Buying an espresso machine for your home is a significant investment. And if you’re committed to getting a good-quality product, it is not the best idea to compromise on the price. Getting a cheap espresso machine results in an inferior espresso, bubbly foam in your lattes, and frequent problems.
Specialty cafes use high-grade equipment, so the coffee from a cheap machine won’t ever be able to match the one you get from your local cafe.
Buying a used coffee machine might be a good solution since you can get a piece of higher-quality equipment at a cheaper price. Are there any other benefits apart from the cost? What are the possible issues to look out for? And what are the reputable places to shop for them?
Espresso = The King Of Coffee
As much as we love all the brewing methods like pour-over, Chemex, or the French press, there is something about the sweet concentrated shot of espresso that simply cannot be replaced by anything else.
A lot goes into achieving the satisfying caffeine hit that you get from your local specialty cafe. From using freshly roasted, high-quality espresso beans and correct grind, to the machine as well as the skills of your barista.
And as we all know, the options don’t end with an espresso. With a delicious espresso shot, you can make all kinds of drinks such as cappuccinos, ristrettos, long blacks, or even iced coffee. And having a well-performing espresso machine is a crucial part of your coffee set-up.
Benefits Of Getting A Used Espresso Machine
Saving Money
The most obvious benefit of used espresso machines is saving money. You can find almost brand new equipment at a much lower price, especially with refurbished machines, since their performance and quality are still top-notch. And because they have been professionally serviced, there shouldn’t be any surprises with unexpected issues.
Better Quality
Because of the lowered price, getting a used machine will open more options for better-quality, even commercial espresso machines. For the same amount of money you would pay for a standard brand new home machine, you can access higher-grade espresso machines that will produce superior espressos.
Sustainability
Buying used espresso machines is not only better for you but also better for the environment. Reusing the existing machines that are still in good condition rather than buying new ones reduces landfill waste, being a much more environmentally-friendly choice.
How To Avoid Possible Issues?
If you like the idea of saving money on your next espresso machine purchase, don’t rush into buying one too fast. While we believe that you can end up with an excellent and well-performing used coffee machine at a great price, some things are worth looking out for to avoid issues.
Only Shop At Reputable Sites
The internet is full of used coffee machines so it might be hard to know where to look. Buying the machine from an unknown source or a random individual puts you at risk because there might be things wrong with the machine that you won’t be able to spot straight away.
On the other hand, if you shop at reputable sites you know the machine has been properly serviced and all the possible issues have been fixed. These established websites also tend to include a warranty in case something goes wrong shortly after the purchase.
Our best recommendations for sites that you can trust to sell you the best espresso machines that will work like new are Whole Latte Love that offers an exceptionally large selection of espresso machines, Seattle Coffee Gear, which is an established company with years of expertise in the field, and Espresso Machine Experts.
Consider The Age And Servicing Of The Machine
Don’t forget to consider the age of the machine. If you buy a used old model, even if it’s functioning perfectly now, when it breaks later, it is much harder to fix and find replacement parts for it.
Shopping for your used machine at reputable sites gives you the peace of mind that it has been properly serviced and all the possible issues have been looked at and prevented.
If you’re buying espresso machines online from an unknown source, you don’t know whether the machine has been serviced which can make it more prone to breaking in the future.
Why Refurbished?
In our opinion, the best choice you can make when getting your coffee machine is shopping for a refurbished machine. This way, you can access some of the best selling espresso machines at a fraction of a price.
These machines are like new but they cannot be sold as such because they’ve been either on display or are missing some of the non-essential items such as the official retail box. They might have a few cosmetic scratches but these are minor faults considering how much money you’ll save.
With an estimated 60% of independently operated cafes and restaurants failing within the first year of operation, there are many perfectly functioning commercial espresso machines available to be resold. With these, you can be certain that the machine has been taken care of properly and has been tested for heavy use.
When commercial espresso machines end up on a reputable site to be resold, there is a whole process that they go through. This includes identifying the issues, disassembling and descaling the machine, fixing and replacing faulty parts, and finally running coffee and hot water through it for the final quality control.
What Is The Right Espresso Machine For You?
When shopping for used coffee machines, you’ll have no shortage of choice. You can find commercial espresso machines that include semi-automatic, automatic espresso machines, and even super-automatic espresso machines.
Deciding what kind of commercial espresso machine is right for you depends on whether you prefer convenience or control over the brewing process and your barista skills.
If you prefer more convenience, automatic espresso machines would be best for you. Semi-automatic machines are good if you still want to retain some control over the brewing process and super-automatic if you want to leave most of the work for the device.
The Verdict
Buying a used espresso machine is a good idea that comes with many benefits including saving money and sparing the environment from unnecessary waste. At the same time, there are things you should keep in mind to make the right purchase.
As much as we recommend buying a second-hand espresso machine, we do not recommend buying one from anywhere else than a reputable site.
If the machine is refurbished professionally, the retailers identify the problems, fix them, make sure the performance is still top quality, and even give you a warranty for peace of mind.
As long as you don’t underestimate your research, you can manage to find a fully-functioning super-automatic espresso machine for your home at a fraction of a price. And we can’t say “no” to that.
Happy caffeinating!
