La Pavoni: Review, Modifications, and History

[@coffeesensor6612]

Thank you Lance for the wonderful presentation and for mentioning my small family business that helped with the black and gold machine. I hope you will allow me to post a few ideas about the machine I supplied and add some small details to the presentation: all your machines are Professional models, unlike the older 1st gen which has the smaller boiler (called Europiccola model) that is only 0.8L. The sight glass "problem" is normal to be presented by some, but for many years, NO REPORTS of broken sight glass tubes or I personally ever had any case of water or steam splash on the user, while using the metal sight glass tube mod made of stainless or brass. Also according to our testing and Bong presentation made some time ago, there is an offset between the group head and water temperature that goes directly on the coffee puck. We start brewing at around 80 degrees or a little more. So we have around 90 or more in the shot, temperature wise. The LCD liquid strips is pretty accurate and cheap as you said and I am very glad that in your video it shows how good they are, showing the same temperature as the digital version. Generations starting from 1st and 2nd gen (no plastic solutions) are better indeed and better built than the 3rd and 4th gen, when La Pavoni started using a little strange solutions to over heating and not just that. Also, only now, they have taken a few ideas from the after market and implemented for example on Esperto version, the single hole steam tip with different hole size (they offer two in the box). And they converted to stainless more and more and have left out the brass in some areas. So as you said, a lot of changes over the years. But I love the 2nd gens most. Thanks and if your community users want more info, we await them on our group also, where we discuss a lot about these mods and post a lot of good ideas for beginners also: facebook.com/groups/lapavonienthusiastsgroup. Cheers !

[@choice762]

Thank you so much for the products. Love it everyday. PLus the community and constant improvements. Looking forward for the 49mm shaker which i see suprinsingly in the fb group as a prototype 🤩 Only shipping costs to germany hurts ;-)

[@dvs3308]

I have a LaPavoni pro 2023 with (I think) all Coffeesensor products available. I love it!

[@coffeesensor6612]

@@choice762 Appreciate it guys !

[@coffeesensor6612]

@@choice762 we did implement Packeta services and for around 8-9 EUR, i think it's fair :)

[@wakeawaken430]

Better edit your post about the "higher temp" about the dark roasts, obviously you wanted to write lower I am already a happy customer of your products, I am waiting the temperature/Brew pressure sensor

[@daniel.lopresti]

My parents were given a used early 90's (2nd gen) La Pavoni Professional many years ago (back when neither the original owner nor we really knew anything about espresso), and it was sitting unused for many years, until almost two years ago when I started on my coffee journey (thanks Daddy Hoff!) and I promptly reappropriated the machine, as you do! After a good maintenance (new joints, descaling a few decades' worth of gunk, etc.), it is now the proud centerpiece of my kitchen, and never ceases to elicit curiosity if not enthusiatic interrogation! I've since added many of the Coffee Sensor parts shown in this video (steam wand extension, fancy drip tray, temp strips, wooden handles, bottomless PF, and others), and I must say it is a real pleasure to use. Granted, I've not known any other espresso machines (other my parents' Dedica), and while I've completely nailed the workflow for my habitual morning cappuccino, I still run into problems when making shots back to back for guests - and that's without taking into account the lack of space and concentration due to everyone wanting to crowd around and gawk at my steamed milk pouring skills ;)

[@TheLever]

Thanks for the mentions Lance! La Pavoni's are such iconic machines, like most levers they can be quite forgiving but the more you learn the more they show you what they are capable of; so unless you want to upgrade for something with higher build quality or more automated controls, they won't give you that feeling of constantly having to upgrade to continue your espresso journey. It's like a relationship where you and the machine get to know better and better.

[@ozespresso]

Agree!

[@mikeowen000]

Well said!

