How good are Bezzera Commercial Espressos?

[Monito]

A friend wants a fixer upper and found an older 2 group head Bezzera for $500, the owner claims that only the group gasket needs to be replaced, everything else works.

Any ideas?

Monito

[miKe mcKoffee]

IF everything else does indeed work sounds like a decent deal for a run of the mill entry level commercial 2grp HX. Obviously in additition to group gaskets a thorough descaling and cleaning would be in order.

[kwksilver]

Monito,
those machines are fine. I suspect this beast is a LOT worse inside than yours or Milo's.
For that price... I think i wouldn't.
Machines like that are sand on the beach. You/he can definitely do loads better.
Check the year, with maintenance de facto age does not matter. BUT if it didn't receive any the timeframe is enlightening.
That machine looks a little older. End of the 90s is my guess?

Regards,
            Felix

[Monito]

Monito,
those machines are fine. I suspect this beast is a LOT worse inside than yours or Milo's.
For that price... I think i wouldn't.
Machines like that are sand on the beach. You/he can definitely do loads better.
Check the year, with maintenance de facto age does not matter. BUT if it didn't receive any the timeframe is enlightening.
That machine looks a little older. End of the 90s is my guess?

Regards,
            Felix

Thanks, I told my friend that there will be others...that machine looks like it came from the Beach...

Monito

[kwksilver]

Good call Monito,
if you end up with choices, the only true steps I have seen in terms of durability (and that is what you care for here) are as follows:

E61 type heads have more small parts and usually need to be taken apart. (some WORK, but E61 heads are kinda fun if you like their shot. HB people love them.)

The true decision is probably whether you go for full blown commercial 2 group like my machine or for the compact commercial types like Milo has (or the Cimbali bistro line).

All manufacturers have both types. You can tell them apart by looking whether the machine extends a foot or so to the side of one grouphead like mine does. Those wider machines have boilers where pipes come out of the end plates and the boiler may be opened for service. I prefer that. you pay a steep price in size though!

Serviceability is far greater on bolt open boilers. Those machines you can return from the grave every time. The compact one's...there are some limits IMHO.

Felix


(our beach model here looks to have the open type boilers)

[Monito]

It is amazing how much you know about this stuff...

So, what kind is my Astoria?

Hold on, I see pipes coming out of the ends of mine. I also see a lot of hex bolts holding a very large plate at end of boiler.

Hey! may be I just open it and clean the darn thing one and for all... 

Monito