LPowners.org Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

All LP owners are welcome to submit and answer questions. Some answers are personal preferences. Contact admin@LPowners.org by email, if you would like to contribute.

Is there a video of the entire process of prepping the machine, grinding coffee, tamping and pulling a shot?

Claudio Santoro made this one.

How important is the grinder?

Having a quality burr grinder whereby you can adjust with great precision the fineness of the grind is essential to pulling a shot of espresso, and, other than the La Pavoni itself, is the single most important piece of equipment in which you can invest. Without a quality grinder, using a La Pavoni (or any other espresso maker) will become an exercise in frustration. [Steven Ornish].

Do LP Pros (16-cup) heat up as quickly as Europiccola (8-cup) models?

No, there is more water to heat.

When idle, do I keep the lever in the up or down position, or doesn't it matter?

When the machine is on, but “idling,” the lever should always be down. The lever is attached to the piston that is inside the grouphead, and if the lever is up, the valve between the boiler and the grouphead is open, and pressure will not build up in the boiler. You can also drain the boiler of all water very quickly if you leave the lever up and potentially damage the heating element while dry. [Steven Ornish]

How feasible is it to add a pressure gauge to an Europiccola?

It is a quick job, usually less than 30 minutes.

Where's the best place to buy a pressure gauge and the adaptor needed for a Europiccola?
What basket should I use, the single or the double?

Most people use only the double basket, since it produces more espresso. The single basket is smaller and more difficult to master given its convex shape.

How many grams do I have to use for the single/double basket?

Most owners use 14 grams for double basket and 8 grams for single basket.

I used to weigh out 14 gms, but of late I have found that overfilling the double portafilter basket with ground coffee, then scrapping the excess flush with the rim before tamping comes out to approximately 14 gms. [Steven Ornish]

For Gen2 PreMillenium machines, Elektra double baskets (Gen2 PreMillenium) will accomodate more ground coffee than OEM LP baskets.

What is brew ratio and what works best for a La Pavoni?

Brew ratio is a matter of personal preference and roast. Most LP owners shoot for the high side of a ristretto, which is a 1:2 brew ratio (coffee:espresso). So 14-15g of coffee yield about 28-30g of espresso. Here is a good explanation.

What is the best way to distribute the grounds in the portafilter basket?

*Weiss Distribution Technique - WDT

How hard should I tamp?

The “industry standard” is around the 30lb/13kg mark. When starting out, sometimes it’s helpful to place a bathroom scale on the counter, and push down to give yourself an idea of what 30lbs/13kg feels like. This is not a hard and fast rule. Just a reference/starting point. With experimentation, you’ll find a tamp level that works for you. Typically, it will be slightly lighter than the standard recommendation. [Matthew Lenz]

I tamp by pushing firmly on the base of the tamper using just my index fingers and thumbs, which makes for a lighter tamp than the recommended party-line of 30#. I have found a lighter tamp permits for better saturation during pre-infusion and infusion and decreases the risk of “channeling” since the puck is not overly dense. [Steven Ornish]

How hard should I press the lever?

Grind too fine, overfill the basket, or tamp too hard may cause the machine to “choke,” meaning you are unable to pull the lever down due to resistance. Grind too coarse, underfill the basket or tamp inconsistently may result in poor crema and under extraction, and too easy of a pull. It's a fine balance to get it "just" right.

How much time should an extraction take?

Allow 8 seconds for pre-infusion, followed by pulling the shot for about 30-35 seconds is optimal.

Some coffees require longer pre-infusion times, or they will taste under-extracted (sour/acidic). I personally have found a 10-12 second preinfusion time for my palate to be optimal, but it’s best to experiment with different infusion times. [Steven Ornish]

When I tried to pull a shot, it was so difficult that I stopped. What happened?

You experienced what is known as "choking," when the pull becomes too difficult. Choking is often caused by too fine a grind, too firm a tamp, or excess heat in the grouphead. Try a coarser grind, tamp lighter, or lower the temperature in the grouphead before pulling. Best to change variables one at a time.

Why measure grouphead temperature?

