EPC-8 Europiccola Lever Style Espresso Machine – Chrome & Silver – Manual Espresso Maker - 0.8 L Water Capacity, Authentic Italian Craftsmanship for Home Use

This is a classic manual Italian-made Espresso machine, and it truly makes outstanding Espresso, but there are a few things to consider before buying this machine. First of all, this machine is for the Espresso lover who likes at least some control (in this case pressure via the lever) and drinks maybe 4-6 Espressos a day. It would be no problem to prepare more, but if you are into a lot of shots per day with as little work as possible, this may not be the machine for you. I personally also don't drink Capucchinos or Lattes, so will not comment on that particular feature. I also think if this your preferred drink, you may not per se need a Pavoni, as Espresso quality is perhaps still important, but not as critical (my 2 cents on that). You need to be willing to put some time into preparing your shots, refine your grind, tamp settings, and also be willing to learn how to operate the machine. It is not hard, but will take at least a little bit of time (days to weeks). I personally love it, and am now (after about 4 weeks) able to make consistent (in my opinion) great Espresso shots with lots of crema, flavorful and not bitter. But it does take some getting used and playing around with the settings, but is well worth the effort. I will discuss PROS and CONS, some TIPS on how to use it, and also some needed or recommended ACCESSORIES below. PROS: - The Espresso quality is truly outstanding (that's what it's all about, isn't it?) - Classic design, certainly a "statement" in the kitchen, if this is what you are looking for - Manual control of pressure (and with that extraction time), I personally love this feature - Built with high quality components, and if taken care of, can last for a long time, perhaps life-time CONS: - There is a learning curve, but I was able to make good shots within a few days, and great shots within a few weeks, I used to own many Espresso machines in my life, but this is by far the best - The machine is getting very hot after a while, so be aware of that, and definitely keep out of reach of children! - Many people complain that one can not change the water when the machine is still on (hot / pressurized), as one has to depressurize the machine first. In my experience, this is not a big deal at all, as it only requires to turn on the pressure steamer and once the machine has been depressurized, the machine can be easily refilled (BTW: manufacturer recommends to unplug the machine while doing this) - The machine should not be left on throughout the day, manufacturer recommends for up to 30 min, I fully agree with this recommendation, as the machine does tend to get too hot after 30 minutes plus, and a machine that is too hot will negatively affect espresso quality (in my view adding bitterness, less flavor, shot too hot, may also affect crema). This means that the machine has somewhat of a temperature sweet spot, I find that to be between maybe 15 - 25 minutes or so after turning the machine on (may require some experimentation). The machine has a green light that turns itself off when the machine is supposed to be "ready" (maybe 5-7 minutes or so), but I don't think it is ready at that point, and while you can pull an "early shot" at that stage, the shot temperature will likely be too low / too cold, and the extraction not ideal, shot quality OK, but not great - You may have to be willing to replace gaskets etc eventually. For the mechanically inclined this may not be a big deal, but for some people it might be an issue, for more info see replacement part websites tips below TIPS: - You will need a high quality burr grinder to make great shots with the Pavoni, I personally use the Mazzer Mini Electronic Grinder - Type B, I had the Breville Smart Grinder before, but I feel it was not up to the task, and I was unable to "choke" the Pavoni with the Smartgrinder, which is perhaps not critical, but shows that the Pavoni needs a fairly fine grind, plus the Mazzer lets me really fine tune the grind as it is "step less" - I use filtered water (others even use bottled water), and heat the machine passed the point where the green light turns itself off, for about 15 minutes, this seems to be close to the "sweet spot". If you leave the machine on longer than 30 minutes, the machine tends to get too hot, and espresso quality suffers - Of course, use fresh beans (I use a local roaster), and a decent tamper (51 mm), I tamp it fairly hard (many recommend about 30 pounds and this works fairly well with the Pavoni in my experience) - When pulling a shot, I leave the lever in the up position for 10 seconds, and then pull down to finish the shot before 30 seconds - I tend to pull an "empty" water shot into my espresso cups, which warms up the port-a-filter (if it wasn't inserted already), and of course also the cups, but also cleans out any remaining grinds from the group head - I clean the group head after every shot, and also empty and clean the machine at the end of the day, I think this will help in the long run - I removed the plastic cover that goes over the glass sight as it tends to collect dirt, and is otherwise not particularly useful as the machine gets hot