Lever Coffee Machines

Does Star Cafe have a lever machine? No. So what is a lever coffee Machine and why are they so hot right now?

There are quite a few types of espresso machine, ranging from the super budget domestic machines to the uber expensive lever machines. There is an obvious distinction in the end result of coffee that an espresso machine can produce. Coffee machines utilize a cylinder (boiler) to produce pressured boiled water which is then forced through the coffee grounds. This extremely hot water can scald the coffee grounds and burn the coffee, its oils and it’s aromas, resulting in a bitter espresso without the delicious taste of a decent brew. Experienced this anywhere lately?

The better machines solve this problem with a pump that forces hot water through the boiler without boiling it through the coffee grounds. These machines have a thermal block that heats the water instantly and controls the temperature through the grounds. There are some variations here these days in the machines can be; single boilers which use heat exchangers to get the optimum temperature; or multiple boiler machines where each group head has a dedicated boiler that can pressurize and heat to exact specifications.

The lever or hand operated machines require a bit of muscle but they combine the best of both worlds:

- A larger boiling cylinder that heats the water to produce steam.

-  The lever replaces the pump and you control the speed at which the water is forced through the coffee grounds. So instead of relying on solenoids to click and then activate the pump, the barista controls the pressure via the lever and can make sure that the entire extraction of the coffee is controlled.

- The larger and stronger mechanical parts in a lever machine result in a longer live versus the smaller parts in pump machines. This is a no brainer, less parts, less chance of breakage and downtime.

This boils down to how much money you are willing to part with for the love of coffee, because the lever coffee machines are rather expensive. On the other hand, you get what you pay for! For a decent write up on a current model Lever machine Check out the Mirage website here.