La Pavoni Botticelli Specialty review

The short answer

The Botticelli Specialty is not a lever. It is La Pavoni’s dual boiler pump machine: a 0.6 litre coffee boiler and a 1.8 litre steam boiler, each with PID temperature control, an E61 group with a 58mm portafilter, a rotary pump, and three gauges (group, pump and boiler), per La Pavoni’s specification. It also has adjustable brew pressure, which La Pavoni calls BPPC.

That combination is about consistency. You can brew and steam at the same time, the brew temperature is held by a controller rather than by how many shots you have pulled, and the 58mm portafilter fits a wide range of standard accessories.

Before you fall for it: two US checks

It is not on Amazon US. We found no listing. The 120V version is sold by US espresso retailers, including Coffeeionado, Limolin and The Kitchen Barista, and stock comes and goes.

It needs a 20-amp outlet. A US retailer lists the 120V Botticelli at 2380W with a NEMA 5-20P plug. That plug only fits a 20-amp receptacle, the kind with one sideways slot. Many kitchen outlets are 15-amp. Check yours, or plan for an electrician, before ordering.

It takes about 15 minutes to heat up, per the manual. It is also heavy. La Pavoni lists 31 kg, and the machine is 450 mm deep, so measure the counter and the space under your cabinets.

Who it suits

The Botticelli makes the most sense for households that make several milk drinks in a row and want them to taste the same each time. A lever like the Professional can make excellent milk drinks, but it shares one boiler between brew and steam, and its group heats up with each shot. The Botticelli removes both limits.

If you are drawn to La Pavoni for the lever, the ritual and the repairability of a simple machine, this is the wrong machine. Look at the Esperto Abile or the Professional instead.

What we could not confirm

Sources disagree on a few specifications, and we list them rather than pick one. La Pavoni’s manual gives 8 to 9 bar as the correct brewing pressure, while some US retailers list 15 or 20 bar without saying what the figure measures. La Pavoni lists the boilers as stainless steel with a copper and brass steam boiler, while US retailers say copper and brass. Retailers state a warranty of one or two years. Confirm these with the retailer you buy from.

We also found listings elsewhere under the Botticelli name with specifications from a different machine. Use the La Pavoni specification and the model code LPSBSS13US to make sure you are looking at the Specialty.

What to buy with it

A dual boiler machine shows the limits of a grinder quickly, so a grinder with fine, stepless adjustment is the first priority. A scale helps you repeat good shots. Because there are two boilers, follow the manual for water treatment and descaling.

Verdict

The Botticelli Specialty is a capable dual boiler machine for milk drinks, wearing a La Pavoni badge. Buy it if you want repeatability and have a 20-amp outlet. Buy a La Pavoni lever if you want the La Pavoni experience.