"Made in Italy" Caffè macchina

[scottmastrocinque]

EDIT: THIS WAS ORIGINALLY IN RESPONSE TO “MADE IN ITALY , HOW IMPORTANT TO YOU” WITH REGARD TO MOTO GUZZI MOTORCYCLES.

———————

You can call me a European snob, but I tell you truthfully, I have owned my Italian crafted, La Pavoni Europiccola Espresso Machine for almost 40 years now. It has been as reliable as the rising and setting sun. I have never done anything to it but use it.

When my friends come to visit, I make coffee for them with it. Everybody tells me that it is the best espresso they have ever tasted. I agree. There is no substitute for this exquisitely crafted piece of Italiana.

I can tell coffee made on absolutely inferior Chinese machines. Tastes terrible.

Everybody who has taken my recommendation and has purchased this machine, (Yes, they still make them!) makes a point of telling me how much they love it. I say “Yeah, I know. For 40 years now! ”

 

[moparnut72]

I like Italian things, there is a certain flare to the products that can't be gotten elsewhere.
This is my Italian made expresso maker. It is perfect to take moto camping, doesn't take up much room and makes great coffee. This is the large one that I use to make regular coffee, the also make a smaller one. I got mine in 1970 and still use it. Also comes in handy for power outages.
kk
gsioutdoors.com/products/miniespresso-set-4-cup

 

[GTM®]

I split the thread because it needed to be for my sake! Scott, we really are brothers from another mother. I dove deep into espresso making at home as COVID hit, as I really struggled to have any good ones here in the States compared to Europe. I’ve eyed that La Pavoni machine since day one, but I wanted a touch more modern tech and ease. I started with the awesome little Gaggia Classic Pro (still running daily at my shop), but I spent twice the cost on the grinder… which as you may know, is the most critical component.
I’ve since stepped up my game twice now to much higher $ brew machines and grinders, but LP’s new Cilindro grinder below grabbed me and I had to have it.

 

[GTM®]

Update on my espresso journey… for anyone that cares or might be interested. Not being a coffee drinker in the first half of my life, I was exposed to Italia espresso circa 2005 in Milan. A few years later after a trip to most of Western Europe, Germany to the Southern tip of Spain, my brother surprise gifted me a Rok Press. A big nutcracker looking device that’s fun to use, but far from consistent, and no matter hot the water in, it was barely above room temp when the process was done. But it does deliver a decent shot. Also, I knew little about grinder importance, so I think I just bought pre-ground espresso beans. I see that Rok now makes a manual grinder too, making everything a zero power requirement. From there, first a Nespresso (meh), then on to an semi-automatic machine from Delonghi (double meh). Then when COVID hit, I dove in with a conscious-minded lowish budget. For those reading this who may be interested, the best one out there on a budget is the (Prosumer) Gaggia Classic Evo Pro. Spend as much as $ allows on an espresso grinder. More than the machine if possible. Baratza makes one that grinds to weight that’s great (270Wi), it’s just quite loud if that matters to you. It took me a month or two of research and trail and error, but I got it down to a science with dosing weights and timing. Both fun and frustrating.
Beans: Italian roasted beans are all mostly low acidity, which I didn’t think about for the first few years… until I was gifted an Italian bag of beans. Wow. Eye-opener. I tried about a dozen brands before I landed on one I love just outside of Bologna.
Once in deep with both feet, I started researching upgrades. I took the Gaggia Classic to my shop, and tried a Gaggia Cadorna semi-auto which lasted about 1 hour before it went back in the box. No grind and brew machine I’ve tasted comes close to a decent espresso grinder and the Gaggia Classic Evo Pro, even $3k autos can't compare IMO.
More research pointed me towards a semi-affordable German engineered/Italian built PID (digital temp controlled) machine and matching grinder. They are very good and solid, but very BMW. So this past Winter, I looked back on a brand I had my eye on, and they were offering a new whisper-quiet rotary pump machine, PID and plumbable directly in to a water source for about a third less cost than any others. Bezzera is the brand, and if you research them, they’re credited with inventing/patenting the Espresso machine in 1901. Even their prosumer machines are like buying a Ferrari (at a reasonable price). Bezzera makes solid high $ commercial grinders, but when the La Pavoni appeared, it was all over. It will be a good match to the Aria PID Ferrari.
The process is almost as fun as wrenching on Guzzis. I am seriously thinking of opening up a moto coffee/pizza/gelato shop, so I can go full crazy with the professional machines. Seriously thinking about getting out of the Guzzi parts sales and service business.
I’ll save my pizza and gelato journey for another day.

 

[DeadEye]

Great contributions !
Sorry I’m still in the Nespresso phase, double latte in the mornings. 2 x long + same % milk, but contemplating moving to a grind and shoot setup.
We have been through a couple of grinders over the years using beans for drip coffee.

A coworkers wife bought some fancy ( Fully manual) Italian machine and would NOT let him « work it«
I don’t want to buy a machine I won’t be allowed to use.
I’ll lookup some of those brands mentioned above.

thanks,
Don

 

[GTM®]

Sorry I’m still in the Nespresso phase, double latte in the mornings. 2 x long + same % milk, but contemplating moving to a grind and shoot setup.
We have been through a couple of grinders over the years using beans for drip coffee.

