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‘Tis a joy just to look at it.. ‘Tis a joy to use
 I am a proud and enthusiastic owner of an Elektra SemiAutomatica Microcasa electro pump, I note the pump since it is also made as a lever machine. It is an absolutely wonderful machine.
My machine was made in 1995, although the same model is being made
today still. It is very elegant, exceedingly capable and a joy to
use.
This machine is not widely available in New Zealand, although those that know the machine, almost without exception covert it. I was lucky enough to acquire the machine second hand. I have de-scaled it, flushed the boiler and calibrated the thermostat and it is working a treat.
- For those that don’t know this delightful piece of Italian engineering, the machine is a vertical heat-exchanger.
- It performs at least as well as any ‘pro-sumer’ heat-exchanger machine I have come across. I am tempted to suggest that the vertical format actually plays in its favour, but I have no benchmarking to confirm this.
- The machine makes incredible coffee, just amazing. I could rave about the depth of crema, but you’ll just have to believe me.
- It produces great micro-foam, velvety texture just as one would desire.
- The machine uses a full size / commercial porta-filter and handle
- And as a bonus, the machine looks great
By its very nature, you would not plumb this machine in. An issue for some no doubt, but the large chrome water basin so elegantly patrolled by the spread winged eagle, is so simple to fill, I believe that the Elektra actually makes the whole plumbing-in redundant. You just lift the large lid off using the eagle as the handle and you can pour water in from a jug, a pot or whatever. I use filtered water in mine since I can.
Are there any flaws or weaknesses?
Some reviewers have complained that the drip tray is too small. It is very small, but I get around this by using a shallow stainless bowl when flushing the head. The bowl just happens to look like it goes with the machine, so I have no issues with this ‘limitation’.
I admit I use great beans for my coffee that I grind immediately prior to extraction. I buy my beans from Tony Gibbston who roasts on The Terrace in Wellington. His coffee shop is frequently jammed, despite it not even having a sign outside it. His is the first espresso bar from the Parliament end of The Terrace. Tony won the Felix award for the city’s best barista in 2005 and he’s an exceedingly good roaster too.
I really rate my espresso machine. No, I love my machine.
Geoff Dawson
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