La Pavoni Esperto Competente review
Verdict
Buy the Competente only if you want the brass finish. It is the same machine as the Esperto Abile, and on Amazon US it was sold only by third-party sellers when we checked.
Who it is for
Buy it if
- Buyers who want the Esperto's group gauge in a brass finish
Skip it if
- You prefer Amazon as the seller (the Competente had no Amazon-sold offer when we checked)
- You do not mind chrome (the Abile is the same machine)
Specifications
- US model code
- ESPCO-16 (brass boiler, chrome base)
- Boiler capacity
- 38 oz, rated for 16 cups
- Gauges
- Group pressure gauge and boiler gauge
- Group temperature
- Temperature indicator on the group
- In the box
- Competition baskets (9g, 16g, 20g), bottomless and double portafilters, stainless tamper
- Power
- 120V, 1000W (Amazon); 110V, 1000W (importer)
- US warranty
- 1 year (the importer's policy for all electric products)
Every figure comes from a source listed at the end of this page. US specifications can differ from European ones, so check the rating plate or the listing before you buy parts.
The short answer
The Esperto Competente is the Esperto Abile with a brass boiler on a chrome base. The US importer lists the Abile, Competente and Edotto as the same line in three finishes: chrome, brass and copper. All three have the pressure gauge on the group, the temperature indicator on the group head, and the competition baskets and bottomless portafilter in the box.
Read the Abile review for how the machine works. This page covers what is different: the finish and how to buy it.
The brass finish
Brass gives the Competente a warmer look than the chrome Abile. Like any polished brass, expect to clean it more often to keep it bright. The importer lists rosewood handles across the Esperto line.
Buying it in the US
When we checked Amazon US, the Competente’s listing had no Amazon-sold offer. It was available only through third-party sellers. That is not unusual for a machine at this level, but it puts the checks on you:
- Confirm the listing is the 120V model.
- Check who the seller is and their return window.
- Ask whether the US importer’s one-year warranty applies to a purchase from that seller.
Verdict
Choose the Competente for the brass. If the finish does not matter to you, the Abile is the same machine and was easier to buy when we checked.
Where to buy
On Amazon US the Competente had no Amazon-sold offer when we last checked, only third-party sellers under See All Buying Options. Check the seller, voltage and return terms carefully. The US importer, European Gift and Houseware, also lists it.
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Alternatives
Gauge on the group
Esperto Abile
A Professional-size lever with a pressure gauge and a temperature strip on the group, so you can see what the shot is doing as you pull.
- Boiler capacity
- 38 oz per the US importer. The Amazon listing says 54 oz. Rated for 16 cups.
- Group gauge
- Yes, a pressure gauge on the group for extraction pressure, plus a boiler gauge
- Group temperature
- Temperature strip on the group head
More shots per fill
Professional
The Europiccola's lever and group on a boiler twice the size, with a pressure gauge. The better daily lever for milk drinks or two people.
- Boiler capacity
- 1.6 L per La Pavoni. US sources list 38 oz (manual, Amazon) or 54 oz (importer).
- Basket size
- About 51mm (Millennium, made after 2000). Older machines use about 49mm.
- Pressure gauge
- Yes, on the boiler. The US manual says it should top out at 0.7 to 0.8 bar and never pass 1 bar.
Esperto Competente questions
Is the Competente different from the Abile?
Only in finish, per the US importer. The Competente has a brass boiler and chrome base. The Abile is all chrome.
Is it safe to buy from a third-party seller on Amazon?
Check that the listing is the 120V model, who the seller is, the return window, and whether the importer's one-year warranty applies to that seller.
Sources
European Gift and Houseware, the US importer, and its US manuals; La Pavoni manuals, parts lists and product pages; Amazon US product listings.