Talk me out of getting a lever machine! (ramblings on going to manual lever)

[TimEggers]

The "problem"

Oh no. It's happening again. The hankering for a new piece of espresso equipment.

The Mazzer Super Jolly I'll grant you I needed for my espresso (talked the wife into that one easily). Now to want a lever? Say it isn't so.

Introduction

I'm not dissatisfied with my Gaggia, in fact I love it. It's just that I listen to you guys talk about levers and I've seen them used in action and it seems so romantic (not be corny about it) but it seems like such an intimate personal way to make espresso.

I'm looking for that. I want to get closer the act of pulling a shot. I'm a novice (not a barista yet) but I love the process and have a passion for espresso. I think my passion and enjoyment helps to make up for my lack of experience.

I also want more control over the process. I'm a hands on person and think a lever might suit me especially well. I have all morning to make espresso (I work afternoons) thus time is of no issue. I have a great grinder and fresh beans, this should help. I have the desire to make it happen. I'll spend days, weeks or months if that is what it really takes to get a feel for the manual approach. I've shared my videos of my extractions and I think they speak for themselves, I do ok. I'm not the best, but I do have a consistent technique and offers consistent results. But I am still learning...

Where you come in...

Tell me not to do this. I can't afford a whole lot (hoping to score a lever for around $50 on ebay). Hopefully the unlikely hood of that will be the thing that saves the wallet.

Tell me I have nothing to gain by going lever.

Tell me that the temperature issues make a lever unworthy.

Tell me I won't love the process of manually making espresso.

What am I missing?

I know levers aren't perfect. Nothing is, but is there something that I'm missing? Am I wrapped up in the romance or the idea of having a lever, or would having one really make that much difference? I've never used a lever myself, what am I missing? Why did you go lever? Did you ever go back?

Man I need to get over this lever kick...

[peacecup]

You want a lever machine, and you will love it.

Finding a $50 lever in working order is like winning the lottery. You'll need to pony up $200-300 to get one in working condition - $500+ new. If you can find a restoration project you might get in for less.

PC

[mogogear]

Your sick son, no cure........................... PM sent to you on some ways to beat the bushes....

.......and by the looks of your child' s eyes- quit letting her drink espresso at such a tender age:wink:

[Cathi]

Hooked, line and sinker. Well, at least you're not alone in your addiction.

[starry]

Tim.. why fight it? You knew when you were asking that you'd get one....didn't you?! I think you're too much like the rest of us. We've finally found an outlet for our obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Go with it man!

[coffeefrog]

Hi Tim,
I think a lot depends on how much you want technical perfection and how much you want something hand-crafted. Here is one idiosyncratic perspective.

If you like a bit of surprise, some variability, and a low-tech approach to the morning, then a lever is a nice thing. The recurring business here and elsewhere about temperature profiles, pressure profiles, and the search for the technical "one answer" bothers me, and I doubt that a lever will give you that unless you are going to work very hard.

I have an Elektra Microcasa Leva (and have had it for more or less half of my life): I turn it on, and it heats up, if I leave it on eventually it gets too hot to make the two or three cups that I make in the morning.

My tamping is non-standard in that I half-fill the group handle, tamp lightly with the original plastic thing that so horrifies people, fill to the top and tamp again - that works for me (more or less regularly). I like the fact that I am never really sure how the coffee will turn out. I like the fact that its good pretty much all the time.

I have a Nemox grinder. The coffee is objectively much better than when I used a Turkish hand grinder (and its 20 times faster), but I miss wandering around the garden cranking that thing in the morning for five minutes, looking at the plants and talking to the cat.

Think about what you want out of the process. You can have pretty damn good coffee from one of these machines, a nice degree of involvement in the process, and you also get a degree of uncertainty.

Greg

[Kaffee Bitte]

You love your Gaggia? You are an espresso fiend?
Why not keep the Gaggia, sock a few hundred bucks away until you find the lever you want. Then just go wild and get it but keep two machines hanging about. It isn't like you would be the only person on this site that has multiple machines!
What's the record on that anyway?
Besides these issues. Ask yourself if your wife will want to use the lever. Does she want to deal with the manual's learning curve? Are you the only one making the coffee? If she doesn't want to use the lever, you had best be keeping that Gaggia. Plus having two machines might make it a bit easier to pull for say a dinner party.
Lynn

[Tim356]

Tim,

What's to think about? Never mind the fact it took me four agonizing weeks of "which machine to buy" before deciding on my ElektraMcal(see my post this week)! It is romantic and sexy and fun to impress my wife every morning with her own special drink. She thinks it is a great tasting cup too. So much in fact the old drip sits alone in the corner collecting dust now. A huge plus is that I don't have to give my weekly allowance of $30 bucks to the green mermaid anymore. She like my caps and lattes way better. Only a week of pulling shots on this chrome beauty, and I am already getting good tasting espresso. I know it will only get better with practice and input from the HB community! Go for it Tim.

Tim356

P.S. Great name!

[happytamper]

looking forward to seeing images of your new lever. Oh, I forgot, you wanted to be talked out of it. I think for that you may be on the wrong forum. Talking with us will have you not only buying a lever but buying three or four, and hunting on ebay all over the world for the elusive one you do not have yet.

best of luck and hope you can find an inexpensive machine.

[mogogear]

Hey Mitchell,
Have you relegated your Caravel to "ornament duty" like I have done to mine?

