Re: Poll for adequate espresso machine "cheap"

Your grinder is a commercial espresso grinder/doser and sounds more than
adequate. There is surely a nameplate somewhere. You may want to look at
getting replacement burrs (again quite cheap) as the chances are pretty good
that yours are dull.

I don't remember all the details of the Gaggia parts cost but as you say
they are certainly available and IIRC they are not prohibitively priced
(e.g. it's not cheaper to buy a whole machine than it is to replace 1 or 2
parts), though like all replacement parts they are marked up - if you buy
the machine piece by piece it would cost some multiple of the original cost.


<papenfussDIESPAM@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:djo8rc$1g9$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Jack Denver <nunuvyer@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> : The entry level Gaggias certainly seem to fit the bill. Corrosion
> seems to
> : vary greatly according to the agressiveness of the local water and the
> : descalers that you use - some people report problems, others get many
> years
> : of service. Even a corroded boiler is not fatal in that replacement
> parts
> : are available at a fairly reasonable cost. I think they are really your
> best
> : bet. What is your grinder setup? As has often been said, the grinder
> is if
> : anything the more critical component.
>
> Even a replacement boiler? Often replacement parts aren't
> cost-effective...
> especially on entry-level models. I fixed my old Mr. Coffee a time or two
> (water leak
> from the pump hose once, and I had to shim the water/steam valve gasket
> once). I
> tried to get a replacement gasket, but of course that didn't exist. I
> guess going
> with a brand-name has that as an advantage, though... Gaggia et. al. parts
> may be
> relatively expensive, but they do exist and it's cheaper than buying a new
> machine.
>
> The grinder I've got is from a friend of mine who had a restaurant. I'm
> not
> sure the make/model, but its about 30-40 lbs of cast metal. A large (2-4
> lb?) hopper,
> and a metal grinds "box" with a rachet lever to dispense a wad at a time.
> I only run
> 1-shot's worth through at a time so I end up whirling the rachet lever a
> lot.
>
> : You can sometimes do very well with a older commercial machine on ebay,
> but
> : it is somewhat luck of the draw. You also have to be prepared to do some
> : fixing and if a major component blows (e.g autodosing circuit board) the
> : repair cost can easily exeed the original purchase cost. You also have
> to
> : deal with size on the counter, plumbing and electrical hookup, so this
> route
> : is not for everyone. If the machine is distant, getting it to you can
> also
> : be a major expense and hassle - these machines do not do well traveling
> by
> : parcel carrier and ideally should be sent as palletized freight. But if
> the
> : stars align you can have a fine commercial machine for less than the
> cost of
> : a lightweight home machine. Generally though most go for over $300 on
> : ebay and that's before freight, rehab and installation costs so the
> final
> : price tag is likely out of your price range.
>
> That's a possibility. I was thinking more in terms of an old "sleeper"
> machine. Something like what the Krups Gusto has become... not made
> anymore, but a
> great bang/buck at one point in time.
>
>
> --
>
> *************************************************************************
> * Cory Papenfuss *
> * Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
> * Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
> *************************************************************************
>


.

Relevant Pages