Advice on used Olympia Cremina on eBay

#1: Post by **Martin2D** » March 13th, 2014, 12:39 pm

Long time lurker, first time poster. Learned tons so far. I've been looking at a Cremina as a long term upgrade from my 70s Europiccola and was just wondering what is going on with this machine. I'm hoping it will last a long time and grow with me, but not sure if this one will. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cremina-Espress ... 1148011523

elvisrace wrote:This machine has been in the family for as long as I can remember. This is an older machine, it has no name plate or serial number plate.The manual calls it a La Cremina. I got it from my dad about 2 years ago. He switched to tea. Turns out I'm happier with an automatic machine. Almost no scale in tank, we both used reverse osmosis water. I haven't used it since I tried it out when I got it. And he doesn't want it back. He had it resealed in 2010. It had a leaky pressure safety valve when I got it so I replaced it and the pressure-stat. This caused some paint loss on the inside of housing (see pic). Also new, the electrical connections at the switch and pressure-stat. The switch was spotty and past its prime. The old switches are not to be found anywhere so it was replaced with a more standard sized switch. I used an Arcolectric (made in England), unfortunately I needed to use an adapter bezel. It is stainless and looks decent.The rest of the parts used in the rehab of the machine came from Orphan Espresso. In good overall shape, the only defect is a bit of dripping out of the shower even when the lever is down. This may be normal or may go away with use? Or it made need sealing again. Comes with some spare small seals, Dow grease, some Teflon steam tubing, directions,single and double portafilter baskets, spare double spout. You get the take off parts too. I'm also including my custom tamper. It only fits this portafilter, so I have no use for it. Look at the pictures, ask questions. I have only used this machine a few times but Ill do my best to answer them.

#2: Post by **mart** » March 13th, 2014, 1:18 pm

By no means am I an expert, but a few things that would concern me are the lack of badging, the leaking group, which could be seals or wear. and the effect of the use of RO water. Maybe a call to OE?

#3: Post by **uscfroadie** » March 13th, 2014, 1:59 pm

Welcome to HB.

And thanks for sharing what is beyond a doubt the most hacked Cremina I've ever seen. Though it's missing the nameplate with serial number, that's the least of its worries. It's older; the patch of stainless steel to cover the former hole for the power switch is a dead givewaway for that. Looking at the actual listing on eBay with more pictures, I see a modification to the fork crown (clips are gone and replaced with who knows what). Original metal tubing for steam valve is gone. Safety release valve is a homemade concoction. P-Stat is on the wrong side of the boiler and attached to a fitting that looks to have been drilled and tapped into place....which also has the boiler safety valve (normally on top of a rail on the other side of the machine). I could continue, but you get the point.

Receipt they posted shows parts ordered in late September fo 2013. So whomever had it then is responsible for the massacre under the cover.

Such a travesty to treat the machine like that. A Krups steam toy might even deserve better attention than that poor Cremina...if you can even call it a Cremina.

#4: Post by **drgary** » March 13th, 2014, 3:28 pm

That is a weird hack job and not very believable. The boiler may be adapted from a Maximatic with the HX cover sealed off in the front. FWIW Orphan Espresso sold a Maximatic boiler in their close-out. This is certainly no one's family heirloom Cremina with just a few parts replaced. The missing serial number also suggests it's a machine cobbled together from the parts of different machines. I would stay away from it. I bought a far more genuine Cremina assembled from parts of several machines. My seller couldn't find the serial plate. But at least I was told what I was getting straight up and I didn't pay a premium price for it.

Check out this photo from the Livietta restoration thread and look at the configuration of the boiler.

March 13th, 2014, 4:04 pm

Sounds like it's good to stay away. Most likely just going to get an Export because it seems to be the best value for quality while heating quicker and less to break then the Lusso.

March 14th, 2014, 2:02 pm

Yikes--that "Cremina" looks scary on the inside! I'd buy it for the looks for a few hundred but not to make espresso with...but it's now over 700 on the bay...
And the Export is good looking too! Btw, there is a really nice Sama Export being sold on Coffee Geek's BST forum. Don't know the member but looks like a nicely taken care of machine. Good luck

#7: Post by **JohnB.** » March 15th, 2014, 9:55 am

And just to prove that there is "one born every day" that Frankenina sold for over $1000!!