Olympia Maximatic/Cremina - Why so expensive?!

#1: Post by **roanjohn** » August 15th, 2016, 12:08 pm

I have a previous thread regarding Profitec 300 vs Rocket Appartamento and I figure I would start a new one for this specific question. Any reason why the Olympia brand are so expensive? I am looking for a compact machine for my small kitchen and there is a place nearby (in the Bronx) that sells them. Am I paying a premium for the design? Or does it do something the others won't? (See below my other options)

For now, my choices are Profitec/Appartamento/Lelit Diana or Mara.

**I want vendors around NYC area so if I need service I can drive them over. Hence the Lelit because 1st-line carries them.

#2: Post by **Eastsideloco** » August 15th, 2016, 2:07 pm

The price is a function of the fact these are hand made in Switzerland in small volumes with quality materials. Otherwise, these are pretty simple machines, which is part of the attraction for some users. Most would agree that you can get more machine or features for the money. But these are definitely high quality machines, as evidenced by the number of vintage Olympia models still in use.

August 15th, 2016, 2:25 pm

.......that's what I thought. They are the Leica equivalent in the Espresso machine world

#4: Post by **forbeskm** » August 15th, 2016, 2:27 pm

Ebay in the early spring and summer has the best deals sub 700. Fall before christmas, forget it, all around 1000-1300.

New, yeah, expensive but if you buy 2 lattes a day at 5 bucks each with tip, 365 days a year, that is 3650 so it pays off in less than two years factoring in coffee. Not bad for a machine that heats up super fast and makes a great shot day after day with no fiddling.

#5: Post by **wsfarrell** » August 15th, 2016, 3:10 pm

Here's a roundabout answer:

From Wikipedia, a brief plot summary for the film "In the Company of Men":

Chad (Aaron Eckhart) and Howard (Matt Malloy) are two middle management employees at a corporation, temporarily assigned to a branch office away from home for six weeks. Embittered by bad experiences with women, they form a revenge scheme to find an insecure woman, romance her simultaneously, and then break up with her at the same time. Chad is the originator and driving force behind the scheme, while Howard is the more passive of the two, which leads to a later conflict.

The scheme works; the woman is devastated. Problem: Howard actually fell in love, and is also devastated. A week later Howard visits Chad at his apartment and asks him "Why do you do things like this?" Chad thinks for a moment, then replies

"Because I can."

August 15th, 2016, 5:16 pm

forbeskm wrote:Ebay in the early spring and summer has the best deals sub 700. Fall before christmas, forget it, all around 1000-1300.

New, yeah, expensive but if you buy 2 lattes a day at 5 bucks each with tip, 365 days a year, that is 3650 so it pays off in less than two years factoring in coffee. Not bad for a machine that heats up super fast and makes a great shot day after day with no fiddling.

Good way to justify the price !

August 15th, 2016, 5:18 pm

wsfarrell wrote: "Because I can."

Got it!

#8: Post by **CoffeeBar** » August 15th, 2016, 7:27 pm

Just search through ebay now and your local classifieds before Christmas, I am sure you would get a good deal for the Olympia Cremina. so good luck

#9: Post by **ash4889** » August 15th, 2016, 8:17 pm

roanjohn wrote:Got it!

It's worth every dime and more, equality is there everyday you turn it on.
It is a quality Swiss watch in a espresso machine, I've never regretted one day of buying it, regretted every second of owning a Lelit Mara

#10: Post by **Boldjava** » August 15th, 2016, 11:35 pm

I find the Cremina lever a very, very forgiving machine, and in my world of espresso, I need it.