[@infinitenwar]

One thing I wanted to add about the longer steam wand tip: along with being easier to clean when you steam milk, on my machine with the stock tip, drips would just land outside the edge of the drip tray, right on the base. That's mostly just a little annoying, but it also led to water gathering underneath the tray and eventually causing a rust spot that I had to deal with (I rarely use it to stream milk, but do use it to heat up a bit of water in my cup before pulling a shot - both to warm up my cup and also purge out some 'false pressure' from the boiler as it's heating up). With the longer tip, and drips go right into the tray. (Alternate pro tip: stick some little silicone sticker/feet to the bottom of the tray to leave a little gap above the metal base to let it dry out better). PS. For me, this machine is an absolute joy to use every day

[@ozespresso]

Well Done Lance! (Read until the end) This machine deserves the honor, ti is one of the most iconic "coffee makers" of all time. At first, when you pulled the Cremina, I immediately said, Hey, the first Cremina looked just like a Pavoni and was manufactured in the same factory (same as the Gaggia Factory lol) but sure enough a few moments later it showed up on the screen. Another thing worth mentioning, at least to the Bay Area residents as part of the local La Pavoni history is the La Pavoni store owned by Thomas Cara and his two sons, who sold and serviced hundreds if not thousands of these in California (They have an interesting story). Also, from my perspective as a tech, I appreciate a good product that can service its owner for years and years. Yes, it is not perfect but it stands tall in the test of time. It's like the record player of espresso machines :) All the best! Y

[@axelbostrom3606]

This is the machine that thrust me into my coffee hobby/addiction/GAS! Got mine gifted after it had been through most of the family. Was absolutely impossible to use but eventually I figured out it was the bushings and seals that were all 30+ year old original ones so now it's in pieces whilst I swap those out. This video really makes me want to get it back in working order ASAP!

[@ondrejmitas3325]

As a modded pavoni pilot, this and the aspect ratio videos were such a pleasure, thanks! Besides the crucial isolator, air buster, and pressure gague, I really recommend an sworks basket as a mod to try. Combines super well with the controllability of this machine.

[@TheTonylegrone]

My Europiccola is a 79-83 model. The airbuster and Bong isolator are massive game changers. I love the coffee I get from it.

[@dvs3308]

Very nice video, Lance! I have had several espresso machines and now have a 2023 La Pavoni with all Coffeesensor mods. This is the nicest machine I have ever had. Love to use it every day!

[@jeremybarber2837]

Just picked up a 1984-era Europiccola this week and appreciate the overview & mods shown here. I’ve pulled 6 shots over the last 3 days and am feeling better with every one. Now to hunt down a bottomless larger portafilter and espresso cups. Cheers!

[@jaycee2362]

I have a la Pavoni professional model (2003) from Coffee Sensor and it’s wonderful. Shout out to coffee sensor and Tudor who took excellent care of my machine and order, shipping to California. They did an amazing job adding all of the modifications that I requested (bong isolator, air buster, updated piston, modified for USA wall power 120V, and much more). Super professional and friendly customer service. And let’s talk about the coffee. The espresso shots out of this thing are amazing!!!! I think of La Pavoni like a fixed gear bicycle. It’s solid, it works great, it’s beautiful and it’s manual. For those of you interested in this machine, I highly recommend it.

[@coffeesensor6612]

Appreciate it a lot ! Thanks !

[@christopherguy1217]

Thanks Lance, I love to see these classic machines, they have an aesthetic lacking in modern machines. I started with a Gaggia and wanted a manual lever machine to learn on. I love the look of the La Pavoni, especially the brass and copper ones.

[@odl21]

I bought mine from the factory near Milan in 2001 and have used it nearly every day since. Took years to get a good coffee from it. I modified it back in the early 2000s to have a naked portafilter, new pressure gauge, different steam tip and have since added a heat block and temp strips too.

[@emmanuelvanderschelden9474]

Maybe I stayed this long just because I like to hear you feel about coffee gear 😅 great vid again! And it was nice meeting you in Amsterdam last week! Keep it up 👍

[@GregoryM1]

I have been working in the specialty coffee industry for about 5 years now, and my boss just gave me a pre-millennial La Pavoni Professional, it was very well taken care of

[@coffeesensor6612]

lucky guy :)

[@tofflor2170]

Great to see the pavonis get the proper attention they deserve! I used a few different ones over 8 years, it is very consistent once you get the feel. My favourite is a 1978 Europiccola, with naked pf, a digital thermometer, and a single hole steam spout (a nut I drilled a hole through). I did buy a LM gs3 to get more lab control over extractions, but my favourite EP will stay!

