# La Pavoni Europiccola + manual grinder as a first proper setup?



## CaffeeX (Oct 2, 2016)

This is my first post so please bear with me. Having spent a couple of weeks on coffee forums looking for an advice on what to get as my first decent espresso setup I got so confused and tired of all the options and variations that I'm thinking of getting something as simple and honest as the La Pavoni Europiccola and a simple hand grinder like the Pharos, HG One or Kinu. Is that a bad idea? Should I rather go for the like of a Gaggia Classic or a Rancilio Silvia? Or should I just skip the bottom of the ladder, save up for a bit and get something like the Londinium L1? I'm currently using a Delonghi beans-to-cup and I really want to up the game!


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## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

As you say there are so many options and opinions, you need to consider how often you will be using it and if you want to steam milk. The la pav is great to use and learn on but if you want to make a lot of coffee it overheats and has to be cooled down.


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## lotuseater (Dec 25, 2015)

La Pavoni may be low end in terms of cost but it isn't in output quality. I had a badge-engineered Gaggia (KitchenAid Artisan) before and IMHO the La Pav blows it out of the water. I was looking at the L1 but decided La Pav did all I need for now. I could now only be tempted if Londinium did a springless lever.

Then there is the beautiful silence - no pump noise - apart from the barest of almost erotic sighs as the pre-infusion loads, followed by the sound and satisfaction of pulling the lever and the shot coming through.

Can't comment on the grinder you mention but all I would say is that my opinion is max out on your grinder quality - no machine can make a silk purse out of a pigs grind.

As for milk steaming - there's no problem on the La Pav. Just convert to a single hole tip. Pavoni takes time and practice to master - it is totally analogue - but that is the joy of it in my judgement.


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## CaffeeX (Oct 2, 2016)

Cheers guys, I'm having my heart set on the La Pavoni more and more, I don't need to make a lot of coffees so overheating shouldn't be a problem, I very much like the simplicity and the non electronic side of this little beast.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

The la Pavoni is a great introduction to lever machines, but is no Londinium and takes a little work to get consistency which the l1 does in spades. If you can stretch to the Londinium do it, you won't regret it, if not get yourself a decent lapavoni professional


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

La Pavoni's are beautiful bits of kit. I did pick one up once for a bargain price and passed it on to another forum member.

I know they can be quite fickle with the grinder.

Coffeechap is a bit of lever legend if you need any advice.


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## davidf (Oct 12, 2016)

Odd coincidence... I'm also a newbie here, also coming to the conclusion that a La Pavoni and a Pharos looks like the way I want to go, also previously had a Delonghi bean to cup machine (mine gave up the ghost a few months ago and I'm now finally able to admit to myself that even when it worked the results were generally disappointing). Are you looking to buy new, or like me, hoping to find a second hand machine?


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## rn-hilton (Nov 18, 2012)

Double odd coincidence... I'm new here too and I started out about 5 years ago with a La Pavoni Europiccola and a manual Porlex hand grinder. I still have them both, but the hand grinder has been consigned to the office with my aeropress and I upgraded to a Mahlkonig Vario (with my first paycheck!).

There is certainly a level of satisfaction to be found by hand grinding the beans and then manually pulling the shot. However, hand grinding for espresso takes a long time - about 5 mins for each shot - so you have to be dedicated. And speaking from experience it's mighty annoying to go through that process and then get a shot that is lacking due to the machine overheating. In my opinion though, going through all the processes of coffee extraction manually is a great way to learn what can go wrong and how things go right. So for that reason it's a great place to start!


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## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

It would be good to talk about budgets because there's a very wide range in cost for the different setups you've talked about.


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

There's something zen-like about using a La Pavoni, everything is manual right down to the extraction. Nothing is simpler than a grouphead attached to a boiler and having to push the water through the puck yourself. You soon realise it's a steep learning curve, but when you get it right it really does put a smile on your face.


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## CaffeeX (Oct 2, 2016)

Cheers guys I very much appreciate your opinions and time! I have now re-focused my attention to a grinder as the La Pav is fairly easy to get by but not so a decent grinder (thinking Eureka 75e).


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## rn-hilton (Nov 18, 2012)

CaffeeX said:


> Cheers guys I very much appreciate your opinions and time! I have now re-focused my attention to a grinder as the La Pav is fairly easy to get by but not so a decent grinder (thinking Eureka 75e).


Sounds sensible. I wish you luck and hope you find a bargain!


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