# UK seller vs Italy import



## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

Hi

Is it better to pay £50 more to buy a baby black from my espresso vs Italy seller on Amazon?


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

How much is it in total?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Baby black? A gaggia?


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

Yes gaggia baby black. It's 239 from my espresso vs 179 plus postage from Amazon seller.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Your into New classic prices there, why not pick up one of those?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gaggia-Classic-9303-Coffee-Machine/dp/B00012BJ52/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1413214588&sr=8-2&keywords=gaggia+classic


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

froggystyle said:


> Your into New classic prices there, why not pick up one of those?
> 
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gaggia-Classic-9303-Coffee-Machine/dp/B00012BJ52/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1413214588&sr=8-2&keywords=gaggia+classic


Shockbuy on Amazon is Italy based. That's who I saw selling new baby.

I'm slightly against buying another classic and if I buy classic for 230 then for 120 more I can get Silvia v3. I know only difference is better temp control and more powerful stream but unsure if I want upgrade to another home machine or wait another 2 years and get semi commercial.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Me, for £50 i would go for the classic, save for 2 years for your bigger machine then flog the classic for around £120.

Use of a decent enough machine for two years at a cost of £50 per year.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

nekromantik said:


> Shockbuy on Amazon is Italy based. That's who I saw selling new baby.
> 
> I'm slightly against buying another classic and if I buy classic for 230 then for 120 more I can get Silvia v3. I know only difference is better temp control and more powerful stream but unsure if I want upgrade to another home machine or wait another 2 years and get semi commercial.


I thought a Classic was a better build than a Gaggia Baby?


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

I would also need steam wand replacement for classic so another £20. Total would be £240 for new classic from my espresso. Less from Italy. Is UK seller recommended?


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

I'd probably recommend getting a second hand one from a reliable source. You could probably pick up one that's already been fully modded too.


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

urbanbumpkin said:


> I'd probably recommend getting a second hand one from a reliable source. You could probably pick up one that's already been fully modded too.


So you rather get a second refurbished classic?


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

nekromantik said:


> So you rather get a second refurbished classic?


For the bracket that your looking for yes. The older Classics have a bigger solenoid too (less likely to block). Definitely a used one from a reliable source over a Gaggia Baby or a Silvia.

If you're going to upgrade the next logical step up will be a HX. Which you might be able to pick up a used one for about £300-£400...but its a bigger jump from the £200 you were looking at.


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

urbanbumpkin said:


> For the bracket that your looking for yes. The older Classics have a bigger solenoid too (less likely to block). Definitely a used one from a reliable source over a Gaggia Baby or a Silvia.
> 
> If you're going to upgrade the next logical step up will be a HX. Which you might be able to pick up a used one for about £300-£400...but its a bigger jump from the £200 you were looking at.


What's HX?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

A machine that utilises a heat exchanger. Will be a bigger boiler, more temperature stable allow you to brew and steam at the same time, and will have bags more steam power. Examples are fracino cherub to name one. Plenty of manufacturers make them.

The fracino models go for around £3-400 seconds hand depending on age and condition

Other models such as rocket and ecm are considerably more.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Fracino do the Heavenly or the Cherub which are both HX Machines. Bigger foot print compared to a Classic


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

Mrboots2u said:


> A machine that utilises a heat exchanger. Will be a bigger boiler, more temperature stable allow you to brew and steam at the same time, and will have bags more steam power. Examples are fracino cherub to name one. Plenty of manufacturers make them.
> 
> The fracino models go for around £3-400 seconds hand depending on age and condition
> 
> Other models such as rocket and ecm are considerably more.


That sounds good

I could stretch to 300.

If it's in good condition and lasts long.

Counter space is issue though.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

nekromantik said:


> That sounds good
> 
> I could stretch to 300.
> 
> ...


They come up infrequently and I would expect a well looked after one to be closer to £350-400 ( fracino cherub/ heavenly ) .

You would need to be patient and possibly go above £300


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

Do the Fracino Piccino* come up often?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Have a look at the sales threads to check.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

The point is do not buy anything from outside of the UK, unless they have a UK based service/repair centre. The cost of returning it to Italy will be far more than any saving you can make on the initial purchase


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

dfk41 said:


> The point is do not buy anything from outside of the UK, unless they have a UK based service/repair centre. The cost of returning it to Italy will be far more than any saving you can make on the initial purchase


Thanks


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

Just contacted gms and he has classic just in today. £140 plus post for Silvia wand and opv Mod. He can't do pid.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

nekromantik said:


> Just contacted gms and he has classic just in today. £140 plus post for Silvia wand and opv Mod. He can't do pid.


What year is it?

The machine that is, not in general

Sounded like that dude from terminator


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

urbanbumpkin said:


> What year is it?
> 
> The machine that is, not in general
> 
> Sounded like that dude from terminator


I'll need to ask. Hopefully pre Phillips.

Would opv be worth it if I wait before I get pid?


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Yep OPV is worth it. It would have probably cost you at least a £10 to get the bits for the pressure gauge. And if you didn't have the sockets you'd need to get them too.

I've never fitted a PId but there's guys on here that have and have got some quite reasonable kit for not that much. Don't know what it's like though.

Any Classic PiDers wish to comment?


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

urbanbumpkin said:


> Yep OPV is worth it. It would have probably cost you at least a £10 to get the bits for the pressure gauge. And if you didn't have the sockets you'd need to get them too.
> 
> I've never fitted a PId but there's guys on here that have and have got some quite reasonable kit for not that much. Don't know what it's like though.
> 
> Any Classic PiDers wish to comment?


Gaggia manual service said he can do it for me for 20. I'll ask for 10 bar.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

nekromantik said:


> Gaggia manual service said he can do it for me for 20. I'll ask for 10 bar.


 Nine bar is the usual as I understand it but check with Mark.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Phil104 said:


> Nine bar is the usual as I understand it but check with Mark.


One is static and one is actual (I can't remember which is which), Mark will know though.


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

Cheers for help guys

Il need to find someone in the Brighton area to fit a PID for me.

Temp surfing annoys me.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Woah woah woah, your now fitting a PID? are you going for a Auber or Ebay one?


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I think the Auber ones are expensive (US $125?) but they come pre-set for the Classic with full fitting and operating instructions so should be a bit more 'plug and play'. My Classic came with the top Auber that controls shot time and steam. I can't say anything about fitting cos I didn't do it but it seems good. Not sure how the price in £ compares with the cheap ones, but factor in ease of fitting and setup, and functionality. Do the cheap ones just control brew temp or do they do shot timing and kick the steam in earlier too? Might be apples vs oranges.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Cheap ones can do whatever you wish, you just have to program them to do it!


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

I'm not fitting myself. Will probably get cheap and get someone to fit


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Who are you going to get to fit it?


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

froggystyle said:


> Who are you going to get to fit it?


No idea will need to look for someone.


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

Buying it for 140 with Silvia wand. Although according to gaggia manual service opv should not be touched as told by gaggia.


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