[@wretchedpkmn]

The Bong Isolator was my nickname in high school 😎

[@onegraham]

Hehe bong

[@fabricesadde4476]

I’ve had the best espressos ever with my LP Esperto Abile. It requires very fine and freshly ground coffee. Pre infusion is another key success.

[@MrLerola]

I feel La Pavoni is the perfect machine for people who actually want to learn espresso. I was reading an essay about the paradox of automation, and how the more things get automated the less people know what to do when something goes wrong. With the europiccola you have to basically understand the whole process, so it's a great tool to become great at coffee. That's why once you learn it you do great shots, because you are controlling everything from temp to pressure

[@Mandragara]

I'm not that hot on it. Takes a while to heat up and worse a lot of energy doing so and it has poor temperature control. My parents own one for years and I can get better coffee out of a Delonghi dedica. My mum also steamed her hand and had to go to the hospital after opening it when it was hot by mistake

[@marcozg77]

I think the Europiccola is a legend. But I bought the Flair Pro 2, and for me personally it was the perfect entry into the manual lever machine world. It has a great build quality, delivers phantastic espresso and comes at a pragmatic price point. The pressure gauge is extremely important because it's a lot easier to learn if you can see the pressure value. And because you need do dissamble and re-assemble the machine each and every time, this teaches you a lot about how machines work.

[@KevinJDildonik]

Difficult doesn't mean good. I have a Robot, I live in a cold climate, I use lighter beans a lot of the time, and honestly I don't have any issues beyond what I'd blame on switching beans all the time. Honestly I think most people are just awful at coffee. They don't want to admit they're the problem, so a Europiccola is the perfect excuse. Tons of people dig for hundreds of hours because they can't get their Aeropress to taste right. Meanwhile, and I say this as someone who's done some actual tasting, the recipe on the back of the box is just fine. Yeah dial it in to your preferences. But whether my wife does a basic Aeropress recipe, or I do a full pour over on a scale, most coffees are like a 5% difference max? Coffee isn't hard. You might just be really bad at it, or you might have an overly complex machine that's hard to control.

[@cptbaker]

If you're going to learn Espresso, you may as well get a Breville and use the rest of the money you'd save on this with a nicer grinder. If you're first starting out, I'd highly recommend spending the money to invest in a good grinder first before buying something like this. The Flair 58 is quite good and cost less than the La Pavoni.

[@QuickQuips]

It inspired the way to the purely lever ones so I'd pick a Flair or Robot over it since there's less maintenance.

[@nathanshelby1446]

Absolutely love your videos! Saving up for a La Pavoni from Coffee Sensor

[@benjaminpequet6779]

Awesome tips. The Pre-Millenium Professional has been my daily for over 10 years. If you get a used one... obvious but 🤦check the wiring closely, mine was originally sold to me with the fuse simply bypassed (!) and after a later repair came back to me with wires too close together that eventually caused the fuse to trip all the time. A (smart) timer shutting it off after 15 minutes has saved me a few accidents through the years.

[@reecemcnaughten4160]

The more I research on these La Pavoni machines the more I appreciate the attention to detail and addressing all of the problems that the flair pro 2 nailed. Good materials Analog pressure gauge right at the group Head Portable No electronics no elements to malfunction Simple to replace parts Heavy where it needs to be and yet still light enough to take in a travel case Only one tool to disassemble, which happens to be the same tool to disassemble the flair royal grinder, Paired with a Bellman steam gauge stove top you have a perfect set up. If something goes wrong, you can always replace a cheap $15 jug. The whole sneezing thing doesn't need to happen because the pressure releases not down at the bottom it's at the top when you remove Flair pro 2 pressure gauge. Maintenance is super easy Just with easily readily available Silicon gaskets. It seems like Flair pro 2 really did nail everything. Even when compared to the pro 58. there are a lot of issues with that thing and knock it out of being portable.

[@itsjaynguyen]

Shoutout to Doug. That dude helped me out so much during my early espresso days

[@mikeowen000]

Doug’s (Orphan Espresso) KZbin videos on the wiring of a La Pavoni were a lifesaver for me when I rewired my ‘79 Europiccola. Doug is THE MAN!

