Abstract: A dispenser unit operated by a lever, for use in an espresso machine, comprising a housing, mainly extending along a vertical axis, between a lower base and an upper cross member, a shaft located within said housing and freely translating along said vertical axis. The dispensing unit comprises a rod-like lever with one free end and with the opposite end operably connected to the upper end of said shaft located within the housing, with a cam and a cam follower mechanism interposed therebetween. The base of the housing has conventional coupling means which are adapted to receive and retain a portafilter for a given dose of coffee grounds and the lever is susceptible of angularly moving between a rest position and a stall position and vice versa.