We are proud to be USA dealers of the uniquely beautiful Elekta espresso machines. If you want a machine that produces great quality drinks and is a beautiful centerpiece that is bound to impress, the Elektra product line may be the brand for you. As with many espresso machine brands, Elektra lever machines are handmade in Italy.
History
The company was founded by Florindo Fregnan in 1947. Florinado picked up a passion for espresso machines through a close relationship with his grandfather. Florinado successfully led the company until his retirement in the 1990s, when he passed the control of the company to his sons who still run the company to this day. To this day the machines are still made one by one by artisan craftsman in a small family owned warehouse and not on a mass production factory floor. Elektra espresso machines are not just a machine, they are a work of art. Today the CEO of the company is Federico Fregnan and his brother Eng Andrea Fregnan is in charge of R&D and operations.
Elektra Home Espresso Product Line Up & Comparison
Elektra Micro Casa A Leva Spring Lever Espresso Machines
We sell three variations of this machine, the Chrome, Chrome and Brass, and Copper and Brass. They are all identical other than having a different look due to the metals used to make the exterior look and feel. These machines are spring lever machines, which, when compared to traditional lever machines, they provide more consistency during extraction. With traditional manual lever machines, the extraction pressure is entirely dependent on how the home barista applies pressure with the lever. With a spring lever machine like the Elektra, the extraction pressure is based on the contraction of a spring, which makes the extraction more repeatable since it’s the same every time. Elektra machines have a lower extraction pressure than most pump espresso machines, which has a positive effect on flavor. With the Elektra lever, the boiler is the water tank. The design of the machine is simple in terms of electronics, so other than normal wear and tear items like gaskets, these machines tend to run and run and run.
Elektra Microcasa Semiautomatica
As the name implies this Elektra product is a semi-automatic machine that has a pump for brewing and for refilling the water tank. It’s a heat exchanger that allows you to brew and steam at the same time and without waiting between brewing and steaming. It is not a volumetric machine, so you will have to manually start and stop the brew cycle. Compared to the Elektra Microcasa A Leva, the Elektra Microcasa Semiautomatica is easier to dial in, better for milk based drinks due to the heat exchanger design, has more steam pressure, and has a water pump vs a spring lever. There are two variations of the Microcasa Semiautomatica, Chrome and Copper/Brass. Both are identical other than the look and feel.
Elektra Mini Verticale
The Elektra Mini Vericale is the big sister to the Microcasa Semiautomatica and also comes in two variations, Chrome, and Copper/Brass. Both are heat exchanger machines, but the Mini Verticale is a larger machine. The Mini Verticale is 27.5 inches tall, 15 inches wide, and 15 inches deep, compared to the Microcasa Semiautomatica that is 23 inches tall, 10.5 inches wide, and 10.5 inches deep. The heating element on the Mini Verticale is 1200 watts versus the heating element on the Microcasa Semiautomatica that is 900 watts. Both have a 2 liter boiler capacity. The Mini Verticale has a cup warmer compared to the Microcasa Semiautomatica that does not. With the smaller size, the Semiautomatica is easier to ship in for repairs, compared to the Mini Verticale which has to ship on a pallet, so local repairs are the best way to go for the Mini Verticale or self repairs if you are handy.
Elektra FAQs
Would The Microcasa Lever, Semiautomatica or Mini Verticale Be Ok for Commercial Use?
While Elektra as a manufacturer has a complete commercial espresso machine and grinder product line available, these models are designed for home use only and we would never under any circumstance recommend any of these models for commercial use. They are simply not designed for the rigors of commercial production and they will not hold up and will start to have issues associated with this kind of misuse. The manufacturer will not honor warranties if these machines are used in a commercial environment, including in a coffee shop, coffee cart, restaurant, office, hotel, café, or similar type environment.
Can Any Home Elektra Machines be Direct Connected?
The Microcasa lever, Semiautomatica and Mini Verticale cannot be direct connected, but Elektra does make some direct connect machines for home use, including the Delizioso, which we only have available as non-returnable special order.
Do I Have To Wait For The Machine To Cool Down Before Refilling With Water?
If you get Microcasa lever model in which case the boiler is the water tank, you will have to wait until the machine cools down before you can refill, otherwise very hot steam will come out of the boiler refill hole. The Semiautomatica and the Mini Verticale both have their own reservoirs, so you can refill at any time without worrying about opening up the boiler to refill.
Are Elektra Home Machines 110 or 220 volt?
While the company manufacturers home machines with both 220 volt and 110 volt connections, we only have 110 volt models for sale in the USA.
Can I Purchase An Elektra Espresso Machine from You On Amazon or Ebay?
We are no longer selling these machines on Amazon or Ebay. Both companies take a larger part of a sale for their commission so we are able to sell via our website at a lower price than we could on Amazon or similar website.
How Many Cappuccinos Can You Make From One Boiler Of Water On the Elektra Microcasa Lever?
There is enough water and steam in the boiler to make about 8 cappuccino sized drinks before you have to refill the boiler.
Does Elektra Make Cappuccino Machines and Latte Machines?
We are frequently asked whether espresso machines can also make cappuccinos and lattes. The answer is, yes they can. Most espresso machines have some kind of mechanism that allows users to steam milk, which is all that is needed in combination with brewing espresso to make milk based drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos.
Can You Brew Regular Drip Coffee With An Elektra Espresso Machine?
No. By definition, espresso machines extract coffee at high pressure. This is a different brewing technique when compared to drip coffee and has it’s own unique flavor. That being said, a common work around is to add two shot of espresso to six ounces of hot water to make what is called an Americano. But an espresso machine is not a traditional coffee maker.
If I’m In Canada, Can I Purchase An Elektra From Espresso Outlet?
We prefer not to ship to Canada and we suggest you contact a Canadian distributor such as IDrinkCoffee and purchase from them. There are too many issues related to shipping and warranty support for it to be worth it for us to ship products to Canada.
How Fast Do Elektra Espresso Machine Steam Milk?
It depends on the amount of milk you are steaming, but Elektra espresso machines have good steam pressure and can steam milk for a typical sized milk drink in about 30 seconds.
Do Elektra Espresso Machines Grind Coffee?
No, Elektra espresso machines do not have built in grinder and we highly recommend that you purchase a stand alone high caliber grinder if you want to get the most out of your espresso machine. We do not recommend using preground coffee. You simply will not get good results. Every coffee has a different ideal grind size that changes the longer it is past roast date, so it is important that you have a grinder that allows you to fine tune the grind size for each individual bean. We recommend a grinder that is about half the price of the Elektra espresso machine if you want to get the most out of your machine.
User Manual
You can download the Elektra home espresso machine manual here.
Special Order Machines
We don’t sell typically sell the complete product line that Elektra has to offer, but if you are looking for a specific model we don’t sell, including commercial one or two group machines, Verve, Belle Epoque, Barlume, Bregenz, Nivola, Sixties or similar model, please feel free to contact us and we’ll see what we can do.
Parts
If you need a specific part for your Elektra espresso machine, we don’t have parts listed, but we do have parts available or we are able to get them, so please email ([email protected]) us with a detailed description of the parts you need. We do not do phone support for parts as it takes way to much time to identify the exact part needed over the phone and is much more efficient to have a written description.