anyway, but the risk is that you break the glass sight if you are not careful, I haven't so far! - This machine (like all espresso machines) needs to be cleaned regularly (I would say daily and/or after each use, which doesn't take much), and since Chrome can corrode, I suggest to make sure the machine is dry after each use RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES: - You will need a high quality burr grinder as mentioned above, as mentioned I went with a Mazzer, and had less luck with the Breville Smart Grinder, so this may require a significant investment in addition to the La Pavoni, but in my view worth it (the Mazzer is built like a tank) - You will need a 51 mm Tamper (that's the correct size for the new Europiccolas), I got one of the flat "Chinese" heavy duty ones from Amazon, and that one does the trick for me, since the group head is flat, I am not sure you need a curved tamper - Nylon brush (to clean group head in particular) - Cleaning accessories (in particular decalcifier - I use Durgol Swiss Decalcifier, available on Amazon) - Many people recommend to get a second portafilter basket, I did not get one, and am not sure why you need one - I added a pressure gauge to my machine from orphan espresso, see (item number: 1389 Europiccola Pressure Gauge Adapter - SMALL THREAD with Gauge) -> you will need some Teflon tape, otherwise, it will leak, but this is an easy install and works perfectly and provides you with pressure reading, note that this is not the pressure reading of the group head. Of course, the manufacturer does not recommend this, and it may void the warranty, however, it would be very simple to retrofit it to the original state (simple screw) - If you prefer to pull your shots in a single glass, one can remove the spout from the portafilter (but then tamping becomes challenging) - Replacement parts are available at espressoparts dot com, orphanespresso dot come and also partsguru dot come I have ordered from orphanespresso, and so far am very happy with that site (prices reasonable as well) INCLUDED ACCESSORIES - small portafilter: most people never use it, I don't either - capuccino accessory: can't comment on it, don't use it, sorry I hope this review is helpful, I love this machine and I hope to keep it for a long time, but it is definitely not for everyone!

It's been 15 months since we got our La Pavoni from Amazon and we've made an average of 2-3 shots a day since then. Affogatos, coffee over ice, lattes, americanos... this machine gets serious use and is one of the best purchases we've ever made. That said, I've never purchased anything that is seemingly so simple and yet has taken so long to really feel like I've "mastered". Many of the tips and tricks that I've ended up relying on are mentioned in other reviews, but some weren't - so here's my summary of everything I've learned in the last year. I'm now consistently pulling gorgeous shots. This machine will reward you, I promise! When we first got it, it was a refurbished model and I honestly thought it was broken. Everything I did with it turned out kind of crappy. I got no crema, often times the water would start seeping through the coffee before I pumped no matter how hard I tamped. This may well be the experience of many first timers. It was the result of 3 key factors that were wrong: Bad grind, old coffee, group head not hot enough. Let's look at those 3 key factors: 1) The grind: We started out with a Bodum grinder on the finest setting and eventually bought a Rancillio Rocky. Many others have said, "don't bother with anything less than the Rocky" and I'd concur wholeheartedly with that. It may seem a kick in the pants when you've already spanked over $800 on the La Pavoni to throw another $400 at a grinder, but if you're not willing to do that, don't even bother with the espresso maker. Grind is such a critical factor in getting a good shot, not just the consistency of the grind but the big differences that tiny variations can make. Lighter roasts need coarser grinds than darker roasts; older coffee will need a finer grind than newer coffee; the machine at temperature needs a coarser grind than if it's not fully warmed up. So what is the "perfect" grind? It's the one where you don't have to tamp too hard and where you have to exert fairly firm pressure on the lever to get a 20-30 second shot. If the grind is too course, you'll get less crema, less extraction and it will pump too fast. The fine adjustment available on a grinder like the Rocky allows you to find the sweet spot for the beans that you have - one click out of 60 makes a noticeable difference. 