I love how James now recognizes that whatever piece of coffee gear he suggest will have a short-term surge in price.

How I went from zero to espresso with only £250 *and decades of award winning barista experience*

James: *takes the top off the machine* Me: Good Lord look how complicated that looks James: "In here you can see the inside of these things is very simple" Me: Yes

Absolutely would love an updated version of this now three years later

I love that you're encouraging folks to buy used items. A Gaggia Classic is fully serviceable and can last a lifetime. I wonder how many DeLonghi and Sage machines end up in landfill in that time.

This is exactly what I did at the start of lockdown: -gaggia classic (2007 model) £110 -referbed myself and spent ~£50 on parts (shower screen, brass plate silicone gaskets etc) -mr shades PID £95 -bottomless portafilter off ebay ~£12 -VST basket £20 -Smart grinder pro from ebay £60

Please do more video’s where you buy secondhand. It teaches lots about the machine itself hardware wise.

I think the real reason James is giving away all the stuff to his patreon supporters is that otherwise his studio would be completely full after a month

This was pretty much my path into espresso. 2nd hand Gaggia classic for cheap, and a new a Breville smart grinder. Lots of cleaning, pressure tweak, new shower head and steam arm, IMS basket and bottomless portafilter, then lots of practice! Whilst I’d love to upgrade my setup one day, there’s plenty of cafes out there making worse espresso than I can produce with this combo!

I’ve always been fascinated how this channel keeps me engaged for three reasons 1. I’m allergic to coffee and can’t drink it 2. I have a sensitivity to pretentiousness (hear me out) and James treads that line in a way that is completely believable and inoffensive. 3. Someone being this AR about anything prima facie as mundane as coffee would normally turn me off but the casual but complete earnestness wins me over every time.

Good god that was the most British advert ever. The bleak weather, the path in the park, the tree line, the under construction building with the crane towering over it... most Channel 4-like!

Possible asmr channel idea: James methodically cleans second-hand coffee equipment

Imagine you’re the guy getting outbid by Hoffmann on a used espresso machine

Hey James! Gaggia (after being acquired by Philips) stopped the production of the solenoid valve in 2015 to lower the power consumption (and save up on production costs) and replaced the boiler with a modified one from other Saeco machines, thus lowering the overall cost of the machine by 100-150. In 2019 after years of outcry and complaints they got back to their old but redesigned system with solenoid valve.

I finally found THE rabbit hole of all the rabbit holes. Thank you James and Internet. Truly

My broke ass likes this a lot.

Welcome back James :D

I've owned a Gaggia Classic for £90. I fixed it, used it for years and just sold it all for £300. Not only is this budget but it's money making if you are willing to take the time to research and fix. Man I miss my Gaggia Classic. My advice is to buy a Gaggia Classic from around 2005, absolute work horse, still reliable, easy to fix

The way you describe the Gaggia Classic's ubiquity as a plus reminds me a lot of how Singer is such a popular brand for antique sewing machine enthusiasts. While other brands made arguably better sewing machines a century ago, the fact that there are so many surviving original replacement parts and accessories (from the high volume of Singer machines produced) means Singer repair continues to be accessible, even for more beginner-ish sewists.

I had absolutely no knowledge or experience and pulled every single component of the Gaggia classic apart. They are so nice to work on compared to anything with a circuitboard. And now I know how it all works. Don't be afraid!

After this video: gaggia classic demand 📈 Gaggia classic supply on eBay 📉

I actually love this video. I started out my coffee journey buying a cheap machine and grinder, servicing them, and fixing them up! What this meant is that by the time I was ready to upgrade, I actually made money from the equipment I was moving on! It meant that over the years, I've been able to more or less self-fund the entire hobby!

He is serious but at the same time he is witty. I cannot explain it

The fact that you kept a straight face and kept going after whatever it was that fell out of the machine at 5:01 is very impressive

9:32 "this spins too, how exciting" was the cutest thing ever

I would love to see a series of videos that have you go through the same process with different budgets: $250, $500, $1,000 etc.

Aside from how much hope this gave me for my college student budget; I loved watching and hearing you repair things and go over the whole process of making coffee, from the value of a not perfectly fitting tamper to using a paperclip to break down clumps in the ground coffee ☺️ very helpful!

My £147 second hand Gaggia Classic was 3 years old when I bought it. It's now 12 years old and still going strong, with a few mods over the years, best purchase I ever made.

