Hi. I finally got my first espresso machine - Rocket Appartamento, and sadly my first scratch (in first 10 mins) when removing the sticker saying - too hot be careful. The scratch is light, not deep I guess. However it bothers me a lot and I'd like to find a way how to remove carefully. Do you have any advice? Thanks.

Mother's metal polish with a rag cloth.

Can I use only on the part that is scratched or do I need to use on whole grouphead? Will I be able to notice any difference visually after? Also, Mother's metal polish is for aluminium mainly after reading online.

Just to state the obvious, the group head is brass and is extremely soft, unlike the stainless steel panels. Any metal that touches it will scratch it. It is chromed with a thin layer making it mirrored. If you polish through the chrome you will expose the brass and you will have to re-chrome the whole thing. Go slow or put the sticker back on if you aren't confident.

How did you do that? Almost look like you used sandpaper! Was that completely under the sticker and was hidden from view?

Hard to tell from photo, any chance that is some weird glue residue?

I used cloth that I use for washing dishes. When I removed the sticker, there was a glue left that I wanted to remove.

I already asked the distributer and it will cost me around £100 for that part of grouphead and around £100 for an engineer to replace the item and because of my OCD I can't stand to have this scratch.

John gave great advice above!

Since it is not a warranty repair make sure you get the old group back, seems right that you get to keep it. Not sure if they ever have to be replaced, but if so perhaps those scratches won't matter as much to you when the machine is old, or maybe you can sell it to someone here.

Thanks John & Ken. I really need to be more careful in future. I think I rushed a bit out of excitement.

sebastijan wrote:Hi. I finally got my first espresso machine - Rocket Appartamento, and sadly my first scratch (in first 10 mins) when removing the sticker saying - too hot be careful. The scratch is light, not deep I guess. However it bothers me a lot and I'd like to find a way how to remove carefully. Do you have any advice? Thanks.

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I know it's annoying but it's a device meant to be used, if you don't want scratches the best thing is not to use it, that's the annoying truth. Reality is unfortunately that your going to get more of those. An e61 need maintenance, cleaning, lubrication on moving parts and eventually parts replacement that means you eventually need to use tools on it. and while you can minimise scratches it will get it eventually if not from use then maintenance. For example by taking PF in out of that group take a second of not paying 100% attention and bang you got yourself a nice new scratch or knock in that beautiful chrome. Majority of machines I seen had scratches from use of those reasons, no surprise as you use metal and porcelain against polished, chromed or painted metal that is bound to get scratched especially if used early morning or in a hurry. You really need to nurse it and it will make the use more of a faff, if you use it as it's meant to be used scratches are unavoidable.

I take it as with my bikes, first scratch annoying but then I don't have to worry about that anymore.