2) Old coffee. I'd read people asserting that espresso beans are basically junk 3 weeks after roasting and I dismissed this as perfectionism/snobbery. In truth, for french press and probably just about any other use, coffee beans that are a month old are probably fine. However your La Pavoni will punish you for using old coffee. Don't buy from the bulk section in the supermarket and pay particular attention to the roast date on the bag. The turning point for me was when I saw a video on YouTube of a guy proudly pulling an stupendous crema from the same model of La Pavoni. What is he doing differently?? Why can't I get that?? I noticed he was using beans from a Montana roastery called "Red Bird". I ordered a bag of Blue Jaguar and tried it out. It was a revelation! Red Bird not only sells exceptional coffee, but they roast right before they ship out, so it's guaranteed fresh. If you're struggling with crema, trust me - just order a bag from them and see if it makes a difference. If it doesn't, your coffee beans are not the problem. For what it's worth we now order 5lb bags from Red Bird and use a vacuum sealer to seal them into 12oz bags the moment it arrives. We then put these bags in the freezer. This way it works out at about $10/lb with free shipping which is a STEAL considering the quality of the coffee and the ridiculous prices charged by the Bay Area wax-moustache brigade. 3) Group head temperature: Many people in other reviews talk about the first shot always being disappointing. We found that too. There's no logical reason for this to be the case and it's all down to the fact that the machine needs to be fully up to temperature before you pull. The best investment we made - and I waited far too long to purchase this - was a stick-on thermometer that goes on the front of the group-head. It ranges from 194F to 248F and it tells you for sure whether your group-head is at temperature. Without this, you're guessing and you're probably guessing wrong. I was amazed at how many "fake shots" (pulling the lever to let hot water through without the portafilter in place) the machine needs when you first turn it on before you have a decent temperature at the group head. I usually wait until it gets up to 212F and then I'm guaranteed to get a decent first shot. Before getting the thermometer, I was just going by touch which just isn't accurate enough. I don't think Amazon sells these thermometers - we found ours online at a specialty espresso parts store. Finally, here are some tips that I've found to be very useful and I hope you do too: - Temperature: There are many out there who talk about the machine overheating and burning shots if left on. This has not been my experience and from what I've read, the "millennium" edition (being sold here) solved that problem. There may be some who disagree with me and we don't leave it on for hours, but over-heating has never been an issue. - Pumping: The machine produces quite small shots, but gives you fabulous control over not only how much water goes through, but the speed too. When I first got the machine I wondered a lot about how much time you should wait with the lever in the fully up position before pumping? How long is too long? When the lever is fully up, water is being pushed under a small amount of pressure into the coffee. If the grind is too course/inconsistent or the machine isn't hot enough, it may push right through even before you start pumping. If this is happening, your shot will suck. The pump is where a lot of the "feel" of the machine comes in. Both in when to pump and how hard to pump. When to pump: If the grind, tamp and temperature are all correct, it won't really matter how long you have the handle up for because the water won't find its way far into the coffee under its own pressure. How hard to pump: What you're looking for is that the pump should feel firm when pressed down a small amount. If it feels "spongy", I do some short pumps until it firms up. If you've ever driven a car where the brake pedal needs to be pumped to get good pressure, it's a very similar feeling. If you pump with the spongy feeling, you'll find that the shot you pull is going to be smaller than ideal and may not have great extraction. One trick I've learned recently that's really helped with this is to leave the portafilter in for a good minute before even lifting the pump handle. This heats up the top of the coffee, causes it to expand a little and seems to really help with building that firm feeling. Even then, I may pump a little water into the coffee (before it comes out) and then go straight back up to get some more in before doing the full pump. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that the water goes through in 20-30s and that you are exerting some decent force on the pump. You'll feel it out, but don't get stuck in the notion that the pump has to go straight up and straight down. You are in complete control. - Tamping: If your grind is good, you shouldn't need to tamp particularly hard. The one thing to avoid is getting a situation where the shot appears to be coming out of only one side of the portafilter. This means that it's found a hole somewhere that has allowed it to progress unevenly through the coffee. I tried a few techniques to avoid this, including "gardening" the coffee with a fork or similar. Turns out the simplest way to avoid streaming is to just give the portafilter a few good bangs on a rubber mat as you fill it. It just helps the lumps to spread out. In terms of getting the correct amount of coffee in, I actually tamp twice. I fill it up so that it's not spilling out, bang it on the rubber mat a few times, give it a light tamp, fill it again and then tamp fully. This minimizes the spillage/wastage of coffee. - Steaming milk: Getting good steamed milk from this machine has been the biggest challenge for me. There are some days when it comes out great and other days when it doesn't. I have yet to figure out a definitive formula for this. However, I will share what has helped. Having the machine full of water tends to work better than if the water is low - probably due to the fact that it can produce more steam. Getting the milk to swirl seems to help - that all comes down to the angle of the wand. Keeping the wand just under the surface so that it's not making big bubbles also seems to be helpful, but this does require a steady hand. Too much milk or too little milk also seems to be problematic. I did try buying a single nozzle attachment for the steam wand to see if it would help, but that was worse. I hope that this is helpful. I will take you a while before you feel really confident with this, but once you do, boy is it worth it.