Found a Gaggia classic at a garage sale 3 years ago for $40. Has been a simple but extremely effective workhorse of an espresso machine. I've done regular backflushes and cleaning and have not had a single issue. Grabbed a Baratza encore so that I can grind easily for pour over, espresso, and aero. An efficient and very cost effective combo but I recognize the garage sale machine was a special find!

The fact that that’s the cheap end is the main thing keeping me from making espresso

That plastic on the hopper is probably Amber PET, which is meant to provide UV protection for what is inside. I have no clue if that's nessesary for coffee beans, but it's used for medicine and skincare.

I did exactly this over christmas! - Gaggia Classis (2008, so still has solenoid valve), £150 - Rancilio Rocky Dosorless grinder, £130 - tamper, IMS basket, service kit etc. CitricAcid, £50 slightly more, but still fairly reasonable I hope... My newfound passion so happy regardless :)

I bought a 2nd hand Gagg Classic during lockdown 1, to get me out of bed. I’m neither a coffee nerd nor a diy guy, but there is so much content for these machines online, which made it so easy to fix.

Would love to see a video that takes a look at the minimum you can get good espresso, brand new, for. Kind of a beginner’s guide to getting started

As someone that got a WICKED deal on two Gaggia Baby machines, it really does take patience! You can get some amazing coffee out of the second hand machines. And it's important to remember, the early Gaggia machines are MACHINES. All the parts can be replaced, cleaned, fixed. Customized. There is no finicky computer chips in it. Just relays, temp sensors, and power. I love my Baby, whom I got for $20 and about $30 worth of cleaning supplies. I spent more on a coffee tamper than the entire machine.

For those that don’t know, the pre 2015 classic or the newer Classic Pro is the way to go if you have the option. (These models have the OPV) Plus as James mentioned, Adrian at shades coffee (AKA Mr Shades) will sort you out with a an OPV kit and even a PID kit to give you more control of the temperature. Top bloke and well regarded in the coffee game for his Gaggia Knowledge.

For a used grinder the Baratza line is fantastic. Baratza has an incredible grinder repair program. As a company, they seem to be dedicated to keeping their product working, not just pushing replacements. I bought a used AS-IS Vario for $150, a full service is $85 with new burrs it's only $40 more. Ended up with a basically new $500 grinder for under $250. The repairs are significantly cheaper for their entry-level grinders too. Most importantly, I know that if something goes wrong in the future they'll be there to help.

Super curious about the details of your cleaning regimen. How to thoroughly clean without damaging electronics, things to watch out for, things that don't matter as much.

Seeing James buy the same scale I have might be my proudest moment

I'm part way through a used espresso gear journey. I bought a non-functional La Pavoni Professional lever machine back in October. One of the reasons I went with that kind of machine was the availability of replacement parts. Got a "broken" one because I was reasonably sure I could get it running again. Had to replace a number of things, and do a lot of cleaning, but I'm pleased with the results, I feel a sense of satisfaction from doing the work myself, and my shots are getting better and better. Next I need to get a better grinder. The Hario hand cranker isn't really up to the task. Honestly though, I've kind of enjoyed the challenge of working around the limitations to achieve the best espresso I can with the setup I have. Without much adjustment on the Hario I've played around with dose, pre-infusion, lever force, boiler pressure, distribution and tamping techniques, etc. to try and make up for the fact that the grinder is more or less a constant (only one setting seems to be even close to right for espresso). I'm having fun and learning a ton. Thanks for all the insight and inspiration!

It’s felt like so long! Welcome back, I hope you enjoyed your break.

I think this is one of THE most important videos you've ever done. I was JUST about to purchase a Gaggia Classic off OfferUp.

This would be interesting to repeat post-pandemic. I.e. Lots of people bought coffee gear while sitting at home and may want to unload in when they get back to normal. Greater supply lower demand.

This is exactly what I did. Went on gumtree and bought a breville barista express with a broken grinder haggled down to around £80, took the thing apart and found the stepdown gear tooth absolutely stripped away, bought a replacement for £25 and some missing accessories for £42, so now I have a decent setup for less than £150 (all values translated form AUD).

To me a cheap and astonishingly adequate setup starts with the Flair. Compact, easy to use, solid output. Hard to beat for the price.

The best thing about this video is, I learned that the phrase 'portafilter sneeze' is a thing. Day = made.

