The best way to preserve it in pristine condition is not using it, and use it as decor instead.

It is made to be used, steels always get scratches, take a look of a counter made of steel or your sink and you'll noticed just how it will look like after use.

In my opinion I rather have scratches on the driptray and cupwarmer than an ugly malplaced towel or silicone sheet, that ruins the appearance, one has to remember that allot of these machines has ventilation holes in the cupwarmer area, covering it with a sheet or towel should therefore be avoided, some manuals specifically warns, that it might shorten the lifespan of the electronics.

All the workarounds needed to avoid scratches, is something I'll never understand, in my world it removes the joy and focus from the brewing process.

I used a scale and is it scratched the surface a bit, luckily quick mill driptray where mainly just a wire grate. My Cupwarmer had cups on top but didn't have many visible scratches after 2 years of usage, So I guess if you avoid moving them around on top allot of these can be avoided.

AssafL wrote:Remember that a shiny, scratch free wrench is a tool not used. Use it and enjoy it - and if you really must - a buffing wheel with rouge does wonders...

If you look closely at any machine that's used more than a few times a year, you'll find swirlies and other marks -= it's simply not possible to keep a SS machine completely free of blemishes unless you never touch it. Even cleaning the dust from an unused one will cause swirlies without some serious precautions, because dust is an abrasive.

I don't understand the desire for a "perfect" machine or making the serious effort needed to keep it even close to that state - it just needs to be scrupulously clean and fully functional. If resale value is the driver, the minor patina of use doesn't seem to mean much to serious buyers - and you probably don't want to sell anything to anyone who decompensates over a scratch or ding in an otherwise wonderful machine at a fair price.

As for polishing, my wife and I have our watches polished every 75 years whether they need it or not. "Polishing out" scratches and other marks removes metal - you don't actually remove a mark, you polish off the metal around it until the surface is level with the depth of the mark. If you're really worried about resale, polish it when you decide to sell it. But it makes no sense to me to polish a metal device repeatedly over years, as you alter the surface enough after a few times so that it's clearly evident in distorted reflections and differences in the shine and surface finish. An overpolished surface looks worse to me than a few marks.

bluesman wrote:As for polishing, my wife and I have our watches polished every 75 years whether they need it or not.

Every 75 years?

I was a bit obtuse in my comment. I tried to equate a coffee machine - a tool to make coffee - with a high quality "shiny finish" wrench - and that a scratch free wrench is a sad wrench (sort of like a clean mountain bike is a sad mountain bike).

This talk of scratches and scars reminds me of the words of one of my favorite 60's bands - Pearls Before Swine's song the Jeweler:

http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/pear ... z4HcXCrmlY

The coins are often very old by the time they reach the jeweler
With his hands and ashes he will try the best he can
He knows that he can only shine them
Cannot repair the scratches
He knows that even new coins have scars so he just smiles
He knows the use of ashes
He worships God with ashes

Scratch free? Leave it in the original packaging in the closet. Seriously, don't ever open that box.

On a less joking note, I don't think it's possible to use a shiny, polished espresso machine AND have it remain looking new. That polished metal just begs to get dirty and scratched.

AssafL wrote:Every 75 years?

I was a bit obtuse in my comment. I tried to equate a coffee machine - a tool to make coffee - with a high quality "shiny finish" wrench - and that a scratch free wrench is a sad wrench (sort of like a clean mountain bike is a sad mountain bike).

Actually, you were quite clear - and I agree with you completely. No one would ever mistake my tools for new, and they're very happy fellas because they were born to be used!

I'm a professional musician and have owned and played many fine "vintage" instruments, many of which I bought new (I started playing in 1959). I'm always amazed at the "collector" who pays a huge premium for a pristine 1950 Fender or Gibson that doesn't have a mark on it. There are only 2 reasons for a 65 year old guitar to look brand new - either it was never played or it's a fake. And there are only a few reasons why a guitar like that was never played, starting with the fact that it felt and/or sounded terrible (remember that these were all hand made to some degree, and variation was inevitable - for example, some hand wound pickups sounded fabulous and others just lacked great tone). There are some who keep having their instruments refinished when they get marked up, which means that they're not "all original" despite the claim to the contrary - and even the best refinish is hard to disguise. Regularly polishing out the marks on a coffee machine in an attempt to keep it "like new" is marked with the same stigmata and is a similarly foolish endeavor, in my opinion.

I've not heard of anyone's faking a good espresso machine (although it wouldn't surprise me if there are counterfeits out there), so the main reason for a SS DB machine to lack any signs of use is that it was never used. "Why not"? Even if a novice owner tried and failed to make good coffee and just gave up, there would be some signs of use - and this is true for guitars, bikes, cars, audio equipment, and every other toy in the world.

When you reach the time you're unhappy you could send that pieces to be repolish, in that way they will shine like new again

bluesman wrote:I'm a professional musician and have owned and played many fine "vintage" instruments, many of which I bought new (I started playing in 1959). I'm always amazed at the "collector" who pays a huge premium for a pristine 1950 Fender or Gibson that doesn't have a mark on it. There are only 2 reasons for a 65 year old guitar to look brand new - either it was never played or it's a fake. And there are only a few reasons why a guitar like that was never played, starting with the fact that it felt and/or sounded terrible (remember that these were all hand made to some degree, and variation was inevitable - for example, some hand wound pickups sounded fabulous and others just lacked great tone). There are some who keep having their instruments refinished when they get marked up, which means that they're not "all original" despite the claim to the contrary - and even the best refinish is hard to disguise.

LOL - I have Luthier and Brass Instrument maker friends... When they get an instrument from a pro - (actually - just by the instrument they expect the level of detail) - they expect exact instructions on what to fix - and what not to. Especially the Luthier had stories - Seems like getting a Strad and doing anything to it that the violinist did not specifically request is a big no no. I remember him being very specific that it was about what they wanted from their violin - not what was wrong with it.

My uncle plays in a band. Banged his trumpet (had a tiny indent) and he went to show me that it lacked body... To ME it sounded exactly the same trumpet - played by a sadder uncle. He got it fixed, and a happier uncle played - and TO ME it sounded exactly the same.

Are the scratches part of the instrument or part of the artist?