Hey guys

Been lurking around for a while - first time posting. The forum here has been super helpful.

Anyways, I got a New Olympia Cremina in December of 2021, and I love it. But I noticed an issue and wondered if anyone else has this issue?

With the lever all the way down, the portafilter handle touches the lever handle when i lock in the portafilter.
I engage the portafilter to the left of the lever, swing it over, and the handle touches the lever handle. (video added) -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR8UUpK6eUc

I shared this video in a Facebook Group, and people said that older models of the cremina engage from the right side of the lever handle.

Anyone else have this issue? What can be done about it?

As the group gasket is new, it is still stiff and is preventing the portafilter from turning to its more common position. As it wears in, the handle will turn further and further away from the lever (at the 12 O'Clock position. That should reduce or eliminate any interference between the two handles. Nice machine by the way!

Thanks man. the issue isnt that its not turning enough. The issue is that the portafilter engages (locks in) to the left of the lever handle, so when i pull it to the right, the portafilter handle hits the lever handle.

for a machine this expensive, this seems like bad design. So I was wondering if this was common, a mistake, or what people do to avoid this.

thanks

It looks weird but seems normal on the newly designed machine. The Cremina 67. You can lift the lever first and then lock the portafilter. It can also prevent the puck from being sucked when you lift the lever.

Is the fork of the lever resting on the group or is there a little space? There should be a little space. If there isn't that will exacerbate the problem and addressing it may entirely fix your problem.

The Naked Bottomless portafilter sold by Gabor has a much shorter handle than the stock one. I think it wouldn't interfere with the lever handle. Here it is on my SL.

I have a 2019 Cremina and I think mine behaves the same. I'll check again tomorrow. Honestly I never noticed it because it's usual practice to raise the lever slightly before locking in the portafilter: it's bad to draw too much air through the puck when you pull a shot.

That is standard Cremina behaviour. I've had my new model (2011) Cremina for 10 years and didn't even notice this behaviour till I read your post. Clearly, it is pretty irrelevant so don't worry about it and just learn to live with it as I assure you from over 10,000 shots it doesn't diminish the pleasure of using the machine, nor, of course, its performance.

PS I think I've been lifting the lever unconsciously when inserting the portafilter from day one. I might even been doing this with my 1973 Cremina from 2006 to 2011, but I can't remember. It might even be the same on the Pavoni (used from 1997-2006), but I can't be bothered getting it out to check. It is a non-issue

Welcome to the world of classic espresso machines! They all have quirks that probably should have been fixed decades ago.

Hi, I just checked mine as I was sure it doesn't contact it and it doesn't. I do have Gabor's pressure gauge kit on mine but I have had two of this era Cremina's and I don't believe either have made contact with the pf handle with or without Gabor's kit. Dose the fork also contact the group on the front inner edge?

You should try loosening up the Acorn nut on the top of the piston shaft and the thin nut underneath see if they can turn further down the shaft, that should set the "stop" so the lever won't drop as low.

Also, Ken is doing the same procedure I use when installing the pf by holding the lever up just below the point where water would start filling the group, then lock in the pf, this prevents the puck from being fractured by the vacuum created in the group.