Fair price for Brewtus (needs repair)
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Joseph Helminiak
Mar 8, 2020, 2:42:14 PM3/8/20
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What is a fair price for a Brewtus? 2005 model, big orange power switch. Will trip a GFI breaker every time you plug it in. Will not trip the circuit breaker if it's not on a GFI circuit. I'm thinking one or more heating elements need to be replaced. However that requires almost a complete disassembly of the machine to take out the whole boilers.
Ira
Mar 8, 2020, 3:51:12 PM3/8/20
to Joseph Helminiak
Hello Joseph,
Depends if you can repair it yourself. I've not done it, but the Brewtus is
pretty easy to work on and there is plenty of documentation about the
pieces and how it works.
In that case, I'd say $100-$300. I'd certainly pay that and repair it
for amusement. But make sure it works first. if you need the
controller or thermostat, that changes things. If need be, plug it
into a non GFI outlet and test that it gets hot, makes steam, the pump
pumps and refills the boiler. If it does all that, then it's worth it.
If it doesn't work or you need to take it to a repair shop, probably
worth nothing unless you have a connection to a repair tech you trust
to do it correctly at a fair price. The tech has probably never seen a
Brewtus before so they need to be competent, in my experience, not
that easy to find.
-- Ira
pretty easy to work on and there is plenty of documentation about the
pieces and how it works.
In that case, I'd say $100-$300. I'd certainly pay that and repair it
for amusement. But make sure it works first. if you need the
controller or thermostat, that changes things. If need be, plug it
into a non GFI outlet and test that it gets hot, makes steam, the pump
pumps and refills the boiler. If it does all that, then it's worth it.
If it doesn't work or you need to take it to a repair shop, probably
worth nothing unless you have a connection to a repair tech you trust
to do it correctly at a fair price. The tech has probably never seen a
Brewtus before so they need to be competent, in my experience, not
that easy to find.
-- Ira
Joseph Helminiak
Mar 8, 2020, 5:37:50 PM3/8/20
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The Seller is going to ask "Joe Kolb" what she should sell it for.
IMO from texting with her It will need a heating element and I would replace both of them as long as I was tearing it apart
I really don't want to spend too much, if so I would just get a DE Machine. The backorder is 7 weeks on those now, SMH
-jjh
I really don't want to spend too much, if so I would just get a DE Machine. The backorder is 7 weeks on those now, SMH
-jjh
Eric Christoffersen
Mar 8, 2020, 6:36:17 PM3/8/20
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If you are methodical and have some 6 point wrenches the machines are pretty easy to strip down. Take the boilers out and to a garage that actually fixes things, maybe a suspension ship - bring some beer for their inconvenience. Wrap each boiler in a towel and clamp softly in a vice, then go at that hex fitting on the bottom with a big air tool and a tight fitting impact socket. Mine were impossibly stuck and it took about 45 seconds to get the elements free, and that included some dramatic smoke as they started to move. The removal took me about 30 minutes round trip from my house - it is super easy if you can get access to a big air wrench, the hammer motion is magic. Don't try to remove element using a giant breaker bar, that would be too much torque.
Joseph Helminiak
Mar 8, 2020, 6:43:09 PM3/8/20
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Its a 2005 machine. I can fix about anything but at what point is it to much.
I got a good deal on a machine in the past. "It barely used" well that turnned out to be "barely if EVER cleaned" Scaled and almost clogged grouphead
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tyrone edge
Mar 9, 2020, 12:48:50 PM3/9/20
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For what it's worth, there's a 2012 Brewtus 4 that appears to have had excellent maintenance that's going for $700 on H-B.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out!
T
A 2005 is a pretty old machine (unless you like working on them- in which case that's different). Personally I wouldn't pay more than a few hundred, but I am incredibly lazy and not mechanically inclined, so I'd rather pay extra for a well maintained machine.
I paid about $1100 CAD for my 2009 Brewtus 3 which has been really well maintained. Maybe I overpaid slightly, but the owner was very knowledgeable and took excellent care of the machine and I've had zero problems except replacing the cheap Ulka pump.
If the owner is not a knowledgeable coffee head, that can spell trouble as someone already mentioned. I always feel it's better to overpay slightly for a well maintained machine from someone who was careful with their machine.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out!
T
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Joseph Helminiak
Mar 9, 2020, 12:59:49 PM3/9/20
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T,
I searched for (would you help) the used machine at
https://www.home-barista.com/forums/search.php?keywords=Brewtus+&fid%5B0%5D=6
but could not find it.
