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Obviously I am perhaps biased as I import and now offer these machines for sale... and the Lusso is currently priced under $1500 (by just 5 cents ;-) ) but I think it is a great machine and worthy of a thread here on CoffeeSnobs.
The Lusso club fits into the Pointy End category nicely: you can pull two shots simultaneously and froth milk at the same time (as much as you want)- and there is plenty of shiny stainless steel... Lastly it has to be the only dual group machine in this category and one of only a few in the domestic market- pump or lever- full stop.
And to be fair the Lusso is my own chosen home machine: as a collector of coffee makers I am spoiled for choice when it comes to my daily cup (Faema Lambro, Atomics galore, La Pavoni, Gaggia America, Caravel, Brunella, Syphons, Presso, Faemina, etc) but the two group Lusso has founds its place as the ideal home machine for me in daily use.
I have tested many lever machines: domestic and commercial. To date I have found the PV Lussos 44mm group design the easiest to use and the most consistently excellent- virtually idiot proof. It is very hard to make a bad shot. Machines like the La Pavoni or MicroCasa a Leva, etc. have very demanding 49mm manual lever group designs, with shallow filter baskets. In use these machine require close attention to detail to get the best results. The Lusso by comparison has small 44mm baskets which are deeper (or in the singles case have less holes) and hold approx. 7grms (single) or 14grms (double) and a spring driven lever (like all commercial lever machines). Somehow this design enables the machine to easily achieve very good brew pressures with a greater latitude of coffee grind/tamp. In practice this means very few if any sink shots. It also means a uniquely nuanced lever espresso shot...
In terms of specs the Lusso couldnt be simpler: 3 liter manual fill boiler (with a sight glass), thermosyphon group heads, a pressurestat and p-gauge (set to 1.2 BAR)... there is a simple yet highly effective steam wand and a hot water wand. Thats about it. You just turn it on- let it heat up for around 10 minutes, bleed off the false pressure, run a little water through the groups to initially warm them- and you are ready to go.
Once the machine is up to heat like this it can be left on all day: ready to pull a shot- or multiple shots- whenever you want- just walk right up. The design of the machine actually goes right back to the 1950s and is known as a club design. Club machines were intended for use in small bars, cafes, and Italian mens clubs, etc. Indeed with its relatively large boiler and dual groups the Lusso can still work well in these type of low level semi-commercial environments.
In use it is very simple: the baskets can be tamped nearly to the very top- a medium to fine espresso grind works very well. I use a a double pull with the double basket- with a little maneuver at the start of the first pull that is called the fellini maneuver by lever espresso machine fanatics (apparently there is a scene in a Fellini movie where an Italian barista is seen doing this little half-pull pre-infusion).
This is my standard method:
a) Pull lever down and hold for 5 to 10 seconds allowing pre-infusion.
b) Gently release the lever and allow to return just a little or until the first drop of espresso is seen. Quickly pull the lever down to the bottom and release- this is my fellini movement. The lever slowly returns to its upright position as the espresso pours out- if the grinds is right this takes around 15-20 seconds.
c) Just before the lever reaches its rest point at the top- I quickly pull it all the way back down and release- for another 15-20 seconds of pour. Generally I remove the cup when the lever is at rest and let the last few drops of blonding espresso go into the drip tray.
this photo is a fairly typical result- but by no means the best result- I often get a solid black and tan effect throughout the shot (I never do as well when I am trying to photograph the shot whilst I make it... :-/):
The Lusso club fits into the Pointy End category nicely: you can pull two shots simultaneously and froth milk at the same time (as much as you want)- and there is plenty of shiny stainless steel... Lastly it has to be the only dual group machine in this category and one of only a few in the domestic market- pump or lever- full stop.
And to be fair the Lusso is my own chosen home machine: as a collector of coffee makers I am spoiled for choice when it comes to my daily cup (Faema Lambro, Atomics galore, La Pavoni, Gaggia America, Caravel, Brunella, Syphons, Presso, Faemina, etc) but the two group Lusso has founds its place as the ideal home machine for me in daily use.
I have tested many lever machines: domestic and commercial. To date I have found the PV Lussos 44mm group design the easiest to use and the most consistently excellent- virtually idiot proof. It is very hard to make a bad shot. Machines like the La Pavoni or MicroCasa a Leva, etc. have very demanding 49mm manual lever group designs, with shallow filter baskets. In use these machine require close attention to detail to get the best results. The Lusso by comparison has small 44mm baskets which are deeper (or in the singles case have less holes) and hold approx. 7grms (single) or 14grms (double) and a spring driven lever (like all commercial lever machines). Somehow this design enables the machine to easily achieve very good brew pressures with a greater latitude of coffee grind/tamp. In practice this means very few if any sink shots. It also means a uniquely nuanced lever espresso shot...
In terms of specs the Lusso couldnt be simpler: 3 liter manual fill boiler (with a sight glass), thermosyphon group heads, a pressurestat and p-gauge (set to 1.2 BAR)... there is a simple yet highly effective steam wand and a hot water wand. Thats about it. You just turn it on- let it heat up for around 10 minutes, bleed off the false pressure, run a little water through the groups to initially warm them- and you are ready to go.
Once the machine is up to heat like this it can be left on all day: ready to pull a shot- or multiple shots- whenever you want- just walk right up. The design of the machine actually goes right back to the 1950s and is known as a club design. Club machines were intended for use in small bars, cafes, and Italian mens clubs, etc. Indeed with its relatively large boiler and dual groups the Lusso can still work well in these type of low level semi-commercial environments.
In use it is very simple: the baskets can be tamped nearly to the very top- a medium to fine espresso grind works very well. I use a a double pull with the double basket- with a little maneuver at the start of the first pull that is called the fellini maneuver by lever espresso machine fanatics (apparently there is a scene in a Fellini movie where an Italian barista is seen doing this little half-pull pre-infusion).
This is my standard method:
a) Pull lever down and hold for 5 to 10 seconds allowing pre-infusion.
b) Gently release the lever and allow to return just a little or until the first drop of espresso is seen. Quickly pull the lever down to the bottom and release- this is my fellini movement. The lever slowly returns to its upright position as the espresso pours out- if the grinds is right this takes around 15-20 seconds.
c) Just before the lever reaches its rest point at the top- I quickly pull it all the way back down and release- for another 15-20 seconds of pour. Generally I remove the cup when the lever is at rest and let the last few drops of blonding espresso go into the drip tray.
this photo is a fairly typical result- but by no means the best result- I often get a solid black and tan effect throughout the shot (I never do as well when I am trying to photograph the shot whilst I make it... :-/):
But alas it will just have to do for a while longer. Nice add to your range Jack
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