Hello,

I am beginning my venture into the intricate science of brewed coffee and eventually I will pursue espresso. One thing that I am curious about are the Lever Type Espresso makers. It seems that this was the traditional method of making espresso and based upon what I have read, you either love it or hate it. What makes it so difficult to use? or is that just a bad stigma? These look to be much more affordable and space saving than most semi auto or auto espresso machines and I may consider one sometime, but don't know the issues surrounding them.

any thoughts?

Thanks!

I would not say they get a bad, they just are not everyone's "cup of tea."

Lever Espresso Machines, Fewer Constraints on Making Good Shots?
I'd highly recommend reading this thread, answers much of your question and has many interesting points and views on the topic.

Ahhh..thank you!

Some levers, like some pump machines, have iffy reputations, usually because of a flaw like temperature control or other design problem. However, other pump and lever machines have well-deserved outstanding reputations. Neither type has dibs on excellence, or the opposite.

I just read through the link provided. Very interesting and intriguing. I am an engineer and the process is as intriguing as the equipment looks to be. Lots of variables to consider, but that also means lots of variables that can be manipulated based upon conditions to get you to the end result.

Would you recommend a lever to a person who has never pulled a shot in his life? Kinda like trial by fire? Seems that most people on this thread would say yes. Cut your teeth on a lever so to speak.

So most levers don't provide the visual feedback..pressure....temp....and you have to go by touch, sound, and smell? If I ventured down this path, it might be useful to have such info to help the reduce the learning curve.

I am sure there are many recommendations for levers on this site, and I guess I will have to spend some time wading through them to get a feel for the equipment.

I started with a lever having never pulled a shot in my life. A Stradivari from La Pavoni. What I didn't know at the time is a grinder is the most important part, without a good grinder you are wasting your time with a Lever or for that matter any espresso machine. I figured this out in a few years and that transformed the experience. A Lido 2 or a Pharos and a lever and you are set. I love the simplicity and art of the Lever and with OE hand grinders I'd recommend it to most anyone who is ok with learning the art.

If you are not patient, don't respect it (ie. you will get burned as everything shiny is hot) you will have a difficult time with a lever. You are in charge of everything with a lever, you feel it, sights, sounds, its all part of the art. No pumps, no pressure-stats etc on the old gen 1 Pavoni's just a boiler, a lever, pressure relief valve, a manual grinder, some good beans and espresso bliss.

I too grew up on a lever. My first three years of espresso were all on a La Pavoni, self learning by trial and error.

To answer unbiased, if you are very intrigued by lever machines, variables and mastery of them, levers are a great place to start. If you just want espresso, go semi.

My Opinion: It is better to learn on a lever then move onto a semi-auto, as it is (by many, not all) reccomended to learn to drive a stick before driving automatic transition cars.

If you want great shots, and don't mind a learning curve, a lever is a great way to go. I started with a SBDU semi-auto which made good shots most of the time, but hardly ever great shots. Never outstanding shots. It was forgiving of technique, grind, and even to some extent roast. The Pavoni is much more sensitive to the variables, but when you get it right the coffee is amazing. I don't think I ever cared to learn my semi-auto well enough to get fine control over it. With the lever it's not a choice.

So, if you are the sort of person who likes to understand the how's and why's of what you do I can't think of anything better than a lever. I should say that I'm pulling shots for myself, and never more than 2 subsequent shots. If I had any kind of volume, even one other person, I may consider a semi auto. A better bet would be a more temperature stabile lever though.

maybe think about a spring lever like a ponte vecchio, it doesn't have the reputation for over heating and you remove one variable - the extraction pressure which is provided by the spring, allowing you to concentrate on grind dose and tamp.

My first espresso machine was a Pavoni Europiccola, then I went through a succession of pump machines. I'm strongly leaning towards a lever for my next machine, but a spring type. I never learned to make a good espresso with the Pavoni -- not least because of lack of a good grinder -- and I'm not sure I'd recommend one to the average person as a first machine, even though I loved it even through the frustration.

On the other hand, if you're a bit obsessive, have an excellent grinder (a Pharos or HG-1 would be an interesting choice), and are willing to follow the dictum that practice makes perfect, you could find a Pavoni or Cremina-type machine a compelling and ultimately satisfying challenge.

I will say that if I had to do it over again, I would get a spring lever machine as my first...and may never have switched to another type.