprising an OpenTelemetry collector, ClickHouse for data storage, and HyperDX for user interface—users can measure and analyze variables such as boiler temperature, pressure, and flow rates. This approach allows for granular insights into how each brewing variable affects the final product, transforming each shot into a traceable event and enabling a real-time feedback loop to refine the brewing process. The project demonstrates the versatility of observability tools beyond traditional IT infrastructure, highlighting how such methods can solve problems in unexpected domains, like the quest for a perfect espresso.

Use this post, company, and trend context to find content marketing opportunities, perform competitive analysis, or address product feature gaps via the Plushcap MCP server or the Plushcap API.