Are used espresso machines worth it??

[pbmac]

I have been looking at used espresso machines. Today I had someone tell me that espresso machines tend have a relatively short life span - like 2-3 years. I find that surprising since they are relatively expensive. I figure it depends on the brand as well....

Just curious as to what sort of productive life some of you have seen.

Thanks

 

[CCafe]

If its a commercial machine then thats bull. You can get 10 to 12 years out of most commercial machines and after that it can be a crap shoot. You can keep rebuilding the hydraulic system and pretty much keep it running for a very long time. The real problem is with the electronics. They can start to get pretty flaky after the 10 year marker. People forget that the electronics cook right along with the machine, even if it is in a box some what shielded from the heat.

I tell people to start saving to replace your machine after you have it rebuilt the 2nd time which should be on or close to that 10 year mark.

Now if its a home unit espresso machine then no I wouldn't consider buying a used one unless it is a higher end machine like a Rancilio Silvia. Even then I would have a hard time justifying the purchase of a used one that was more then a couple of years old.

 

[miatagirl]

What I did was buy a refurbished unit from Saeco. I got a saeco Odea Giro and love it. I use it every day and it is so easy. Becasue it was refurbished it was totally tested by technicians and still has a warrenty. And it was $200 cheaper than normal.

 

[stuffbuff]

I had a commercial machine from the 80's - a Promac - that thing made better coffee than any of the newer machines and held up very well. It finally needed the boiler replaced but was worth it.

 

[EspressoChicago]

If it is a quality commercial machine than it will easily provide 10+ years of good service with relatively minimal problems. Also, on a lot of espresso machines the most expensive part that could break is a control board which can cost $1500 to replace but that is still much cheaper than a new machine. The machine we use at our cafe has pulled over 150,000 shots since I started 2 years ago with standard maintenance and care.

 

[shawnhenry]

This is the best cup of coffee you can get at home, even better than most coffee shops. It's a little noisy, but worth it. Cleaning isn't a big deal to me. You can make it strong or have a regular cup, a latte, or have a cup of tea.