I finally decide to spend some bucks on an Olympic Cremina, now everybody is out of stock. I've given up on saving some money on a used machine and would "settle" for a new machine. But, alas, now I can't find one. Any resources you know of? Thank you.

If I can find an old-style MicroCimbali 110V with what looks to be an open boiler, my Cremina is going on the market:

1991
White
Excellent condition
Unopened complete machine gasket set straight from the factory in Switzerland purchased just a month or so ago.
Both double and single baskets.
Knock box, tamper, reflective long-handled spoon which doubles as a mirror to look at the dispersion screen.


Find a MicroCimbali with the little chimney in the boiler that lets off steam (not the newer pressurized-boiler version) and we'll work out a deal

At least I hope the old MicroCimbali had an open boiler....
Regards
Timo

It's all Steve's fault! Between his Restoration of an Olympia Cremina and Olympia Cremina 2002: The evolution of design, demand is up. The article An Obsessive's Guide to Coffee in Food & Wine may have contributed to the shortage:

THE BEST ESPRESSO MACHINES

MACHINE Olympia Cremina $2,195
WHY WE LOVE IT This Swiss manual-lever machine has a cult following; only 40 come to the U.S. each year.
HOW TO FIND IT 1st-line.com

Only 40 per year? That's hard to believe...

I bet you can get a Ponte Vecchio Lusso from Vanelis.com, or an Elektra, for <$1000, and be very well satisfied.

HB wrote:It's all Steve's fault! Between his Restoration of an Olympia Cremina and Olympia Cremina 2002: The evolution of design, demand is up. The article An Obsessive's Guide to Coffee in Food & Wine may have contributed to the shortage:

THE BEST ESPRESSO MACHINES

MACHINE Olympia Cremina $2,195
WHY WE LOVE IT This Swiss manual-lever machine has a cult following; only 40 come to the U.S. each year.
HOW TO FIND IT 1st-line.com

Only 40 per year? That's hard to believe...

If the speed with which the factory responds to emails is any indication of their production capacity, I'm amazed they send out 10.
Regards
Timo

peacecup wrote:http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120000679294

Hey, your surfing too much!!! What Tim reaaly wants is a Mini gaggia

Henry and I have been discussing whether the MicroCimbali is a truly gravity-fed, i.e. unpressurized kettle, machine. Henry thought he was mistaken to have included the MicroCimbali in the lineup, but then I found an older machine with what looked to be a steam vent on the top: the machine seemed to have compartmentalized areas, pressurized for steam and unpressurized for brew-water and hot-water. But now I'm thinking I was mistaken in thinking Henry was mistaken in thinking he was mistaken to have included it

Is that vent on top of the machine an emergency steam-release valve?

Regards
Timo

It's been a while since I look, but I believe that you can order directly from the factory. There are some folks on the board that speak to Markus on a regular basis, so we can nudge him if you would like to go that route.

Steve

Yes, you are correct. The Cremina is available directly from the factory. The factory slogan is "Built for Individuals". These are very special machines and are not mass produced, but are hand built to the customers' order. There is so much demand that delivery is now running about six months. The current price for a Cremina is 3900CHF including delivery. What is amazing to me is how the new Cremina takes the superb Cremina 67 and improves upon almost every detail in design, function and materials.