The ancient art of coffee still lives in the Athena Leva, the espresso machine so beloved by espresso professionals. Its lever delivery system ensures a high level of customization of the drink, but at the same time requires a high level of competence on the part of the barista.
Helix Halo: The Spiraling Secret to Flawless Extractions (Optional)
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History
Art, luxury, and craftsmanship
Victoria Arduino marketed its first lever machines at the end of World War II, in 1946. They were the WAT series of espresso machines, ancestors of the exquisite Athena Leva, the first of which was made in late sixties in Casorate Sempione (VA), Italy.
The materials used for the internal and external components make the espresso machine particularly exquisite. The bodywork, completely hammered by hand by expert craftsmen, is an expression of uniqueness and tradition that is also reflected in the final cup, a perfect espresso.
Refined Technology
In typical lever espresso coffee machines the water that enters the group is straight from the boiler, which is well known to have a pressure of 1 to 1.2 bar, corresponding to 120-130° C. Basically it is the same water used to generate steam. Instead, in the Victoria Arduino Athena Leva, which uses heat exchangers (even though it is a lever machine), the water temperature can be controlled to optimize the quality of extracted coffee. In this case, for an excellent pre-infusion, a special pressure reducer reduces the pressure of the water supply, which is normally 4 to 6 bar. With these specifications, coffee extractions with the Athena Leva are particularly creamy and not burnt (as may happen with water at high temperatures).
