# La Pavoni First Pull Weak



## Skydxb (Oct 5, 2018)

Hello. I purchased a La Pavoni Professional about 6 months ago. I usually use it twice a day and have been very happy with it, but lately the first shot I pour is weak with no pressure required to pull the lever.

I use the double basket. I've played with the grind size... my grinder is a Mazzer Mini. I typically use 18g of coffee and pull 35 g of espresso. The first shot starts to pour just from the pre-infusion. Then when I introduce the water, it begins to pour before pulling the lever. The second shot however, always pours perfectly.

Do I need to pre-heat the group head more?


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Skydxb said:


> Hello. I purchased a La Pavoni Professional about 6 months ago. I usually use it twice a day and have been very happy with it, but lately the first shot I pour is weak with no pressure required to pull the lever.
> 
> I use the double basket. I've played with the grind size... my grinder is a Mazzer Mini. I typically use 18g of coffee and pull 35 g of espresso. The first shot starts to pour just from the pre-infusion. Then when I introduce the water, it begins to pour before pulling the lever. The second shot however, always pours perfectly.
> 
> Do I need to pre-heat the group head more?


No. Most likely you have retention of stale grinds in the grinder chute.

As a test, to rule out that's the machine, grind your first 18g as usual and discard. Then grind another 18g dose and make a coffee with the Pavoni. Report back.

Ps: welcome to the forum.


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## Nopapercup (Nov 6, 2016)

Have you changed your coffee recently? Try reducing to 17g as you could be over loading the basket then dial in.


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

18g is a lot for a la Pavoni, considering an Italian double is 14g and a single 7g. I used to dose around 15g to 16g in my post millennium as it has s slightly larger basket than the pre-millennium.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Same here. I dose 15g on mine. I think it's physically impossible to fit 18g.


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## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

The max I could cram in was 16g.


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## dimoutsa (May 26, 2017)

Have to agree with the people above, max I've ever put in my millennium europiccola is 16g with certain coffees only.


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## dimoutsa (May 26, 2017)

Come to think of it, cause I haven't used my Pavoni for a couple of months since getting my new machine, I always had differences between the first and the second shot but not as radical as you describe them and the explanation for retention fits in I think. I paired it with a Mazzer SJ so it should be similar to your mini somewhat.


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## Skydxb (Oct 5, 2018)

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check for grinder retention... that does make sense as the problem started shortly after switching to the Mazzer Mini from a Baratza.

I haven't weighed the grinds I'm putting in the basket, only before I put them in the grinder. Maybe, I'm losing 2 grams or so in grind retention. Thanks for the suggestions.


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