Which La Pavoni lever coffee machine to choose?

La Pavoni Lever Coffee Machines

If you love an authentic Italian experience, one of the coffee makers mentioned above will definitely be for you. In the coffee industry, the La Pavoni brand is one of the most iconic. They have been on the market for over 60 years and the way coffee machines work has hardly changed.

So find out which one will win your heart!

The principle of making espresso in a manual lever espresso machine

The preparation technique itself is very simple. Water is poured into the boiler. The amount will depend on the type of coffee machine and its boiler capacity. The machine is then switched on and the water starts to boil as in a kettle. During the brewing process, the lever ispressed down so that not a single drop leaks out. Once the boiler reaches the desired temperature and pressure, it stops heating.

Once the coffee is ready in the coffee maker, lift thetop lever to allowwater to flow into the head. Pressing the lever again with your force will push the water through the ground coffee. The force applied in this way around 20 kg or more in the coffee machine creates the pressure to extract the delicious beverage.

And voilà, a fabulous espresso is made!

This process can be repeated several times, as long as the boiler has a minimum of water. How about a Cappuccino? The less water, the moreroom there isfor steam to whip the milk.

La Pavoni Europiccola Lusso

I start with the cheapest version Europiccola Lusso. Over the years there have been improvements and refinements to the components. However, the iconic look is very similar to the 1950s when this type of coffee maker was first produced.

The 0.8 litre boiler will brew up to 8cups of quality espresso. After five minutes the green light goes off to indicate the possibility of starting extraction. Thanks to the " Cool touch" steam nozzle, cappuccino preparation is also possible.

La Pavoni Professional Lusso

You could say that the Professional Lusso is almost identical. Compared to its predecessor, it differs only in the volume of the boiler (1.6 litres), hence the number of espressos prepared(up to 16 cups).

Here you will also find a pressure gauge to monitor the pressure.

La Pavoni Stradivari Lusso and Stradivari Professional Lusso

Neither the Stradivari Lusso and Stradivari Professional Lusso coffee machines are much different from the models mentioned above. You can certainly notice the changes in the design from 2005, as they are inspired by Stradivari violins.

Similarly, here the word "professional" stands for the increased boiler volume (1.6 litres) and the pressure gauge.

The indicator light can be found this time built into the button to start heating and is located directly in the logo on the coffee machine.

La Pavoni Esperto Abile

Here we come to the Esperto Abile. The machine boastswooden elements
and a sophisticated design based on previous models.

Again, I will only mention the differences from its previous siblings.

Here, too, you will be pleased with the pressure gauge or the stylish LCD signal with information about the water temperature on the head of the machine.

The Esperto Abile is one of the certified competition coffee machines that will satisfy even the most demanding coffee lovers.

That's why in the package you will find:

• three precision cups (9, 16 and 20 g),
• a La Pavoni Competition 51 mmtamper,
• precision shower,
• double spout lever and naked lever.

The overall design is accentuated by the silver eagle with its wings spread, which catches your attention when you see the coffee machine. It is located at the top of the machine.

La Pavoni New Cellini Classic Black and Mini Cellini Black

These coffee machines are classified in the "semi-professional" category.

In the difference between these and the manual lever coffee machines mentioned above, not only the appearance plays a role, but more importantly the way coffee is prepared. The machines also have a lever - type E61 head, but when you move it, the pressure willbe created by the machine, not by your force.

Now let's take a look at the common elements and differences between these two coffee machines.

Their bodies consist of steel and both are capable of exerting a pressure of 15 bar. A "Cool touch" nozzle can also be found in both of them, as well as gadgets in the form of a pressure gauge, hot waterdispensing or passive cup heating. Although they have the same 2.9-litre watertank capacity , the brass boiler in the Mini Cellini fills to a volume of 0.8 litres.

In contrast, the Cellini Classic model has a stainless steel boiler with a capacity of 1.8 litres with an HXheat exchanger, which ensures a more constant water temperature during the coffee brewing process.

(From left) La Pavoni New Cellini Classic Black and La Pavoni Mini Cellini Black.

So which one to choose?

The first step in the selection process comes down to deciding whether you want to entertain a manual lever coffee maker, or prefer an automatic lever system.

Then the volume of the boiler plays a role, whether 0.8 litres or 1.6(1.8) litres. Thenumber of prepared cups will depend on this.

Be sureto not forget the overall design and presentation of accessories, whether aesthetic(the eagle ornament or thewooden accessories at La Pavoni Esperto Abile) or practical (styles of sensors, gauges).

Theprice is certainly also a significant factor in the selection process. In the case of the LussoProfessional coffee maker, you will pay roughly 20% more compared to the Lusso Europiccola. The Stradivari version ispractically no different in price from its counterparts. For the Mini Cellini model, you'll pay about half as much, and for its bigger brother, less than twice as much as the cheapest instrument listed here. Steel and wood lovers will then find the Esperto Abile coffee maker about 75% more expensive.

So it's all down to your personal preference, as all of the aforementioned coffee machines will make excellent friends in your coffee corner.