[happytamper]

My Caravel "little" has still not pulled a shot. I am still looking for a caravel "the boat type". Almost had one from italy the other week. Very busy at the studio these days and mainly using the Urania. Even my modded la pav is getting a rest.

[Trisha]

As the shot nears the 25 second mark (after a good 12 second preinfusion, of course) with only the seductively velvet, soft 'plashes of thick dark, fragrent espresso, the first hint of blonding starts to try and escape the portafilter in the otherwise unbroken silence. The chrome surround isn't sterile, but an extravagent plating that holds light without chilling it, smoothing it instead; it is a treat even in the periphery of awareness akin to an audience of self, and of certain confidence recognized as the light shifts, motion.

The triumphant anticipation is seen only in a fleeting sparkle passing behind the attentive eyes as steady hands cradle the voluptuous, swelling curve of high-fired ceramic and lift it to your lips, a half-breath inhaled before






Admit it, you want one.

[chopinhauer]

I don't get it. You have an amazing grinder, but only an average machine. The gaggia coffee is certainly OK, but there is no way in the world that it can consistently produce espresso as good as the ones we rave about in all the forums at HB, let alone our little sub-forum on lever machines.

It's clear you are ready to trade up to something, whether it be a good single boiler (Silvia and beyond) or HX (so many to chose from) or lever is the next question. Each have their virtues, but we here at the lever forum clearly think levers are the beez neez. Once you choose to go lever, the next problem is what type? For each type has its strengths and weaknesses. No machine does it all or has it all.

[TimEggers]

I don't get it. You have an amazing grinder, but only an average machine.

I also have limited and rarely growing funds to use on machines. I had some funds and that went for the grinder, next another machine. I don't have a choice but to do this in stages, one part at a time. Ah such is life.

My two ebay bids have been beat to no surprise and I don't see anything else that really tempts me...for now.

There is no way I'd go from a Gaggia to a Silvia, that's way too linear of a move for me. I do like the looks of the Quickmill Alexia though...

(I'm a single boiler kinda guy...it's all I need, can't really plumb in/out either)

[jesawdy]

(I'm a single boiler kinda guy...it's all I need, can't really plumb in/out either)

Tim,

Watch what you say around here... in 12 months time we may see the thread entitled "Talk me out of getting an HX machine! (ramblings on going to an HX)" or "Talk me out of getting a double boiler machine! (ramblings on going to a GS3)"

My suggestions, squash that lever bug by getting something when the funds are available or when some great deal presents itself.... I'd hang on to the Gaggia a bit though, I'll be curious to know your thoughts on lever versus semiautomatic pump when you get there.

And coming here and asking for the advice NOT to buy a lever, is kinda like walking in a bar and asking for someone to tell you not to buy a drink. But I guess you knew that..

[TimEggers]

I figured you guys weren't going to talk me out of anything. I just wanted some response to my hesitations.

I wish I could try a lever for a while before going that route. If I go lever I'll have to sell my Gaggia before I have the money. I just don't have the funds for two machines. Wish I did, but I don't.

I'd hate to sell the Gaggia and all my equipment (tampers and stuff) to find out that a lever may not have been for me.

Anyone wanna loan a poor fellow home barista a lever? (you can't blame a guy for trying)

[mogogear]

If I had an extra up and running- I would be happy to accommodate- someone might. You might check and see if anyone sells La Pavoni home machines nearby- sometimes you can get a demo at a dealer etc.

[PaulTheRoaster]

Anyone wanna loan a poor fellow home barista a lever? (you can't blame a guy for trying)

Aw, heck. I have a Conti Comocafe gravity spring leva that I use on rare occasion. It makes a good shot, but it's extremely picky about grind. Pathetic steam. Functionally it is in good shape, but cosmetically it needs some work. (Basically a drip tray and proper pf fabbed.)

I have been vacillating about whether or not I should sell it for a while, but I have no qualms about lending it. Actually, it is just the machine for you if you want to be talked out of buying a lever. And I'm just down the road from you ...

[sneakymagic]

I was just pm-ing tim to say that I was sure someone on this site would happily offer to lend him a machine if he asked (Edinburgh's a bit far for that) and then I saw you guys doing just that.
Nice to know that you really are all such sweeties!
sneaky

[TimEggers]

Aw, heck. I have a Conti Comocafe gravity spring leva that I use on rare occasion. It makes a good shot, but it's extremely picky about grind. Pathetic steam. Functionally it is in good shape, but cosmetically it needs some work. (Basically a drip tray and proper pf fabbed.)

I have been vacillating about whether or not I should sell it for a while, but I have no qualms about lending it. Actually, it is just the machine for you if you want to be talked out of buying a lever. And I'm just down the road from you ...

Hello Paul,

I'd love to take you up on your generous offer to borrow a lever. Would you mind shipping it? That would work best with my work schedule and me (I even work weekends). I of coarse will pay shipping (and a little extra if you'd like) both ways. Wouldn't cost you a thing. I'd like to borrow it for maybe a few weeks or a month so that I can have time to really get a feel for it. I don't think I could make a fair evaluation in only a few days.

If this sounds ok with you please shoot me and email or PM and we can exchange information. If not that's fine, seriously no pressure!

P.S.- You wouldn't have a spare tamper that would fit it would you? I only have 58mm...

Thanks Paul!