It's been too long without the Hoff

James, I know you won’t see this but I bought that cup from your website and I loved it, it’s the cutest little cup and you inspired me to get a little more serious about coffee, thank you so much your Channel means a lot to me!

Thank You!! I completed everything today: cut opv spring, lamp dimmer switch on right side in front of steam knob, installed manometer on front right, moved Gaggia logo left, setup xmt7100 for 2 relays, pulled a perfect shot, and I now know the pressure is at 8.5 bar. You helped a lot! Update - I thought I was at 8.5 bar, but it was 10 I just didn’t grind fine enough, but the best taste is at a grind that achieves 6 bar!

I cannot tell if this man is 36 or 63

Hi James, I followed this route a while back. You must buy a pre Phillips Gaggia Classic. Easy to see by the font on the front. I found changing the shower block to a solid brass one made a huge difference to the stability and flavour (over the furred up lightweight aluminium one in the machine). The steam wand changes to a Ranchillio Silvia one and. The OPV only needs a screwdriver to adjust. My machine had been kicking out 13 bar! 9 made a world of difference. All cheap and easy modifications. I only paid £50, the upgrades added another £50 including ‘competition’ shower screen and basket. I then found a Mazzer mini (manual version) for £100 which I took the hopper off and cleaned and I single dose with it. I removed a little anti static grill on the exit of the machine so I can remove most retention easily with a tea spoon handle. More mods planned. The quality was great, and I started roasting. Eventually I sold the machine and bought a Second hand Rocket with E61 and rotary pump.....no PID...keeping the skill element hah. I’d love to scale up and go commercial. Oh, also bought your book which is great. Hope this helps people!

I absolutely love the idea of buying someone's used, loved machine and refurbing it. A little coffee project sounds quite fun. Welcome back James.

me getting into coffee and watching every vid in 2 days thinking about good coffee and being a broke student. this video pops up. life is good

I noticed, that here in NZ, the Smart Grinder Pro is occassionally available at about half price (or less). So I put an email price watch on for my target price and then patiently waited. Many months later I got the magic email showing they were below half price..., and accordingly nabbed myself a Smart Grinder Pro for about 95GBP Brand New!!! My patience paid off. I figured even if I didn't like it I could resell it for way more than I paid for it. Bargain!

Four people who shouldn’t be allowed to fly on the same plane during bad weather; Chris Baca James Hoffman Tim Wendelboe Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood

"But what I do have are a very particular set of scales; scales I have acquired over a very long career"

I bought an older (1998) Gaggia Classic about 7 years ago that had a cracked boiler at a garage sale for $10. I bought a new boiler for ~$60 and fixed it up, have used it daily since then. One of the best investments I ever made. After hand grinding for a couple years got a Breville grinder, upgraded the portafilter and I look forward to making coffee every day!

5 years ago: Gaggia Classic (2006) + Gaggia MDF grinder OPV adjustment to 9 bar Rancilio steam wand Mr shades PID Very good coffee

OMG. This was exactly the same set up I had when I started making espresso at home ten years ago! Bought a second hand Gaggia Classic off eBay, modded it with PID temperature control, and it had been working faithfully for so many years. I brought them back to China with me and they just kept going. Only replaced the Gaggia with a heat exchanger machine about two years ago. And the grinder, has been serving me well still to this day, everyday, after 10 years continuous using without any problem! I'm so surprised to see them together in your video ☺️

My 2012 Gaggia Classic cost £100. I’ve spent on a new group gasket , shower plate and decent basket so all in about £140. The pleasure for me though was pulling it apart, learning how an espresso machine works, understanding it’s capabilities and limitations. I heard someone compare the Gaggia to a Land Rover, it’s tough, ugly and easy to tinker with, whereas some machines are more like Lamborghini, lots of flashing lights and not at all user serviceable! I feel like I’m earning my stripes with the Gaggia and it’s a journey I’m enjoying! As for grinding, I’ve struggled by with a hand held Hario which just doesn’t give me the control over my grind I want for espresso, but I’ve found it’s a nice cheap little grinder for v60.

James going over budget just so he can have something to knock his coffee grounds in rather than just use a bin is peek Hoffmann.

