Ot: you picked a fine time to leave me....

[Tickdoc]

....Lucille.

This is my third home espresso machine and it stopped irking well last week, after six or seven hard years of dependable daily service. I’ve had a saeco fully automatic that was great but only lasted about three years, and an el cheapo Hamilton? That didn’t even make it that far.

I’ve descaled and cleaned it to the best of my ability but I’m afraid it needs new seals and I think it’s just time for another.

It’s the last thing I want to be spending money on right now, but dammit I’m missing my morning latte.

Go breville again? Try something else? What is current these days? dependable, cheap , available?

https://i.imgur.com/u0mUjyQl.jpg

[m_sasso]

Don't be L7 and rebuild it!

[kingpin75s]

I still really like the Rancilio Silvia.

13 years and going strong. Knock on wood.

[andrew+]

A used Silvia or Gaggia Classic is probably the best cheap, available, dependable semi-automatic machine.

[mtechnica]

If you’re not trying to spend money you could get an aeropress.

[joemull]

We've had a Breville in the office (abt 60 ppl) for a year or two and it's seemed to last, but 6 years is much longer if you've had yours that long. I've got a coffee fiend friend who is obsessed with Faema

[Ozz]

Seattle Coffee Gear (https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/) is having a sale.....

They had a Rancilio Silvia plus Rocky grinder combo sale I tempted by a month or so ago....still there....$1138 plus free shipping

[benb]

Bialetti Moka pot and a simple plunger style milk frother.

Practically free to buy compared to an electronic Espresso machine, way easier to clean, almost impossible to break if you're competent. Only wear part is the little rubber gasket... $5 gets you 3-4 gaskets and they last years if you use it every day.

Just finished drinking a Cappuccino type drink I made that way. It's not technically espresso but it's close enough you're never going to catch me buying a really expensive espresso machine that is hard to clean, breaks easily, and still doesn't make cafe quality beverages. If you're putting milk in the difference with the Moka pot is smaller.

Aeropress is good too, I have one of those as well, but I still think I prefer the Moka pot for the style of drink you make with an Espresso machine. Hard to say though, I haven't had the Aeropress as long. The Moka pot technique I have nailed down, it has fewer options, Aeropress has a zillion ways to do anything so it takes longer to perfect.

I guess the only Gotcha with the Moka pot is I think they really work best with a gas stove. If I had an electric stove I'd probably do the Aeropress + an inductive kettle. (I use an inductive kettle with my Aeropress and/or pour over stuff)

[Gsinill]

https://www.lapavoni.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/elh.jpg
Bought mine in 1999 and rebuild it every year, i.e. replacing all the gaskets and seals.
This is a 2h job with $30 in parts, after that it is as good as new.

[kytyree]

I enjoy my Gaggia Classic. I put a Rancho wand on there and made a big difference in capability to steam milk and added a PID kit that's helped me be more consistent, and I know how long the machine needs to recover between shots now.

Someday when I'm not waiting for a layoff at any moment I am going to get me something fancier a Profitec or Rocket, something like that.

[rwsaunders]

Check your steam ring first...cheap part and easy to replace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVba0aGGGDo
https://www.ereplacementparts.com/breville-bes840xl-infuser-espresso-machine-parts-c-116052_116055_290176.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI67-Z1_zM6AIVh4NaBR1ungE-EAMYASAAEgITpfD_BwE

[tuxbailey]

6-7 years? That gives me hope. We really like the Barista Express (870XL) that we bought last year. If my is good for 6-7 years then I am very happy.

[DreaminJohn]

Another Breville and distilled water.

[estilley]

6-7 years? That gives me hope. We really like the Barista Express (870XL) that we bought last year. If my is good for 6-7 years then I am very happy.

I'm at about 15-20 years on the current machine.

I have a V1 Rancilio Silvia that was my parents' old machine and they have a V2 Silvia.

They are unbelievably serviceable.

My V1 is on its third pump. I have also swapped out all the hoses, rebuilt the steam wand with new seals, retapped the boiler threads as it blew a gasket and it is running better than ever before.

It has been with me to college, later NYC, back to Portland, and will be wherever I go next.

Never say die Silvia! Might be time I give it a proper name...

[ntb1001]

We've had a Saeco Odea for 10 years now..still working pretty good. Only ever used distilled water in it.

[ultraman6970]

Lucky for you is not your freezer chest full of meat :)

[jpritchet74]

The best budget machine is right here:
https://www.wholelattelove.com/collections/all-espresso-machines/products/gaggia-classic-pro

The new Pro one has a MUCH better steam want than the earlier models.

I have a Pro one at my office in Colorado and the older model at my house.

The only thing that my Profitec Pro 500 is better at is looks, steaming, and steaming and brewing shots simultaneously.

[notoriousdjw]

I just replaced a Pasquini Livia 90 after almost 20 years of service. I think it just needs a new pump but really just wanted something new (If anybody wants a Livia reclamation project, PM me). The only part I had to replace regularly on the Livia was the grouphead gasket. If you have leaking around the portafilter that would be the most likely problem and they are easy to replace.

Another poster suggested Aeropress. I was given one as a gift and the giver told me that he got rid of his espresso maker because the Aeropress was so good. I laughed but ended up loving the Aeropress so much that I indeed stopped using the Livia for anything except lattes for my wife and hot water for the Aeropress. If you love americanos and don't need steamed milk, it's a great and insanely cheap solution.

I should mention that after the Livia died I splurged on a Rocket Giotto and the Aeropress has gone back in the drawer. Still excellent but the new machine is too fun to resist.

[glepore]

The Brevilles use orings on the various sensors, held in with hairpins. I have a dual boiler that I absolutely love, you could do things with it that otherwise required a Slayer or gs3, but I got sick of replacing orings and such and bought an izzo vivi and added a flow control. The breville is here and just needs one hairclip-has a new pump and brass opv-if anyone local to me wants to swing by and get it.

[wc1934]

If you’re not trying to spend money you could get an aeropress.

Yup - and doesn't take up any counter space.

[scoobydrew]

Just like bikes, it comes down to budget.

Agree with the Gaggia Classic or Silvia for a $500 or less budget. I've had my Silvia for only a mere 10 years. With regular maintenance, it's given me no issues at all. I'm thinking of putting a PID setup on there to get a more consistent temperature when I pull shots.

IMO, you also need to factor in a good espresso grinder into your budget.