Dr. Jim, I am on the fence regarding a Termozona two group purchase. I must confess complete newbie status as regards the nuances of lever machines. I have been reading your posts and am trying to grasp the techno-aspects with my female brain...not quite suited to the full understanding of inner workings....Have contacted the only website I could find that repairs Italian machines and they discouraged me from the purchase by saying that parts were hard to find, and someone to work on it even more difficult. Now that I am fortified with some coffee geek points of view, I'm thinking a little differently. I am wondering if you might have time to counsel me in this. This Termozona has been in storage 10 years, and I don't know if that storage was heated or not....so I'm thinking it might have more problems than are solvable...or would the expense be worth it....Thanks, Jayme
P.S. Your posts are such a lickfest of good prose I had to go have a cup and a cigarette. (I don't really smoke, but I think you get the idea)

Hi Dr Jim,

Thanks for your write-up. I am halfway through the resto of my Aurora export. I don't have much to add here other than to mention that these take faema sized lip seals for the piston. You are correct in saying that Brugnetti is a relatively small cpy. I found it nice that a Sr. Brugnetti replied to my emails to the factory;).

Group design - has always been proprietory and not used by any other maker. It is very similar to the 2nd series of faema leva design.

jaymeinAlaska wrote:Dr. Jim, I am on the fence regarding a Termozona two group purchase. I must confess complete newbie status as regards the nuances of lever machines. I have been reading your posts and am trying to grasp the techno-aspects with my female brain...not quite suited to the full understanding of inner workings....Have contacted the only website I could find that repairs Italian machines and they discouraged me from the purchase by saying that parts were hard to find, and someone to work on it even more difficult. Now that I am fortified with some coffee geek points of view, I'm thinking a little differently. I am wondering if you might have time to counsel me in this. This Termozona has been in storage 10 years, and I don't know if that storage was heated or not....so I'm thinking it might have more problems than are solvable...or would the expense be worth it....Thanks, Jayme
P.S. Your posts are such a lickfest of good prose I had to go have a cup and a cigarette. (I don't really smoke, but I think you get the idea)

Jayme,
We aren't blessed by many visits from Dr Jim much lately- hopefully he will resurface. a couple of points- Paul chimed in and you might check with him - as he seems to have found some info on Brugnetti's.

Hperry (login name) he actually owns the Brugneti Aurora that Dr Jim describes so well. Hal lives in Seattle and bought his machine from Joe at The Good Coffee Company( look them up and might give old Joe a call) in Seattle- he may or may not be a source for you if you bought the machine you are considering.

I think I would echo the caution you feel- Alaska is a long way from most parts suppliers- and 10 years stored in the best of conditions could still require quite a bit of "waking up"... financially...stored oin a cold with bursting a possibility could turn it in to an expensive boat anchor..

I do believe a lever would be the easiest in the long run for you since they have so little electrically to go wrong or burn out. One of Jacks ( peacecup -login from Juneau) favorite espresso spots in the great state of Alaska id Side street espresso on 4th in Anchorage..

So unless you could get proof that the machine you are hankering for -really works- you could be in for a deep hole to throw money in...... it could be pretty chancy-- even though if you get to speak with Hal or Dr Jim- they will tell you that the Brugnetti makes some fine espresso!- I have had espresso from the double Brugnetti that sits on the front counter at the Good Coffee Company- I can \vouch as well../

Good luck on your gamble...