-jjh
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tyrone edge
Mar 9, 2020, 1:03:29 PM3/9/20
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Hi Joseph,
Looks like it sold recently, but it was hanging around unsold until very recently.
It should at least give you an idea of going rate for a used Brewtus 4.
Obviously you'd have to factor in a shipping fee if you're not local, but at least it gives you a starting point.
T
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Joseph Helminiak
Mar 9, 2020, 1:43:17 PM3/9/20
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:( I wish I would have seen that
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jt123
Mar 9, 2020, 2:14:19 PM3/9/20
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That was a pretty good deal IMO for the B-IV. and Tyrone's deal was actually not bad either (unless machines go for a lot less in your city compared to Montreal ;)
I picked up a 2009 B-III for $1800CAD late last year, but it did come with a pretty new grinder so it wasn't a terrible deal. Leading up to it over the period of a month or two I was seeing used single boiler HX's with a e61 listed for around $2000... once in a while you'd see a machine in really bad shape for around 1k, but they go pretty fast.
Of course this is also quite dependent on your specific location. It feels like areas with larger espresso enthusiast communities in the US for example tend to see better deals.
Either way, for a used machine of uncertain condition that's around 5-10 years old, it seems like a PID replacement (around $200ish) is almost certain during this time - not sure if its due to the particular version of the Gicar or something... its not a part that I expect to fail given what it does but you see a lot of people are on their second one- (the one I got had it replaced a few years prior).
On Monday, 9 March 2020 13:43:17 UTC-4, Joseph Helminiak wrote:
On Mon, Mar 9, 2020 at 12:03 PM tyrone edge <tyron...@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Joseph,Looks like it sold recently, but it was hanging around unsold until very recently.It should at least give you an idea of going rate for a used Brewtus 4.Obviously you'd have to factor in a shipping fee if you're not local, but at least it gives you a starting point.T
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tyrone edge
Mar 9, 2020, 2:49:50 PM3/9/20
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Hey John,
That’s a really good point about the PID, I noticed mine is slightly wonky with a bit of the LED light having burned out. I notice it gets very hot back there so it’s no wonder they need to be replaced after a period of time.
I’m actually located in Montreal (recent transplant from Toronto) and there seems to be a much stronger home espresso market in Montreal per capita compared to Ontario. I really notice the heavier Italian influence in Montreal. Lots of machines seem to be available if you keep an eye out.
I found my B III on Kijiji and drove out to Quebec City to pick it up. The owner was asking $1300 but I asked a lot of questions, he took a liking to me, and was able to settle on $1100. You picked yours up including a grinder so $1800 doesn’t sound unfair assuming the grinder is pretty good.
I was also lucky enough to find a Versalab M3 grinder locally- right after having dropped $1250 on a Rocket Fausto.
The M3 is a 2014 model (it has none of the bugs of the earlier machines). I paid the full asking price of $1400 CAD (it came with original box, packing materials and manual- usually a sign of a great owner) and I felt like I overpaid at the time, but it was still a great value since a new M4 is $3200 USD. (I plan to do the M4 upgrade soon). Since then I’ve seen a few M3’s come up for sale and I don’t feel like I overpaid anymore.
The M3 absolutely destroyed the Rocket Fausto I bought from Zcafe, and the zero retention is such a big plus because you never have day old grinds being pushed into your first shot of the day. It also makes it super easy to switch beans on the fly, which is a nice bonus.
I ended up unloading the Rocket after a few months- it’s not a bad grinder but is nowhere near the Versalab in terms of grind quality. I was truly shocked at the difference the grinder made.
Honestly I’m a Versalab fan partially because I’m also an audio geek, and the belt driven grinder design appeals to me partially because I also have a belt driven Rega turntable. 😂
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Ira
Mar 9, 2020, 3:00:44 PM3/9/20
to tyrone edge
Hello tyrone,
Monday, March 9, 2020, 11:49:37 AM, you wrote:
Interestingly enough, if you search hard enough you might also discover information abut the belt driven Versalab turntable that pre-dates the grinder. Don't know if it was called Versalab but it also used flat belts which we've speculated is why the grinder also used flat belts, though it's hard to imagine that coffeee beans care as much about speed accuracy as vinyl does. I've also also got a Rega along with a Technics with an Infiniti Black Widow and somewhere in a closet, an early Theta tube pre-amp.
