Extremely sturdy, reliable unit, seems to be no problem finding parts or getting it worked on so far. Makes great espresso consistently!
Negative Product Points
This is probably more machine than most people would need for their home, but too much is better than not enough! Not cheap.
Detailed Commentary
After much consideration I decided a single group rancilio machine was what I wanted. I live in Miami and rancilios are very common here. I figured this would make it easy to get parts and service, plus I would be able to find a local seller. I would have been happy with an older unit too, but this is the one that came along. I do prefer the s26 to the s27 since there is no electronic dosing to worry about, just a power switch and a switch to start and stop your shot.
The seller claimed the machine was ready to make coffee, unfortunately it had not been used in a long time and required some pretty serious work, more than I was able to do myself at the time. Luckily there is a major coffee roaster here in town which rents rancilios to all the latin cafeterias as well as sells them coffee, they have a service department and these guys got my machine happening. I have never seen more rancilios in my life old and new, big and small, stacked to the ceiling on pallets in a huge warehouse. I got to watch their tech replace my grouphead gasket, hot water and steam valves, shower screen and pump, I was out of there for $100, and they threw in an old portafilter (ebay seller had lost!) while I waited for my bottomless one to arrive.
I did a pretty thorough descaling and flushing, a bunch of crap came out of the boiler but finally the water started coming out clean. I'm using a rancilio rocky grinder and a 21 gram triple basket, roasting my own beans and could not be happier. I mostly use it for espresso but the steam wand and hot water function flawlessly. I get great shots with this machine! Using the triple basket I run it for 25-30 seconds. The machine is hooked up to a flo-jet pump and I'm using bottled water from the the local delivery service, which tests fairly soft or sometimes I fill the bottle with water from a brita filter.
I had the machine on a timer for a while since some days I will only use it to make 2-3 shots, but lately its been on 24/7 and no problems. I plan on maintaining this machine and hope to get 20+ years out of it!
Buying Experience
Bought used on ebay = BUYER BEWARE! plan on having to fix or at the very least thoroughly clean any used espresso machine.
