Londinium 1 in a small office environment

Zak

Hi all,

So my research lab at university has an aging consumer-grade, dual boiler, semi-automatic espresso machine that we would like to replace. Though it's a bit of a stretch price-wise, my advisor is willing to consider the Londinium 1 (at my request). We typical pull 4-10 shots/day and only one of us (me) makes milk-based drinks so shot volume and recovery aren't too much of an issue. I'm new to spring lever machines, so I have some questions:

1. Is there any reason to be concerned about using this machine in a (essentially) small office environment, say 5-8 people? Would it be better to stick with a more traditional semi-automatic machine. For example, what happens if someone accidentally lets the lever go at the bottom of the stoke?

2. How easy is it to use the machine? I personally plan to spend a fair amount of time dialing my shots in, but the machine needs to be reasonable for any beginner to use* with a 10 min tutorial. My advisor made the analogy that company cars shouldn't be manual transmissions, so I'm hoping it's on par with our current semi-automatic machine. Watching the videos, it seems as simple as pulling the lever, waiting a few seconds for pre-infusion, and then releasing it slowly.

*And by "use," I mean drinkable to non-discerning folk. Let's set the bar low and say Starbucks-quality.

3.
a. What is a reasonable length of time to expect the machine to last? I'm guessing the lack of electronics translates to serious reliability, but can anyone give me a reasonable time frame before we'd need to replace it. Keep in mind the environment outlined in my first question.
b. In a similar vein, is there a guide as to when the maintenance needs to be performed? Is this info included in the user manual? All the lab members mechanically-oriented so we should be able to change o-rings/gaskets/seals as necessary [edit: i.e., when they fail], but we need to know how to diagnose when those things need to be changed.

Cheers, and thanks in advance.

Frans Goddijn

With sensible people like your team taking good care, the machine should last a lifetime, until all of you retire. Good water filtering of course, after a number of years some parts replacement like p-stat, anti-vac but those are no major problems. And a LEDlight a year maybe.

It's a very simple machine and if handled with common sense it IS very easy. Letting go at the moment when you are just lifting the lever can be spectacular and if you let it slip, make sure your eye or jaw do not catch the lever. But this too is something you can explain to the team before they start using it. In a lab environment there are several don't-do-this things to remember.

Get a good grinder as well.

Zak

Frans Goddijn post=11554 wrote: With sensible people like your team taking good care, the machine should last a lifetime, until all of you retire. Good water filtering of course, after a number of years some parts replacement like p-stat, anti-vac but those are no major problems. And a LEDlight a year maybe.

Excellent info. I forgot to mention that we use Nestle Pure Life water, which a previous poster on this forum says he uses with good results.

Letting go at the moment when you are just lifting the lever can be spectacular and if you let it slip, make sure your eye or jaw do not catch the lever. But this too is something you can explain to the team before they start using it. In a lab environment there are several don't-do-this things to remember.

Just what I was looking for.

Reiss Gunson

hi zak

thank you for your enquiry, and thank you to frans for responding before i was able

1. steam recovery will never be an issue, however fast and furious you use it

2. if someone lets the lever go at the bottom of the stroke it is absolutely fine if the portafilter is loaded with coffee and mounted in place. it is only going to potentially damage the machine if the lever is let go of when no coffee is loaded into the portafilter basket

3. how easy the machine is to use depends to a large extent on the grinder chosen (i.e. don't go for a grinder designed for single dosing, but rather one with a hopper or electronic delivery mechanism) and also whether you are 'bean hopping' (changing from one bean to another regularly - this requires adjustment to the grinder each time it occurs)

4. i would be very disappointed if the machine did not last several decades when used in the environment you describe. that said it is critical that you only put water in the machine that is not going to precipitate limescale when heated in the boiler as this will kill any espresso machine, potentially in less than a year in the worst case scenario. wooden handles also need a little butchers block wax every 6 months or so (3 months in a commercial environment)

5. maintenance: if it aint broke don't fix it! seals will eventually need replacing, and i have placed how to videos in the permanent file (which you will not be able to access pre-purchase). wax on the wood i have mentioned. if you elect to use the softening filter in the water box this must be replaced at least annually and more often if you have hard water (i replaced mine every month in london as the water was quite hard)

For most work place environments i expect they would be best served by a bean to cup machine with the automatic self cleaning routines, etc and you throw it away every two years. But if you are will to take ownership for looking after the machine then i expect in your specific situation you will be very happy with the L1 and it will give you years of low maintenance service and excellent espresso with no need for staff to disappear for half an hour to get coffee at regular intervals throughout the day - it might even boost productivity

kind regards


reiss.

Zak

Reiss Gunson post=11557 wrote: it is only going to potentially damage the machine if the lever is let go of when no coffee is loaded into the portafilter basket

In the unlikely event this does occur, what would happen/break?

how easy the machine is to use depends to a large extent on the grinder chosen (i.e. don't go for a grinder designed for single dosing, but rather one with a hopper or electronic delivery mechanism) and also whether you are 'bean hopping' (changing from one bean to another regularly - this requires adjustment to the grinder each time it occurs)

Sure, but that's true of any machine, right? I've heard good things about the forgiveness of nice machines with respect to tamp, dose, grind, etc. Assuming I set up a decent grinder for the right dose, grind, etc, and we continue to use the same beans, would you say it's no harder than a standard semi-automatic machine?

4. i would be very disappointed if the machine did not last several decades when used in the environment you describe. that said it is critical that you only put water in the machine that is not going to precipitate limescale when heated in the boiler as this will kill any espresso machine, potentially in less than a year in the worst case scenario.

This is really excellent to hear! As mentioned above, I plan to use Nestle Pure Water, which other users have reported good results using. But maybe I'll get a test kit to be sure it fits in the hardness range. Certainly, I realize that scaling is an issue with any machine.

seals will eventually need replacing, and i have placed how to videos in the permanent file (which you will not be able to access pre-purchase).

Thanks! But I'm really asking if there's an easy way to tell which seals need to be replaced? When I leave in a few years, will it be obvious to the other members of the lab (who maybe aren't as into espresso) when something goes wrong? Maybe a needless worry, I'm just trying to get of sense of how to ensure the investment lasts beyond my tenure at the lab.

Reiss Gunson

1. 9 times out of 10 you'll get away with it as the group is forged (not cast), but its not a great idea as there is always a chance you could fracture the back corner of the saddle (that the handle screws into) when it suddenly slams into the group top at the end of its travel. if it is any comfort no one has every reported a group breakage/damage. in the environment you describe which is child free and presumably an exclusive access area, i.e. you don't have curious magpie types wandering past who like to play with things, then i don't see this issue as a significant risk. everyone will know what it is and how it works after the first week

2. yes that's right, but it isn't as easy as say a fully automatic/bean to cup DeLonghi/Miele/Franke/etc

3. seals leak when they need replacing

kind regards

reiss.