I've had the LMLM for about a year and I'm looking at doing the annual PM. I can easily replace the screen, screw and group gasket. How often does the vacuum breaker need to be replaced? I think there are members here that have had the LMLM for about 5 years now and I would love to get their feedback.

La Marzocco recommends annual replacement of parts that regularly last 2-5+ years in a home environment.
If you have to do these maintenance order to fulfill some warranty requirements, then just do it till the warranty is expired...

But...

A vacuum breaker will start to hiss when the seal has hardened and isn't able to work as it should. It's quite noticeable. They usually last 2-5 years. I would simply get the extra part so you have it on hand when the actual one starts to fail.

A shower screen should be cleaned with detergent every now and then. In a home environment, they can last a long time before being caked or wrapped. They obviously need regular servicing in a commercial usage.

Group gaskets last longer if you don't let the machine cool down with the PF in. If the PF still seals normally, yours should still be soft enough. Silicone gaskets last much longer obviously.

La Marzocco also recommends changing the safety valve on a yearly basis I believe. This is rubbish. A Nuova Simonelli tech confirmed to me that they pretty much never change safety valves unless they leak or the machine's in need of some serious descaling/rebuild.

Full disclaimer: I don't own a LMLM. Just like any machine, if it's operated with proper water, you'll save yourself $ and lots of headaches.

Cheers!

I don't have a LMLM, but replace it when it needs replacing and not before. You may be able to disassemble it and fit a new O ring (Viton or FKM) for a few cents.

You may even want to replace it with one of the more expensive memory metal vacuum breakers.

Thank you. What's a memory metal vacuum breaker? I'm not familiar with it.

They use a metal that closes and opens a seal positively due to a change in temperature.

Link to the .pdf https://www.lamarzoccousa.com/wp-conten ... .2.029.pdf

The ACS Vesuvius has been using these memory metal vac breakers since 2017 I think, perhaps longer.. My 5.5 year old machine has the older style combined breaker and I have the fitment here so if/when mine fails I will replace with the mm one. As they say in the paper as long as you are not too far from the boiler, it should work.

P.S. they cost the factory around 6-8 times more than the standard vacuum breaker at factory buy in price, probably why more manufacturers are not using them