I just unpacked the express machine and tried plugging it in to a plug. It tripped the circuit breaker immediately. That is a 20 amp duplex circuit. Tried calling the number on the warranty registration card. I was unable to reach anyone.

Due to either poor handling or poor quality of manufacture, the steam release spout was cracked down the middle. This would be an annoyance if not for the leaking release valve, which lets out all of the steam and drips all over the side of the main tank before it ever reaches the spout. I tried to reach out but they only offered a refund upon the return of the entire machine when I only wanted a replacement of these parts. It would otherwise be a fully functional and beautiful machine, shame that it’s such a coin toss on the quality and customer support.

I have a Crossland CC1 espresso machine that has more bells and whistles than you can imagine and is programmable to the n’th degree. When it started having difficulties with the PID, rather than replace it my wife generously suggested I replace it with a new one. I looked long and hard at various machines and to buy anything with even close to the features of the Crossland was going to run into around $1500 just for starters. A James Hoffmann video on YouTube pushed me in the opposite direction - levered machines that have a lot more “hands on” to them, so I settled on the La Pavoni Europiccola. I almost got the pro model instead but I seldom make more than a few cups a day for myself and my wife and decided the longer warm up time wan’t worth having a bigger boiler, I’m glad I went that route. First, as long as you have a decent grinder, it won’t take you long to get the hang of this and start pulling excellent shots. I can safely say I’ve gotten better quality espresso from this than I ever got from the crossland, partially because I probably didn’t have the crossland set up that great, but also because you can literally feel and control the pull on each shot. However, unlike the crossland that absolutely did everything exactly the same each time, it’s almost impossible to accurately duplicate shots, unless you’re doing them back to back. I roast my own beans so I know the quality of my coffee is top notch and fresh, but sometimes beans that produce a nice creamy well balanced shot will turn around later and give me something tart and unpleasant. I’m chalking this up to the learning curve. I’ve dinged the product significantly in terms of value for money because now that I have one I seriously believe it is overpriced for what you get. This is a hot water kettle with a hand pump attached - that’ s really the only way to sum it up. The only electrical elements in it are a simple boiler with something to detect pressure and shut it off. I know in order to make a profit La Pavoni has to charge enough for them to come out ahead, but at these prices you should also get: A decent tamper - the plastic one is really crap and you’ll have to buy a new one. If they’re going to saddle you with a plastic deal, at least give you one that fits! A way better steamer tip - the three hole tip that comes with it is useless - I cannot achieve anything but hot milk with some foam on top and I’m used to steaming milk. I’ve had to order a new single hole tip. A bottomless portafilter - if you use the standard portafilter that comes with it you’ll not get much of anything taller than an espresso cup to fit under it - plus, everybody should have a bottomless portafilter anyway. A decent chrome grate - the one that comes with it is a cheap little plastic dish affair that I fear will break easily if not carefully handled. And a pressure gauge which I knew ahead of time doesn’t come with this model. I’m not retrofitting it with one but come-on, how hard would that’ve been? They should all have the gauge. My Crossland has a pro-size 58mm portafilter, so everything I used with it, tamper, distribution tool had to be replace for the la Pavoni. Though I knew this ahead of time you need to be aware. If you have any desire to steam decent milk drinks you’ll have to replace the steamer tip too, AND, if you want to really get an idea how to pull decent shots you’ll need a bottomless portafilter. All that’s going to set you back at least another $100 if not more. So, while I am keeping this and I am enjoying it, I find myself wishing I’d held out and gotten a 2nd hand one for considerably less. Bottom line - it will make excellent espresso, but you’re going to have to buy more stuff for this to get it to work satisfactorily ‘cause out of the box it’s not ready for prime time.