My "favorite" clients do the exact opposite. They buy 4000€ machine and look for the perfect 7€ coffee. 😂🤷

James, have you considered doing a video about the Sage/Breville machines with the 54mm portafilters and developing a dose on them in particular? They're immensely popular, and as far as things like dose are concerned (and the length of the path through the coffee at a given dose) there must be differences since the 10% smaller diameter means that the bed depth has to be 21% greater at a given dose. It'd be interesting to hear someone with your experience level discuss the differences in flavor between a 54 and 58mm filters and how that affects grind size, pressure, dose weight, etc.

I did this! I got a gaggia classic for $180 (which is cheap but 2023 standards). It didn't work out of the box, but by cleaning the pump out, and extreme descaling, I got it running! Zero additional money spent.

i have a delonghi dedica and the sage precision grinder since last year, bought those during the start of lockdown. a little note here im a newbie to brewing espresso, the two machines have been working very well together but looking back now i’d probably spend a bit more and buy a Gaggia or Sage Bambino instead. dont get me wrong the delonghi is a good start for entry, especially for those who is unsure if they’d prefer home espresso or not. it is just that the milk frothing and brewing pressure isn’t that good for delonghi. till this day i still think the sage grinder and the delonghi dedica espresso machine was my best purchase during the lockdown, well invested and all worth it!

HE’S BACK!!!!! THIS IS A GLORIOUS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great video James - and wonderful to see you using the 6.5bar spring to get some great tasting espresso from the Classic 2015. I frequently tell people that the Classic produces great espresso at 6.5bar though many just continue to use the "industry standard" 9 bar and don't even try 6.5. Perhaps they will after hearing it from you rather then me! -- MrShades

Often I find that the time and effort put into hunting for a good deal on online marketplaces could also be used on working extra hours, and just getting the real deal. Equally as time-intensive, but way less frustrating (and eliminates the risk of dealing with meh products).

I hope you read this! Your videos SERIOUSLY appeal to me. I appreciate not only your info presented, but the way that you pace the videos as well which allows for deeper understanding. I also appreciate the lack of any background music, the mood of the video is purely YOU. Awesome stuff, thank you so much, you’ve already taught me so much. 🙏

For my cheap setup, I've had success using a variac for full manual control of the pump pressure and I glued a leaded thermistor to the thermal block and use a cheap ohmmeter for more precise temperature surfing. Worth a try if you're interested in that sort of thing.

I am now imagining James and 2 other coffee content creators based in the UK in a video where they are given an absurdly small amount of money and be told to go out and buy an espresso setup, which will then be subjected to a battery of tests and competitive mocking.

Imagine being the patreon who gets the Iberital when the next guy along got the Weber EG-1

I totally agree with most of this. A Gaggia Classic is probably the best value espresso machine out there (not only used, but brand new as well). But for your very first proper espresso setup, I would definitely suggest a hand grinder. Sure, it's more work, but much better value for money. Just make sure it's actually meant for espresso, as the majority of coffee grinders simply cannot grind fine enough, or do not have steps fine enough for the control you need. And if you have a decent kitchen scale, then I would say to skip the coffee scales. Just time your shot using your phone, or whatever.

At the recommendation of coffee forums about 6 years ago I bought a secondhand Gaggia Classic (older Pre-2015 Model) as well as a Rancilio Rocky. I use it here and there, got some OK espresso, nothing I considered life changing, but as of late I haven't touched it much. I fell down the rabbit hole of Jame's youtube channel (currently stuck at home with Covid), and as of yesterday decided to show the machine a little love and ordered up a new silicon gasket, shower-head & brass mounting plate, a IMS competition basket and a bottomless portafilter. I've also looked up how to dial back the pressure on my specific version. Long story short - cheers on your videos for running the gamut between good stuff for home use, whacky coffee gadgets, techniques and all that goodness all the way up into high end $$$ machines. Cheers from over the pond.

You made me very happy with my choices. About seven years ago, I decided to get into the espresso game. I bought a used Gaggia Classic, which came with 4 cups and saucers, a tamper; for 179 US. The grinder is a cousin of the one you selected (same internals) for 169 delivered. I am very happy. I did recently upgrade the grinder to a Sette 270. Thank You.

interestingly, I bought used gaggia machines and rebuilt them - lots around. The downside is the alloy boiler, the better brass boiler is rancillio sylvia. Yep, there are many types of gaggia classics: they had a 3-way evac valve, then took it out, then put it back. Also, the OPV can be on the pump or the boiler.

