Owning the La Spaziale Mini Vivaldi II
The Vivaldi II from La Spaziale is an industrious dual boiler machine boasting several innovative features and commercial certifications, including NSF. It features a near-silent rotary pump and requires direct plumbing into a water line, as there is no reservoir like there is on the Mini version. Because it’s plumbed, the Vivaldi II has latent pre-infusion capabilities, which can be programmed to occur from 1-8 seconds just prior to the pump kicking on. The Vivaldi II has a 0.45 liter brew boiler just like on the Mini, though the steam boiler is increased from 1.2 to 2.5 liters on the standard Vivaldi II for added steam power. A standard steam knob replaces the lever on the Mini. La Spaziale has packed a lot of innovation into both versions of the Vivaldi II. Both machines feature programmable timed brewing for both a single and double shot; both dispense water from a dedicated wand at the press of a button; both feature a 4-hole steam wand perfect for microfoam; and both utilize La Spaziale’s patented coffee delivery system, drawing dry steam from the highest point in the boiler to heat the group head.
The Vivaldi II’s crowning feature is easily the temperature regulation control pad integrated into both the standard and Mini versions. A temperature selector enables you to choose a brew temperature in 1°C increments ranging from 91°C (195.8°F) to 97°C (206.6°F). Plus, you can even make adjustments to group temperature. It’s basically espresso mission control. To soup it up even more, each Vivaldi II can be optionally equipped with a 7-day on/off timer, a longer steam wand, and there’s an ESE pod adaptor kit available (though, we don’t recommend you spring for a Vivaldi II just to use pods). La Spaziale includes a comprehensive, full color manual with each of their machines to make it easy for users to learn the ropes and begin experimenting. The Vivaldi II is protected from overheating by a built-in safety thermostat, and features fault diagnosis alerts for simple troubleshooting, which, we love, because there’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to brew an espresso on demand. One difference about the Vivaldi II’s in comparison to other commercial machines, they use 53 mm portafilters in place of the standard 58mm. There’s no difference in the quality of the coffee, the 53mm basket is just slightly deeper, and, of course, will require a 53mm tamper. If you like the sound of the Vivaldi II, but don’t have a place to plumb it in, the Mini version is a great alternative.
Temperature Regulation & Management
The Vivaldi II’s temperature selector enables you to choose a brew temp, in 1°C increments ranging from 91°C (195.8°F) to 97°C (206.6°F). Internal sensors activate the heater when a temperature drop of at least ½°C is detected. This functionality provides an extremely precise temperature reading in both the steaming and brew boilers, resulting in enhanced performance.
Programmable Passive Pre-Infusion
Since the La Spaziale Vivaldi II is plumbed into a water line, you have the capability to program passive pre-infusion. Meaning, water will dispense at the pressure in found in the line, anywhere from 1 to 8 seconds. Once you have determined the best settings for your brewing all you need to do is press the button to start the brew cycle and pre-infusion will happen automatically.
Programmable Dosing Volume
The programmable volumetric dosing feature allows programming of the single and double cup control buttons to dispense whatever quantities of espresso the user desires. Select your ideal shot volume and then easily brew shot after shot with one touch. A dedicated button also allows you to easily dispense hot water as you please for Americanos and the like.
Dual Boilers
Superior temperature control starts with the Vivaldi II’s 2.5 liter steam boiler and 0.45 liter brew boiler. Both boilers are completely independent, turning on and off according to the needs of each, and can be on at the same time. The boiler control button can toggle the steam/water boiler on and off to conserve energy.