I've had my machine for twelve years now. I didn't want to write a review too soon, but then I kind of forgot about writing one. Here it finally is. After having used the La Pavone Europiccola for twelve years I can say, without a doubt, that this is the best coffee purchase I've ever made. Quality: Extremely high quality steel and brass construction. Nothing fancy, no pump, no added features, etc. Everything is functional, no wasted effort. Value for Money: Since this is the last espresso machine you'll ever need, can't beat it. Ease of Use: A lot of other reviews stress how long it takes to learn how to use the machine. Don't worry. You'll figure out how to to make the espresso that you like. The fact that it has no pump, no programed settings, is what make this the last machine you'll ever need to buy. Functionality: This machine is quite simple, heating coil, thermostat, and lever. Simplicity itself. The only thing that can go wrong is if you forget to turn it of and it boils dry. Then you reset the thermostat and get back to making espresso. Portability: Like any espresso machine, it is a little heavy, but lighter than many. I keep mine on the shelf and then bring it down to the counter when I want to use it. Final Points: Like any machine, the La Pavoni Europiccolo will wear, but here, you are really only talking about the gaskets, which will eventually start to leak. But, given it's mechanical simplicity, it is extremely easy to remove the old gaskets and replace them. you can buy replacement gaskets and parts on the internet. It's also a good idea to disassemble the machine from time to time, depending on use, and give it a thorough cleaning. So, with periodic maintenance (diy or you can use a service), this will be the last espresso machine you'll ever need.

These are my observations after a month of operating the La Pavoni EPC-8 Europiccola espresso machine. Please note that I’m not a barista, nor intend to become one. For many years I’ve made my espresso the same way – using my trusty stove-top 1-cup espresso maker and scalding my milk in a small pan. Before deciding on this make and model I first read just about all reviews in Amazon and many other websites; I also viewed many videos in YouTube. Day 1: I received the machine a day before I was expecting it – thanks Amazon for the very quick delivery! I removed all components from the box and noted that the drip tray and grate were missing (I called the number in the instructions and a week later I received the missing parts). After following the instructions for first use I prepared my first café-con-leche (latte) using Yaucono ground coffee (in a can). I obviously did not get the “crema” you see in the videos, but what I did get was the best café-con-leche that I’ve had since my last trip to “La Bombonera” in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Day 2: Same coffee, but this time the first pull produced coffee that was barely warm and undrinkable. The second attempt produced another great cup of coffee. Day 3: Same as the day before. Day 4: Noted a large and steady plume of steam coming off from the very top of the safety valve (not from the discharge tube), water in the sight glass moving up and down, and the green light not going off after 7 or 8 minutes. I turned off the machine, unplugged it, and let it cool down. I started the machine again after about ½ hour rest, but had the same results. This time I lightly tapped the top of the safety valve with the back of a spoon and the hissing steam stopped immediately…a big relief because at this time I was considering returning the machine. Weeks 2-4: The above problem with the steam only happened twice, and both times a slight tap to the top of the safety valve took care of the problem. I bought a Breville BCG800XL grinder and espresso coffee beans at Safeway (I live on a small island in the Cheaspeake Bay with only 2 supermarkets). The finer ground beans produced a slightly better coffee, this time with a bit of “crema”. My routine now is as follows: fill up with filtered water; turn on the machine and wait for the green light to extinguish; while this happens, grind coffee beans into the filter; when light goes off I open the steam knob for a few seconds and I also pull a shot of plain water until I see steam; I place the filter in the group and do one pull; I steam the milk; I turn off the machine and clean the steam tube; I enjoy my coffee. After my beans run out I intend to purchase better coffee beans via the internet