Thread: Coffee Enthusiasts

Very nice Mike

I took this one this morning to post.....but forgot

Originally Posted by Dieseld

Very nice Mike

I took this one this morning to post.....but forgot

Great looking pour!

Very nice! I had a Euopiccola but got rid of it because it was a too cumbersome. Great first shot but terrible if you have guests. Is the Elektra also a one shot wonder?

I am thinking of getting a new machine and forgetting about lever machines , maybe a Silvia.

Thanks Mike!!!

Badgister, if I time it right, I've been able to pull 3 good shots in a row with out it being too hot.
I do believe this is a trade off for the lever machines to be honest. But the boiler can only hold about 5 shots anyway.

I've read some very great reviews about the Silvia. Let us know what you decide

Originally Posted by Badgister

Very nice! I had a Euopiccola but got rid of it because it was a too cumbersome. Great first shot but terrible if you have guests. Is the Elektra also a one shot wonder?

I am thinking of getting a new machine and forgetting about lever machines , maybe a Silvia.

I ran a Silvia / Rocky combo nearly 20 years ago, but I suspect today that there are plenty of capable machines in that price range that may do as well or better than the Silvia. Be sure to check out reviews over at CoffeeGeek.com or Home-Barista.com.

Geezer may have some suggestions as well since he's a lever-lover himself.

I guess it all depends on how much you're willing to spend and how much time you have to find the right deal. I upgraded to a rocket heat exchange machine. New they are 1500 and up. Mine came off craigslist with an 1100 grinder and a behemor roaster, all for 1200. I sold the roaster and am in the process of selling the grinder. All said and done, I got the machine for free or a 100 after factoring in the sale of the other 2 items. Good deals are out there.

My wife and I just got back from Italy and one of the best things was all of the little neighborhood coffee shops. I would stop in and get an espresso - quick and cheap. Seriously looking at an espresso machine now.

Originally Posted by Cincinnatus

My wife and I just got back from Italy and one of the best things was all of the little neighborhood coffee shops. I would stop in and get an espresso - quick and cheap. Seriously looking at an espresso machine now.

Some very fine shots pulled in Italy fro what I've read and heard.
There is such a wide selection of Espresso machines and the price can really get painful. But if you want to get shots like you've had, you're going to have to be ready for that
Also, unless the machine you choose has a grinder, you're going to need to go to the higher end in that category as well.

We're here to help ya out my friend, just ask away!!

Here is a great forum to help you get lost
https://www.home-barista.com

There is a crap load of information there to get your head spinning and see the choices there are

Originally Posted by Badgister

Very nice! I had a Euopiccola but got rid of it because it was a too cumbersome. Great first shot but terrible if you have guests. Is the Elektra also a one shot wonder?

I am thinking of getting a new machine and forgetting about lever machines , maybe a Silvia.

There is a solution to your problem. Unfortunately, it's in another price category - Londinium, Strega, Pompei, etc.
These are all one group (for home and small business use) commercial lever machines with big enough boiler, and high thermal stability group. You can pull many consistent consecutive shots on each one of them. The frothing on another level too. One (BIG) problem is the price...

Originally Posted by Badgister

Very nice! I had a Euopiccola but got rid of it because it was a too cumbersome. Great first shot but terrible if you have guests. Is the Elektra also a one shot wonder?

I am thinking of getting a new machine and forgetting about lever machines , maybe a Silvia.

La Pavoni also makes the Professional, which I own. It is a very capable machine and you can pull 4 or 5 excellent shots. I prefer a manual lever machine, just as I prefer to manually grind the beans and for that matter, roast beans.

Just as in the straight razor game, you can get all kinds of crazy. You just need to answer how much extra pleasure you'll get from the extra money you'll spend on professional equipment, which is where you're going if you go much beyond the Europiccola. Plumbed in, professional equipment may yield convenience, but you can pull shots the equal of any of them with a La Pavoni.

It's all about getting the properly roasted bean, with the correct grind, tamped well and extracted properly, with the correct temperature water.

I find the whole process to be fun and getting all the variables correct is a source of experimentation.