Maybe you're right, I don't know much about this particular machine, but espresso machines (especially levers) are simple machines that are frequently hand-buil

Maybe you're right, I don't know much about this particular machine, but espresso machines (especially levers) are simple machines that are frequently hand-built, yet very serviceable and high quality. See for example the Londinium R, which has a lot of fans and is basically designed and built by 1 guy AFAICT: https://londiniumespresso.com/store/londinium-r https://londiniumespresso.com/store/londinium-r In contrast, consider the Breville espresso machines. They make great coffee reportedly, but I understand they're next to impossible to service or fix yourself. I heard that a technician is required to merely clean it, much less repair it (maybe a machine owner can chime in). So I guess you gain some and lose some with economies of scale and espresso machines.