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Do you regret buying a lever machine

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  • #16
    I bought my La Pavoni in 1993 and it's still going strong. New gaskets when needed are easy to obtain and fit. There's plenty advice on the web. I will never part with it. And suits me well as I'm the only coffee drinker in the house.
    It did take me about 5 years before I worked out how to pull a consistent good shot, though. However those were the days before YouTube and the web.
    One piece of advice that was given to me, I'll pass on. Don't stick with one basket. Have at least 2. When you're making more than one coffee, it saves a huge amount of time to have filled baskets ready. They just drop in and aren't a tight fit.
    And good luck with your first portafilter sneeze.

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    • #17
      > And good luck with your first portafilter sneeze.

      Haha .... I have done that on my Ponte Vecchio :-)
      I notice there are NO Youtube videos of PF sneezes.

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      • #18
        Hi Etheral. I owned a pre 2000 La Pavoni Europiccola and now a Silvia w/ PID. I would say, it really depends on what type of person you are. If you enjoy the process, then I would definitely suggest a lever machine to you since it gives you more sense of achievement. But then again, this moment may come eventually after tonnes of frustration especially because this is your first machine. I kinda regret selling it to buy my Silvia really. Whatever your decision is, hope you will enjoy your machine.

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        • #19
          Originally posted by LordL View Post
          And good luck with your first portafilter sneeze.
          Care to elaborate, do you get covered in a shower of coffee grindings?

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          • #20
            Haha. You might. It makes a right mess.

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            • #21
              Originally posted by Etheral View Post
              Care to elaborate, do you get covered in a shower of coffee grindings?
              Mostly a bit of everything. A right mess too.
              Term has even made the Urban Dictionary

              Urban Dictionary: portafilter sneeze

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              • #22
                Originally posted by Etheral View Post
                Care to elaborate, do you get covered in a shower of coffee grindings?
                It depends on the severity of the sneeze .

                So far my impatience has only caused a couple of minor sneezes that resulted in some of the grounds on my hand, the base of the machine, and on the bench around it. This was when I had taken the handle off just a bit too soon. But I believe that if the handle is removed way too soon, the entire contents of the basket, probably still hot and very wet, can be spread much wider.
                It's only likely to happen if you are knocking out a couple of short blacks in quick succession. If you pull a shot and then steam milk for a cap/latte the pressure is usually gone by the time you have the milk in the cup. If I'm in doubt, I lift the lever about halfway, and hold it there while I remove the group handle.

                Having a second basket pre-filled and ready to go is a good way to speed up the second shot but it also increases the risk of a sneeze !.

                An extra handle and basket is a good way to reduce the tendency to overheat after a couple of shots. Alternating between two handles will help cool the grouphead for second and subsequent shots.

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by Etheral View Post
                  I have purchased a Europiccola and Lido E grinder, can't wait for them to arrive. Excited for the steep learning curve!
                  Do, please,post dates on this venture!!!!

                  I am leaning towards this machine myself.... Sneezes and all.

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                  • #24
                    I too would love to hear your experiences. I saw a LP pro in the flesh yesterday and sort of wondering if Im regretting my purchase of the Ponte Vecchio Export (which I should have next week). That is a spring driven lever.

                    But defintely the LP is a beautifully made machine and would make a nice edition to any bench top

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                    • #25
                      GreanBeanGenii,


                      If you are in Melbourne please come into our showroom for a demo on the la Pavoni pro we have on the bench. We have also had the new Lido 3 grinder arrive, a nice bit of gear indeed!

                      Cheers

                      Antony
                      Casa Espresso
                      (03) 9530 8992

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by Casa Espresso View Post
                        GreanBeanGenii,


                        If you are in Melbourne please come into our showroom for a demo on the la Pavoni pro we have on the bench. We have also had the new Lido 3 grinder arrive, a nice bit of gear indeed!

                        Cheers

                        Antony
                        Casa Espresso
                        (03) 9530 8992
                        You have discovered my plan!!!! An interstate trip from NSW is on the planning board. heehee!

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                        • #27
                          I'm heading up to Newcastle tomorrow to judge at the Golden Bean awards.

                          I could bring one with me for you!!

                          Cheers

                          antony

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                          • #28
                            Owned a La Pavoni Professional myself. Selling it now because I'm downsizing my coffee gear. I do love it but it is quite a bit involved to pull a shot. There's a bit of a ritual with this machine unlike your other run-of-the-mill coffee machines where it's almost set and forget. For example, you can't let it run too long or it will overheat. There are also many variables that you're working with when pulling a shot -- more than say an E61 espresso machine (i.e. dosage amount, grind setting, tamp pressure, temperature of the brewhead, pressure on the lever, freshness of the beans, preinfusion period, etc). All the nuances aside, the shots you pull (once you learn how to pull a good one) are absolutely brilliant. You do need quite decent coffee beans though (i.e. not old) or the shot just lunges out.

                            I do believe I read somewhere that the spring-lever machine is not quite a full manual lever machine where you could pressure-profile etc. It's all in the spring once you cock it. There's more repeatability with the spring-lever systems. Also, with that said, there are more restrictions. The La Pavoni on the other hand is a full manual lever so you could vary the pressure etc. However, the pressure you apply is somewhat based on feel alone. I don't think there's quite a way to measure the pressure being applied. The repeatability comes down to your ritual and how tight you control your shot-pulling process.

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                            • #29
                              Originally posted by benspawn View Post
                              I do believe I read somewhere that the spring-lever machine is not quite a full manual lever machine where you could pressure-profile etc....
                              Not so. You are free to hold the lever back to slow a shot or give it a push to to speed things up. Spring lever machines are the original pressure profilers as the spring creates a declining pressure profile (towards end of shot).

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                              • #30
                                Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
                                Not so. You are free to hold the lever back to slow a shot or give it a push to to speed things up. Spring lever machines are the original pressure profilers as the spring creates a declining pressure profile (towards end of shot).
                                Ah, my mistake then, was not aware of that.

                                Do you know if there are any of these lever machines out there where you have some sort of a measurement readout for brewhead pressure?

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