La Pavoni Users - Some advice please

[vagabondmugen]

I recently bought a La Pavoni Professional Pre-Millenium model and have a couple of questions for those in the know.
What sort of dosage weight do you put in the double basket??? After alot of reading I realise this is approximate as people use different weights for different beans/roast etc....Just after a good starting point to then experiment from there as I've read anywhere from 12-14g.
Also what should the pressure cut off at as I have noticed it will cut off then drop in pressure. An example would be it cuts off at 0.9 bar and then will drop to 0.75-0.8.
What pressure do I want to be pulling the shot at????? Should it be where pressure stops or where it drops to????
Any advice would be much appreciated.

[deegee]

Hello and Welcome Vagabond.

I have a Gaggia G106 which is a LaPav Pro in disguise. Mine is a post-millenium version, so the basket may be marginally larger, but not much.
I have only owned it for a few months, so I'm no expert, but here's what I've learned in that time.

I use anywhere between 12 and 15 grams in the double basket. This depends on the size/strength of the coffee I want to make. If I want a larger or stronger cup I use more or for a smaller one I use less - it depends on what I'm in the mood for. When I dose lower, I grind a bit finer and tamp a bit firmer to get about the same "feel" while pulling the shot.

The pressure in the boiler is governed by a pressurestat, which turns the heater element on and off to maintain about one bar or bit under. Like a thermostat, it is not very precise, so the pressure will fluctuate.
I don't think it matters what pressure you pull the shot at. When you raise the lever, the boiler pressure forces hot water into the grouphead. Water is not compressible so it should always be the same amount of water regardless. When you depress the handle it is your pressure on the lever that determines the pressure on the water and the flow through the puck.

Cheers, deegee.

[richard_m_h]

You might be over thinking it. I've got the Europiccola with no gauge, so its not necessary to even look at it. I've got my grinder set to fill the basket and don't weigh it. More important to get the grind right and get it up to temperature.

[mcetp001]

I just picked myself up a 1974 EP and have been doing a fair bit of reading up on them. There is some really interesting stuff on the Home Barista forum over in the US. A couple of users there have really pushed the little EPs to the limit and seem to have gotten the best out of them.