Lust, love, and the official juicer for the nectar of the Gods
Written: Sep 24 '03 (Updated Sep 29 '03)
Product Rating:
Pros: A beautiful machine, is functional and attractive. The best espresso machine you can buy.
Cons: As with all supermodels, hot to touch, high maintenance, and it doesn’t come cheap.
The Bottom Line: This is a purchase that will wake you up in the morning, improve your love-life, and impress your friends with your obvious flare for design.
dkaakd's Full Review: La Pavoni Europiccola EPC-8 Espresso Machine
The Romantica is lust, love, and the official juicer of the nectar of the gods.
If you have a true love for great espresso then the La Pavoni is the machine for you. Of course, as with all loves in life; a substantial about of care and effort must be applied to provide the results that make the ethereal nectar that keeps the lust in the love.
The look of love
When you buy a La Pavoni piston machine you get something that looks like a cross between an old-fashioned water pump, an orange juicer, and a contemporary piece of art. The truth is, it is all of those and more. The chrome or brass exterior is high-gloss and a beautiful addition to any kitchen. We recently replaced the black and white wallpaper in our kitchen with a textured Mediterranean trowel design. When you place the Pavoni machine in this environment it is like a returning a tiger to the wild. It as if it was custom made just for our kitchen. However, I get the feeling it would look just as good in a traditional kitchen, sitting next to a bowl of fruit.
What you get, what you need, and what to expect
Open the box and you will find the boiler and the portafilter. If you buy this machine new, you will also get a video tape and manual. Read it and watch it! You should also purchase a good tamper if you don’t get one with your Pavoni. If you don’t have a decent burr grinder, get one. Do not underestimate the importance of a good tamper and grinder, for without these two items your caffinated nectar will not be worthy of the time and expense that is required in this production process. Make no mistake about it, this is a process and for some of us, the process is as important as the product. This is a classic example of the end justifying the means.
Now, go ahead, pour the water into the boiler (after you have cleaned it thoroughly). The boiler holds enough water for about 8 2oz coups of espresso. If you prefer a cappuccino drink you will only be able to pull about 3 or 4 shots of espresso, the rest of the water will be used to produce steam to froth the milk. This by the way is an excellent idea. If you really want to impress the other love in your life (besides the Pavoni) then make them a latte. This machine will froth the milk into a fine bubbly concoction that looks like a fine meringue. Pull your double shot of espresso and carefully pour the froth into the shape of a heart on top of the crema-rich espresso nectar. The steam wand on the Pavoni is perfect for latte art and your significant other will be very impressed when you proclaim your love in latte! This almost justifies the cost.
Speaking of cost , lets talk for a moment about the cost of love. If you are like me your taste far outreaches your wallet (even if your wallet is a Louis Vuitton). According to my wife “you can put a price tag on love.” She told me this when I bought her a 2.5 carrot diamond ring a few years ago. That said I have no problem buying one of these $600.00 dollar machines on Ebay for about half the price (a demo model). Let’s face it, if I were wealthy enough to afford a $600.00 espresso maker I wouldn’t spend hours writing epinions for peanuts! But if you are willing to spend the money, do so, you will not be disappointed.
What to watch out for
There are a couple of things about this machine that you should be aware of before you are made painfully aware of by accident. The first thing to know is the machine gets hot and I do mean HOT. Don’t forget this thing is designed to pump out water at about 220F degrees. It is also designed to shoot steam at about 1 bars of pressure. The body of the unit is not well insolated so if you touch it before it cools you will burn yourself badly. Likewise if you open the portafilter or boilercap before opening the steam valve you will be showered with scolding hot water and coffee grounds. The base unit heats-up enough that I recommend placing it on either a counter that won’t melt or some something that will absorb the heat before it melts your counter-top. We have granite so it is not an issue.
Cleanliness is next to godliness when it comes to the Pavoni. If the machine is dirty it does looses its luster. More importantly, espresso will cause the chrome to corrode and rust will begin to show through. This is actually a common problem among users who do not clean the drip tray after every use.
Almost all users who have experience with this machine recommend it whole-heartedly. Go to:
http://www.coffee-machine.com/lapavoni/epc8.htm
or
http://www.coffeegeek.com/reviews/
for several comprehensive reviews and ratting on this machine as compared to others. I also have to recommend this site:
http://www.gurus.net/pavoni/
if you want to learn the exact scientific method to use this machine to make the holy grail of espresso shots.
This is more than just an espresso machine it is a morning ritual for producing ethereal nectar. This is a purchase that will wake you up in the morning, improve your love-life, and impress your friends with your obvious flare for design.
How much is all that worth to you?
Also, please see my Brew-off comparison between this machine and the Francis Francis X3!!!
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