Stop me, I'm about to pull the trigger on a Ponte Vecchio Lusso!

[aindfan]

Good morning everyone,

While the refund on my Gaggia Achille was getting settled, I've had some time to consider a HX or DB machine, but I found myself returning to the simplicity of a lever. There are just so... few... parts...! I'm liking the fact that only a limited number of components can fail, and when they do, their replacement is not too difficult. Lever deliciousness at its best has been praised over and over around here, so I think I'm ready to jump for a one group Ponte Vecchio Lusso. I'll probably place the order around lunch with 1st-Line (especially with that summer sale they have) with the hope and expectation that it arrives by Friday, allowing me to bring it on vacation next week. The sweetness of a well dialed-in PV espresso is quite appealing, and for the sake of simplicity and temperature-consistent tastiness, I'm willing to sacrifice the "big gulp triple ristretto."

Unless anyone stops me in the next few hours, I plan on reporting back on how progress with this machine goes at the end of this week or next week. I'm thinking it might be Thor for the 45mm tamper?

Thanks (to PeaceCup, Timo, and many others) for all of the encouraging posts on these spring machines, and I'm looking forward to an excellent, solid, well constructed machine that will serve great coffee for many, many years (with proper maintenance, of course).

Dan

[HB]

As you can read in the Lever Espresso Machine Smackdown and Tim's Impressions of the Ponte Vecchio Lusso, this is a solid performer. It also goes against the adage that levers machines are difficult to master. In fact, I assert the Lusso is easier to learn than most popular pump driven espresso machines.

[grong]

Dan,

I won't try to stop you from ordering, because I love my Ponte Vecchio Lusso.

I keep my unit at around .85 bar at the high end.

[aindfan]

Well, it's too late to stop me at this point... the damage is done. According to 1st-Line it should arrive tomorrow.

[peacecup]

Congrats! I think you'll be very pleased.

I've found my Export easier to master than the La Pavoni I tested for a month a while back. Both make great espresso, but the spring lever and 45-mm basket are more forgiving. I'd even go as far as to assert it is almost impossible to be as consistent with a manual lever - the barista naturally makes subtle variations in the brew pressure in response to the grind, dose, tamp.

I've never used the Lusso's de-coupled group, so temp. management is different between it and the Export, but I've never had any overheating issues.

Keep us posted!

[mhoy]

Well, it's too late to stop me at this point... the damage is done. According to 1st-Line it should arrive tomorrow.

And you thought anyone reading these posts would suggest not getting a nice machine. Post some pictures when you get it.

Mark

[r-gordon-7]

Dan,

Well, I was wondering in which direction you'd go - especially given the double boiler option with which WLL was tempting you... Though I've no personal experience with the Ponte Vecchio Lusso, it sounds like a good choice.

Glad you stuck with a lever... sems to me the purchase of a lever machine is more of a long-term investment in a machine designed to "last a lifetime", whereas OTOH, the pump machines seem a bit more like computers - high tech gadgets, with a likely shorter "mean time before failure" and an even shorter "mean time before replacement by a new model w/more bells & whistles"...

Enjoy the Ponte Vecchio Lusso for a very long time!

r-gordon-7

[mborkow]

I'm also very (very) close to pulling the trigger on the Lusso, but I've only had semi-auto machines (latest being an NS Oscar). What color did you get? Please post first impressions (and pics) when you get the machine this Friday

[aindfan]

I just have the best luck with these lever machines. First, two failed Gaggias, and now, a Lusso that arrives with a severely dented drip tray, a lever about 10 degrees off center, and enough water stains and other splotches of something that just leave me convinced that this machine was more than tested. That would be a bit too much splashing for just a test.

Oh, and did I mention that the boiler appears to be mounted off in some direction? (Doesn't look vertical) I'll post pictures a bit later. I'm waiting for a call back from a 1st-Line tech.

[Bushrod]

Wow, you have some bad luck!

/

[r-gordon-7]

Dan, if it were me, after all this tsouris, I'd be inclined to drop espresso and switch to scotch...

r-gordon-7

[aindfan]

Wow, you have some bad luck!

Better to have this problem with espresso machines than something more serious.

I have uploaded the photos to Picasa. They're not all that interesting as this is mostly intended for the folks at 1st-Line to see how the machine looks.

The photos are here (if you are clicking the link and find that it is inaccessible, I may have removed them - there will be a new album once I get a nice, working model).

[rawman]

Ugh. Sorry to see that..

[aindfan]

I wanted to add something for clarity: this certainly is not in any way an attack at 1st-line. I've gotten a great grinder (the Le'Lit) and excellent responsiveness from them in the past and I expect an excellent replacement, so we'll call this a one-off, "stuff happens" issue.

I'll be updating this thread as the story unfolds.

Did I mention how great Les' tamper looks?

[grong]

I am sorry to hear about you machine being damaged on arrival. I checked into today just to see how you were getting on with your new machine. Aargh! I am sure 1st-Line will set it right in time.

I would like to say that I when I ordered my machine from Vaneli's I was surprised how thorough they had been in preparing to ship out my machine. The machine had been fired up and tested by them. At this time they lowered the boiler pressure to a bit above 1 bar. They also replaced the hot water and steam seals with a rubber material that felt better to them. The machine was sent double boxed.

Whatever happened to your machine must have made a lot of noise, and I wonder if simply dropping the machine off a forklift would do something like that. The original box on mine was of double wall construction, very sturdy. Well, I hope you are happy with a new machine soon.

[aindfan]

My box looks fine. Though I was surprised that it wasn't double boxed, there was more than enough instapak foam inside the box. I don't know about the boiler pressure and I doubt they changed the seals, but I was mostly surprised that a machine could be inspected, tested, and sent out with so much damage. I can't even imagine how to produce that kind of dent in the drip tray.

Ah well, we'll try again next time!

[samgiles]

Better to have this problem with espresso machines than something more serious.

I must take issue with this. There is nothing more serious than espresso.

I must offer my condolences though. That is some serious damage and it'll be interesting to hear their comments on how this could happen. I hope they sort it out real quick.
Best of luck.
Sam.

[peacecup]

Well Dan, being a leading proponent of PV, I'm sorry to see the photos. The machine should definitely be double boxed. That's a given. Still, since the box isn't damaged, it appears that the damage was done before shipping? Anyway the drip tray and group head misalignment seem to be real problems. If I were you I suppose I would ask for a replacement with a new, properly assembled machine, sent double boxed please. The disappointment of waiting for a new one, and seeing the damage, of course, can't be compensated for completely.

I've noted before that PV seems to accept a certain tolerance for small imperfections in the finish - mine came with two small nicks in the group head, and some very small paint imperfections. Still 2 1/2 years on I have had to do no maintenance until a very recent piston re-seal, and this I think because it was unused for 4 months.

When you finally get a new one, be sure never to operate the lever until the machine is up to brew pressure - this can damage the piston seals.

BTW, if you need to wait to return it until Monday, I'd say you are entirely within your rights to pull some shots with it!

PC

[peacecup]

Also, its probably a pain, but couldn't you drive to NJ to pick up one to your liking?

[aindfan]

That would make me feel like a small child in a pet shop (not a bad thing, right?). I think it's a bit far (2 or 3 hours) - I'd go down there for a 3 group Marzocco, probably not for a Lusso. School is starting soon so shipping is the easiest way.

EDIT: But yes, I've considered it.