The convenience is undeniable. I just keep reading of how much plastic we ingest, outside of the waste and cost. Something super pleasing about the grind and brew process with something so analog. You know, older Guzzi like. Heh.

A coworkers wife bought some fancy ( Fully manual) Italian machine and would NOT let him « work it«
I don’t want to buy a machine I won’t be allowed to use.
I’ll lookup some of those brands mentioned above.

Funny. The true machines have an amazing parts list (like Guzzi), and everything is easily available to the consumer. A parts diagram HERE for the new one I just got.
Again, for espresso, micro-adjust burr grinders are paramount for a good dosing.

And I was saving this for my next post. Look at these beauties… top one for Scott (La Pavoni).

 

[DeadEye]

Loo, sorry, but aren’t we getting into the commercial realm here with three « spigots « ?

My friend got something brass / copper looking like this ( not exactly like this / same - I just googled );



I understand that it starts off « looking » simple, but it get complicated !
The grind,how much, how tight it’s packed, the pressure…

 

[kildareman]

I'm still at the DeLongi stage. I have moved up to reusable stainless pods though so at least I can choose the coffee I put in!

 

[scottmastrocinque]

OMG! That La Pavoni triple is SICK! I want one!!! I will be murdered in my sleep if I buy one!

Michael was looking over my shoulder and I’ve just been told, “sell a motorcycle and you can buy one”.

Sell a motorcycle? Surely you jest. No way, Jose!

 

[GerryAZ]

You just need to get Michael hooked on espresso (and promise to make it fresh whenever he desires a cup).

 

[scottmastrocinque]

I told him it would match the visual impact presence of my stove! (At twice the price too! Expensive coffee machine!)

Just like my La Pavoni, cooking on my Forno stove is heaven. I love using her. Dual fuel. Convection electric oven, 1000-20000 BTU gas burners

 

[Raven]

I love the stove/oven. The barn doors are a major bonus, they just make sense. Why are only high end stoves made that way?

P.S. Forno is a 100% Canadian company, what a surprise.

 

[moparnut72]

Skip the expresso machine, I would love to have a stove like that. My kitchen is small so no way. The space for the stove is tiny and the cabinets were installed around the stove. So not many options if any other than the stove I have.
kk

 

[Nordicnorm]

… top one for Scott (La Pavoni).

Does that come in a V-8? Glorious MG shop accessory

 

[Dave H]

Update on my espresso journey… for anyone that cares or might be interested. Not being a coffee drinker in the first half of my life, I was exposed to Italia espresso circa 2005 in Milan. A few years later after a trip to most of Western Europe, Germany to the Southern tip of Spain, my brother surprise gifted me a Rok Press. A big nutcracker looking device that’s fun to use, but far from consistent, and no matter hot the water in, it was barely above room temp when the process was done. But it does deliver a decent shot. Also, I knew little about grinder importance, so I think I just bought pre-ground espresso beans. I see that Rok now makes a manual grinder too, making everything a zero power requirement. From there, first a Nespresso (meh), then on to an semi-automatic machine from Delonghi (double meh). Then when COVID hit, I dove in with a conscious-minded lowish budget. For those reading this who may be interested, the best one out there on a budget is the (Prosumer) Gaggia Classic Evo Pro. Spend as much as $ allows on an espresso grinder. More than the machine if possible. Baratza makes one that grinds to weight that’s great (270Wi), it’s just quite loud if that matters to you. It took me a month or two of research and trail and error, but I got it down to a science with dosing weights and timing. Both fun and frustrating.
Beans: Italian roasted beans are all mostly low acidity, which I didn’t think about for the first few years… until I was gifted an Italian bag of beans. Wow. Eye-opener. I tried about a dozen brands before I landed on one I love just outside of Bologna.
Once in deep with both feet, I started researching upgrades. I took the Gaggia Classic to my shop, and tried a Gaggia Cadorna semi-auto which lasted about 1 hour before it went back in the box. No grind and brew machine I’ve tasted comes close to a decent espresso grinder and the Gaggia Classic Evo Pro, even $3k autos can't compare IMO.
More research pointed me towards a semi-affordable German engineered/Italian built PID (digital temp controlled) machine and matching grinder. They are very good and solid, but very BMW. So this past Winter, I looked back on a brand I had my eye on, and they were offering a new whisper-quiet rotary pump machine, PID and plumbable directly in to a water source for about a third less cost than any others. Bezzera is the brand, and if you research them, they’re credited with inventing/patenting the Espresso machine in 1901. Even their prosumer machines are like buying a Ferrari (at a reasonable price). Bezzera makes solid high $ commercial grinders, but when the La Pavoni appeared, it was all over. It will be a good match to the Aria PID Ferrari.
The process is almost as fun as wrenching on Guzzis. I am seriously thinking of opening up a moto coffee/pizza/gelato shop, so I can go full crazy with the professional machines. Seriously thinking about getting out of the Guzzi parts sales and service business.
I’ll save my pizza and gelato journey for another day.

Sure be a good excuse for a ride down the coast for a cup