Hello, i'm a happy owner of a Strega - but i never ever make milk drinks, or make espresso for more than two people and even that is rare. I love levers, and definitely want another one. But the Strega is too massive for me, i want something simple. The options i'm considering are:

-Vintage Cremina. Hard to get, will likely have to wait some time to be able to grab one, and i have no idea how long.

-Strietman CT1: Amazing machine, but also too expensive for me at this point. But i could maybe make it happen somehow. Also medium long wait times. And definitely never gonna be able to steam

-Caravel: Insanely basic, fairly easy to get here in Germany. Only able to make ristretto style shots. Would rather have this as a bonus machine than a main machine i think. This besides a cremina anyone?

-La Pavoni: Cheap and a bit of a Diva. No idea how the shot quality actually is. Beautiful machine, super small. Temperature problems.


What machines am i forgetting? Anything i have not yet considered? I exclusively drink light roasted beans, mosly SO ethiopian ans Guatemalean. Thanks for any tips.

both pavoni and creminas sacrifice temperature stability for steaming ability in a small package. so if you don't drink milk drinks no point in having either of those.. with temperature strips from OE they make great espresso but why bother?

I always assumed the temp stability was not a real issue with the cremina if you let it heat up long enough and don't do multiple shots in a row. Cremina and pavoni also are easily maintained, and the cremina would outlast me. But you are right, the steaming on those two would basically be a negative point for my uses, maybe a big enough one to not consider them?

i bought a pavoni as my first espresso machine.... it's very good and i would recommend it to anyone as an entry lever machine.. it takes me less then 10 min for a great shot.. but i never use the steam.. so every morning i ask myself if i really need this machine.. bleeding the false pressure and a couple of mini pulls to warm up the group to 85-90 C on OE strip take less than 1 min.. but again why bother if there are other options..
so if you want a great espresso machine with the possibility of steaming in the future buy a cremina/pavoni. but really think about it first.. that's my advice..

I'm sure you noticed this when researching your options, but all those machines you're considering are fully manual, while the Strega is a spring lever. Practice will make you consistent with a fully manual machine, but you will never have the consistency of a spring lever, you will however gain absolute control over the extraction, which is probably rather important for you if you previously chose a Strega. Just wanted to mention it as this is also very important factor to consider, when deciding which lever to go with.

I have to say, I'm loving the CT-1. Expensive, yes. Well-made, beautiful, fast warm up, and a delight to use every morning, yes! It is my first lever, but I do love the control of the direct lever, and I'm able to pull 1:1 to almost 3:1 shots without a Fellini maneuver, and the shots taste great. For someone who doesn't need milk drinks, like me, it is an amazing choice.

A F.E.A.R. La Peppina if you can find one in good shape. As an added bonus,it is small enough to fit in a backpack or gym bag. The downside is you need to have or know someone who can keep it in repair, since parts are hard to find and sometimes need to be machined.

1yay1 wrote:What machines am i forgetting? Anything i have not yet considered? I exclusively drink light roasted beans, mosly SO ethiopian ans Guatemalean. Thanks for any tips.

Funny, I have been thinking along very similar lines - the Strega fills up a lot of space in my kitchen. (I have to reduce, and the Strega will probably be the first machine to go. OTOH, if I was going down to only one machine, then it would be the Strega.)

For light-roasted beans, my go-to lever is the Elektra Micro Casa a Leva. It is not as flexible as the Strega (in my hands), but I find that I can get better results than the Strega for light roasts pulled long, for example, a Yirgacheffe. (I roast Yirgs very lightly for filter (V60).) That doesn't mean the MCaL is a better machine than the Strega, but many agree that the MCaL's forté is light roasts pulled long. For me, the MCaL shots have a clarity and flavour depth/separation that I can't seem to get with my Strega. OTOH, if you want ristrettto's or more flexibility, then probably the MCaL will not do as well as a manual lever.

The La Peppina is an interesting option, and is fairly widely available in various conditions. Lack if parts is quite unappealing, though. Costs around 150-250€ on ebay here, mostly italian sellers. Same for the caravell. The elektra microcasa i have not considered, because it is a spring lever, and i was only looking at fully manuals. Still a choice i am considering now . I'm starting to think i might want the caravell and the elektra - if i'm really achieving my initial goal is another question how long can you pull with the elektra?

How about Ponte Vecchio Export Lever Espresso Coffee Machine?, you are still able to steam milk just in case you miss your latte art