La Cimbali Junior espresso machine
One of most common La Cimbali espresso machines is one of their older, out of production, models. Which is the La Cimbali Junior, this espresso machine is the predecessor of the La Cimbali M21 Junior. You do see a lot of resemblances between these two espresso machine models.
This espresso machine could be used in a variety of places, from small bars to restaurants which don´t require a big capacity espresso machine. Seen the Cimbali Junior is only available in a single group version. But nowadays you do see that a lot of the Cimbali Junior espresso machines ended up in domestic locations. Seen they are small enough to fit in a kitchen.
This espresso machine does have a lot of features of the big commercial coffee machines La Cimbali produces, but does have various things you only find on the Cimbali Junior.
Technical features of the Cimbali Junior
The setup inside the machine is fairly simple, this espresso machine is fitted with a heat exchanger(HX) system. The HX system on La Cimbali espresso machines is different then other brands. There is the heat exchanger attached the brewing group and the brewing group is also attached to the boiler, without tubing.
The brewing group used on the La Cimbali Junior is a standard La Cimbali group head, this type of group head is solenoid operated. So the standard size of portafilter and portafilter gasket can be installed on this coffee machine.
The shape of the boiler on the Cimbali junior is just a regular tube shape with closed of flanges. On one side you have a hole for the heating element and on the side of the boiler you have flange for the brewing group, so where the HX is located. The heating element installed on the Cimbali junior can be 3 models. A 110V 1300W element, a 220V 1300W model and a 1800W 220V heating element.
On the fittings on the boiler there are various components attached to. On the top you have the tubing for both the steam and water valves. On the top and the bottom you have the connections for the water level. Where the safety valve is located there are also the connections for the boiler safety valve and the pressure switch. This pressure switch controls the heating element when to turn on and off.
On this compact espresso machine there is not a lot of room for a pump, so there has been installed a small Ulka vibration pump. You do see that in some cases a pump and motor assembly is placed eventually, seen not everyone is that pleased with a Ulka Vibration pump. In this case the pump is also used to fill the boiler, seen this espresso machine has been fitted with a small water tank.
On the field of the electronics this is a rather simple espresso machine. it has been fitted with a level regulator, to automatically fill the boiler once it is below a certain point. The rest of the machine is really basic, you don’t have pre-set coffee selections. This is just starting and stopping the brewing process manually.
Cimbali Junior grinder
For the Cimbali Junior is also a matching grinder available, this is called the Cimbali MD Junior. In this case the MD stands for Macina Dosatore, coffee grinder. This is a relative simple coffee grinder, with a small footprint. With the idea that it needs to be placed in a bar/restaurant with not a lot of space.
Difference between La Cimbali junior and the Cimbali M21 Junior
The idea exists that the Cimbali Junior and the Cimbali M21 Junior are the same espresso machine. They do have some resemblances, but they are not the same coffee machine. The main thing is that the Cimbali Junior is only available in a non volumetric machine. Where the Cimbali M21 Junior is available in a Volumetric and non volumetric model.
Besides that the Junior model does have a vibration pump installed, where the M21 Junior is fitted with a pump and motor combination.
Cimbali Junior spare parts from Brooks
At Brooks-parts we can supply a lot of spare parts for the Cimbali Junior espresso machine, this can be OEM/original and after market. In the case of the Cimbali Junior it is possible that some items are out of production. When they are available it is also possible that the lead times can be quite long, which is quite standard with parts of Gruppo Cimbali.