[@toddpower4674]

I bought a cheap one like in the james hoffman video. Black base Watched his video, ordered one, and bought a nice tamper. I played with it a few times until I got it figured out. Nice to break it out here and there for a bit of fun. I also made a single hole steam tip and put a temp sticker on it

[@urieelSEptim]

Such a great machine as long as you can control the temperature. I used an europiccola just with a temperature strip, it was one shot before it overheated :D very happy with the bong isolator.

[@GeelongVic7140]

I have an Esperto, bought during the Covid Pandemic, modified with a Coffee Sensor stainless steel sleeve to eliminate the standard plastic sleeve, an Airbuster, and a Bong Isolator. After putting in some effort for the initial learning curve to understand the machine and then to also understand espresso in general, thanks especially to your and James Hoffmann's videos, I am amazed about my continued enjoyment of the tactile lever sensations of my La Pavoni in pulling a shot and the of consistently delicious espressos that it drops into my cup. Like you Lance, I just love lever machines, and always find my La Pavoni a treat to use giving me equally pleasurable tasty espressos. . Thanks for a great video elaborating the joy of La Pavoni ownership. Bravo.

[@aceofcaves]

Yaaaas, Lance! I got a 2021 Pro on eBay and upgraded it, the temperature control is hit or miss for me but I’ve been eyeing the black and gold one sitting on your counter in every video, wondering if you were showing off or going to do a review. THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!

[@ryanlloyd3963]

Picked up a second hand Europicola a few years ago, it has been a revolution to my coffee making at home. Would only ever replace it with another lever machine, Cremina or a EP Pro. Automated machines i find so bland.. (we have a VA Eagle One at work and I get no joy using it 😅) Great video, loved seeing the fully decked out Sensor machine

[@fu5ha_edits]

What the hell, I literally just bought one of these from 1979 to restore and upgrade on Monday. And now this! So fun.

[@AnotherAyushRaj]

Its must be wild living in most European countries and easily finding stuff from 50s and 60s

[@Phobosandpanic]

That should be fun! It's like a classic car versus a brand new car. You won't get all the modern tech you get on new machines, but there's just something about being able to take apart, fix and upgrade something purely mechanical that makes these old style machines so satisfying. Not having to worry about electronics and circuitry going wrong makes these la pavonis so appealing. I might try a similar project myself one day. Enjoy and good luck!

[@fu5ha_edits]

@@Phobosandpanic 100%. I've been wanting a small diameter portafilter and flow control for a while, so a lever seemed like the ticket. Problem is, I also want to steam milk very regularly, so a flair was a no go. Enter Pavoni, and my own mechanical and electrical design sensibilities which are I guess very similar to yours. I love being able to understand and repair every bit of a machine. It's so simple and built like a tank, thing is gonna keep going for years more and the ONLY complaint I have about it "features wise" is the highest possible water volume yield is smaller than I'd like (well, and the steaming system leaves a little to be desired). But two days, some elbow grease, and new parts from Coffee Sensor and I now have a basically better than new Europiccola (boiler pressure and group head temp sensor installed) and am already pulling amazing shots! Super happy with it.

[@Phobosandpanic]

@@fu5ha_edits amazing, good work! Funnily enough I have a similar experience. I have a flair but now looking at getting a la pavoni because of the ability to steam, just as you said. The Flair has been great to teach me how to make good espresso, but trying to foam milk with an electric foamer just isn't giving me good results. Now I'm going down the rabbit hole of trying to choose the right la pavoni for me. I think your approach to restore and upgrade sounds like it could be the perfect way to go. Thanks for telling me your experience, it's been very helpful

[@0whitestone]

That is the biggest complaint I've ever heard from you regarding a steam wand! It must be bad 🤣 And I love your history dumps!

[@plaspohlme]

Got my post-millenium model used for $400 about a year ago. I looooove it!

[@PetrusEskelinen]

1997 for 250€ 😊 little rusty and gaskets need TLC but best espressos ever.

[@dadegroot]

I have the current model La Pavoni Europiccola (standard ed) and have added a pressure gauge for the boiler, and a temp. strip on the group head. Absolutely love the machine. As the sole coffee drinker in the house, I'm not pulling multiple shots so the overheat issue isn't really a problem for me.

