As for someone ruining their machine trying to fix it: I assume some can drill a hole in a boiler or break a nipple connector. Even that can be fixed.

But I fail to see how someone can actually ruin a commercial espresso machine. One could drop it and get it bent in such a way that it cannot be straightened out at a reasonable expense.

One can burn a controller or heater but most stuff will end up costing less than a k.

That isn't true for for a Krups or a Nespresso where you break a plastic part and can't get it fixed (albeit the cost of a new one is also less than a k - substantially less).

So I don't see the harm...