accessd Senior Member Joined: 14 Mar 2012 Posts: 8 Location: China Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Wed Mar 14, 2012, 8:15am Subject: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
Firstly,I am not good at English,so I hope everyone can understand what I say.
I want to buy a espresso machine, now I lingering between BEZZERA Strega Lever and ELEKTRA leva. I don't know which is better,maybe the BEZZERA can make better shot, but ELEKTRA is very good looking. What's the different between the two machine? The boiler one is 2L and the other is 1.8L. and pre infusion ?Is there anything else? I saw a man in YOUTUBE who made a very nice espresso by ELEKTRA LEVA,he added an extra spring. So if I use the origin elektra leva machine,Can I make the shot as well as the BEZZERA Strega Lever made?
drgary Senior Member Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 126 Location: San Francisco Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Amica Coffex Lady Duchessa... Grinder: Pharos, Rio Super Jolly,... Vac Pot: AeroPress Drip: Melitta & filter paper... Roaster: Heat Gun/Bread Machine
Posted Mon Mar 19, 2012, 9:46pm Subject: Re: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
These are very different machines. The Bezzera Strega is a specialized machine for doing pressure profiling. It combines a mechanical pump and the spring action of a commercial lever group. The Elektra Microcasa a Leva is an excellent home lever espresso machine that is simpler than the Strega. It is known for clarity of flavor but will not make the intensity of shot of the Strega. The Elektra is also a beautiful machine.
I'm sure that the engineers at Bezzera would take exception to this. A few people are able to use the Strega for purposes outside the intentions.
It's a modern, compact, autofill pourover, commercial-style spring lever with Hx and electrically controlled group temp. It was designed to be an easy to use home machine with all of the convenience of their pump machines, but with the extraction characteristics of a traditional spring lever.
To describe it as specialized for pressure profiling may overemphasize that part. But the combination of pump and lever is unusual and makes the machine more complex than the Elektra. Is it easier to use instead of harder because of the pump? What do you think? I'm asking that because I'm curious. I would think the Strega is more capable and versatile along with the added features.
The Elektra on the other hand is a traditional spring lever. Very simple in design, very straightforward. It's also easy to service.
But to the OP, if you want thick, rich shots enough to consider modifying the Elektra, why not go for the Strega with its larger commercial group? If I were you I would buy both and see. ;-) I wouldn't mind having either one of these on my counter.
mhborstad Senior Member Joined: 18 Feb 2012 Posts: 31 Location: Gatineau Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Tue Mar 20, 2012, 7:12am Subject: Re: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
I knew what you meant, and for sure the OP should read the 100 or so pages linked :-D Just didn't want them to be scared off due to implied complexity of operation.
Other than using a 15bar pump rather than line pressure or a low pressure pump to fill the group the Strega works the same way as any other spring lever Hx. It seems like the higher pressure allows you to do a few things that may not have been intended, if you want. The sealed tank manual levers use boiler pressure to do the same basic job, but manage temperature differently. Bezzera shows a plumbed in version that dispenses with the pump, and adds extra counterweights to keep it steady.
For all of the advanced techniques applied to Hx machines and levers, the Bezzeras seem designed to make very good espresso with minimum fuss. I run a BZ10, and it's clear that it was intended to be run with no cooling flush, contrary to most discussion online. The manuals for these machines are pretty straightforward. The actively heated groups contribute a major part of the temperature control. No fuss, no overheating, no thermosyphon stall etc.
In terms of absolute ease of use, for someone who just wants a great espresso with a home spring lever machine I find it hard to imagine that the MCL is easier to use (or more difficult, for that matter). You have to pay a bit more attention to water and heat management, and the ergonomics are different. It has it's own appeal, obviously!
There are a handful of people who've used both - hope they chime in.
drgary Senior Member Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 126 Location: San Francisco Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Amica Coffex Lady Duchessa... Grinder: Pharos, Rio Super Jolly,... Vac Pot: AeroPress Drip: Melitta & filter paper... Roaster: Heat Gun/Bread Machine
Posted Tue Mar 20, 2012, 7:54am Subject: Re: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
mhborstad Said:
I knew what you meant, and for sure the OP should read the 100 or so pages linked :-D Just didn't want them to be scared off due to implied complexity of operation.
...
For all of the advanced techniques applied to Hx machines and levers, the Bezzeras seem designed to make very good espresso with minimum fuss. I run a BZ10, and it's clear that it was intended to be run with no cooling flush, contrary to most discussion online. The manuals for these machines are pretty straightforward. The actively heated groups contribute a major part of the temperature control. No fuss, no overheating, no thermosyphon stall etc.