[@bflmpsvz870]

It is very hands on, but my modern and modified La Pavoni Esperto Abile makes beautiful espresso. I use it every day and love it. Probs and improvements: 1) La Pavoni cough eliminated by using a puck screen 2) Bong isolator made by Coffee Sensor 3) Fast cooling between pulls - USB Fan Flexible Bendable Fan For Power Bank 4) Grouphead thermal probe - BRAPILOT Food Candy Meat Thermometer Digital from Amazon, soldered on a copper strip wrapped around grouphead There is noting that this machine can not do. Testing it for walk on Mars next year.

[@matijamandic8774]

Great video, thank you so much! A suggestion for some interesting/different content - what about inviting R Pavlis and other people in the community to do a video with you? I love the videos where you have fantastic conversations with excellent hobbyists / scientists and i think it can be a rich and engaging conversation. As always - love the videos and love the work you do

[@MattBlind]

Lovely to learn about the history of this wonderful machine! Maybe I'll get a lever machine when I'm really bored.

[@JohnMichaelHauck]

Nice work!

[@saulocafe]

Nice video Lance, as always good info and taking in consideration most of the coffee community around the globe ☕☕👌🏻

[@lyleallan5124]

I do not own a La Pavoni nor am I looking to buy one. But, I like your videos so why not watch? I recently bought a flow control device for an older E61 group and been following the recipes: 10 sec at his setting, ramp up, ramp down. Different times. It has not been good. Watched this video today and when you pulled the shot you were paying attention to the pressure and yield. So, I decided to ditch the time formulas and follow what you did. What a difference! Amazing what you can learn when you pay attention.....thanks for posting the video...

[@pcrussell50]

Good vid Lance. Thanks. I'm not just a one trick pony with a tricked out BDB. I have THREE Pavonis, too. I have been preferring my sleeveless but pressure stat pre-Millennium over my Millennium. But your little trick with the half-pumps is genius. Anyway, timely and relevant video. (I have a plumbed Londinium with user settable pre-infusion too).

[@GregoryM1]

Random addition for when Lance said old La Pavoni's were burning out heating elements. If you are heating a boiler without water, and then randomly hit it with water from a supply line, you have basically created a bomb, just be grateful if your machine has a safety Valve on it

[@Anarchsis]

Love, love, love my La Pavoni Professional and Europiccola. Had a chance to buy an Olympia Club Express but they’re nothing compared to my Pavoni’s.

[@Labcarrot]

"Some of you already in the cult might just want to see the old ones, or some of the modifications." Wow, my boi makes me feel so seen within the first 60 seconds of the video.🥰

[@matiasnruffa]

My first espresso machine was a La Pavoni 1965 restored. The thing is that is a model that was only sold in Argentina, because it was the only country outside of Italy that had the license to make them. The boiler is bigger, and the tube to the grouphead is welded to it. Also is a lot sturdier so it doesn't flex when using it.

[@s96822]

I had owned an europicola gave it away to a friend. you'd be hard pressed to find many italians pulling a shot at home using a scale.

[@BensCoffeeRants]

I got two right now a Post Millenium Europpiccola and also a Pro 1.6L boiler one with the fancier curved handles also post millennium. On my machines I don't seem to have issues with them getting too hot leaving them on too long or pulling multiple shots. I thought its just the older non pressure stat pre milleniums that have that issue and need all the mods. For lighter roasts the temperature seems perfect or maybe a bit low which is why a long preinfusion helps (which is also easy to do on the machine). I found they're much easier to use and get good results with vs an E61 machine. You get more feedback and can compensate for grind size and save a coffee if you ground too coarsely which is harder to do on an pump driven machine.

[@stevenjohnson7071]

Awesome video!

[@nehok]

I have to say the LP is not an easy thing to master but the grouphead digital thermometer and the "Bong" isolator really makes la pavoni life a lot lot lot easier!

[@hongodarongo]

This was a really nice video. I have one at home that i actually use. It makes great espresso but hard to have when you have company because pulling multiple shots takes a long while. For that i have the Rancilio Silvia E V6. I think though that getting the espresso right is easier with the La Pavoni than the Silvia E V6.