Ira
Monday, March 9, 2020, 11:49:37 AM, you wrote:
| Honestly I’m a Versalab fan partially because I’m also an audio geek, and the belt driven grinder design appeals to me partially because I also have a belt driven Rega turntable. |
Interestingly enough, if you search hard enough you might also discover information abut the belt driven Versalab turntable that pre-dates the grinder. Don't know if it was called Versalab but it also used flat belts which we've speculated is why the grinder also used flat belts, though it's hard to imagine that coffeee beans care as much about speed accuracy as vinyl does. I've also also got a Rega along with a Technics with an Infiniti Black Widow and somewhere in a closet, an early Theta tube pre-amp.
Ira
tyrone edge
Mar 9, 2020, 3:05:14 PM3/9/20
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Hey Ira,
Yes I am aware that John Bicht designed the Versa Dynamics turntable back in the 1980’s and it still has a cult following, but I didn’t think anyone here would care about it. 😂
It sounds like you have a great setup! I have a Rega P9, Audiomat (rube) electronics, and Reference 3A speakers.
I also run a tube based CD player. I’m definitely a bit of a geek. Good to see there are others here!
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Ira
Mar 9, 2020, 6:38:54 PM3/9/20
to tyrone edge
Hello tyrone,
Monday, March 9, 2020, 12:05:01 PM, you wrote:
| I’m definitely a bit of a geek. |
Read Absolute Sound from Issue 5 - 100 or so. Worked for Theta for a couple of months when he was starting. Not really caring much any more. What I have is fine and the room is so bad it will be hard to do much better.
Sorry for the audio disruption.
-- Ira
Sorry for the audio disruption.
-- Ira
Joseph Helminiak
Mar 12, 2020, 2:59:09 PM3/12/20
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Damaged during shipment. FedEx packed and FedEx shipped. Kinda-Pissed right now.
They used the foam, which is good. However why would you place a 65lb anything on top of expanding foam? The bottom of the box had like 1/4 inch of foam at the most. Then They dropped the box.
Bent frame, dented case, bent bottom of case. PID no longer working, bent front tray. GGGrrrrrrr, What the hell did they play toss the box with this thing?????
I did insure it but only for $1500. Would be nice to get a replacement but good luck finding something. :( :(
On Monday, March 9, 2020 at 11:48:50 AM UTC-5, tyrone edge wrote:
For what it's worth, there's a 2012 Brewtus 4 that appears to have had excellent maintenance that's going for $700 on H-B.A 2005 is a pretty old machine (unless you like working on them- in which case that's different). Personally I wouldn't pay more than a few hundred, but I am incredibly lazy and not mechanically inclined, so I'd rather pay extra for a well maintained machine.I paid about $1100 CAD for my 2009 Brewtus 3 which has been really well maintained. Maybe I overpaid slightly, but the owner was very knowledgeable and took excellent care of the machine and I've had zero problems except replacing the cheap Ulka pump.If the owner is not a knowledgeable coffee head, that can spell trouble as someone already mentioned. I always feel it's better to overpay slightly for a well maintained machine from someone who was careful with their machine.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out!
T
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tyrone edge
Mar 12, 2020, 3:13:48 PM3/12/20
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Joseph that is awful to hear. Have you had any interaction with their customer service department? The fact that they packed it may give you some wiggle room on reimbursement but someone else with more expertise in this area may be able to weigh in...
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Ira
Mar 12, 2020, 3:35:11 PM3/12/20
to Joseph Helminiak
Hello Joseph,
Thursday, March 12, 2020, 11:59:09 AM, you wrote:
I did insure it but only for $1500. Would be nice to get a replacement but good luck finding something. :( :( |
In my experience, you'll get the 1500 + shipping. I can't imagine you can't get it working while you look for a replacement. I'd guess you need to pen it up and check all the wiring, it's unlikely the PID died, more likely a wire came loose. Where is the machine located?
-- Ira
-- Ira
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Rizwan Naveed
Jun 14, 2020, 4:03:59 AM6/14/20
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Folks this is slightly related, would love your help!
I have an opportunity to buy a used Expobar Leva 1 - I think its branded brewtus III or something in the US. Its manufactured 2009, single owner, seller says its been refurbished by a service company and has a rebuilt E61 group, new electronics/control board and a new vacuum breaker. Asking $700-800
Questions:
1) is this a good deal?