In terms of absolute ease of use, for someone who just wants a great espresso with a home spring lever machine I find it hard to imagine that the MCL is easier to use (or more difficult, for that matter). You have to pay a bit more attention to water and heat management, and the ergonomics are different. It has it's own appeal, obviously!
There are a handful of people who've used both - hope they chime in.
Good point that I gave too much information in the links.
Also I think you describe the Bezzera as easy to use with no fuss. That's a key feature.
Someone loaned me an Elektra MCAL for a couple of weeks and I just returned it. It was gorgeous. I found it easy to use and the shots had a lot of flavor separation but they were not thick and rich like the shots I pull on my Isomac Amica E61 machine. But I liked it because of the style of shots it made. I didn't want to change that. The owner of the Elektra told me that if he has to pull three shots in rapid succession the machine overheats and the group needs to be cooled by immersing it in a bowl of water. I didn't pull shots in rapid succession and had no overheating problems. If I were to pull multiple shots I would probably buy the heat sink sold by Orphan Espresso for about $40. Keep it cooled, attach it to the group and you've got easy temperature control. To change the group gaskets, you loosen two hex screws at the top of the group and the whole piston assembly lifts out. Very easy. The steaming is also very nice.
accessd Senior Member Joined: 14 Mar 2012 Posts: 8 Location: China Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Tue Mar 20, 2012, 8:09am Subject: Re: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
Thanks the information of drgary Can you tell me what makes the shot by elektra leva tasted not as intensity as the STREGA made? The factor of pressure?If it is,can I add another spring to increase the pressure?
Posted Tue Mar 20, 2012, 9:00am Subject: Re: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
I had both Elektra Leva and Strega although not at the same time. Still have Strega... If you have funds and space then get Strega without thinking. Its better machine. It has 58mm commercial group, you can leave it on all day long, you can pull as many shots as you want without fear of overheating. Taking group apart for maintenance is very easy. It uses standard E61 gasket and standard group head screen. It is well built.
Its very ease to use with uncomplicated flush ritual and you will struggle to pull a bad shot with it if you have competent grinder and good coffee. So for good to very good cup its hard to beat. What's bad? I think its ability for exceptional espresso, meaning those god shots, percentage wise is very low. That is how I grade the top-machines these days. Their ability to deliver god shot from say 100 shots you pull. I pulled at least 300 shots with Strega. Most of them were good to very good, but no god shots... Its middle of the road consistency and ease of use might be working there against it. Its very competent machine. Very easy to steam milk with it. I don't think there is another level I'd rather have, well except Cremina ;-)
Elektra is great looking machine, but its ease of use, over-heating and build quality are just not in the same league as Strega. Its much easier and less fuss to pull very good shot with Strega than with MCAL. Don't get deceived by looks, you will not sit all day long looking at the machine. You'll drink espresso...
You probably can, but I have not tried it. You would get that out of the box with the Strega.
tek Said:
I had both Elektra Leva and Strega although not at the same time. Still have Strega... If you have funds and space then get Strega without thinking. Its better machine.
What's bad? I think its ability for exceptional espresso, meaning those god shots, percentage wise is very low. That is how I grade the top-machines these days.
Although I have never used a Strega, I question this because with its pump and lever action combined, its good temperature control and skillful use, one of the espresso experts (another_jim) uses it to pull "god shots" even with very challenging coffees. But he is very expert. His discussion of that is in one of the first links I gave you.
The end result though is you will get good espresso with each machine. The other factors are using very good, fresh coffee; your skills; and a very good grinder. I am delighted to have any good machine. I already have excellent grinders. The main thing I look to for exceptional espresso these days is using exceptional coffee, since I now have the skills to adjust dose, grind and temperature.
People can easily get caught up in trying to select the perfect machine because this will get them great espresso, but once you've got any very good machine the rest is up to you and it is a lot of fun to learn to use that machine to its best advantage.
Posted Tue Mar 20, 2012, 10:20am Subject: Re: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
drgary Said:
Although I have never used a Strega, I question this because with its pump and lever action combined, its good temperature control and skillful use, one of the espresso experts (another_jim) uses it to pull "god shots" even with very challenging coffees. But he is very expert. His discussion of that is in one of the first links I gave you.
You have to qualify this otherwise its not accurate. He pulls those "god shots" with very specific coffees and for his specific taste, those being very light roasts, brew roasts not espresso roasts, that on most machines you cannot pull well. He also likes very acidic espresso. That is very specific set of conditions. All this has been covered on HB but most people miss it and then just say Strega pulls god shot after god shot :-). My coffee usage on Strega more mimics what I think most people would use. Medium to darker roasts coffees from top-notch roasters. I used some brew, light roasts and while I liked what you get with them, they do not fall into my preferred category.
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