This forum is now read-only
To login to the new support channel and community forums, go to the Support Portal
What little things do you appreciate about the L1?
Most of the posts have focussed on the big important things - the quality of the coffee, steam, maintenance and mechanical questions.
Having stepped from mid-range HX to the L1, there's been a few more subtle differences that I'm appreciating.
The wooden portafilter handle is a beautiful tactile experience - I can't tell you how much I appreciate this part. The shape conforms nicely to the hand, the length shorter than I'm used to and I think perfectly balanced. But the texture of the wenge handles is what really sets this apart.
If you haven't done it yet, you should really pay attention to the feel of using this handle.
I also really, really like the water tank lid - my previous machine had a big full-width stainless cover. No problem there, slightly clunky and a bit noisy but nothing you'd class as an actual problem. The hole for the water tank was tiny, so you had to pull out the tank to fill it. Again, no problem, it had moulded handles making it easy to lift. The low water sensor was a weight switch so it wasn't a problem where you put it down.
So there were no real problems with what I was using before.
And yet... the lid on the tank is light and easy to lift. The plastic underneath means it's quiet to take off and put on. The full-size hole for the tank makes refilling in-situ a breeze. I have more confidence in the low-water sensors. I love it that there's a filter in the tank.
The water tap has a pleasing array of fine little water jets and it's so easy (I know, I know, bone of contention and all that) to accurately dispense hot water.
The on/off toggle switch. I really like this - it's solid and industrial. You know when it's on or off. It keeps your fingers away from hot bits. You don't spread fingerprints all around hard-to-clean areas as you would with a button.
There's plenty of BIG things to appreciate about the L1 - but the little things contribute to the whole experience.
I'd be interested to hear what little things other users are appreciating.
Having stepped from mid-range HX to the L1, there's been a few more subtle differences that I'm appreciating.
The wooden portafilter handle is a beautiful tactile experience - I can't tell you how much I appreciate this part. The shape conforms nicely to the hand, the length shorter than I'm used to and I think perfectly balanced. But the texture of the wenge handles is what really sets this apart.
If you haven't done it yet, you should really pay attention to the feel of using this handle.
I also really, really like the water tank lid - my previous machine had a big full-width stainless cover. No problem there, slightly clunky and a bit noisy but nothing you'd class as an actual problem. The hole for the water tank was tiny, so you had to pull out the tank to fill it. Again, no problem, it had moulded handles making it easy to lift. The low water sensor was a weight switch so it wasn't a problem where you put it down.
So there were no real problems with what I was using before.
And yet... the lid on the tank is light and easy to lift. The plastic underneath means it's quiet to take off and put on. The full-size hole for the tank makes refilling in-situ a breeze. I have more confidence in the low-water sensors. I love it that there's a filter in the tank.
The water tap has a pleasing array of fine little water jets and it's so easy (I know, I know, bone of contention and all that) to accurately dispense hot water.
The on/off toggle switch. I really like this - it's solid and industrial. You know when it's on or off. It keeps your fingers away from hot bits. You don't spread fingerprints all around hard-to-clean areas as you would with a button.
There's plenty of BIG things to appreciate about the L1 - but the little things contribute to the whole experience.
I'd be interested to hear what little things other users are appreciating.
Comments
The toggles mean a pretty much instant close. As soon as the temp tags hit yellow - OFF! Easy.
Kfir.
The ease of use coupled with the consistent quality.
Polished stainless finish.
Toggle style taps making them quite easy to use.
Capacity of the drip tray.
Silence.
Temperature Stability.
Outstanding customer service offered with the product (and before the purchase)
Just plain pride of ownership and the piece of mind that comes with buying a (what Paul and Craig from HG-one call) "heirloom quality", this machine will be with me for decades....and I hope it will see me out.