Pulling a shot on a La Pavoni manual lever

Pulling a shot on a La Pavoni lever 2005 Millennium Professional.
La Pavoni lever owners' Facebook groups:
Niche Zero Facebook group:

My routine is:
1. Let machine warm up (10 min).
2. Bleed excess pressure through the steam wand -AND- heat water in the espresso cup I'm going to use (at the same time).
3. Remove the portafilter. "Dry pump" the lever (6-8 or so times) to bring the group to 85-90°C.*
4. Grind.
5. Distribute grounds with whisk and distribution tool.
6. Tamp with thumbs on outside of tamper, so the top of tamper is level with basket (to create headspace).
7. Lift lever to right under where water flows.
8. Insert portafilter.
9. Lift level.
10. 7 sec* to fill group.
11. Mini-Fellini with 2 bars for 5 sec* to pre-infuse puck.
12. Lift the lever back up for another 5 sec* to refill the group.
13. Pull, starting at 9 bars and decreasing. I don't watch the time (though I should), but I think I pull for 20-30 sec.
14. I weigh my output, as I pull. With Intelligentsia Black Cat Analog, I get about 34g. With Poco Espresso, I get about 28g.
15. Swirl and enjoy!

*UPDATED

[kyoshimadoshi]

Excellent.. Thanks for the show.. This should be the first video to show up when we search for La Pavoni espresso.

[avery]

Cool tamping method! I just finished rebuilding a late 80s/early 90s la Pavoni. Videos like this are really helping me learn how to use my new machine. First tasty shot happened today! It's fun to wake up and do a little chemistry project. Almost don't need the caffeine by the time I have coffee in the cup.

[buddhamack]

Saw your comment on a James Hoffman video on this machine. Really keen to get one.

[wirinharwirjawan]

love your Video and I do finger tamping only for all espresso machines and thanks for sharing.

[oscara]

Glad you made this. I was having trouble getting above 6 bars with only 14 grams of coffee. I’ve been slowing increasing the coffee to get more pressure. I was glad to see that you pull with more grams of coffee. I thought I was the only one enjoying 18 grams and above.

[Anarchsis]

I have a 50 year old Europiccola and a new Professional, and I love them both, fresh beans are always best with any La Pavoni, especially older ones, so get yourself a little roaster, and I’ve been through 3 grinders and I’ve found the Bezerra BB005 the best.

[shrt]

Thank you for sharing, I liked everything in the process, just one small thing, glass cup too see the result in full glory! :)

[ibescos]

Nice espresso and very nice machine, this is going to be my next purchase to improve my espresso at home.
I love all the manual process to obtain the espresso.
Have a nice day and regards from Spain.

[gabmor]

what to buy buy between elektra Microcasa e leva or La Pavoni ESPED Esperto COMPETENTE
Its so hard to choose, i cant find a shop where i can see those machines and rely on what i read on reviews but theres not much written about the la pavoni competente

[ADRIAN-zhti]

I never thought you need so many steps to make a good espresso

[Leo-qojz]

It's a nice video! Could you teach us how to put the pressure gauges on the top?

[Janiz]

Hi Bruce! I wonder, why does coffee drips is coming out immediately when i pull the lever up? Then when i pull down the lever there is shower coming from portafilter

[chrisbeall]

it's a labor of love. Once you figure the costs of all of the equipment/supplies and the mental "issues" with getting it "just so", well, it's a labor of love along with it being the most expensive coffee you can enjoy. I find that defining "just so" is the most difficult part.

Hi Bruce, what is the diameter of tamping/distribution tool and where did you source the bottomless portafilter for the LaPavoni Professional ? Advice is appreciated

[murataht]

Nice video and very informative. I am struggling with my la pavoni pro millennium to get consistent good shots, specially about the group head temperature. It is set at 0.9 bars and I have just commanded a group head thermometer strip. But I don't know at what temperature (group head) I should pull the shot ? Or should I get a group head thermometer ? thanks in advance.

[Cmilofeq]

Hi! I see you have a little mirror to see the naked portafilter. Where did you get it? Great pull! :)

[igah]

Since the time of purchase the La Pavoni Europiccola I have a problem with a metallic taste of water that leaves the "group" (separately from the boiler, water is normal - without a taste), are there any ideas or is this a problem in the fact that the piston and head are brass?
PS. Already rebuild the "group head" (cleaned, polished and greased with silicone special grease) - the problem still exists.

[pouaks]

What's the size and brand of the funnel you used?

[Checkedbox]

I'm really struggling with temperature management on my gen 2. I've had it for 10 months now and I'm beginning to relegate it due to the difficulty, making a significantly larger amount of V60 and aeropress as of late. Like many others here I recently discovered your channel through your comment on James' video and also on the facebook group. I'm hesitant to try the Bong Isolator, partly due to the price and shipping for such a tiny part, but also because of the flex it introduces. I've also seen that heatsinks can cause the grouphead to drop far too low.

I'm currently producing shots at inconsistent temperatures - sometimes it feels like the temperature shoots up to 100+ within 8 minutes, othertimes no matter what I do it feels like I'm dragging it up over 80. I'm not sure exactly what to do, except that I really love this machine, but cannot make it work like I want it to. I'm thinking perhaps a custom heatsink with much smaller fins, or some kind of PID fan cooled mini heatsink. I hope you might be able to shed some insight into my problem, and most of all that you continue making good espresso like this!

where did you source the 'temperature strip' you placed on the group head? I'd like to get one. Thanks!