Well, I did it! After favorable feedback about EspressoCoffeeShop I ordered an Elektra Micro Casa a Leva in chrome from them. I have had a couple of nice old Elektra levers but there is nothing like buying brand spanking new. It's an indulgence pure and simple but it will only happen once so what the hey.

Should look nice sitting next to the A3 .

But I'll try and keep my excitement under control until it actually arrives .

I got one also, a couple of months ago in the all brass and copper version. (I tend to dislike chrome things for some reason, probably from always having problems with chrome things on motorcycles and cars where it always tends to peal.) Used ones often sell for practically as much as new ones. Unlike some other ones, Elektra seems less inclined to make them worse and worse all the time. The changes in 2005 were largely positive. It is not necessary to bleed off air on start up on newer ones, and there are other changes. Portafilter sneeze has never been a problem because the piston is not in contact with steam on top. It is thus cooler so water vapour pressure does not keep the space below under pressure as in some other machines. It is so well built that I did not immediately run to the lathe and milling machine to start replacing things! I did, however, make a steam valve knob from snakewood to replace the plastic one. This was cyanoacrylate treated snakewood, and it has not cracked after using it at least daily for several weeks. Elektra's workmanship seems decent, and I have not had any problems.

Well, he arrived today at 9am as promised and in perfect condition apart from a bent steam wand which took a few seconds to fix. One thing that freaked me out was when I was lifting the styrofoam encased machine from the carton. The bottom of the foam broke and the machine fell out! Only a couple of centimetres but if I had it up to bench height I would not be happy. Anybody reading this and thinking of buying a new Elektra beware when unpacking!

Will fire him up tomorrow for a perfect espresso .

Yes, these machines are stunningly beautiful. However, they are "not just a pretty face". They produce excellent espresso. There was much less of a "learning curve" than I had anticipated when I got mine. The vacuum release system added in 2005 is a very positive thing, because one does not have to bleed off air after it gets up to pressure. I still like my only modification of the machine so far: Elektra Microcasa a Leva - Steam knob - guilding the lily. Oddly I have never heard of anyone else putting any snake wood parts on espresso machines.

Unlike La Pavoni, the different metal finishes all seem to cost the same. La Pavoni charges more for bare metal ones! That seems strange! (The base, however, of recent La Pavonis is real brass.) The brass coloured MCALs come with wooden handles that are very beautiful too.

The materials used in constructing the MCAL seem to be of extremely high quality. The engineering seems also good.

I have noticed that the best shots seem to result from having the coffee ground so that if one hold down the handle for 10 seconds, coffee just starts to drip from the spouts. At that point I release the handle. There quite obviously are less problems with overheating than with the 1974-2000 group La Pavonis, but this machine takes substantially longer to get up to the proper temperature.

I think it wonderful!