For those of you have bought one before the massive price jump last year:

Would you buy again at today's prices (~4600$), or is there another machine that you would now buy instead

The reason I ask, is that I'm looking for a new machine, the A3 is at the top of my list, but the price today is a little bloated.

Is the A3/T1 still worth it at ~$1300 more than it was a year ago? A great machine yes, but in todays $$ and economic uncertainty?

Other options include one of the new double boiler machines at almost 1/2 the price...no, they are not an Elektra or 1-group commercial machines, but given the strength of the dollar and where we are at today (including the ~33% increase in A3/T1 pricing) if you had to replace/upgrade today would you go Elektra again, or buy some thing else ?

Would like to hear from Elektra owners on how they would decide given the above changes?

Thanks for you time & look forward to you comments.

Dave

Dave I don't know if you have checked vendors from Canada but at least one advertises it for 4200 CAD. The Elektra is sold at a few places around here so you could make some calls. Probably could get it a bit lower.

SM: there appears to be an unwritten code among Elektra distributors - they won't sell in anothers' area....
I'm told I have to deal with the one closest to me, which is unfortunate as they are misleading and untruthful.

The joys of espresso equipment in Canada

It's a good question . . . I don't have an A3, but rather the volumetric version, a T1. I love my machine, and I unhesitatingly recommend it . . . but when I bought it new, the retail price was still barely over $3,000. And that's precisely your point: would I pay $4,837 today for a brand new Elektra Sixties T1 (or $4,513 for an A3)?

I haven't really thought about it. Keep in mind the economy right now is very different than it was when I bought my T1. I probably wouldn't buy anything right now, unless someone made me a deal I couldn't refuse. So it's a very difficult question to answer. There is no other machine I desire (other than a Mirage 2-group from Kees van der Westen), so from a "contentment" aspect, I'm very contented with my T1. I see no inherent advantage in, for example, Vivaldi II or a DoubleDomo -- though both are fine machines.

I suppose my answer would be "no, I wouldn't buy it now" -- but it has nothing whatsoever to do with the machine, and everything to do with the sad state of the economy. Were I "pushed" into "having" to buy a brand new espresso machine today, I'd probably buy something less expensive simply because of economic concerns (rather than there being a "better" machine available for less money).

Does that make sense?

Cheers,
Jason

Thanks Jason...That is the kind of feedback I'm looking forward to reading. The machine itself is not the question, it's $$ value put on it (and moreso the relative increase in price over last year).

At one price point the A3/T1 is an expensive, but very worthwhile investment, yet at another price point (and changing economic environment), is the value still there.

Again, well written response Jason, gives one something to 'chew on'

Kind regards,
Dave

Regarding the "turf sensitivity" of Elektra dealers: I think that's pretty common among lots of importers in the espresso business; That said, CoffeeItalia and EspressoCoffeeShop are pretty cool. A group of us got super deals on Elektra Ninos that ended up being pretty unbelievably below US prices for the grinder. They had no qualms about shipping internationally. I don't know if they'd do the same magic for a T1/A3, but I'd definitely ask.

Like Jason, I wouldn't consider the A3 for a second at today's prices. I think I'd go for modding a Semiautomatica or just splurge on a commercial double boiler--or, my pet dream, restore an old LM GS1/GS2.

shadowfax wrote: That said, CoffeeItalia and EspressoCoffeeShop are pretty cool. A group of us got super deals on Elektra Ninos that ended up being pretty unbelievably below US prices for the grinder. They had no qualms about shipping internationally. I don't know if they'd do the same magic for a T1/A3, but I'd definitely ask.

Interesting. That has always been my dream machine, but the current price is too steep for me to justify even if I could buy it. EspressoCoffeeShop lists it shipped to the US at 1858 Euro, which with import tax and the current exchange rate seems to be about $2713. It doesn't seem like it should be 2k less from Europe. If a reliable US dealers offered it at that price, I'd be tempted. I wonder what the group buy price would be?

Not exactly on topic, but a number of us T1/A3 owners got here by rebuilding it (or having it rebuilt). Some have stumbled upon excellent virtually new systems, other (like myself) put a bit more work into it. Who knows, maybe your dealer even has one that someone has traded in. You'd end up with a virtually new machine with less of the upfront cost.

Mark

da gino wrote:It doesn't seem like it should be 2k less from Europe.

But that's the price, right?

Since I was in the group purchase of the Nino, I can agree with Nicholas' statement above...

Agreed. And espressocoffeeshop has a repair agent in the US if anything fails, rather than having to send it back to Italy.