[@arkadiyyaslynsky9294]

And the former job I remember and miss the most is working at a bar/cafeteria/coffee shop, it’s named the Mill in midtown Sacramento their newer location is in eastern Sacramento now they roast what they serve and they make liked/delicious waffles.

[@TheWakaMinecraft]

Great video, lever machines definitely have an X factor that makes them very cool, but purely from a practicality standpoint it seems like the Flair 58 makes the most sense for the average home barista because of how finicky the Europiccola is and how ridiculously expensive a Cremina or any Londinium machine is

[@ize1000009]

A fully upgraded from Coffee Sensor (he sells already finished modded ones too) is usually around 1100€. That’s pretty much endgame for espresso. You have full temperature, Pressure, Pre Infusion control, that you can have.

[@jonathus48]

Thanks a lot for this interesting video! Honestly I would have loved to put a spring in this machine, if I was better in mechanics I would modify it as a spring lever machine... Maybe my only craziness...

[@baldheadracing]

Nice video :-). I love Europiccolas. FYI, a currently available heating element can be fitted to the older machines as there are adapter bases sold by Stefano's. Also, FWIW, the old machine has an early 1970's serial number (B3011) and the drip tray grate, sight glass, portafilter, and portafilter spouts are consistent with those found on 1970-73 models. (A 1963 would not have had a drip tray.)

[@LanceHedrick]

I was sold a lie! Lol

[@baldheadracing]

@lancehedrick ... I believe that you have the version (1.6) that Bond used (his is B1437). The only differences are Bond used earlier versions of the portafilter & spouts and the movie props people used a solid plate instead of the drip tray grill. Note that some say that the 1970-73 version 1.6 is the best-ever Europiccola and the version is the basis of the "Ultimate Europiccola" pressurestat conversions on Home-Barista.

[@The_Coffee_Rabbit_Hole]

The best way to start the day 🙌

[@angrymurloc7626]

That's my machiiiine I'm so excited

[@Yousefbe]

I have been waiting for thatttt , i have the la pavoni Esperto as my daily driver

[@blackswan167]

Nice! I got the pro copper version in march. Previously drank from moka pots for seven years. I pull 14 grams with the 9 gram ims basket daily. Which filter basket do you run? Your model came with all the ims baskets ? I wonder how the 14-16 gram ims basket functions. I've got the 20 and the 9. Cheers.

[@Yousefbe]

Actually i have been switching between the different baskets from 9 tp 20, no im sticking to the 14-16, i got 3 different sizes with my machines, i use light & dark roasts all with the same dose every time but different ratios, im still struggling with the light roasts i get 1 good cup out of 10

[@FaithAndCoffeeBean]

Love this history!!! Lance your the coffee professor!!!! ☕️👍🏽😎

[@petersonfamily7008]

Big Fan, Thank you for everything you do. Lots of Espresso makers contain brass which may contain lead; wondering what the best options are for brass-free or near brass-free machines.

[@brahmtaylor]

Love it! Will you do a Rancilio Silvia vid in similar style, history and models etc.?

[@dzezydzerk]

i use lp professional and i love this machine make great espresso, it isn’t consistent very much but for 2 coffees it is great and price that you can buy used one in my opinion make it the best machine in its range.

[@BassThrasher]

I regularly pull shots on my LP with the grouphead at 100-105 and get great results. I drink filter roasts, so that might not be too surprising. Just wanted to put it out there that if you're a light roast drinker, temp surfing might not be such an issue for you.

[@jordan.ellis.hunter]

Love my La Pavoni Professional. Tecnically I own a Europiccola as well but that one isn't working right now.

[@Matthew-Carlin]

“I don’t know what he’s doing there, but it’s not making espresso” That one got me 😂

[@sedelstein]

I just adapted a 49 mm Europiccola basket to fit inside a 58 mm naked portafilter. The puck is about 30-40% deeper. No doubt, the espresso has more body and is sweeter.

[@seiyonblem]

New video!

