Hello lovers,

I'm looking to get my own personal espresso machine (for eventual use in a commercial setting) and am considering getting a used Linea and tricking it out. I'm pretty technically minded but new to Espresso machines, so my question is, if I got a Linea would I be able to refit the groups with paddles? Espresso Parts says the Piero Group Cap conversion kits only work on Lineas with welded groups, yet most of the used Lineas for sale seem to have bolted on groups. I'm not sure what the difference between the two is, and I was wondering if the new Paddle groups (assuming I could source all of the parts) would have similar compatibility issues with bolt-on groups vs. welded groups.

Thanks,
-p.

Ahh, thank you. I've been looking for that exact thread for a while now...

trickeypat wrote:Hello lovers,

I'm looking to get my own personal espresso machine (for eventual use in a commercial setting) and am considering getting a used Linea and tricking it out...

Thanks,
-p.

I did a bit of digging beyond that thread if you need more info. It seems like in the end it would be a large amount of money, a lot of time, but it would be a fully custom set up. If you can afford a new machine, it would probably be a better route, since it would be under some warranty, and it wouldn't be "custom" which generally has a hard resell value if you ever needed to get rid of it.

Just my .02

-Justin

Not to mention the Linea is dated. Meaning it's old tech. You can mod it like I'm doing but in the end you still have a Linea. The newer machines use a hybrid of dual boiler/hx system that gives much better temp stability, especially for commercial use. I love my Linea but if I were starting over, I would get the Hydra.