MAC3 wrote:Can you get to the point where with fresh beans, you can wake up and reliably make a great coffee, or is it a constant guessing game if the morning cup will be good.

Many have said that lever espresso machines are harder to use than pump-driven espresso machines; I was guilty of applying that broad brush too often. My response to the question below in How to choose an espresso machine and grinder at the "right" price is part of my repentance:

HB wrote:Q. What about manual "lever" espresso machines?

A. While it's true the majority of espresso machines sold today have electrical pumps to create the necessary brew pressure of 9 bar, manual espresso machines that use a piston and lever to produce brew pressure remain popular (e.g., La Pavoni Europiccola, Elektra Microcasa a Leva, Olympia Cremina). Because manual espresso machines add an additional variable to control, they have a reputation for being more difficult to use, but I think that's an oversimplification. You won't know the so-called "forgiveness factor" of an espresso machine simply by looking at its specification sheet; it requires hands-on evaluation. For example, the Ponte Vecchio Lusso is a lever-type espresso machine and I rated it easier to use than several popular E61 / HX espresso machines. In contrast, another level-type espresso machine, the La Pavoni Europiccola, is more challenging to master than the pump-driven espresso machines reviewed on this site. If you enjoy a more "hands on" approach to making espresso, a manual espresso machine is worth considering; this site has a dedicated forum for lever aficionados, too.

In the conclusion from the Ponte Vecchio Lusso review, I noted it's easier to use than an E61 / HX and significantly easier to use than the very popular single boiler, the Rancilio Silvia.

RAS wrote:...especially because it has no 3-way solenoid valve, and that requires you to wait a couple minutes between shots to avoid a portafilter sneeze of spent coffee.

Not true. Push the lever just shy of half way to suck air into the brew chamber and you can remove the portafilter immediately.

MAC3 wrote:Thanks for the reply guys, and thanks to my fellow So Cal resident for the generous offer of checking out your machine.

I actually read the excellent review of the Lusso during my extensive lurk on this site. It seems like a great machine, and I am really warming up to the idea of a spring lever as opposed to full manual. The main drawback for the Lusso and me is that I recall reading that it takes a long time to heat up (20 min if I recall). I have a very tight schedule in the morning and coffee prep gets about 15 to 20min max. I guess I could put it on a timer to get it started to get around that problem. The looks of the Lusso are marginal for me vs the Pavoni or Elektra, but I am certainly most about function. Is it hard to get parts/gaskets/etc?

Sounds like the Pavoni's are great machines that may be a little too unforgiving for my purposes. I will focus my energy on the Lusso, and Elektra.

If I were doing it and wanted a machine for the longterm I would take a look at the CMA that Barb and Doub have at Orphan Espresso or something similar. The Lusso is a great machine if you can look past some fit and finish issues and the relatively small shot. It makes really good espresso, though. As for time to warm up any lever that has significant boiler capacity will take 20 minutes to an hour to warm up. I leave mine on 24/7 which you can do with a commercial lever, but maybe not the Lusso - another alternative is a timer, although you will need to release steam to get rid of false pressure on most levers as, or after, they are heating up.

hbuchtel wrote:On manual levers, like my Pavoni, one has to be more careful about waiting to avoid the dreaded 'pf sneeze', especially on tight shots!

This technique works on the Lusso, Microcasa, and Cremina; I don't have a Pavoni to confirm. However, I don't see how it could not work, since the piston travel before reaching the boiler inlet port has to introduce air through the puck.

Back to the OP, it's worth noting that lever espresso machines with the group bolted directly to the boiler present another challenge that single boiler pump-driven espresso machines do not: The grouphead overheats if the machine is left idle too long. The diagram below shows why:


Hydraulics diagram of Olympia Cremina

The steam boiler provides the brew water and depends on the grouphead to act as a heatsink, cooling the incoming water from superheated +250°F temperatures to brew temperatures. When left idle, the grouphead eventually heats up to the point where it can no longer function as a heatsink. The Lusso avoids this problem by decoupling the grouphead from the boiler and using a thermosyphon to warm it. That is, the Lusso grouphead idles below brew temperature; lever espresso machines like the Olympia Cremina, Elektra Microcasa a Leva, and La Pavoni will idle above brew temperature. The barista can employ certain "tricks" like applying a cold towel to the grouphead before pulling the shot or locking in a cold portafilter to draw down the temperature.

Because the barista has to be cognizant of brew temperature management (and in the case of a manual lever, brew pressure management), lever espresso machines are frequently labeled as more difficult to master than their pump-driven counterparts. I believe is some truth to this assertion, though as demonstrated by the Lusso's simplistic use requirements, it's not a universal truth.