So over the weekend I finally decided to take the plunge and go down the rabbit hole that is becoming a coffee snob. I picked up a Bezzera BZ99S and a Macap M4 for $400. Everything seems to work (i.e water comes out the group head, hot water pipe and it gets plenty of steam) but I haven't pulled a shot with it yet. Aesthetically on the outside it's in ok condition. The paint on the side is just starting to flake a little and I have only just found out that there is supposed to be a cup warmer grate/grill on the top which is missing.
After doing a fair amount of reading through this forum, I then started ordering some parts online including the much recommended EP Precision baskets (double and triple shot).
This afternoon I pulled the top and sides off and it looks like I might have a little bit of work ahead of me (which is half the fun of a first espresso machine, pulling it apart, learning how it works and fixing it). I'm not quite sure if it has a leak as yet, but the build up at the bottom of the boiler looks like it may have.
The previous owner did say that when he first got the machine it had a leak but it turned out to be the bolt in the bottom of the water tank wasn't screwed in enough and once he sorted that there was no more leak.
So what's everyone's recommendations based on the pictures? Should I just pull it down straight away, clean it up, learn how a HX machine works etc and then start pulling shots or should I just leave it, start pulling shots and see what it's like first?






After doing a fair amount of reading through this forum, I then started ordering some parts online including the much recommended EP Precision baskets (double and triple shot).
This afternoon I pulled the top and sides off and it looks like I might have a little bit of work ahead of me (which is half the fun of a first espresso machine, pulling it apart, learning how it works and fixing it). I'm not quite sure if it has a leak as yet, but the build up at the bottom of the boiler looks like it may have.
The previous owner did say that when he first got the machine it had a leak but it turned out to be the bolt in the bottom of the water tank wasn't screwed in enough and once he sorted that there was no more leak.
So what's everyone's recommendations based on the pictures? Should I just pull it down straight away, clean it up, learn how a HX machine works etc and then start pulling shots or should I just leave it, start pulling shots and see what it's like first?













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