Expobar Lever Semi-Auto Espresso Machine Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This is a really nice machine for the price point. I've been using mine for about a month and I'm just starting to dail it in. The case comes off pretty easily (5 screws) so you can access to OPV for group pressure adjustment and boiler pressure. Mine came with the boiler set at .8 bar, I upped it to the green zone of the gauge about .9 bar. I also turned down the group pressure to 9 bar (it came set a 10). I have about a 2 minute recovery time and consistent shots. The biggest downside is the heat exchanger and group need pretty large flushes +-8 oz before pulling a shot. Get Eric's thermometer ($100) plugged into the group and flush to about 207 degrees. After 10 seconds, you can pull a shot at 200 degrees at the puck.

The machine is pretty big - it looks large on my counter and I have a very big, modern kitchen. My wife made me move it to a less obvious location because it seemed a little oversized for the spot my Gaggia Classic used to reside. The design is nice - completely stainless. The lever seems so much better that pushing a button to pull a shot. You'll get the same results, but it feels more "classic". The hot-water wand competes with the lever for space so you'll neet to orient it out to the side when pulling shots, but it doesn't drip so no worries. The drip tray is very large - it'll take the entire water resevoir. BTW, the resevoir has no indicator when it is low, and you have to take the cup warmer off to fill it. Get a funnel.

I'd prefer to have a group pressure gauge, easy access to OPV and boiler pressure controls. But you'd pay an additional $300 for a machine with those features.

Note, the boiler is 1.8 liters (60 oz), not 12 oz as the description says.

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Product Description

The Expobar Office Lever espresso machines is a welcome addition to the Expobar line. Its traditional styling, compact size, and commercial strength make this a leading competitor in the semi-automatic lever operated espresso machines. The commercial style copper boiler has all the features that are found on larger commercial machines. It allows simultaneous brewing and steaming, enabling smooth operation. It has both a steam wand and hot water dispensing wand that adjust laterally so that they can swing in either direction for easy access. With commercial capabilities its size makes it convenient for those who want great espresso without sacrificing a large amount of counter space. It is 15" tall, 10.25" wide and 17.5" deep. The E61 brew group provides pre-infusion and a thermal siphon for maximum temperature stability and aroma extraction. The eye catching highly polished steel housing is as durable as is it beautiful. The accessories include a chrome plated brass portafilter, tamper, single shot filter basket, double shot filter basket, backflush disc and a 7 gram coffee scoop.

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Rancilio ROCKY Rancilio Burr Grinder with Doser

La Pavoni EPBB-8 Europiccola 8-Cup Lever Style Espresso Machine, Black Base Review

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PHOOEY to those who say this is only for the purists! Stuff and nonsense! The possibility for a more delightful relationship with a machine than a man can have with his La Pavoni espresso machine surely doesn't exist outside an Arthur C. Clarke novel. I really can think of no other mod con which is truly indispensible in the way that Ralph, our little Europiccola, is.

Difficult to use? Pshaw! Is a bicycle difficult to use? At first maybe, but all of a sudden you wonder what the fuss was about. With a little practice - and practice is half the fun of it - you will have the most beautiful espresso - thick crema and all - merrily widdling out the little spout everytime.

Ralph is delightfully simple to use, as a matter of fact: water in, turn on, coffee in, lever up, lever down, and you're done. How hard can that be?

Getting your espresso right comes down to a lot of other variables, which are the same for any espresso machine - the sort of coffee you use, the correct grind, the correct grinder (if you grind yourself, the grinder is really critical) the correct pressure, even the type of water you put in the machine. If you're having trouble grinding your own then head down to the grocers, pick up a tin of Illy coffee, and BINGO - you may as well be in a Palazzo San Giovanni with a pair of smart sunnies and a scooter shouting, "prego" at passers by, that's how Italian you'll feel. And the coffee is divine.

Honestly, the very sight of that cute little chappie sitting, glinting on our bench every morning, ready to gladden the very experience of waking up and getting ready for work is enough to make my heart sing. I love my little La Pavoni. You'll love yours, too. Depend on it. I know I do.

