How to Use the La Pavoni Professional
Illy has a set of standards in his famous Book of Coffee for the brewing espresso. Let’s go through them before discussing how they apply to pulling a shot from a La Pavoni.
90 ± 5 °C (194 ± 9 °F) for water temperature
9 ± 2 bar for inlet water pressure
30 ± 5 s for percolation time
Like I mentioned earlier, I spent almost a week using every moment of free time contemplating my plight. I was surfing the Net, irritating anyone I could find with a Pavoni by bombarding them with questions via e-mail, calibrating an electronic temperature probe, adjusting the boiler temperature, getting a dedicated espresso grinder, trying different beans, etc.
Systematically, I broke down all the components of making an espresso with La Pavoni. One variable was eliminated at a time. It seems that EVERYTHING is important with a La Pavoni, but I’ve found that the most important factors are grind and the tamp! Here are the fruits of my labour…
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Daniel
Your information is great and very detailed but does not say the step by step of how to use the machine (LA PAVONI EUROPICCOLA) I wonder if there is a way to get the factory instruction manual for the basics and then apply your great tips to improve it.
Jorge
Daniel,
Very entertaining. Love my Pavoni Romantica (16). I was a Barista back in college and used a manual machine then. Switching to a semi-auto was blasphemous so I was glad about five years ago to happen on this little gem. I have loved it from day 1 and cannot imagine my coffe life without it. I COMPLETELY, 100% agree. The grind and tamp are paramount in producing good results (with commercial machines as well). If anyone is attempting to use one of these machines without at least a midrange burr grinder, they are likely to fail as often as they succeed. I’d recommend the Baratza line ($149 – $550). I use the Virtuoso Preciso. What’s $150? You already spent between $600 and $1400 in pursuit of the perfect shot…
Thank you, Daniel for an entertaining read and providing people with good information.
@Jorge: http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/pavoni/europiccola.pdf