Thanks Paolo! The piston shaft of my Pro800 came loose on the piston (bottom) side the first time. It was a very easy disassembly. We produced the first batch of the piston pressure kit for the modern lever group and the second (and the third, fourth and so on) conversion proved a difficult one because of they all untightened at the top end where the thread is too short for the spring(s). We were forced to make that tool for the pp kit . I normally add it to the kit and refund the customers after they have returned it. I have only two of them. We can produce a small batch if there is demand for the tools.

Reiss of Londinium has posted pictures on the Londinium Facebook page of an add-on device for the Londinium R that will allow you to adjust preinfusion pressure with buttons and a digital display. He says it will go on sale this year. No word on the cost.

Update!

So I ordered an LR. I've had it for the past few days. Here's the verdict from someone coming from a Vetrano V2b Evo:
Steaming: AMAZING, dry and plentiful steam. I've made the creamiest cappuccinos and lattes so far on this machine.
Shots: definitely softer, not as "intense" as the shots from the E61 machine. I can definitely see the natural declining profile in action here.
Design: Fantastic, this machine is beautiful, truly a work of art.
Cleanup: Measurably better than an e61. Pucks come out clean and dry. Hardly any mess from the bottomless during the shot.

Workflow: Meh. This isn't an LR thing but a lever thing in general, having to watch the scale and pull the cup makes it almost impossible (for me) to pull a shot and steam at the same time. Here I was thinking that waiting for the lever to reach its peak before pulling the next shot would be the problem, but that ended up not being a big deal at all.

I was planning on getting the LR and selling the Vetrano, but, believe it or not, here I am thinking about selling the LR to someone who can truly appreciate it and keeping the Vetrano. Maybe because I'm so used to the E61 workflow, but there's just something about the lever workflow that I just don't like.

I would love to hear the group's thoughts on this. Maybe there's something I've missed from the countless videos I've been watching over the past few weeks.

If you are fairly close, but just don't have quite enough time to reliably pull the cup, then you may want to consider the faster 1.4 mm four hole steam tip, especially if you like the lever results in the cup. It will take some getting used to the ferocity, but you will be able to steam faster.

Maybe you can try adjusting the preinfusion pressure down to 1 bar, and dial your grinder in so that a full piston pull will yield an appropriate brew ratio, without having to remove the cup?

As soon as you raise the lever, you have 30 seconds to steam your milk. More then enough on LR. When milk is done, you look again at your scale and just remove the cup when your preferred ratio is achieved. Easy, just give yourself few weeks.
Or better, LR makes amazing espresso, forget about milk

I didn't make a ton of milk drinks, but that was my experience, as well.

Hi,

I've been following this discussion with great interest (researching both machines) and have been in contact with Phaedrus about his LR, but was also curious if anyone could briefly chime in about the Quickmill Achille and single origin medium to medium-light roasts (or should this be a different thread?)?

Thanks.

Phaedrus wrote:Update!

So I ordered an LR. I've had it for the past few days. Here's the verdict from someone coming from a Vetrano V2b Evo:
Steaming: AMAZING, dry and plentiful steam. I've made the creamiest cappuccinos and lattes so far on this machine.
Shots: definitely softer, not as "intense" as the shots from the E61 machine. I can definitely see the natural declining profile in action here.
Design: Fantastic, this machine is beautiful, truly a work of art.
Cleanup: Measurably better than an e61. Pucks come out clean and dry. Hardly any mess from the bottomless during the shot.

Workflow: Meh. This isn't an LR thing but a lever thing in general, having to watch the scale and pull the cup makes it almost impossible (for me) to pull a shot and steam at the same time. Here I was thinking that waiting for the lever to reach its peak before pulling the next shot would be the problem, but that ended up not being a big deal at all.

I was planning on getting the LR and selling the Vetrano, but, believe it or not, here I am thinking about selling the LR to someone who can truly appreciate it and keeping the Vetrano. Maybe because I'm so used to the E61 workflow, but there's just something about the lever workflow that I just don't like.

I would love to hear the group's thoughts on this. Maybe there's something I've missed from the countless videos I've been watching over the past few weeks.

I went from an E61 double boiler to a lever that is similar to the LR. I, too, find the workflow to be slower and less efficient. I like the shots and the machine aesthetics well enough to keep the lever but it has shifted my morning routine negatively.

With a machine like the LR you should be able to make two cappucinos in a minute.