I never expected my boy Iberital MC2 to be mentioned in a James Hoffmann video. I've had mine for almost a decade now and it's definitely a more reliable workhorse than the breville smart grinder I bought later in life.

I bought both my Breville espresso machine and Breville Grinder 2nd hand. it took a little time for me to get everything dialed in just right, but she runs like a charm. Both do. Bought the same mini knock box as in the video on amazon. I was trying to figure out why I've not seen any comparison (best for your money) Breville machines in your $100 or less or $500 or less machines. Until I saw this video and realized the Sage IS Breville. 🙄

I picked up a La Pavoni that needed a service and a couple of repairs for £50 and a CMA badged super jolly for £80. I converted the grinder to single dose, modified the Pavoni and made a tamper, funnel and distribution tool. Never hear anyone compare grinders like the ones you bought or Niche with the super jolly. Loads around and bargains to be had if you have the skills to convert it.

Im a coffee nerd. The best coffee I tasted in my life was by an old women in rural cuba on a stovetop with a pot carefully managed temp and poured through a sieve. The most complex cup ever touched my lips. Extraordinary.

"Look, this spins too. How exciting!"

Just went down the rabbit hole on these I think James might have a 2015+ model, which is a cheaper model *made in romania* instead of italy and has a number of design bad changes *which make it less durable and cheaper*

The way he says “chewbe” makes my heart soar

About 10 years ago I bought a Saeco/Starbucks barrista. It needed a bit of work; the grinder was missing a part and the part had to be found, the grouphead gasket leaked and had to be replaced. But that was about it. Over time I did replace the manual pressurized portafilter with an automatic one. That was for convenience. And it worked FINE, and I was happy with it, for MANY years. I pull single shots, and I could not figure out to put a single shot basket into the Saeco pressurized portafilter, and make it work. So I just put a single dose into the double dose basket. As it turned out, like you said in one of your videos, the extra space between the top of the single dose of coffee and the shower screen caused the puck to swell, and the puck was wet and soupy. It turns out, it was an easy fix. I just put a puck screen on the coffee, and that held down the coffee, no more soupy puck. But, finding the CORRECT size puck screen was another mater. It took me three tries to get the right size. hint, the metal puck screen expands when HOT water goes through it. So you have to get a size smaller than the basket size. Note the puck screen can ONLY be used for SINGLE doses of coffee. With a double dose, the coffee level is high enough that the coffee touches the shower screen, and there is NO ROOM for a puck screen. If you do put a puck screen on a double dose, it will be damaged by the head of the screw for the shower screen. After many years, I did have to do a few maintenance surgeries. - The steam wand started leaking. Not bad, but eventually it got irritating. I decided to do the repair while I could still get the parts. Followed the YT instructions, and done. - The mushroom valve on the group head leaked and had to be replaced. PROBLEM, the screw holding the valve was JAMMED, so I put this task off as long as I could. I finally decided to FIX it, and got the screw out, and replaced the valve. I should have done it a LONG time ago, and every couple years thereafter, so the coffee would not build up and jam the screw, like it did. - A spring on the grinder broke, preventing the grinder from stopping when a single dose had been ground. Now THIS was a PROBLEM, because the spring was not an easily found replacement item. I could NOT find the spring, so I used a short bit of brass wire to connect the long half of the broken spring to the mating hole on the grinder. Done, and it works. If I kept the Saeco, I would be LOOKING for the correct spring. Unfortunately, Saeco discontinued the machine and spare parts have become harder to find. Stuff that I would have done different: - Replace the mushroom valve earlier, and every year or so. So the screw would not be so hard to remove. - Get a puck screen much earlier. - Replace the shower screen with a better shower screen. Although there is some question in my mind, if that is necessary with a puck screen. - Get the non-pressurized portafilter, when it was available. - Buy spare parts and tools when they were still available. I've since moved on to a Solis, but there are times when I wish I had my old Saeco. This video has me now thinking of looking for a Gagia Classic.

Nothing makes me happier than seeing James disassemble and repair every piece of a machine. If you're going to own something, figure out exactly how it works and take care of it!

Flair classic and Baratza Encore (setting 8) has been working great for me. Tons of crema and minimal electronic complications. Whole setup was ~300$

The Flair Signature can be a pain sometimes, but I haven’t regretted it yet. Works fine so far with an older Encore barratza, hoping to get a Sette to replace it in the future. Great video!