[@threadmiser4914]

Fun "fact" (aka internet rumor I have trouble finding original sources for- but is generally accepted): the scene in James Bond was him making tea. Ian Fleming described Bond as a coffee man, Jamaican Blue Mountain if memory serves, but he also used a Chemex in the novels. The actor for M hated coffee, couldn't stand the smell of it, so they had Bond pull a shot of tea for the scene.

[@wild-radio7373]

!❤ thank you for this data

[@dominater]

Hello. Nice video. The lever arm is upside-down on the old '63 Pavoni.

[@jarrahdrum]

very excellent thank you

[@23rz34]

Great review and content as always. At the end of the day which do you prefer: the La Pavoni or the Strietman?

[@dermotfenster9980]

Q gives Bond a Picopresso to spare the LA Pavoni from being disrespected any further

[@lostinAR]

Would love to see you review the Ninja Cafe Luxe next! It's getting a lot of hype.

[@celticdr]

The La Pavoni is an example of a great idea for its day that sat on its laurels far too long, espresso tech has progressed significantly since gen 1 and with a few modifications (as Lance showed in this video) La Pavoni could be on top of the lever machine world. PS: On the fence about switching from automatic to lever... I like the idea of literally pulling a shot but would I get bored of that after 1,000+ shots 🤔

[@plantex625]

Lever is more fun, I never get tired of of testing little variations like longer pre-infusion, lower pressure, etc. Plus you can "feel" the shot

[@Paz_Leigh]

"I'm a different beast" 🤣 that tickled me

[@vncdvncd8331]

I liked that!

[@wakeawaken430]

Oh boy oh boy oh boy!!!! Bathroom brake, here I come!!!!!

[@BensCoffeeRants]

My main complaint or downsides to the machine is the lack of control of the output like if you want 16g in and 36g out without going longer on the 'steam' pre infusion you might not get 36g out but it does do amazing ristrettos. The other complaint is with steaming milk its just awkward and on the post millennium the wand does move but only upwards so if you put a little upward pressure on the wand it slowly inches up to an even more awkward angle which i used to do accidentally but i think once you're aware its easy to avoid doing. I got used to resting the pitcher on the wand with my other machine so i think that's why i did that initially.

[@choice762]

I have the Bongisolator and airbuster as well. My europicola is ready after 6 minutes and 3 times lever up and down (before water flow) to heat up the group to perfect 86 degree celsius outside. Interesting to use dosing funnel with weber shaker. @17:58 Which dosing funnel is it? From censor?

[@constantinedinocopses6806]

Great one! As a 1969 La Pavoni owner I can relate and love it so much. I take it with me when I travel as well. I find the even light roasts like Wendelboe are incredible on it as well. I just have to keep the ratio to 1:2 otherwise I get extractions that are through the roof! 3rd shot from OE is key for multiple shots (got that nugget from you on prior video). Do you mind sharing where you got the thermometer strip? Mine have lost their vigor. Thx again...

[@eduardofcgo]

Hey Lance! Have you taken a look at the ammount of lead these old machines have? Thats one of the things that worries me about using it everyday

[@wild-radio7373]

I had not even considered that😟

[@DSteyr]

Post millennium, Europiccola 20+ years the one with black base plastic liner and piston. Awesome machine. Biggest learning was grind and puck prep. Quality hand grinder is a must.

[@odl21]

Why hand? I use a mazzer with my pavoni

[@DSteyr]

@@odl21 Any good grinder will do just fine however for a manual leva it seems appropriate to use a hand grinder in the workflow and saves some bench space.

[@wakeawaken430]

As i saw, based to the back digital thermometer, you start your shot at about 83 group temp, raised up to 90 during the shot, to have maybe about 93 on the puck(?) And maybe at 0.9 bar max boiler pressure? Really enjoyed the video

[@Scandinavianalpscoffeeroasters]

Badass

[@PaulKasler]

Excellent review. Where can I source the digital thermometer?

[@ludovici42]

I like the clap for style, during puck prep, at 18:00. When talking about temp surfing, why didn't you mention the OE 3rd Shot? I bought one b/c you had one in a Cremina video?

[@StovallsGarage]

@05:53 Edge the group head to get it hot and ready , got it .

[@angleofthehell]

Awesome video. Do you have an Elektra Micro Casa Leva as well? Would love to see a 1 vs 1.

