I've been considering a Europiccola partially based on its steaming performance. Meaning, especially, that I don't have to hit another switch and wait for steam. Yet, I see two switches on the Europiccola that are not present on the La Pavoni Professional model. My first undertanding was that this was just a light. But, it looks like a switch and over at the tips for the La Pavoni over at Sweet Maria's, they say something about activating "both switches" to heat it up. La Pavoni's manual doesn't seem to say anything about activating a second switch for steam.

So what am I looking at? There are what looks like two switches for the La Pavoni Europiccola and just one switch for the La Pavoni Pro. Can somebody explain the difference?

Older ones have two switches. But the Europiccola has had a single switch for the past 10 years or so. The current model should have a lighted switch and a ready light. Several guys on the board have newer ones, but I assume they are the same. Now some of the older websites have instructions for the older models and outline the surfing routine, but the modern ones don't require that.

Here is what the manual from La Pavoni says about starting up the Europiccola:

Press the switch (6) which, by lighting up, will indicate that the machine is on; at the same time the warning light (7) will also switch on indicating that the heating element is activated, picture E.

Wait for the warning light (7) to switch off; turn the steam tap knob slowly, ...

The two items 6 and 7 are the "switches" I see. 6 is a real switch and I think, maybe, 7 is a solenoid. Can anyone confirm this?

7 is a light. the light switches on...it is not a manual switch. When you turn the machine on....via the switch (6) both lights will light up. When the machine is ready, the 7 light will turn off. Poor use of words by Pavoni.


here are the instructions from the manual. You will see they use switch as a noun and a verb....

Press the switch (6) which, by lighting up, will indi-
cate that the machine is on; at the same time the war-
ning light (7) will also switch on indicating that the
heating element is activated, picture E.
- Wait for the warning light (7) to switch off; turn the
steam tap knob (4) slowly, by turning it anticlockwi-
se, and discharge the "false pressure" due to the air
that is left in the boiler; then close it again by turning
it clockwise. The warning light will switch on again;
wait for it to switch off. Now the machine has rea-
ched the correct pressure and is ready to deliver cof-
fee and steam. When the green lamp starts blinking
alternatively it is due to the normal functioning of the
machine, which automatically regulates the pressu-
re in the boiler.
picture E

srobinson wrote:Older ones have two switches. But the Europiccola has had a single switch for the past 10 years or so.

Hm, interesting. My 10-ish year-old Europiccola has two switches: One to turn on and another for heat settings. I call it the Fast or Slow Switch, pretending to be clever. The instructions with my machine indicate that the high heat setting is used to get the machine up to boiling temperature. Once steam starts coming out of the pressure realease valve, the user is supposed to switch down to low heat and then pull shots.

To my understanding, the Professional is the only La Pavoni model with a single switch. It has a built-in temperature regulator so it does not need an extra heat switch. Some have argued that the extra temperature switch on the Europiccola gives the user greater control. I would tend to agree, but then again, I have used a Professional only once and am in no position to judge.

FWIW my machine has both switches inside the loved-or-despised clear rubbery cover.
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DSLatte wrote:I've been considering a Europiccola partially based on its steaming performance. Meaning, especially, that I don't have to hit another switch and wait for steam. Yet, I see two switches on the Europiccola that are not present on the La Pavoni Professional model. My first undertanding was that this was just a light. But, it looks like a switch and over at the tips for the La Pavoni over at Sweet Maria's, they say something about activating "both switches" to heat it up. La Pavoni's manual doesn't seem to say anything about activating a second switch for steam.

So what am I looking at? There are what looks like two switches for the La Pavoni Europiccola and just one switch for the La Pavoni Pro. Can somebody explain the difference?

The older La Pavoni Europiccola models have two switches (the ones made before 1990 or 1980?). According to the manual, you turn on the bottom switch to heat the boiler for making espresso; and you turn on the top switch for extra heat/steam for using the steam wand.

However, I find that turning on both switches heats up the boiler more quickly. So I usually turn both on to heat up, turn off the top one, bleed off some steam, pull a cleaning shot, then pull the espresso shots.

Other models of the Europiccola had one switch and a blank or one switch and a light. Not sure which models or model years those apply to, though.

The La Pavoni Professional only has one switch. And the Europiccola and the Professional are different types of machines.