Timelines

complied by Bruce Colglazier Pappas

OVERVIEW

MODELS

1905: La Pavoni founded
1961: first Europiccola
1976: first Professional with pressurestat
1991: Euro pressurestat added
2001: Millennium introduced (both Euro & Pro)
2005: Stradivari introduced (both Euro & Pro)
2018: Esperto introduced (Pro)

VARIATIONS

1999?: Romantica (Europiccola variation, also produced as Gaggia Factory-G105)
1999?: Grand Romantica (Professional variation, also produced as Gaggia Factory-G106)

GROUPHEADS

Groupheads were first water-heated (Gen1 with brass sleeve), then steam-heated (Gen2 - no sleeve), and reverted back to water-heated (Gen3 with Ryton/plastic sleeve). With Stradivari, a sleek-styled grouphead was introduced with more mass (Gen4 with Ryton sleeve) which internally is the same as a Gen3. Different generations have different shapes groupheads.

Grouphead Generations

Gen1: water-heated, fixed, widest bell; brass sleeve; 49mm portafilter
(commonly referred to as Vintage)
Gen2: steam-heated, bolted-on, narrow bell; no sleeve; 49mm portafilter
(commonly referred to as PreMillennium)
Gen3: water-heated, bolted-on, wide bell; Ryton sleeve; 51mm portafilter
(commonly referred to as Millennium or Post-Millennium)
Gen4: water-heated, bolted-on, larger mass, no bell; Ryton sleeve; 51mm portafilter
(commonly referred to as Stradivari)
Video - Four generations of groupheads - John Michael Hauck

Model Years

EUROPICCOLA
Gen1: 1961-1974
Gen2: 1975-2001
Gen3: 2001-present
PROFESSIONAL
Gen1: skipped
Gen2: 1976-2001
Gen3: 2001-present
STRADIVARI
Gen4: 2005-present
ESPERTO
Gen3 & Gen4: 2015-present

PRESSURE GAUGE

12 mm top fitting: older machines with metal sight glass tube guard
11 mm top fitting: newer machines with plastic sight glass tube cover
Professionals come with a pressure gauge and adapter; Europiccolas do not.
Verify your machine’s top fitting diameter before ordering an adapter.

PRESSURESTAT

1976: Professional (introduced with new model)
1991: Europiccola (added)
2005: Stradivari (introduced with new model)
2015: Esperto (introduced with new model)

PORTAFILTER HANDLE

Up to 1993: M10x1.5 thread (shorter handle)
1993 and after: M12x1.75 thread (longer handle)

LEVER HANDLE

M12x1.75 thread

BOILER CAP

1959: female thread
1974: male thread (brass thread = M32x2.0)
1991: taller cap (same brass thread)
2000: plastic thread (M32x2.0)

STEAM VALVE SHAFT

7mm in diameter

SAFETY (PRESSURE RELEASE) VALVE

DRAFT 10/1/19 - DATES?

P-37: Original safety valve body: 5 mm (small hole)
P-39?: Spring + stainless steel ball (original - no longer available)
P-39SE: Tight spring + Teflon mushroom (fits models with a 2-position switch)
P-39SP: Loose spring + Teflon mushroom (fits models with an on/off switch only)
MP-37: Millennium safety valve body: 6.5 mm (large hole)
MP-39SE-SP: Brass plunger/anti-vacuum valve (fits models with pressurestats)
P-38: Safety valve drain tube
P-1R: Boiler knob with built-in safety valve (fits Romantica and models without an external safety valve)

PISTON

Up to 1996: brass
1996: Ryton (sometimes referred to as Teflon or plastic)
2007: returned to brass

HEATING ELEMENT

1961: dual heating element = 200W and 600W (high = both elements; low = 200W); element screwed onto boiler
1974: dual heating element = 200W and 800W (high = 800W; middle = off; low = 200W)
1980: brass element with 3 bolts screwed into brass ring with fine thread
1978-79: thermofuse added outside Italy
1983: brass boiler flange with coarse thread
1984: thermofuse added in Italy
1990: single 1000W element; pressurestat added = connected to boiler with brass pipe
1996: stainless steel element; resettable thermostat (red pin)

HEATING ELEMENT FLANGE

Up to 1982: brass boiler flange with fine thread (M80x1.25)
-Pre-1982 version: no longer in production; custom can be ordered from Stefano
1983: brass boiler flange with coarse thread (M80x1.50)
1996: ABS boiler flange (black plastic) with coarse thread (M80x1.50)
2005: brass boiler flange with coarse thread (M80x1.50)

MAJOR CHANGES REGARDING EARLY EUROPICCOLA

[Thanks to Robert Pinarreta for compiling this list.]

Years 61-74 all chromed brass boilers and groups. Painted aluminum bases.
1961 no boiler fill sight glass. No grid.
1962 sight glass with smooth faced upper bolt . No grid.
1963/64 site glass but no removable bolt. No grid. (1964 cusp year as some units came with aluminum grid but no site glass removable screw)
1964-67 aluminum grid as standard with square holes.
1968 cusp year may or may not have retained the aluminum grid.
1968 also the first year for the removable sight glass bolt.
1970 onward introduced the removable group screen.
1973 cusp year as the switch may be either the 2-way hi/low toggle or the 3-way lo/off/hi rocker with light. Aluminium or steel base.
1974 cusp year aluminium or steel base. Came with the 3-way rocker switch. Early production were 1st gen. Later production were 2nd gen groups.
The 1975 onwards models are not longer 1st generation water heated groups but become steam driven 2nd generation groups. Steel bases.
Site glass removable bolt makes for easier cleaning and replacing of site glass as well as allowing for the addition of a pressure gauge.
Removable dispersion screen allows piston to be withdrawn without removing the cylinder for cleaning and seals / gasket replacements.

Other minor changes throughout

Open vs closed spouts on the portafilters. Early years were closed which spray less when doing free pull without coffee.
Different curve on steam wand.
Material thickness of metal grid.

DIFFERENCES - MILLENNIUM TO STRADIVARI

Better handle = less flexible than other version, will not break.
Light in front = don't need to look to the side switch to see if machine is on.
Heavier group = MAY control heat better, since it's a bigger heat sync.
Rounded base = different look, rumored that it may have a better chrome finish (not verified).

CREDITS:

MORE TIMELINES

Created 25-SEP-2017 | updated 02-AUG-2024 | BCP