Help with purchase decision requested!

Dear QM owner+ QM connoisseur,

after our Saecco had already cost me a lot of nerves and Euros for repairs and in the meantime I have been told that our household [approx. 15 to 20 daily purchases Espresso/Lungo/Crema] actually already lies at the limit of the load capacity of normal private machines.....I have somehow fallen in love with the idea, our defective Saecco against a QM 05000(evtl.05500)-OA to exchange.

Leider is the next physical QM at least 125 km from here in the shop and therefore it runs out on an order at the online shop.
The Info´s I get are a bit sparse - so it would be great if somebody would answer a few questions for me.

Lt. Statements of the BA downloaded here need little maintenance. On the other hand, I found this cleaning instructionshere. It turned out to be quite different from when I read that you have to do this every 14 days.

What now? How often and how intensively do you clean your machines and what do the machines really need to keep their function and value for longer than 3 years?

I only need all the milk drizzle when my friends or I want to drink a cappuccino as an exception. This may happen 1 x week, but still:

Should I take a 05500-0A, because it doesn't cost much more and the simultaneous steam preparation is already clever, when you actually foam up milk ? Or does this have disadvantages in our case: higher power consumption or whatever - even if autocappinators are rarely used? And does the 05500 actually have a normal steam nozzle in addition?

>Most of the time only my husband and I drink coffee. But nevertheless: when family celebrations are announced, or when all the neighbours in our garden are sitting around...

When is it useful to have these 16 cups programmed? Always or only if you use them more often? What are your experiences?

..and then when the unspeakable happens and my expensive (!) piece actually needs a repair....

As long as the warranty is valid I have to send the eh to the (retailer-)Onlineshop? Later, can any good electrical workshop repair or should I clarify this better before buying? And how do I get spare parts?


And last but not least: please rave to me about your good espresso from the QM, and about its longevity and years of use without a single repair....
Finally a Swabian housewife has to give herself a big jolt to spend 1.5 monthly salaries on ´ne coffee machine


Thank you for your replies !!!!

>the coffee addicts img src='/forums/html/emoticons/tongue.gif' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' />

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seit 04 bis heute noch Saecco Incanto (jetzt mit kaputtem Mahlwerk);
auf der Suche nach neuem VA

So, a few points I can answer.

1: It is robust without end. I bought and repaired a used one, which is probably 10 years old, but unbreakable. I have paid 80 euros and put 40 in it at gaskets and small stuff.
But I bequeath them to my 5-year-old...

2: Parts without problems, Bonn espresso studio, coffee enjoyment QMD, with which I have best experiences.

3: Milk foam also works with the 5000 quickly and well, good dry steam, swivel the nozzle back in and espresso without waiting / cooling time is no problem.

4: Cleaning: I press after use and before always rinse. 1 time a day on the door, brush everything briefly and clean the 3 containers. I make descaling with citric acid but rarely, because I cut osmosis water to 7°.
I did the cleaning from Internet on the 1st day, it was very dirty, since then only once a week liquid Bref grease cleaner with open / bridged door in the brewing cylinder, let draw and rinse several times.
1 times every 1-2 months the sieves are removed according to the instructions, it's a matter of minutes once you've done it and put all dismountable parts in a coffee fat solvent.

5: I repair everything myself.

6: even only with Lavazza the best espresso I've drunk from a VA!

LG Matthias

Hello,
I bought a used QM 05000 in 2008, which was about 4 years old (3000 covers) and quite unmaintained.
After cleaning and adjusting the mill, it now has about 2000 problem-free covers behind it. At that time I only had new water pipes/pumps and seals installed in the Bonn espresso studio, as the old ones were full of algae ;(...
We drink approx. 8 - 10 cups of cappuccino daily and at the beginning I cleaned the sieves every three to four weeks (according to the instructions), which after the third time is really no longer a significant effort. Since the sieves were always clean and not glued until now, I have extended the cleaning intervals accordingly. Of course this can vary from coffee type to coffee type - we prefer to drink "Rwanda" of "raven black" from Schwelm.
otherwise just empty the containers and fill them up and every few days a little brushing and wiping. Due to the simple construction you can see very well where to clean...
Decalcification is necessary due to the special brewing technique and because we have soft water maybe once or twice a year.
If you only rarely need milk foam, you could do without the autocappucinator, because, as Matthias writes, you don't have to wait after steam extraction. Depends on price difference and own financial resources. Perhaps also from the cleaning effort of the auxiliary nozzle. I dip after use the normal steam nozzle several times in hot water and is good. If necessary (1 - 2 weeks) there is then the "tidy" cleaning with detergent and brush...
As you put the toothpick into the switch, but be careful with your fingers!!!) If the door lock shows very well how full the brewing cylinder is, you can easily set the optimum coffee quantity. By adjusting the grinding degree, you can then set the necessary 25 - 30 seconds "processing time" depending on the coffee to obtain an optimal taste experience.
I say, WITHOUT KNOWING it, that this is not possible with other VA. That's why the QM is considered to be the best VA for a decent espresso (after the screen carrier machines).
As you can see, I'm a fan of the machine and can only recommend it.
Many greetings
Florian

Hello Florian and Matthias,

Thank you so much for your answers!
Exactly how I wanted to read....

I still have a lot of money to spend on a Waaaahnsinn espresso machine, which I can only hope will really provide me with Superespresso for 10 to 15 years.
(But somehow better than spending 500,-€ every 3 years on a new "plastic bomber")

With your answers I can now convince my husband of the gods that the machine is not as expensive to maintain as he feared.
(Machine maintenance is a field where I like to do without emancipation = MEN'S SACHE

And I myself have a better conscience if I now spend so much money "only" on "drinking coffee".
I have to clarify the rest of the purchase decision with the help of my account statements, but contact me again when the good piece has made the first espresso here in my kitchen.

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seit 04 bis heute noch Saecco Incanto (jetzt mit kaputtem Mahlwerk);
auf der Suche nach neuem VA

Hello,
at eBay gibt´s at the moment a used one for little money (320.-€). Maybe ask about the number of covers.
As we said, we are very satisfied with our used...
Other on the net a little bit for special offers search - also eBay 999.-€ incl. shipping.
Greß
Florian

Hello Florian,

>many thanks for the tip - I had also discovered the machine.

Aaaaber - I am a shabby housewife and a coffee addict - but also ´ne woman.......

...so, even if function goes before styling:
the eye still drinks;
and of course it has to be the stainless steel one >

The cheapest one I found was the one in an espresso studio in Bonn for about 1250,- ( resp. 1350,-for 5500)

If you have seen something cheaper in stainless steel, then I am grateful for any tip!!!!

Clear I should perhaps better wait for a cheap used. But in stainless steel they probably come only rarely on the market and with me prevails at the moment.

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seit 04 bis heute noch Saecco Incanto (jetzt mit kaputtem Mahlwerk);
auf der Suche nach neuem VA

The one for 1250,- € seems to be the cheapest and the Bonner Espressostudio knows about the machines, there I was also for repair.

Beautiful WE
Florian

I know a little late - but nevertheless ...

I can recommend the QM5000A without reservation !
Cleaning according to instructions is sufficient once every 1/2 year.
(every 14 days is exaggerated)
Other - Empty container - Wipe BG - done.

I wouldn't take the 5500.
The 5500 is a lot more complicated (boiler, electrics, ...) u.
Thereby a lot more susceptible !

Gruß
Jürgen

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Quick th mill

Thanks for the tips :-)