2) Will this be a headache with stuff breaking down? thats the only concern I have with this thing, I’m pretty handy in general with repairs
3) is it a significant jump over the Gaggia? My wife will murder me if I start pining for another upgrade any time soon.
even a quick thought would be great!
I have an opportunity to buy a used Expobar Leva 1 - I think its branded brewtus III or something in the US. Its manufactured 2009, single owner, seller says its been refurbished by a service company and has a rebuilt E61 group, new electronics/control board and a new vacuum breaker. Asking $700-800
Questions:
1) is this a good deal?
2) Will this be a headache with stuff breaking down? thats the only concern I have with this thing, I’m pretty handy in general with repairs
3) is it a significant jump over the Gaggia? My wife will murder me if I start pining for another upgrade any time soon.
even a quick thought would be great!
Message has been deleted
Message has been deleted
tyrone edge
Jun 14, 2020, 9:57:24 AM6/14/20
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I have a 2009 Brewtus 3, these are very good machines, if a little bit cheaply built and noisy compared to say, a Rocket.
That being said, they make very good coffee and the price you quoted is good as long as components have been replaced as needed and the machine is in good working order.
You might want to budget some extra funds to get it inspected by a competent technician if you’re not into self-service.
I have had mine for about a year and in that time what’s started to bother me most is that I don’t like the idea of drinking hot water that’s been running through teflon tubing. My next machine will be free entirely of teflon tubing.
That being said, it’s not a concern everyone would have.
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Rizwan Naveed
Jun 14, 2020, 10:55:13 AM6/14/20
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Thanks Tyrone! The guy I’m buying from is the coffee tech, he did a refurb (not full rebuild like WLL) and replaced everything that wasn’t working, replacing piping, some electronics etc so im quite confident that the machine is in good working condition.
I wish I could post photos because I have them on imgur - google groups keeps deleting my posts with hyperlinks, but if you google “imgur NY44vlX” (you’ll see a reddit and home barista post) you can see the machine and with shot of internals, if that helps
May I ask Tyrone, how long more do you plan to have this machine?Trying to predict my own pathway with it :p
I wish I could post photos because I have them on imgur - google groups keeps deleting my posts with hyperlinks, but if you google “imgur NY44vlX” (you’ll see a reddit and home barista post) you can see the machine and with shot of internals, if that helps
May I ask Tyrone, how long more do you plan to have this machine?Trying to predict my own pathway with it :p
tyrone edge
Jun 14, 2020, 4:14:52 PM6/14/20
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Hi Naveed,
I think these are great machines for the money. They are definitely built to a price, but they have a lot of features for the money. Buying from a tech sounds like an excellent idea.
The fact that you can be sure about boiler temperature allows you to eliminate an important variable. It’s going to allow you to make repeatable great espresso.
The biggest difference to me was switching to a really great grinder. I purchased a Rocket Fausto grinder, and it was OK, but a used Versalab M3 came up for sale locally and I jumped on it. The Expobar can make really good espresso. I was able to outdo my local roaster’s espresso about 50% of the time on my home machine- at least with their B-list barista on the bar. It’s a very capable machine.
I’m going to hang onto mine for a while but I’m in the midst of rebuilding a lever machine. They require a lot more skill to use, but they’re fun. I’m not letting the Expobar go for a while though!
I’ll check out the photos on Google, but it sounds like you should pull the trigger on this deal ASAP.
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Rizwan Naveed
Jun 14, 2020, 5:48:29 PM6/14/20
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Tyrone thanks so much!! This community is also one of my motivations and confidence behind buying this puppy :) the insides look like...a grandmas basement, but I wonder if that’s just the norm for espresso machines - I’ll probably need to ask you guys how you get your copper boilers so shiny, a nice DIY project in the future!
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jt123
Jun 14, 2020, 6:17:24 PM6/14/20
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Hi Naveed, I looked at the pictures, and assuming the imgur link is referring to the exact machine, then it is not a Office Leva, but rather a Leva 2 and given its vintage, would be identical to a Brewtus III - a dual boiler with PID for the brew boiler. This is a significantly more featured machine compared to the Leva 1!
I have a BIII from the same year, but the insides of mine look a bit cleaner and the insulation seems less worn. I bought it with a Quamar m80e for $1800CAD in late 2019, so I think as long as the machine has been restored (do internal looks matter? :P), I'd say its a decent deal!
