Does the Olympia Cremina Sneeze?

by **Slow Turtle** on Tue Aug 30, 2011 6:16 pm

I've been using a Europiccola since the late 90's. One of the things that drives me nuts about it is the infamous Pavoni sneeze if the portafilter is removed too quickly after a pull before the pressure stabilizes. I know -- lift the lever, wiggle the portafilter, etc., etc., and the sneeze can be avoided. Or just be patient and wait. Only, every once in a while I get impatient. Invariably this occurs when I'm already late for work and don't need to clean grinds off of all four of my kitchen walls and the floor -- not to mention that I need to change my shirt and tie :cry:

.

Anyway, completely unrelated, but I've been lusting after a Cremina. Question: do they have the same proclivity to sneeze that the Pavonis do?

by **tekomino** on Tue Aug 30, 2011 6:18 pm

by **MichaelinMontreal** on Tue Aug 30, 2011 6:58 pm

... less often, less forcefully, and easier to avoid. But yes.

by HB on Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:23 pm

You can avoid the sneeze as follows:

HB wrote:The Ponte Vecchio Lusso does not have a brew chamber pressure release mechanism; if you remove the portafilter before pressure has leeched away, it will be blown off forcefully by a messy mixture of very hot water and coffee grounds, a phenomena referred to as the "portafilter sneeze". Either wait three minutes before removing the portafilter, or try this trick:

Push the lever just short of half way. This will introduce air into the brew chamber and relieve the water pressure, avoiding the dreaded portafilter sneeze. Confirm the pitcher is underneath the portafilter to catch the last dribbles and unlock it. There will be a small puddle of water on top of the puck; turn the portafilter over the sink to drain and knock out the wet puck into the knockbox.

I wrote that for the Ponte Vecchio Lusso, but the same trick applies to other piston levers.

by **Sherman** on Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:00 pm

In the Cremina's case, you would raise the lever slightly to relieve pressure.

by **rawman** on Wed Aug 31, 2011 1:59 pm

Doesn't raising the lever pull air through the wet puck making cleaning the screen (and piston) harder to keep clean? Or, is it just a slight lift?

I usually wait a few minutes before removing the puck, but comparing my (2002 model) Cremina to my Elektra MCAL, the Elektra seems much much more likely to sneeze. I can't think of a recent sneeze from the Cremina. My memory may be failing me though.

by **mborkow** on Sat Sep 03, 2011 12:07 pm

I almost never get a sneeze (unless I grind too fine and lock the machine unable to complete the shot)

by **Sherman** on Sat Sep 03, 2011 3:10 pm

rawman wrote:Doesn't raising the lever pull air through the wet puck making cleaning the screen (and piston) harder to keep clean? Or, is it just a slight lift?

The latter. If you're in a rush and can't wait the 60 seconds for pressure to subside, you can raise the lever from the 7 o' clock position (fully lowered) to 8 o' clock. Even if you don't, the portafilter sneeze isn't very violent at all. Loosening the portafilter slightly will allow pressure release just as well, and won't spray you.

Overall, it's like a baby's sneeze. Barely significant but still noticeable.

by **bigstormgirl** on Sat Sep 03, 2011 3:52 pm

Sherman,

Is waiting 60 seconds the norm for a Cremina? I'm finally getting my new machine on Thursday, and don't want to start off with a big mess on my hands!

Cindy

by **bostonbuzz** on Sat Sep 03, 2011 4:40 pm

Usually when I make milk drinks, after pulling a shot, I get my pitcher and milk and am all set up and then loosen the pf, just to save the gasket. That takes about 60s and I usually get a small hiss. When I'm pulling tons of shots in a row with a new coffee, and I don't like one, I will finish the shot and then loosen the pf immediately. As said above, if I didn't choke or almost choke it, there will be no sneezing. Sneezing meaning more than a hiss, as in coffee grounds and water exiting. It almost always has a hiss unless I wait quite a while, but there would be no reason to wait that long.
Raising the lever, for me, is only necessary when you have choked it. (I have an 1981 model)


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