Has landed ...

First start up.

A closer look.


Thanks to having read many posts here and on CG I can report that after throwing away a first shot done for cleaning purposes (and learning) I pulled two shots that while far from perfect were good enough that if i were served such in local restaurants I would be pleased (and surprised). I now know why we all use the phrase "pull a shot" although mostly in a metaphorical sense only. I also have my first glimpse into the often reported different mouth feel of espresso from a lever machine.

Also arriving yesterday was my new Thor Tamper. It is simply gorgeous. Far more beautiful than the pic on Les' web site leads one to see. My pic below does no better. We need a JonR10 photographing tampers.


I will continue my report on the new machine in the days ahead.

Thanks to Steve and Dan for "talking" me into one.

Sweet! Makes me wish that I'd gotten the chrome one. Love the look of the brass/chrome, but oh does it scratch easily... I'll be taking Elektra to the beach for some extended quality time with the family soon. One thing you'll learn right away -- there's no diddling around once she's plugged in!

Here's a couple lesser-known cleaning hints to get you started.

1. Rinsing the grouphead is easy with a sink sprayer. Put a shallow plastic tray underneath the group, then short spurts with the sprayhead right against the groove rinses most of the trapped grounds out.
2. The dispersion screen will pop out with encouragement. I use the end of spoon and leverage from the portafilter channel to gently pry at it. It's held in place with an O-ring.

Steve has pictures and other suggestions in Elektra/Pavoni side by side.

Hi Dan,

I have to admit that I chose the all chrome precisely because you mentioned the problem of scratching. I would have gone with the Chrome + brass on appearance alone.

I have to say I really love this machine. I have three more sessions with it "under my belt" and I am certainly learning. I am also making small mistakes like over tamping etc. But with each mistake I learn a lot. It is similar to tasting freshly roasted coffee before it hits its peak. Tasting the maturing profile helps me learn.

I found that the machine just slides under the kitchen counter and the cabinet doors just clear the lever handle. Will post pics soon. Anyone know if the blue Murano glass globes are shorter than the eagle? My eagle barely clears the cabinets. I am thinking of trying to find one of the blue glass globes.

One thing I do miss from the Giotto is the cup warmer. In winter I also used it as a plate warmer (with rail removed).

One thing I do not miss from the Giotto is the noise. Les of Thor Tamper's mentioned this to me. It registered immediately. If you have given up your desktop tower CPU and like me switched to a laptop to get rid of the desktop noise then you will understand. I will hardly miss the vibe pump!

I also do not miss temp surfing. I know this machine can overheat but in my ritual so far this has been no problem. From my Giotto I did indeed learn the taste of espresso from too hot water.

KarlSchneider wrote:Anyone know if the blue Muriano glass globes are shorter than the eagle? My eagle barely clears the cabinets. I am thinking of trying to find one of the blue glass globes.

Mark's review shows them side-by-side (link). The glass globe appears to be about half the height of the eagle. You can order them from 1st-line. It may irritate purists, but when I'm using the Microcasa in the kitchen for a few days, I either unscrew the eagle from the top, or leave the top off. When I'm done, I store it in our living room (yes, it's that good looking).

Dan,

I am likewise not a purist. If I had the skill I might even try to fashion a cup holder with rail to replace the eagle. But then the short time frame would not likely do much. A half hour on the Giotto gets cups or plates nice and warm.

Now that is a thing of beauty. Now two questions...what are all those Illy cans I see? And why do you need a cup warmer spoiling those perfect lines? With regards to cup warming....water in espresso cup..place in microwave..45 secs dump water and dry.

Many congratulation on the new machine.

srobinson wrote:Now that is a thing of beauty.

Now two questions...what are all those Illy cans I see?

And why do you need a cup warmer spoiling those perfect lines? With regards to cup warming....water in espresso cup..place in microwave..45 secs dump water and dry.

Many congratulation on the new machine.

Yes it is indeed a thing of beauty!

Not to worry about the cans. They are used only for storage of beans I have roasted. I have been roasting all my own for the past three years.

I was only thinking out loud about the cup warmer.

Thank you for persuading me to make the leap. I couldn't be happier.

Well congratulations on the purchase..really looks good. Let me know how your home-roasting goes with the lever since that should really make for hours of experimenting on both sides of the equation.

Also thanks for sporting your LMWDP number and supporting the brotherhood..one convert at a time.

srobinson wrote: Let me know how your home-roasting goes with the lever since that should really make for hours of experimenting on both sides of the equation.

Steve,

One of the major excitements about this machine is precisely the opportunity now to work my way through the subtleties of roasted coffees and how to pull them in the Elektra. I have only one clear sense so far. Everything tastes significantly different in the lever machine. For example, just this morning I decided to try an Americano (w/ Aged Sumatra Lintong roasted this past Sat barely into 2nd crack). I had tried Americanos in the Giotto and never liked them as well as the Cafe Cremas I made in it. I have tried Cafe Cremas in the Elektra the past two days and have not liked the result. So I tried an Americano. What seemed always overly thin in the Giotto is in the Elektra close to the concentrated clarity I used to get in the Giotto' Cafe Crema. A Cafe Crema in the E seems too "muddy" as my wife says. So it seems the morning experiments will for a while be Americanos.

Here is a promised pic of the E under the kitchen counter. Even the lever clears the bottom of the cabinet door by just enough to open,

Hi all. I think I should start the update on my Elektra with some new pictures. I have replaced the eagle on top with a Blue Murano Glass Ball. I have also replaced the handles with Desert Ironwood handles from Les at Thor Tampers.



I have had Niccolo Amati now for 5 months. One of the important things in that time has been its appearance. I had a Giotto sitting on the counter for two years prior to getting the Elektra. I have to say that for me the Elektra has an elegance I do not think can be matched. The aesthetics of these machines does matter to some of us more than others. It is not always easy to judge the feel a machine will give from a picture. I have to say the looks of this machine have turned out to be more important than I expected. I chose it based on anticipated quality of the espresso. Its aesthetics have been an added pleasure.

Let me also share some other pictures of Les's great work. The scoop is Desert Ironwood and the tamper is Ambonya Burl.



My favorite tamper is the taller Myrtlewood one.