Monitoring the grouphead temperature will increase the chances of pulling a better shot. In general, if the water temperature inside the grouphead is too hot, the shot will be over-extracted and bitter. If it is too low, the shot will be under-extracted and sour. Too much heat can also lead to choking (defined above) during the pull when the puck expands.

See Steven Ornish’s tip sheet for an explanation and his method:
COMING SOON = https://www.facebook.com/notes/la-pavoni-lever-machine-owners/tip_sheet_steven_ornish/845734258936590/

How can I keep my Pavoni clean?

Pallo Coffee Tool brush is excellent for cleaning the underside of the grouphead. After I clean the underside of the grouphead with the brush, I engage the portafilter with an empty basket and lift the lever to flush hot water through it. This will create a certain backflush effect, which will further clean the underside of the grouphead. [Steven Ornish]

What to use for descaling?

Check out the separate page on descaling and cleaning: COMING SOON

What safety recommendations do you make? [Group response]
  • Check integrity of sightglass.
  • NEVER, EVER unscrew the boiler knob until pressure is at zero, or you can get badly scalded! One way to insure that there is no pressure in the boiler before opening the boiler know is by opening the frothing (steam wand) valve and listening for a hiss.
  • Do not take portafilter out from the group if you think it is under pressure. Removing portafilter very slowly will permit excess pressure in the group to bleed, and you will avoid hot coffee grinds being sprayed everywhere.
  • Keep the machine out of children’s reach, as it is very easy to burn yourself.
  • Do not turn on the machine, then leave the room. One of two things will happen:
    1) You could boil all the water out, overheat the machine potentially destroy the element, sight tube, gaskets and plastic tube cover; or
    2) At the very least, you will overheat the group so that the shot is too hot.
  • Always turn elements off when your shot is pulled and your milk is heated.
What does a typical extraction procedure/sequence look like?
  1. Check the water level.
  2. Bleed the boiler by opening the steam valve.
  3. Check group temperature.
  4. Preinfusion, as needed.
  5. Pull down the lever.
  6. After done, clean portafilter, shower head and portafilter gaskets and turn off the machine. Turn off the machine.
La Pavoni vs. pump machine - why choose La Pavoni?

Affordable price. Easy to service. Availabilty and low cost of parts. Speed of heat-up. Low noise.

The tactile feedback one receives during the pull gives you invaluable information about whether all the variables are optimal (e.g., boiler pressure; grouphead temperature; grind fineness; tamping pressure; etc.), which one would not receive by pushing a button on a more automated machine. There is also something emotionally gratifying about the hands-on quality of pulling a shot as compared to pushing a button. [Steven Ornish]

Servicing the Pavoni - what are some links to diagrams?
What are the most important upgrades/accessories for the La Pavoni?

Temperature strips. Pressure gauge. Naked portafilter. Thermometer for the grouphead temperature. Pressure profiling kit.

What coffee is recommended to use with La Pavoni?

Due to the ever-changing roasters, best to buy locally.

What maintenance of La Pavoni can I do myself?

Depends on your skill level and comfort level. Many owners perform ALL maintenance and others rely on service centers.

Which p-stat setting is best to use and at what ambient temperature?

0.8 bars for pulling shots; more for steaming.

How to pull multiple shots without the grouphead overheating and over-extracting the coffee or the machine choking?

  • Temperature strips: Buy temperature strips to monitor grouphead temperature. Pull at 90°C.

  • Cooling down the grouphead after the first pull: Pre-millennium models tend to run hotter than the Millennium, since there is no insulating teflon sleeve. Temperature strips are extremely useful for monitoring grouphead temperature and form consistency when pulling single or consecutive shots, and I have found having both the 60-90°C and the 90-120°C strips useful for monitoring the temperature After the first shot is pulled, the grouphead temperature will increase to 95-100°C. To cool it back down to 90C before pulling your second shot, hold a ramekin filled with water under the grouphead for approximately one minute until the temperature strips read 90°C and then pull your second shot. [Steven Ornish]

  • Damp cloth: Turn off your machine and place a damp cloth on the grouphead neck. Then open the steam knob for a few seconds.

