Hi all!

I'm interested in purchasing a used Simonelli Oscar but I have no idea how to price it. I found one on craigslist and the guy told me its about a year old, in good condition. He is asking for $800.

I asked if the price was negotiable and he said yes, but I'm not sure how much to offer. Also, assuming I go on with this, are there any important things I should check out? I'm thinking of checking the machine turns on, heats up, releases steam.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

With a search in the buy/sell:
[SOLD] Nuova Simonelli Oscar

Or on CG:
https://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/membe ... ell/426313 or https://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/membe ... ell/405920

Just check the dates on each to get an idea of the price at what time, although age and condition will make larger impacts on price.

Pulling a shot and steaming some milk on it would be ideal. Then taking a look at the internals and making sure there's no obvious corrosion or problems visually. I'm sure there's probably other things you could check, but those would be the basic IMO.

I would suggest to bring your own grinder if possible and coffee you're familiar with, just in case whoever owns it doesn't have the greatest grinder or coffee.

Finally, I would check out Gary's good post here:
Tips for Safer Online Buying of Used Espresso Gear

+1

Also, do an advanced eBay search for completed items which will let you know how much used ones have gone for over the last few weeks at least. They run about $1200 brand new. If it really is only a year old and it is in good shape the seller may not be too far off in price. You're not paying tax but you're also not getting any kind of warranty, I don't think.

$800 isn't too bad, a seller was selling one for $700 and I offered $500-550 and he accepted. I would start at about $200 below $800 and keep working at it. The Oscar is a great machine, but I probably wouldn't pay more than $750 for a used one. Try to budget in some money to do some mods like flow restrictors, and OPV, etc.

I'd drop $600 on it...Would probably walk for more than that.

He told me the reason he's selling it is because he's closing his coffee shop. Now I'm having second thoughts as to how much the machine was used.

I wouldn't pay near that, especially from a coffee shop. You'd still have to budget for mods/fixes that make it better/usable.

I didn't want to jump out of the woodwork and start knocking the Oscar if that's what you had your heart set on, but since the decision seems up in the air and now that Chris has broached the subject of mods...

The Oscar has its strengths -- steam power, quick recovery, cockroach toughness -- but it's a "dragon" to the Nth degree, and user unfriendly in a bunch of other ways which are only to be expected from a design so long in the tooth.

To civilize it you need to install gicleurs (aka "flow restrictors"), and an OPV. And while you're in there, you might as well add a vacuum breaker valve so you can put the darn thing on a timer.

Used Oscars in good shape typically go for around $500. Because not much important has happened to them in the last twenty years, and because they all need the same mods, it's not important to get the latest model.

There are a lot of Livia 90s on the used market. They're dragons, but a great deal friendlier than the Oscar and with similar strengths (less steam power, though).

Maybe consider something a little more evolved. Something reasonably temp stables, with preinfusion, and who knows? Maybe even gauges. A Crossland CC1 for instance.

GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER

Rich

Hi all!

Thanks for the great feedback, I had no idea I could check "sold listings" on eBay. Its a great way to see where the price ranges!

I've been researching this for a couple months now and I've settled on the NS Oscar or La Pavoni Europiccola. From what I've gathered the Oscar is able to consistently pull good shots and has good reliability, also steam pressure is supposed to be really good. The Pavoni on the other hand is supposed to be able to pull excellent shots once in a while, and very good shots often. However, to get there I'll probably have to go through a good amout of sink shots.

I think I'll really enjoy the *fun* factor with the Pavoni, but I'm afraid that after a few months it'll become cumbersome in the morning. I mostly drink cappuccinos and my girlfriend drinks lattes. I'll occasionally drink a straight espresso.

Saying this, I've offered the guy $500 for the NS Oscar (I'm scared about the coffee shop factor). I also got an offer for a 2yr old Europiccola for $400 CAD (it goes for $700CAD brand new here). Would you go with either option or wait for a better deal? I'm very confused