odin1899 Senior Member Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Posts: 1 Location: The Netherlands Expertise: Just starting
Posted Sat Jan 12, 2008, 1:00pm Subject: Faema Erika secondhand, quality of internals
I'm a newbie when it comes to espressomachines. I have an old Spidem (very angular and small, from 92) machine which has finally died and now I'm looking for a secondhand replacement. Only now after having trawled forums like this one have I discovered that the portafilter in my Spidem is a pressurised one, which apparently isn't all that good =).
Anyway, I've discovered a secondhand Faema Erika grinder/espressomachine combo in my area (from 97 according to the owner). It's nigh impossible to find any information about this machine. I'd like to find out if it has an aluminium thermoblock or boiler (be it alu/copper/stainless) on the inside. Does anybody have any knowledge of this machine?
Here's a very outdated link to a shop which apparently sold them at one point. And here is the actual second hand machine I'm eyeballing.
ignite105 Senior Member Joined: 8 Sep 2007 Posts: 36 Location: New Zealand Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Nuova Simonelli Oscar Grinder: Anfim Milano
Posted Wed Jan 20, 2010, 1:08pm Subject: Re: Faema Erika secondhand, quality of internals
I know this is an old thread, but one has popped up for sale here in New Zealand and there really isn't any decent information on the web when machine is goggled! Does anyone here have any experience with this machine? i have moved into a small apartment for 6-12 months and cannot bring my HX/Grinder setup with me. Something like this looks perfect but would love to know more about tis machine??
paulwd Senior Member Joined: 31 Jul 2006 Posts: 34 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: big old shiny things with... Grinder: anfim lusso Roaster: homebuilt
Posted Thu Jan 21, 2010, 11:05am Subject: Re: Faema Erika secondhand, quality of internals
I owned one of these as my first machine about 10 years ago. Horrible thing. Could never get anything close to a decent cup from it. In hindsight, this may have been due perhaps to blunt burrs. Construction is ok-ish. Machine has manual 3way valve.
In our work office, our cimbali junior draws water from a 20L container. More accurately, it is fed water via a cheap pump ($65 trademe fella). This maintains feed pressure at about 2bar. If your hesitation to move your current setup is related to plumbing in, this can be easily overcome for much less than the price of a sub-par replacement machine.
ignite105 Senior Member Joined: 8 Sep 2007 Posts: 36 Location: New Zealand Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Nuova Simonelli Oscar Grinder: Anfim Milano
Posted Thu Jan 21, 2010, 1:17pm Subject: Re: Faema Erika secondhand, quality of internals
Thanks paulwd, what do you mean by manual 3 way valve? how does this work? Reason for not moving current set-up is not plumbing but space. I have a very small amount of bench space so thinking a grinder/espresso combo set-up would work best but don't want to spend NZ $2000 on a Isomac Brio or La Pavoni Domus Bar!
paulwd Senior Member Joined: 31 Jul 2006 Posts: 34 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: big old shiny things with... Grinder: anfim lusso Roaster: homebuilt
Posted Thu Jan 21, 2010, 1:48pm Subject: Re: Faema Erika secondhand, quality of internals
I forget the exact setup but from memory, the 3 way group valve is actuated via the knob on the front panel. Nearly all machines use solenoids for this purpose instead. Anyway, no matter.
I don't think parts are available in aust/nz. On this basis, I would choose another machine. A nemox is in the same class for a combo machine. I would probably get a little gaggia baby or classic and pair with a sunbeam burr grinder from briscoes. Easy to resell when you've done and will make better coffee than the faema.
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