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Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

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  • #16
    Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

    Hello again blokes.

    Sometimes a bit of bluntness cant go astray, please dont take it the wrong way......

    Ok let me make it simple because this topic is going round in circles and I would hate to see some one buying something they didnt need or didnt really want.

    Iain....decide whether you want a coffee machine or a project.

    If you want a project, do you want a running project or a basket case?

    If you want coffee, forget the auction.  Even if you could test it, you really dont know what you are looking for,  or what you are looking at, and you wont get coffee straight up.

    If you want a "running" project, wait until someone is privately selling a running coffee machine so you can get a demo, touch and feel it...and make coffee, and have it explained to you.

    If you want a basket case ie didnt want coffee straight up, by all means buy at auction but pay peanuts because you have to budget for worse case scenario.

    If you are luckly enough to pick up one of the better model Bo_Emas you will eventually (after you have finished your project) have a niice espresso maker. If you pick up the wrong model, it will always be a dog....but that is no different to any other brand machine. And this is what I mean about knowing what you are looking at.

    Bo-Ema has been around a long time so there have been a number of internal design changes through time as R & D permitted, just like with other brands.

    The price of their machines when new has nothing to do with second hand value, particularly when you are effectively looking at coffee machines that should be going to the dump because machines of a certain age are already well past their effective useful commercial life. remembering, they are a commerical work horse.

    If you go down the path of a project getting help is very easy...forget everyone else and go straight to either the local Bo_Ema agent OR toBo_Ema themselves in Sydney and as other have said, they are nice people to deal with and give very prompt service.

    With respect to all here, the danger with getting advice here is I doubt you will be allowed to turn them on anyway, and depending on the models presented for sale most of these machines are plumb in jobs, and if they have external pumps I will bet my bottom dollar they are missing...and the machines are only siitting on a bench and not rigged to operate even if you get to turn them on..... so plugging in and turning on wont prove a single thing if you dont have the expertise.......so you have to budget for worse case which is for a non running project and whatever that will eventually entail including the possibility of spending more than the particular model is worth (if budget is important).

    Repeating...you have to decide what you want. Buying a project as a result of influence from sites like this, doesnt get you a cup of coffee if that is what you are really looking for.

    Regardz,
    A.







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    • #17
      Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

      Originally posted by 17233422390E123E37373434510 link=1274333836/15#15 date=1274395380
      With respect to all here, the danger with getting advice here is I doubt you will be allowed to turn them on anyway, and depending on the models presented for sale most of these machines are plumb in jobs, and if they have external pumps I will bet my bottom dollar they are missing...and the machines are only siitting on a bench and not rigged to operate
      To back up Attilio (not that hes not authoritative) Ive been to sponsor Omaras many times and they almost every week have used espresso machines for auction, but as Attilio suggested, they are all just sitting on a bench on display.
      They are not plumbed or even available to be powered as its just not practicle.
      Its not that Omaras are not nice people, its just that they get so many machines through that they are sold on a "as is" basis.

      You may be lucky to test run a grinder but espresso machines are way too big to move around for such demos and the auction house does not have a dedicated area just to display and run coffee machines.
      After all, they are in the business of auctioning many different types of items not just coffee machines.

      They dont even know in many cases whether or not the machine was working before it was delivered to them.
      Its always a case of "buyer beware" unless its an on-site auction where theres a better chance that the machine was recently running and may still be plumbed in and powered and they might let you test it (no guarantees).

      I imagine your local auction place runs along the same lines.

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      • #18
        Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

        iaindb,

        As above, If you want coffee without the hassle save your money and buy a second hand machine in working order from a CSer (you might even get training) or from a sponsor. I know that Barazi Bezzera Coffee Machines have some second hand machine on their website. Remember there is no rush if you are getting good coffee from your Breville.

        If your after a project then go for it but not everyone is technically minded or interested in pullling apart a machine. I think mine will probably have cost me about $500 all up. $100 for the machine and $400 in parts so far, but Im enjoying it and learning a heap about the mechanics of an espresso machine. Are you this type of person?

        Anyway, enjoy the auction. Cant hurt to go and take a looky.

        Comment


        • #19
          Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

          hahaha!!

          Well, heres the first Bo-Ema coffee machine.  Apparently this is how their espresso machines look now  


          And heres the second one:


          It looks a bit grotty and tarnished - not a good sign.   Not what Im looking for either, so I didnt bother checking further.

          Thanks for the invaluable wisdom everyone provided - I think with my tax return Ill look at purchasing a good second-hand machine here

          Comment


          • #20
            Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

            yeah good call.....

            as for the machine, 2 diff steam wands (well used)
            manual override button missing
            that hot water knob might be diff brand (non orginal)

            starts to point to higher use..........

            your learning just looking

            on with the hunt

            Comment


            • #21
              Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

              Later "classic" model.

              Will make good coffee when sorted.

              In typical "ex cafe" condition.

              But dont let grotty condition fool you, you can clean anything.

              I am heartened that it is not a dinosaur model that I was expecting to see....

              However for home use in most cases it is overlarge (2 groups) and ugly (yep I know its in the eyes of the beholder but).....wont fit in too many household kitchens.

              I too am not heartened to see stuff missing (a simple toggle switch) and grotty steam pipes....but they are simple to rectify.

              My advice, buy something suited to more regular household needs, smaller, cleaner, known to be fully operational.

              ********************************************

              The grinder is worth having if it is a separately listed item (seems to be) and you can get it for a good price. They are virtually indestructible and I would bet it will only need a bit of a clean up so no further money to spend and no need to ever upgrade again for a home situation.

