la Valentina Automatic Espresso Machine

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
zackbox

07/21/2012

OK, let me start by saying that this is all my brother's fault. He owns a string of coffee stores, and when I bought a super automatic machine to make great coffee at home, he told me I would be disappointed, and he was right. He told me to stop wasting money on bells and whistles and buy an espresso machine for the boiler and to be sure to buy an Italian boiler. Period. Just that. He said that the reason that commercial machines cost 10K is because of the boiler quality. Thus, I saved my money, and when ready to buy, started seriously exploring machines. Once I saw the video on this machine with it's unbelievable boiler, I knew this was the one. This machine is a super boiler combined with a few simple controls. You have to grind separately and tamp separately, but I have found that is part of the joy of the process since I can smell the coffee at each step. I have had absolutely no problems with the machine, and I've had it over a year now. My biggest problem is that when I travel and have to return to commercial coffee shops, I realize just how awesome the coffee I now make really is. A caveat: I saw in previous reviews that you need to turn on the pot at least 30 minutes prior to pulling shots. This is absolutely true. The gauge might read 1.2 bars before that time, but the pressure will not hold up. I just get out of bed, go downstairs, turn on the pot, and then go back up and shower and dress. By the time I'm ready for the coffee, the pot is ready for me. The only downside is the instruction manual. It's mostly in Italian and useless even if you read Italian (which I do). However, a simple trial run of pushing every button will let you know what the icons mean, and there is nothing else to this machine. It's not cheap, but you get what you pay for with this one. I don't expect to ever need another machine, but if something happens, I'll buy this one again.

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
thegster

06/07/2012

I have had this machine, automatic unit, for a couple of years and it has preformed seamlessly in every way. I just had to order a new head gasket to replace a leaky one, the other was removed with out any problem. I had a slight pump issue but with a few nut checks and a slight adjustment here and there all is fine. I would not hesitate to recommend this machine to anyone. There is not really an instruction manual but a page or two of this and that - you will have no troulble since it is easy to program and as with any machine you will need to find your sweet spot with grind and amount for your shots. ginny

Rated 5 out of 5

Posted By:
Clell Smith

08/06/2009

Has owned for:
More than 1 year
Ability Level:
Connoisseur

The La Val is one of those extreamly well made

The La Val is one of those extreamly well made pieces of equipment you can keep for a lifetime. After owning a manual Gensaco machine (essentially the same machine as the Pasquini Livia 90) for 10 years (and still going strong) I got tired of hauling my machine back and forth to a second home, so I moved the Gensaco and sprang for a new home machine. The La Val has been used daily for almost 2 years and has never let me down. When you are ready to step up to one of the best simi commercial machines on the market you will not be unhappy with this unit. Additionally, this time I purchased the automatic unit which is a dream!

How Long Have I Been Using This Product?

More than 1 year

What's Best About this Product?

Looks, quality, construction

Some Helpful Tips For Using this Product:

Buy a great grinder, use quality beans, otherwise don't spend the $$ for a great machine.

My Experience With Using This Product:

Connoisseur

The Coffee I've Tried With This Product:

Various, whole bean, ground just before brewing

Some Improvements I Would Recommend for This Product:

Nothing about the machine but the instructions could use a re-write!

Some of the Other Machines I've Used:

Gensaco, Starbucks

The Type of Grinder I've Been Using:

Burr

The Make and Model of My Grinder:

Mazzer Mini