"Like new" is overused.
Except when it's true.
We decided to buy our first Faemina, because the photos looked irresistably "clean." So it was a shock to open the box from Italy, and realize it wasn't "clean." It was virtually unused!
We pulled pieces out of the packing, one by one, in amazement.
The chrome on the boiler was almost perfect. The portafilter seemed to have never had coffee in it. The aluminum base was still smooth and shiny.
We were suddenly hit with pangs of guilt about our plan to "Americanize" it.
The idea was to install custom 110 volt heating elements, and rewire it to work in a modern American kitchen. But seeing this dead stock Faemina made us pause. Should we just leave it alone? Keep/sell it as a "museum piece?"
What to do with such an original vintage lever?
In the end, we fought off doubts, and decided a late model Faemina wasn't so rare that rebuilding it into an American daily driver would be a sin.
So we did.
New 110 elements were installed, a new power cord and wiring, and all new gaskets, o-rings and seals (because even "unused" rubber after 60 years gets hard!) We even put new "feet" on it.
No real need to descale obviously, but we cleaned and polished everything, so it's even more impressive than it came out of the box.
(Yes, we saved the original 220 elements in case a new owner wanted to go back to "original" some day.)
Note: we had to source our own boiler top o-ring after discovering the one Orphan Espresso sent was too thin to seal properly. They swore they "never had a problem" with the size, but it leaked on ours. Otherwise everything went smoothly, and we're glad someone is still providing support to old levers.
The result is a 60 year old Faemina that looks original, and as capable as it was in 1966. Except it works in the USA.
Faema attempted to modernize the "old fashioned" deco look in this last year of production, by replacing the metal "accordian" on the boiler with a smooth piece of aluminum (and "new" white logo.) Less Art Deco, more Bauhaus.
Otherwise, not much changed from it's inception as one of the "home size" Italian levers in the early '50s.
Obviously intended for household use, but small European cafes could use them as well, and Faema even engineered a fill valve so machines could be "plumbed in."
But the boiler is large enough to pull at least four or five shots safely before "reloading." (Compared to maybe two/three for the Europiccola.)
Sight the water level using the insanely cool deep sea diving helmet glass on the front.
Faeminas may be "pretty," but they're built like heavy duty commercial espresso machines of the era. The Italians hadn't gotten the memo yet that modern manufacturers needed to "cheap out" build quality to increase profits, as Americans were starting to do heading into the 1970s. The Faemina was still being hand built to hand down to grandchildren, with pride and "old world" standards.
Yes, they are "quirky" machines, both in looks and operation. And they have a bit of a learning curve. You're reminded sometimes that you're driving a 1950s vehicle.
The "ivory domino" on/off and hi/low toggle switches are really unique, if not necessarily intuitive. Luckily there are only two choices! Dual elements are a nice feature on a small home espresso machine. Giving the user more control over the running temp than modern pressurestat machines. Like a "manual transmission," versus an automatic. The kind of human control over process largely eliminated in the 21st Century by "convenience."
As far as the "learning curve," once you get the grind and dose dialed in, it's mostly about learning to manage the lever.
It's got a stiff spring, and there's not a lot of travel. A slight movement of the handle down releases boiler water for preinfusion. Then one pulls the rest of the way down and releases gently for the finale.
Every user has their own technique. Ours is to move the handle down a hair and wait for espresso drops to appear (should be 5-20 seconds or your grind is probably too fine.) Then pull the lever down as far as it will go, let it rise about a third of the way up to make sure pressure is there, then pull down again and release for the finale.
That gets an approximate double shot (with the caveat that the Faemina uses a small La Pavoni sized basket!)
A single pull without the "extra" gives you the absolute classic ristretto.
Which is what this machine was designed for. Pulling small exquisite shots. Not making large "milk drinks."
The steam wand can be tricky. We happen to like lattes in the morning, and it's taken some practice to get the kind of microfoam we like. The tight bend in the arm slows reduces velocity, and increases chances for condensation, so you really have to get the machine heated up with the "high" setting, and purge completely, for best results. The blow off valve on top of the boiler will be whistling hard by then!
So yeah, steaming also has a learning curve. And maybe helped along with a smaller pitcher.
You kind of have to see a few Faeminas to understand just how amazing the condition of this one is.
The bases on these are soft cast aluminum, and will scratch if you look at them wrong. But instead of the scuffed and dull base of the typical used Faemina, this one is almost mirror like.
And the handles tend to suffer pitting from years of electrolysis (a lot of different metals joined together on these!) Even if they were "well taken care of," corrosion just goes with the territory after enough time. But the chrome on this one is nearly perfect.
So whoever ends up with this will hopefully appreciate how special it is. Not many people get to use genuine Art to satisfy their addiction in the morning.
The bottom line is the Faemina is best for people who like small straight shots of espresso. But it can do most anything you want with a little effort.
Comes with one original double basket, and a wood handle 49mm tamper.
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$1,250.00Price
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