On Sunday, 14 June 2020 14:48:29 UTC-7, Rizwan Naveed wrote:
Tyrone thanks so much!! This community is also one of my motivations and confidence behind buying this puppy :) the insides look like...a grandmas basement, but I wonder if that’s just the norm for espresso machines - I’ll probably need to ask you guys how you get your copper boilers so shiny, a nice DIY project in the future!
On Sun, Jun 14, 2020 at 4:14 PM tyrone edge <tyron...@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Naveed,I think these are great machines for the money. They are definitely built to a price, but they have a lot of features for the money. Buying from a tech sounds like an excellent idea.The fact that you can be sure about boiler temperature allows you to eliminate an important variable. It’s going to allow you to make repeatable great espresso.The biggest difference to me was switching to a really great grinder. I purchased a Rocket Fausto grinder, and it was OK, but a used Versalab M3 came up for sale locally and I jumped on it. The Expobar can make really good espresso. I was able to outdo my local roaster’s espresso about 50% of the time on my home machine- at least with their B-list barista on the bar. It’s a very capable machine.I’m going to hang onto mine for a while but I’m in the midst of rebuilding a lever machine. They require a lot more skill to use, but they’re fun. I’m not letting the Expobar go for a while though!I’ll check out the photos on Google, but it sounds like you should pull the trigger on this deal ASAP.
On Sun, Jun 14, 2020 at 10:55 AM Rizwan Naveed <rizw...@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks Tyrone! The guy I’m buying from is the coffee tech, he did a refurb (not full rebuild like WLL) and replaced everything that wasn’t working, replacing piping, some electronics etc so im quite confident that the machine is in good working condition.
I wish I could post photos because I have them on imgur - google groups keeps deleting my posts with hyperlinks, but if you google “imgur NY44vlX” (you’ll see a reddit and home barista post) you can see the machine and with shot of internals, if that helps
May I ask Tyrone, how long more do you plan to have this machine?Trying to predict my own pathway with it :p
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Kevin Maciunas
Jun 15, 2020, 1:22:24 PM6/15/20
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On 14/6/20 5:33 pm, Rizwan Naveed wrote:
> Folks this is slightly related, would love your help!
>
> I have an opportunity to buy a used Expobar Leva 1 - I think its branded brewtus III or something in the US. Its manufactured 2009, single owner, seller says its been refurbished by a service company and has a rebuilt E61 group, new electronics/control board and a new vacuum breaker. Asking $700-800
>
> Questions:
> 1) is this a good deal?
Given the above, I assume you're non-US :) Here in Australia, I own a
> Folks this is slightly related, would love your help!
>
> I have an opportunity to buy a used Expobar Leva 1 - I think its branded brewtus III or something in the US. Its manufactured 2009, single owner, seller says its been refurbished by a service company and has a rebuilt E61 group, new electronics/control board and a new vacuum breaker. Asking $700-800
>
> Questions:
> 1) is this a good deal?
Leva 2. They are built solidly. I've replaced the electronic unit
because it was missing more and more display segments. I've also put a
set of seals in the E61 group. There is very little to go wrong,
fundamentally. In $AU, this is a reasonable deal.
> 2) Will this be a headache with stuff breaking down? thats the only concern I have with this thing, I’m pretty handy in general with repairs
Easy to work on, easy to fix. Espresso machines are actually very
simple things. The only minor grief is that things are tight inside the
unit. This group has the Brewtus manual available and it shows
everything you need to know. Servicing the E61 is well documented on
the web, and dis-assembly and refurbish takes less than an hour.
One very decent upgrade I'd suggest though is a silicone group seal. So
much better than the rubber that goes hard like rock..
> 3) is it a significant jump over the Gaggia? My wife will murder me if I start pining for another upgrade any time soon.
>
> even a quick thought would be great!
>
They don't last all that well. I have just done the family gathering
for my twin grandson's 2 year old party. I made 18 rounds of coffee on
the Expobar and it never missed a beat. I've done a fundraising coffee
stall in an open garden where I did 1,500 coffees over Sat/Sun and it
never even looked like raising a sweat. These things are bomb proof.
Cheers
/Kevin
Rizwan Naveed
Jun 15, 2020, 1:35:28 PM6/15/20
to bre...@googlegroups.com
Gents - I am picking this up today. Thank you so so so much for your words. this community, the guidance etc is part of the reason I'm getting the machine!
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