in hopes of getting that elusive “crema”. What I’ve learned: 1. The safety valve occasionally will not close or seat itself – this is noted by a large amount of steam coming from the top of the machine and continuing to do so for a long time; the machine will not reach operating temperature when this happens. A very light tap to the top of the safety valve will re-seat it. Because of this, I would not leave this machine unattended until the green light goes off. 2. To avoid a lukewarm first pull of coffee, it seems that you must first evacuate the water in the “group” – in other words, pull a shot of plain water before you pull your first shot of espresso. Subsequent shots come out perfect. 3. When compared to my many stove-top Italian coffee makers and drip coffee makers; regardless of which type coffee you use (whole beans or pre-ground); regardless if you get “crema” out of your pull; this machine will produce exceptionally good coffee and steamed milk. 4. This machine is both sturdier and nicer than what I thought…I’m keeping it on my counter top and not inside a cabinet. 5. I am rating this machine 4 of 5 stars because of 1 and 2 above.

I received EPC-8 21 years ago as a gift. I retired it a couple weeks ago and purchased a new one. This review is based on that 21 years experience and my early thoughts on the new one. Several times over the last few years I considered replacing my La Pavoni because of old age and an interest in checking out new technology. But, whenever I shopped on Amazon I was struck by the apparent lack of durability of even very expensive automatic espresso makers. Each time I decided to soldier on with my manual workhorse. Possibly as many as 10,000 cups of cappuccino later, it was still going strong without ever breaking down and still producing great espresso. But it was looking tired with some corrosion (I live in Hawaii) and it had a minor leak at the seal between the coffee group and boiler. I thought it was, at least, time to take it apart and replace some seals. But I was concerned about bolts breaking due to corrosion (which they did) and being left without a machine so I purchased a new one. The new one (from Amazon) looks very similar with only a slightly different shape of the coffee group. But there are design changes that are for the better. Most importantly the old, manual, two stage control of the heating element has been replaced with an internal thermo/pressurestat that regulates the pressure so there is less guess work as to when you have adequate operating pressure. With the old machine I would judge this by the amount of steam escaping from the pressure relief valve. When I got this first machine I didn't feel it produced enough pressure, especially for frothing milk so I removed the spring from the relief valve and "stretched" it so the machine operated at a higher pressure. It was great after that modification. The new one is quiet. Nothing escapes the relief valve and pressure is probably a touch higher than my last machine. So this valve clearly has a higher pop-off pressure than my old one. The boiler cap is no longer metal, it is a very hard plastic which allows you to remove it when the machine is still hot. The metal one would expand and I wasn't able to remove it until the machine cooled a bit. Not a problem if you remember to adequately fill the boiler but if the water level is low and you are making several cups the cap expansion could slow things down. The steam wand attachment seems to be improved. My new machine came with an aerator attachment for milk frothing. I have not used it and doubt that I will as I don't want to have to clean it and I'm concerned about inability to control milk temperature. The standard steam wand works great. My 10 day experience with the new machine and these design changes has been very positive so I have no problem giving it a 5 star rating. My only negative comment is that it looks like the bolts holding the coffee group to the boiler--the ones that broke when I took the old machine apart--are still not stainless steel?? I will also note, as others have, that this machine is not for everyone. If you want to expend little time and effort making your espresso you will be disappointed. But if you don't mind getting your technique dialed in you will find it very gratifying and you can't get a better cup of espresso. Finally, I seriously doubt that you could find a more reliable machine. My son is now rehabilitating my old one--maybe it has another 20 years.