Sorrentina Coffee Online Store

This espresso machine was made in Milan in the late 1960's or early 70's. It is a well made machine, the body is cast alloy with a powdercote enamel paint surface.  The inner piston cylinder is brass lined and the lever is solidly cast out of ally. The handle grip is bakelite.

The Zerowatt lever is a manual lever espresso machine: to use it you fill the kettle via the little lid on the top. The machine is switched on and whilst it comes to a boil you can prepare your coffee. Grind fine with a moderate tamp and lock the portafilter handle in place. When the kettle has reached a boil you can turn it off. To make a shot you raise the lever, hot water enters a chamber above the coffee and when you pull the lever down it is forced through the ground coffee producing true espresso with crema. You can pump the lever several times depending on how large you want your espresso shot to be.

The Zerowatt on offer here is in fine condition for its age. There are some chips in the orange paint work but overall it looks great. The set is complete with the drip tray and grill, portafilter handle and basket. We will also include a wood handled tamper. 

The machine has been tested and is working well. It has not been restored but very few shows few signs of actual use and worked fine when we tested it. The portafilter is very clean indicating the machine has been in storage for many years and was never used. The boiler is clean inside. We made a perfectly good espresso shot: see the picture! However we recommend that if the machine is to be used regularly it should be restored and checked by an electrician. Also due to the design of this machine: when you pull the lever you must take care not to tip the machine over or let it slip. The top is full of hot/boiling water! For this reason we reccomend if it is intended for use you should fit non slip rubber feet or a mat to the bottom and take when you use the machine. 

Otherwise this is a very nice collectible espresso machine from the end of the Golden Age of Italian design- perfect for any collection of mid-century modernism. 

Spare parts for this machine (such as rubber piston seals)  are available by mail order from the USA: www.orphanespresso.com