My New (to me) Espresso Machine is On the Way!

I am happy with my Gaggia Coffee. I really am. It has been faithful and reliable even when I am lax on cleaning and maintenance. It just sits there waiting for me to pull a no fuss shot. Why would any one want for more. Why would someone in their right mind look at another machine, or more to the point - why did I look for another machine when my Gaggia clearly deserves better? The reason is simple - Oscar. Nuova Simonelli Oscar to be exact.

This machine's feature set is the reason I strayed.  Seduced by gobs of steam power, heat exchange temperature stability, and a huge boiler I flew like a moth to the flame. I found one listed for a low price sold for parts or repair in non-working condition and bought myself a one way ticket down the rabbit hole. There is a saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.  I say the road is paved with Paypal statements.  Never in the history of man has there ever been a time when one could so easily and quickly sate an impulse.  Want a bass boat? With about thirty spare seconds (counting the Google search) and a Paypal account you can be sailing full steam ahead on an ocean of debt.

But I digress. I also would like to take a moment to apologize to all internet bass boat purchasers and vendors now and in the future.  Only I am to blame for the box heading my way in the big brown truck - maybe I should take up fishing instead.  I just found a good deal on a fourteen footer. The boat will have to wait though since espresso adventures are a foot. I am sailing into uncharted waters with this fixer upper but I consider myself moderately handy.  Whether moderately handy is handy enough remains to be seen though. To be continued...

A photo of my Gaggia - a real workhorse.