Lever Smackdown impostor

[timo888]

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

[espressme]

Widdow' wun on the rite
RP

[mogogear]

Yeshhhh , no spwings

[joellawry]

No, its da big wun wiv two handles - cos it lets you share wiv your fwends!

[HB]

Can you tell which thing is not like the others

And your point is... ?

[peacecup]

Even a big bird can operate a lever machine.

[ogatasan]

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

- if the poster is included its the poster because it is not a lever machine

if it is not included:
- the double PV because it has two handles
- the picture of the elektra, because it includes a cup
- the cup because all others objects are coffee machines
- the elektra because it reveals brass
- the elektra because it has a spring
- the elektra because it's the only one with an eagle
- the pavoni because it has a plastic driptray
- the pavoni because it has no pressure gauge
- the pavoni because it has a plastic piston

or
- they are all pictures of different objects

the only machine i cannot rule out is the single PV


solution please, my head is exploding

[timo888]

solution please, my head is exploding

Yea, I noticed.

The Pavoni is a manual lever posing as a spring-lever.

Regards
Timo

[ogatasan]

This will get me an entry in the hall of shame - so far I thought the Ponte Vecchios are springless.



veeery educational post

[espressme]

Welcome Brother, however, you have a ways to go before numerically beating my faw paws.
Cheers
richard

This will get me an entry in the hall of shame - so far I thought the Ponte Vecchios are springless.

veeery educational post

[GB]

"A spring or not a spring, that is the question" - my apologies to Shakespeare and this forum

Seriously, I am considering a lever machine but with the minimalist approach and budget. La Pavonis and the Ponte Vecchio Export suit both criteria. Proven here, both are capable of making very good espresso. I sense that the spring machine can be a little more forgiving in technique. But has a downside of requiring a compression fixture for reassembling the spring loaded piston. When needed I can design and fabricate a fixture so this should not be an issue. Hence I am leaning towards the spring.

I would appreciate any comments.

Thanks

[joellawry]

Welcome Brother, however, you have a ways to go before numerically beating my faw paws.
Cheers
richard

Do you mean your faux pas cos if so you can add another to the list

[mogogear]

Yeah thats what he meant - he loves to play with those vowels and such- he is "touched " that way...

in the head I mean..... ... pay attention son! Chicken hawk , I say...

Sorry Channeling Foghorn leghorn came upon me all of a sudden... It is gone now-- Whew!

[Jarno]

The Pavoni is a manual lever posing as a spring-lever.

Faked me out. The Pavoni's resting lever position is down, not up.

[timo888]

Joking aside, there is such a difference in the way manual levers and spring levers do their thing to the coffee that I consider their visual similarities to be a superficial resemblance.

Brew pressure profile is one of the core attributes of any espresso machine. A very adept barista might be able to mimic with a manual lever the brew pressure profile of a spring lever ( H-B member jepy has done so with a computer-controlled pump machine IIRC) -- but except for that scenario, the two classes of domestic lever are radically different in how they bring pressure to bear upon the puck, and these differences produce significant differences in the cup.

Where the spring puts an absolute limit on the brew pressure (domestic spring most likely 6 to 7 bars) and the spring lever's pressure trails off towards the end of the pull owing to the dynamics of the decompressing metal, the manual lever's pressure can ramp up slowly or quickly, oscillate, wobble, dip and dive, or go high enough to bust a gasket.

Speaking of gaskets, home-maintenance is much more challenging with a domestic spring lever.

But I still like spring levers a lot. Don't get me wrong. The Lusso's temperature stability puts it in a duty-cycle (domestic) class all by itself ... at least until some other domestic spring lever with a thermosyphon struts down the pike.

Regards
Timo

[GB]

Timo,

Thanks for your informative response. I have been very encouraged by you and others on this forum at being able to make very good coffee with simple lever machines and hand grinders. The simplicity and Zen like approach to coffee making is very appealing. Not to mention if fits my budget at present and is a means to enjoy good coffee until I can move up to an Olympia or the like. At present I would be quite happy to get just a good shot until I have the time and money to fully support what appears to be a fascinating addiction you folk share.

Thanks to all for an excellent forum

Geoffrey