Good question as levers have been in high demand for some time. Not too many years ago a good used lever could be had for a few hundred $. That was definitely the case with the mighty Olympia Cremina. For years they were affordable to obtain, now if you can find one under $1,000 it'd be a good find. I'm not too familiar with the LaPavoni levers, but you probably won't find one really cheap unless it's trashed and needs a lot of work to bring back to life OR you find a desperate seller. Speaking of which, I just recently bought a like-new Francis Francis X5 for just $60. In great shape inside/out, has all the accessories and functions nicely for just $60 and local to me. You just never know what is out there. Scour your local Craigslist ads and even the Facebook "yard sale" type groups that might be popular in your area. They have sprung up all over in our area and some killer deals can be found if you search for them.
Pavoni domestic lever machines are a pretty good buy even second hand. A pretty basic design that is easy to work on and spares shouldn't be a problem.
There is a bit of skill needed to get the best from them - plenty of useful videos on YouTube however.
Get the best grinder you can afford to sit next to it and away you go.
I have bought a few LaPavonis off ebay-it is a crapshoot.
Some need a bit of work, some not worth it.
Europiccolas in good shape seem to be around $500.
I like a couple double shots and that is all you get from one.
The Pro is a better machine, but more money.
The older Europiccolas only have a fuse for overheating.
This sometimes fails-don't ask how I know this.
Unless you are handy and willing to put up with eccentric equipment, I would recommend something more modern.
Coolness factor is hard to beat with LPs.
I like LP machines because they provide some strong espresso shots, which is what I prefer. It is a crapshoot though getting the right one especially if youre buying used.
