Spent $150 on a budget espresso machine and it died after 3 weeks

I grabbed a cheap machine from a local shop in Austin to save on coffee costs, but the pump gave out on day 21. Has anyone else had luck with the pricier models or should I just go back to drip?

3 comments

3 Comments

uma_taylor4727d ago

So I learned this the hard way with a $80 machine that basically became a very expensive paperweight after two weeks. I feel your pain, especially since I was trying to be smart and save money. @joel_martinez is right about the buy once cry once thing, but my wallet is still recovering from the last coffee shop run. I got a refurbished Gaggia for around $300 and it's been chugging along for two years now, no issues yet. Might be worth checking out if you don't want to go all in on a $1,000 setup.

joel_martinez27d ago

Buy once cry once on a real machine

matthewmartin26d ago

Yeah, "buy once cry once" sounds good in theory but hurts when you're staring at that credit card bill... I did something similar with a cheap machine that just couldn't hold up. Ended up getting a used Rancilio Silvia off Craigslist for around $400, and it's been a tank for like three years straight now. The sting of spending more upfront is real, but at least you're not tossing another $80 into the trash every few weeks.