  • Soak portafilter: Soak the portafilter without the filter basket in cool water. While you're preparing the basket for your next shot, put the portafilter into the group head without the basket. This will bring down the temperature. The window of temperature going up again is quite short, so you'll need to prepare the basket quite quickly. [Dan Kehn of Home-Barista.com: https://youtu.be/ztgGUO8QwOA?t=14m28s]

  • Put in the portafilter right before pulling. Ater pulling, immediately turn off machine and put empty portafilter in cold water for next shot.

  • Presoak portafilter and basket in HOT water before pulling all shots. To lower grouphead temperature, use a ramekin water bath method. A cold portafilter leads to under-extraction, since the super-heated water from the boiler is infusing a puck of coffee in a cold portafilter, and the difference between these temperatures can affect extraction. [Steven Ornish]

Where do I get my LP serviced?

La Pavoni publishes a list of authorized service centers

Which type of tamper do you have/prefer: dynamometric or classic?

Classic. "Grind finer; tamp lighter." . The recommended tamp for espresso is 30 lbs, but for our machines, most don't follow that. I have both and have returned to my classic recently.

My coffee looks great...but the taste is too sour / bitter. What may be the root cause?

If taste is sour, this may be due to under-extraction; grind finer and/or pull when the group temperature is higher. If taste is bitter, this might be due to over-extraction and too high group temperature (successive extractions).

Too sour/acidic suggests under-extraction. Too bitter suggests over-extraction. Causes of too sour/acidic espresso:

  1. The beans that you are using are overly bright and fruity. Compare your pull to that of a professional barista with the same beans, and you might find the issue is as simple as the coffee that you are using. Before buying beans from a local roaster, first ask the barista to pull you a shot to see if you like the flavor. Much to my surprise, the shots the barista was pulling were as “sour” and bright as the ones I was pulling at home with the same beans, so I switched to different beans that had a more chocolatey/caramel profile that were less fruit-forward.

  2. Boiler pressure is too low (which leads to lower boiler water temperature). If you have been pulling at 0.7 bars, try pulling at 1.0 bars.

  3. Pre-infusion time (time with the lever lifted before you begin you pull) is too short. I pull after a 10-12 second count, although some pull with less pre-infusion time and others more.

  4. Grouphead temperature is too low. Monitor temperature with LC temperature strips on the grouphead before the flare of the grouphead bell, and if you have been pulling at 85C, try pulling at 90C. I have found 90C to be the optimal grouphead temperature at which to pull.

  5. Grouphead temperature is too high (a common problem after the first shot). Immerse the grouphead in a ramekin of water to cool it back down to 90C.

  6. Pull time is too short due to the grind being too coarse. Try increasing the grind fineness such that it takes more downward force to make the pull.

  7. Coffee beans haven’t had sufficient time to “de-gas.” Coffee ground within a day or two of being roasted can taste overly bright and a little sour, and will mellow out with age. Some say post-roast day 3 is optimal, while others claim peak flavor occurs at post-roast 7-10 days. Best to take notes to determine optimal post-roast day for any given bean. [Steven Ornish]

How do I remove the grouphead gasket?

Some have recommended taking a rubber mallet to the piston and giving it a firm whack to unseat the gasket and shower screen, but you risk damaging the La Pavoni with that method.

I have found the best way to remove the grouphead gasket is with a pick and hook set after first unbolting the grouphead from the boiler . Even if you need to stab the gasket to pull it out, the small hole made by the pick will not affect its performance.

I would recommend lubricating the gasket (and all gaskets for that matter) with Molykote 111, which is food-grade, before reinstalling it. It will help extend the life of the gasket, as well as make it easier to reseat . If you don't properly reseat the gasket, you won't be able to reengage the portafilter. If you buy the gasket kit, or just a grouphead gasket, I would recommend buying and extra grouphead gasket and just putting it aside. [Steven Ornish]

Created 15-FEB-2017 | updated 30-AUG-2022 | BCP