Had to choose between a 15 year old espresso machine or a new one for $400

Picked the old one from a garage sale for 20 bucks after the guy said it just needed a cleaning. Spent 3 hours taking it apart and descaling it with vinegar and it works perfect now. The shots actually taste better than the breville I was gonna buy. Has anyone else fixed up an old machine and had it beat out the new stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

abby_martin2823d ago

You ever pull apart an old machine and find out it's actually built way better than the new stuff? @max808 your buddy got lucky with that Rancilio. I did the same thing with a 20 year old Gaggia I found at a yard sale. Took the whole thing apart, scrubbed every part, replaced the gaskets and a valve. After I dialed it in the shots came out so much smoother than my friend's newer model. The old metal parts just feel heavier and more solid than the plastic stuff they make now.

max80823d ago

Man my buddy found an old Rancilio Silvia at a thrift store for like 50 bucks. Thing was crusty as hell, full of scale. He spent a whole weekend rebuilding the group head and replacing the seals. Now it pulls shots that blow away his roommate's new Gaggia. Said the steam wand alone is worth the trouble.