Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I have owned the 16-cup La Pavoni Stradivari model for about six months. I purchased it through Seattle Coffee Gear, a nearby dealer and repair shop I have come to trust. My wife and I use the machine at home for 4-6 Americanos or lattes per day. I prefer Velton's Bonsai Blend coffee, which makes a luscious shot of espresso.
My machine arrived in good order and was easy to set up. Per directions, I ran a tank of water with baking soda through initially, and set up the steamer with the venturi frothing attachment. There's a lot about this machine I like: its small footprint and steamship-era aesthetics, sturdiness and perpetual maintainability, silent operation, and the ability to pull an absolutely perfect shot. The venturi frother is a black plastic gizmo with a silicon tube to put into the milk to be frothed. Turning on the steam draws the milk into the frother and deposits the result directly into a cup. The result is hot and tasty, but with bubbles not quite fine or consistent enough for "coffee art", which doesn't really matter to me.
Here are some tips on use of the machine:
Raising the pump handle up opens the pump assembly to the water tank. Steam pressure then drives water into the pump. Depressing the lever pushes the water through the puck and into the cup.
If the pump and the filter are not hot before you compress the grounds into the filter assembly, the metal of the filter cup may expand when you operate the pump, allowing some water to go around the puck. Ways to mitigate this problem are: let the machine warm with filter assembly attached for 15-20 minutes; run 2-3 shots through an empty filter; or put hot water in a cup and soak the pump head until it warms up (doing the same for the filter assembly). In any event, this problem goes away after the first shot.
Experiment with your grind until you find one that allows expression of the shot with moderate pressure on the pump handle for between five and ten seconds. I use a Capresso conical burr grinder set on the coarsest of the "extra fine" settings. If you're foolish enough to blow a grand on an expresso maker, spend a little extra to buy a heavy stainless tamper of the appropriate size as well. It will make forming the puck much easier.
Per the instructions, when you raise the pump handle to let water into the pump, pause a few seconds or until coffee first drips from the filter assembly, then pull the shot. The pause moistens the puck and results in vast amounts of rich, deep caramel-colored crema. You can't replicate this step with an electric pump machine, and I believe it makes an important difference in the result.
Wait a short while after pulling a shot before removing the filter assembly, to allow pressure to dissipate. If you're impatient, you can blow grounds all over the counter. The harder the pull, the longer the required wait.
Be sure to rinse the frother right after using it to keep milk solids from clogging it. If it clogs, run a cup of 50%-diluted white vinegar through it, followed by a cup of water.
These steps are easy to master and the result is truly worthwhile.
Update January 2011: I appreciate this machine more every day, and now avoid drinking coffee away from home.
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The La Pavoni Stradavari sixteen cup in chrome features a 38 oz. boiler, and internal thermostat. This lever model includes nickel plated non-corrosive brass boilers, recessed power switch, dual frothing cappuccino systems, and a reset safety fuse.Includes a 1-year warranty.
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