Jame's last video: Lets spend $5000 on grinder This video:

James, I’ve just recently stumbled onto your channel (or shall I say into the rabbit hole) and found a kindred spirit in a weird coffee person. I have used all types and levels of espresso makers (from the humble mocha, the manual maker to super auto) and appreciate all approaches (drip, french, pour over) to converting the coffee bean into the luscious, complex drink we call coffee. I most recently purchased a used/broken Jura EN8 for about half of what it lists for new. I had to tinker with it for a day, replace the water tank and prime the water pump, but other than that it was in almost unused condition and makes a passable espresso, or my favorite ristretto at a touch. Thanks for the educational and entertaining videos.

I took on a second hand La Pavoni refurb last year and loved doing it.... So easy to find one and get parts for it, plus there's a Facebook group full of info on how to do every step of the refurb. I'm probably going to keep adding modifications to try and make it better as i go along, but I've been so happy with it.

Nice , i just started my Espresso journey using second hand gear that was partially broken. Rancilio silvia for 200euro with a broken steam wand with a 50euro handgrinder! took me about a week to get it working :D. Thanks for the insight for how you would do it!

Wonder what brew pressure James ended up with/targeted in the Gaggia Classic? In my 2005 ish model it's just a case of unscrewing the preload screw in the OPV valve then unscrewing the portafilter spout and screwing on a pressure gauge and and seeing what you get, then adjusting screw accordingly. I think I went for about 9.5-10bar as this is a "static" zero flow measurement and the pressure driving some flow through the compressed grounds will be marginally lower than this. If anyone else gets one of these, strips the boiler down for a clean then rebuilds it and plugs it in and turns it on and it blows the fuse in your house then you have introduced moisture between the heating element conductors and the ceramic insulators. You need to take the boiler out strip it down again making sure you remove the seal then bake the boiler and the elements on a gentle heat in the oven overnight to drive out the moisture that is causing the short. These machines are great and will last a lifetime.

Without my morning espresso, i get depresso

Gaggia Classic & Smart Grinder Pro gang checking in. Makes me happy to see the Hoff making the same choices.

I bought a gaggia off of the back of this video from eBay, it looked perfect but turned out to have blown the main gasket, I them bought a gasket set for £6, dremlled away all the corrosion back to a clean polish then added the new gaskets, like new happy days 👏🏻👏🏻 thanks for inspiring me 🤟🏻

Late to the game here. The Gaggia “classic “ with the solenoid valve was called the Gaggia Coffee. The Classic was a reissue of that machine without the valve. Difficult to word search for as they are now all referred to as Classic however easily identified as the steam knob is located on the front. Best way to search for it is using image search. Good machine

15:20 There's various 3d printed low profile drip trays available online btw

Thanks for all of your work, James, I do appreciate the commitment and expertise that you offer. We recently bought a country place (nice to be out of the big city in these days) and I wanted to have decent espresso there, but at a budget. I have a Gaggia Classic (2019) that I modded as you did here, and a Gaggia MDF grinder. I ended up with an espresso “appliance,” a Capresso EC100 that features a pressurized basket of less than professional size, and a Breville Smart Grinder Pro grinder. I am quite impressed by the Breville, as it has 2 adapters for different sized baskets (one of which worked well with the Capresso), and with some experimenting with the timing and grind size (and a tip to pause the grind midway through to tap the basket a couple of times and continue), was able to produce a very consistent and very decent pull for $325 overall new and delivered. Thanks again for all that you give to your subscribers!

Just lucked out. I have a good friend that started with a Gaggia Classic Pro but upgraded to a very high end machine this month. On the Gaggia he upgraded the porta filter, shower head, and pressure spring. He also put a PID on it for better temp control. I Just bought it for $250 USD. I'm already an avid home roaster so this machine will compliment my roasting hobby nicely. I am looking forward to my first pull tomorrow!

I bought a pre 2015 gaggia classic for like £149 including delivery last year at the start of the pandemic...almost a year later its been fitted with rancillio wand, stainless shower plater and ims nano screen and a new steam valve and some thermostats and full seal replacement. Works beautifully but still trying to perfect milk frothing and dialing in my mignon specialita but luckily I'm not hugely fussy about my coffee, it's the joy of learning and honing my skills. Also adjusted pressure down to 9bar and a difference it does make!!