[@jeremytan1098]

When Meraki Espresso Machine review?! Would love to know your thoughts. Seems too good to be true!

[@cheekster777]

Yo!

[@Yousefbe]

We neeeed ultimate recipes for dark & light roasts for la pavoni like your recommended water temp+ pressure profile, blooming Vs straight 9 bars

[@davidhedley1225]

This is spookily timely, as my Europiccola was delivered this morning! After an initial clean, I'm assessing the first couple of espressos. When I lift up the lever, I seem to get a greater flow of water than in this video, which then means I'm pulling the lever down in a shorter period of time. Any thoughts as to what might be causing this? Also, I'm getting very little crema - any ideas about how I might get that thick and creamy crema that I crave?

[@blackswan167]

If you got coffee loaded in the machine and it's extracting too quickly then it may be the grind size and tamping. To get crema you've got to have some good backpressure on the puck. The grind size needs to be fine with a hard tamp and having a distribution tool may be necessary. I use a wdt with a square wave form. Even though the portafilter is circular I use the wdt moving in straight lines from one side to the next gently then I do the same thing perpendicularly. I don't suggest using wdt in a circular way as that seems to cause uneven distribution and channeling which then causes a higher rate of flow and lack of extraction. 20 seconds is a decent pull. Sometimes longer and I always use aeropress filter paper before I put the portafilter into the machine it keeps the grouphead completely clean. There is noticeably more crema when you roast your own beans. I'd say almost double. I roast a 1/2 pound occasionally and have completely moved away from store bought coffee specifically for more crema and freshness.

[@zconiglietti]

grind size

[@EdgneyHolanda]

Hey Lance, Very good. I have LP Satradivari for almost two years and I have shots with incredible body. One question (feel free to not answer). Have you ever try to roast your own coffee at home? I use to use hot air popcorn maker and it is one more step ahead. Can you perform a vídeo about roast coffee at home?

[@reecemcnaughten4160]

I was dry pumping once and definitely the water was shooting back Up into the group head and I was getting real hot and steamy

[@guytzur9120]

there is a 7-8 c difference from group head sensor to actual brew water at least with bong isolator for medium roasts i start with 81c and it usually go up to 83c no more

[@garfieldclass10]

I've never put 15g in the basket. I never knew I could fit 15g in the basket....I've been doing 11 or 12 grams on my 1979 pre-mill machine.

[@coffeesensor6612]

If you change to a new double basket that should be possible, to use 15 grams. They are a little bigger than original old baskets.

[@sgroadie6367]

I would like to see a comparison or review of the Elektra Micro Casa a Leva.

[@Skfkf1393a]

With words like wet and dry pump being used constantly w/ a little bit of cute little boy, im not even sure if we are talking about coffee anymore

[@davidjones9706]

Let's gooooooo

[@sympathetic_crustacean]

The Europiccola needs updating. I'm glad the 3rd party market supplies add-ons, but they're ugly and many of us like the EP for its original aesthetics. Integrating an air-release valve (like the Strietman/Argos) into the piston, adding temp and pressure gauges for the brew chamber, and a ball joint steam wand are no-brainers. The challenge is doing so into the original design in a tasteful way. For example, imagine if the gauges were in the base, between the boiler and the drip tray. It would not alter the aesthetic of the machine and it would be ergonomic for the user since you generally are standing over the machine.

[@TheMartinChnnl]

Lance, today I was thinking about bringing near-perfect thermal stability and adjustable brew pressure to the masses. And my though is that with a thermoblock, a thermocouple and an arduino, you basically can create a predictive algorithm that overshoots the heater element just before the temperature drop and it could be a self improving algorithm that uses the last shots values to improve its algorithm estimations.

[@StudioNapoleoniiird]

One thing I love about my machine is the solid puck when cleaning up, is the puck wet with the airbuster?

[@coffeesensor6612]

Yes sometimes water remains on top, since the air was replaced by it. We leave the puck soak a little and all good after the shot.

[@braxtonjens7839]

I picked mine up for $30 at a years sale in 2015. I don’t know if I’ll ever get arid of it.

[@LampeProductions_nl]

12:00 boiler alert!!