              Regardz,
              A.

              Comment


              • #22
                Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

                Grinder for $1-200 would be a great buy if you have the bench space for it. Worst case providing the doser still works is bearings and maybe burrs if required.

                The machine itself is actually in comestically not bad condition based on some I have seen still in use As to style square functional, boring yep thats your average 10-20 year old Boema.

                Comment


                • #23
                  Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

                  For the right $$$  I would have taken the machine.. .. Oh, I am cheep so say $100 tops.

                  A few bits worth having for the home handy man and then there was  those JUGS  ;D

                  Need them for the steaming shoot off here on the 6th...

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

                    Hello beanflying, for a domestic end user I would venture even higher $ for the grinder but of course it depends entirely on the individual.

                    I have some similar model Gino Rossis that I imported direct from the manufacturer almost 20 years ago. Nearly all of them are still in use and usually only ever require a set of grinding plates from time to time....occasionally a capacitor, and sometimes a spring or ratchet or some other component in the dispenser unit.

                    I would put it into perspective this way. It is a good quality small volume cafe grinder.

                    Mazzer Mini and Macap M4 are smaller volume than the GR. You would buy a new MM or M4 for somewhere between $700.00 and $900.00 depending on painted body or chrome / polished aluminium....so say $800.00 for the discussion, new.

                    You can buy a new Rancilio Rocky for somewhere betwen say, $460.00 to $499.00, and it is an even smaller volume grinder than the M4 & MM, which are smaller volume the the GR.

                    The method of adjustment on the GR (commercial stepped) is better than the method of adjustment of the Rocky.

                    To my way of thinking then, theoretically a householder is still in front in terms of quality of grinder, if he decides to bid  perhaps almost right up to the new price of a Rocky....say......$400.00

                    The Isomac Gran Macinino has an RRP of around $400.00 It is a small  domestic grinder and it is not a patch on anything mentioned above especially the Gino Rossi.

                    An importer bringing in a grinder such as the Gino Rossi depicted, will pay more than the RRP of a new Rocky to land such a grinder in his warehouse here in Oz and this explains why new price of such a grinder has to be somewhere around $1000.00 when new.

                    So.............

                    It all depends on how you justify the value of the grinder, what you are comparing it to, or what you are prepared to pay.
                     

                    Hope this helps put it all int0o perspective.

                    Regardz,
                    A.



                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

                      Well, the auction is still to come (tomorrow morning) - Im sure they would do a bid on the books if anyone is seriously interested.  I could _maybe_ assist with picking it up for you but I cant store it anywhere.

                      Its definitely not what I wanted for my kitchen - WAF is almost 0  and I dont have that much space, regardless of how good a machine it might end up to be.

                      As for the grinder - yes its a separate item, and it has a note saying its had new plates or something, and well serviced (at some date).  Not exactly what Im looking for either - too large for my kitchen, and I would prefer doserless for now.  I am tempted by the statement
                      no need to ever upgrade again for a home situation
                      though

                      So I dont think Im going to bid on either of them.  If Im there, Ill let you know how much they go for

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

                        Hi Atillio,

                        yep worth whatever anyone will pay I paid about $250 each for my DRM Cimbalis with spare plates so I was only basing it on what I reckon plastic finished GRs fit in. If it said M7, BNZ, K10 or Robur for $200 or even $500 then I would be on a plane tommorow to pick one up

                        Iain, Compared with your less than adequate Breville grinder grab it if you can for a good price depending on WAF and it will do you for anything machine wise you are likely to get in the future until you decide shiny metal is better. You will get an improvement straight away in the cup even with your current 820.

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                        • #27
                          Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

                          beanflying, Ill pm you my wifes mobile number, if you could just call it and convince her a better (and bigger) grinder will make a better cup, then that would be great, cheers thanks mate  ;D  ;D

                          Ill see how I go...

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

                            i had a GR 45 (same grinder) and it was pretty good, and i agree you would never really need to upgrade again until conical.

                            i would easily pay 250 for a good one maybe 300 if it looked VG condition. if you paid 200 -250 for ti you could easy get your money back later if selling amusing its all good.

                            to make it smaller you can make a (or none) bean hopper. I used a plastic sink plug in the top where the hopper goes to stop my single dose grinds jumping out. and also ran mine as  doser less for for a while using a plastic funnel for the "chute"

                            I have replaced min with a mazzer SJ that was a good deal at the time. I reckon the mazzer is better but not 100% better as its hard to identify to me.

                            have fun

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

                              Sheesh, I was going to leave it, now you have me thinking again  So:
                              • If I resold it I might get $200 or even $250 if lucky
                              • WAF just went up one if I can make it a bit smaller
                              • It beats the pants off my Breville Conical Burr, even modified
                              • No need to upgrade for a long long time, for domestic use
                              • Will make better coffee (which is the ultimate aim) from my current machine, and will suit my next machine, when that comes!


                              I think Ill set my absolute limit to $200, lets hope nobody else wants it.

                              Im going to check out spare parts prices for it then...

                              thanks

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Re: Advice for Inspecting Boema at Auction tomorrow

                                Originally posted by 5850585F5553310 link=1274333836/28#28 date=1274443808
                                WAF just went up one if I can make it a bit smaller
                                Many have altered the hopper
                                Be it purchased or hand made DIY modification
                                That will reduce the visual bulk by a country mile and improve the WAF factor  

                                KK

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