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Date: 24 Jul 2006 20:50:22
From: Robert Harmon
Subject: Another machine - microcimbali
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I gave up on the Gaggia Achille but I'm still looking for a lever model to
replace the LP Professional. There seem to be a good variety in the $1000 -
$3000 range. I like the looks of the Olympia, but am wary of the 49 mm PF
size; same for the Pontevecchio Lusso - it looks like a 49 (ish) PF also;
Electra makes nice machines but they're a bit garish for my taste.
I'm looking at the Microcimbali but there's not much info about it. It's not
listed in the La Cimbali online catalog - does this mean it's no longer in
production or is made by another company? Can someone point me to a site
that has detailed info (PF size, spring loaded or not, weight, dimensions,
etc)? I'm also toying with the thought of the Pontevecchio Lusso (very
business like & I like the idea of a spring-loaded lever.)
I also looked at the Expobar but I'm a bit confused. The Brewtus & Office
Leva aren't true lever machines, correct? The lever is just a switch knob,
right?
--
Robert (duck & cover) Harmon
http://tinyurl.com/pou2y
http://tinyurl.com/fkd6r
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Date: 24 Jul 2006 16:30:04
From: jim schulman
Subject: Re: Another machine - microcimbali
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On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 20:50:22 GMT, "Robert Harmon"
<r_h_harmon@Zhotmail.com > wrote:
>I'm looking at the Microcimbali but there's not much info about it. It's not
>listed in the La Cimbali online catalog - does this mean it's no longer in
>production or is made by another company? Can someone point me to a site
>that has detailed info (PF size, spring loaded or not, weight, dimensions,
>etc)? I'm also toying with the thought of the Pontevecchio Lusso (very
>business like & I like the idea of a spring-loaded lever.)
There's some info in the Google archive, and the machine is still sold
for around $850, just Google. It's a spring lever machine with the
group jacketed by the boiler (presumably one keeps the pstat set very
low).
The major knock on it is that the boiler is aluminum and the group
brass. This creates big time galvanic corrosion problems in soft
water, similar to the Gaggia boilers. It's not a problem when used
with Italian style hard water.
>I also looked at the Expobar but I'm a bit confused. The Brewtus & Office
>Leva aren't true lever machines, correct? The lever is just a switch knob,
>right?
The E61 uses a lever and cams to operate the 3 way valve that exhausts
the pressure after the shot, rather than having a solenoid. A second
cam on the lever activates the pump switch. Real lever machines use
the lever to pressurize the water, either by direct muscle power (LP
and Olympia) or by useing muscle to compress a spring which then
smooths out the water pressure (every commercial machine and the high
end home ones)
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Date: 02 Aug 2006 03:10:58
From:
Subject: Re: Another machine - microcimbali
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Robert Harmon wrote:
> I gave up on the Gaggia Achille but I'm still looking for a lever model to
> replace the LP Professional. There seem to be a good variety in the $1000 -
> $3000 range. I like the looks of the Olympia, but am wary of the 49 mm PF
> size; same for the Pontevecchio Lusso - it looks like a 49 (ish) PF also;
> Electra makes nice machines but they're a bit garish for my taste.
>
Don't forget an old La Peppina too. Not a commercial machine, but I
know that Jim and others have written favorable things about them. I
keep hoping to pick one up for less than $50, but I've yet to be able
to do so.
Chris Staley
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Date: 02 Aug 2006 14:04:39
From: jim schulman
Subject: Re: Another machine - microcimbali
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On 2 Aug 2006 03:10:58 -0700, rcs914@yahoo.com wrote:
>Don't forget an old La Peppina too. Not a commercial machine, but I
>know that Jim and others have written favorable things about them. I
>keep hoping to pick one up for less than $50, but I've yet to be able
>to do so.
They have a big fan base (not my doing, really), and tend to go for
more now than they did new. Great machine if you don't want to steam.
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