Click Here to see more reviews about: La Pavoni EPBB-8 Europiccola 8-Cup Lever Style Espresso Machine, Black Base

Product Description

The traditional la Pavoni! Superbly polished chrome finish with black base accents the highly efficient design which dates back to 1961. La Pavoni has set a standard for quality and style only found in old world cafes. Each machine is designed to last years and give constant perfect espresso with each pull of the lever. Design features incorporate the best of modern technology such as a nickel plated non-corrosive brass boiler, long life stainless element and reset safety fuse. Triple plated to maintain years of beauty and tested to meet the standard that has kept La Pavoni the premier name in the industry. Features include: 20 oz. boiler capacity Capable of making 8, 2 oz. cups of espresso Steam pressure, piston operated Internal Thermostat to monitor pressure Separate cappuccino spout and controls Makes one or two cups at a time Safety reset fuse. ETL safety listed 1000 Watts. Wt 14 lbs. height 12" 1 Year warranty Video included BONUS OFFER: With Purchase of This Item FREE 1 Pound of our freshly roasted gourmet coffee FREE cookies or biscotti

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	Lavazza Super Crema Espresso Whole Bean Coffee, 2.2-Pound Bag
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La Pavoni EPC-8 Europiccola 8-Cup Lever Style Espresso Machine, Chrome Review

Average Reviews:

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My parents bought this about five years ago and I followed suit about a year ago. When she first bought it I thought they were crazy, but when it got there I understood why.

This machine is superb for almost any kind of coffee. Sometimes I like a strong espresso and sometimes I like a cold cafe sheccerato which is a cold coffee and is great. (To make it you simply get a shaker (like a martini shaker) and fill it with ice and a few teaspoons of sugar. Brew the coffee and while it is still very hot throw it in the shaker and shake it strongly for about a minute. The result is an ice cold frothy espresso, great for warm days - forget Starbucks imitation stuff, this is much better).

As other people have said, it takes a little bit of time to get it right. Typically I've found that very thin grains are not the best to work with, something between your typical Illy coffee grain and the larger cheap grains usually works well. It take a bit to get used to, but once you start to get a hold of the whole concept it works superbly well. Frankly, even when you do a poor job the coffee is still good.

In addition, my parents have had this item for about five years and have not had a single problem. It's extremely easy to clean and if you are in a rush it's also a great machine since it loads so quickly and easily.

Also, if you are running out the door you need not wait for the water to completely heat up. You can run it after just a few minutes (of course your coffee won't be as warm, but it doesn't have to heat up completely in order to use it). For those quick out-the-door mornings, this is great. You won't have the best espresso in the world, but you'll still have one that beats just about anything.

I've been through about three [price range] machines in the last few years and they all broke or just didn't taste right. ... You have to be able to taste the difference between good and bad coffee to enjoy this machine. If you don't you probably won't enjoy this machine as much. In other words, if Folgers Instant coffee tastes good to you, move along.

It's also worth getting good coffee for this. ...

In the end, if you are looking for a high-quality product that makes high quality coffee, this is a great choice.

Click Here to see more reviews about: La Pavoni EPC-8 Europiccola 8-Cup Lever Style Espresso Machine, Chrome

Product Description

The traditional la Pavoni! Superbly polished chrome finish accents the highly efficient design which dates back to 1961. La Pavoni has set a standard for quality and style only found in old world cafes. Each machine is designed to last years and give constant perfect espresso with each pull of the lever. Design features incorporate the best of modern technology such as a nickel plated non-corrosive brass boiler, long life stainless element and reset safety fuse. Triple plated to maintain years of beauty and tested to meet the standard that has kept La Pavoni the premier name in the industry. Features include: 20 oz. boiler capacity Capable of making 8, 2 oz. cups of espresso Steam pressure, piston operated Internal Thermostat to monitor pressure Separate cappuccino spout and controls Makes one or two cups at a time Safety reset fuse. ETL safety listed 1000 Watts. Wt 14 lbs. height 12" 1 Year warranty Video included BONUS OFFER: With Purchase of This Item FREE 1 Pound of our freshly roasted gourmet coffee FREE cookies or biscotti

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Get 7% OFF

Click here for more information about La Pavoni EPC-8 Europiccola 8-Cup Lever Style Espresso Machine, Chrome

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