The home Bezzeras have very *good* temperature control, but not particularly *precise* temperature control. They have small very fast heat exchangers and rely on the group to bring the output down to near-perfect temperature every time. Next to impossible to mess up a shot, but it means that in stock configuration some of the flushing rituals don't work repeatably. The machines are most repeatable when used in the designed no-flush mode, and the recovery is so fast that back to back shots make no difference unless you are really really quick with the prep.
One of my projects for the BZ10 is to add a microcontroller running both the boiler and group. Contrary to the usual mantra of "PIDs don't help Hx machines" in the case of the Bezzeras tightly controlling the group should give pinpoint brew temperature accuracy, while controlling the boiler as well should allow a degree of profile control by playing the two temperatures against one another. I'll tune for no flush - the Hx heats up so fast that a few seconds extra between flushing and pulling the shot changes the temperature more than the length of flush.
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, 10:45am Subject: Re: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
mhborstad Said:
The home Bezzeras have very *good* temperature control, but not particularly *precise* temperature control. They have small very fast heat exchangers and rely on the group to bring the output down to near-perfect temperature every time. Next to impossible to mess up a shot, but it means that in stock configuration some of the flushing rituals don't work repeatably. The machines are most repeatable when used in the designed no-flush mode, and the recovery is so fast that back to back shots make no difference unless you are really really quick with the prep.
One of my projects for the BZ10 is to add a microcontroller running both the boiler and group. Contrary to the usual mantra of "PIDs don't help Hx machines" in the case of the Bezzeras tightly controlling the group should give pinpoint brew temperature accuracy, while controlling the boiler as well should allow a degree of profile control by playing the two temperatures against one another. I'll tune for no flush - the Hx heats up so fast that a few seconds extra between flushing and pulling the shot changes the temperature more than the length of flush.
You are misunderstanding. There is no difficulty with consistency as I wrote up there, worth re-reading, everything you are asking is already there ;-) Top machines I used?, pretty much ALL top contenders.
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, 3:07pm Subject: Re: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
tek Said:
You are misunderstanding. There is no difficulty with consistency as I wrote up there, worth re-reading, everything you are asking is already there ;-) Top machines I used?, pretty much ALL top contenders.
Posted Sat Mar 24, 2012, 1:00am Subject: Re: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
tek Said:
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.
Hmm maybe the Strega is the next machine for me. I started to doubt it when I heard your review about it "cutting off flavor peaks" but on the other hand, I love acidic coffees brew roasted and pulled very tight as espresso.... so.....
Posted Sun Mar 25, 2012, 10:48pm Subject: Re: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
accessd Said:
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?
Yu Huiyang, WELCOME to Coffee Geek. We hope you'll enjoy our community, one in which you are now a valued member. By the way, your English is MUCH better than a few here. :>D Including me! Which province, and what language variation do you speak?
So, I'm curious, have you considered a NON spring assisted lever, such as the Olympia Cremina? It delivers thick, rich shots, and has the exact size baskets as the Elektra MCAL. On foreign ebay, you can purchase a refurbished one for less than a new Strega, and about the same as a New MCAL. New, they are around $3700 US dollars. They are perhaps the most popular non commercial lever. The Strega would be considered pretty much commercial, if you order the non reservoir model.
I gave no experience with the Sterga, but I can vouch for the fact that the Elektra will have to be cooled down after the 3rd shot, by dipping your port filter in ice water for 10 seconds, then inserted into the group for a minute.
Less money for a spring assisted lever would be for the Pontevecchio Lusso, around $1000 US. It has better temperature stability than the Elektra, but has a smaller basket (45mm) so the shots might be a little smaller yield.
If you're wanting to stay with the spring type, I'd say the most interesting way to go would be the Strega...but it's not MY money!
Don't forget the importance of an excellent espresso grinder, ESPECIALLY as it applies to a lever machine. Perhaps start a new thread, or read our consumer reviews for grinders.
accessd Senior Member Joined: 14 Mar 2012 Posts: 8 Location: China Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Tue Mar 27, 2012, 6:57am Subject: Re: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
IMAWriter Said:
Yu Huiyang, WELCOME to Coffee Geek. We hope you'll enjoy our community, one in which you are now a valued member. By the way, your English is MUCH better than a few here. :>D Including me! Which province, and what language variation do you speak?
So, I'm curious, have you considered a NON spring assisted lever, such as the Olympia Cremina? It delivers thick, rich shots, and has the exact size baskets as the Elektra MCAL. On foreign ebay, you can purchase a refurbished one for less than a new Strega, and about the same as a New MCAL. New, they are around $3700 US dollars. They are perhaps the most popular non commercial lever. The Strega would be considered pretty much commercial, if you order the non reservoir model.
I gave no experience with the Sterga, but I can vouch for the fact that the Elektra will have to be cooled down after the 3rd shot, by dipping your port filter in ice water for 10 seconds, then inserted into the group for a minute.
Less money for a spring assisted lever would be for the Pontevecchio Lusso, around $1000 US. It has better temperature stability than the Elektra, but has a smaller basket (45mm) so the shots might be a little smaller yield.
If you're wanting to stay with the spring type, I'd say the most interesting way to go would be the Strega...but it's not MY money!
Don't forget the importance of an excellent espresso grinder, ESPECIALLY as it applies to a lever machine. Perhaps start a new thread, or read our consumer reviews for grinders.
Thank you IMAWriter, my home language is Chinese. In China,there are a few people love coffee,so it is difficult to get enough infomations for the coffee fans in China. Now I prefer the Strega better.I think maybe Strega is more free worry for me.The elektra looks so beautiful and in my opinion the Beauty fade like a flower.So the Strega maybe more strong.
Some days before,I went to a friend and have a looked and tried the Elektra leva. It's a charming machine,but when she heat up,the body of the machine was so hot that I cant touch it anymore.So if I were bought it,where should I placed her is a big problem.
I don't considered the non spring machine because I think it is so difficult to pull a espresso with good quality.I love espresso,but for the reason of work,I have not so much time to practise time and time again.So at the present time,I just want to buy a spring assisted lever machine.
Now my grinder is Rancilio Rockey,do you think it is a not bad choice on make espresso?
But in China,there is no place to sell the STREGA,I have asked some sellers if they could import the Strega.It's a very difficult task because of the import approve,so maybe I have to wait for a long time.
However, thank you and thanks everyone in the coffeegeek helpt me.
Posted Wed Mar 28, 2012, 8:03am Subject: Re: help,I am puzzled to choose BEZZERA Strega Lever or ELEKTRA leva.
My wife gets furious with me sometimes. She says I spend entirely too much time on these coffee sites. Today is another one of those days.
The ongoing discussion featuring Mhborstad, The Doc and Tek, et al, is absolutely mesmerizing. Have really delved into understanding the nuances of levers these past few months. If you don't like this conversation you are braindead! Its good to sit back and watch the Pros have at it so respectfully of each other.
Thanks Yu, great questions and fortuitious choice of topics for me. I'll have to sneakily run back to the house several times today to check replies to this topic. SHHHHH! gene
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