Quick Answer
There are three ways to get an entry-level espresso machine for a small kitchen: buy it new, buy it manufacturer-certified refurbished, or buy it used from a private seller. Each one trades warranty, return options and a known history for a lower outlay.
For a first machine, our default is to buy new or buy certified refurbished from the manufacturer. Both come with a manufacturer warranty and a known starting condition. Breville, for example, says its new-machine warranty is non-transferable, so a second owner can't count on it. A private used machine only makes sense if you can check every item on the list below in person, with water in the tank, before you pay. If you can't, buying new is the safer choice.
Evidence in this guide: Manufacturer-researched (Breville and De'Longhi warranty pages, refurbished-program pages and US instruction manuals) and forum discussion (Reddit r/espresso). Nothing here is Hands-on tested or a Measured mock-up. This is a buying-process guide, not a ranking.
Apartment Barista uses Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability can change at any time and should be checked on Amazon before buying.
Who This Guide Is For
- Beginners on a tight budget who are looking at a secondhand or refurbished compact espresso machine and want to know what they give up compared with buying new.
- Renters who have found a local listing and want a checklist to use before handing over money.
For how much to budget in the first place, see How Much Should You Spend on Your First Espresso Machine? This guide doesn't repeat that advice.
What People Run Into (Forum Discussion)
On June 28, 2026, an r/espresso poster described a thrifted De'Longhi Dedica that "makes the right noises but nothing comes out" and then wrote that "now it just leaks water." The same post said: "I'm so fed up with broken machines" (Reddit, r/espresso post, June 28, 2026).
On July 19, 2025, a poster who had just bought a Breville Bambino from a retailer, and who wrote "I am very new to the world of making authentic coffee," was weighing a return to buy a Bambino Plus certified refurbished by Breville instead. They asked whether it was "worth the gamble with a refurbished machine" (Reddit, r/espresso post, July 19, 2025).
On May 29, 2025, a poster with a refurbished Bambino Plus bought on eBay asked: "Is this a faulty machine or am i doing something wrong?" They added: "The water goes through fine when there's no coffee in it." (Reddit, "Refurbished Bambino plus from ebay. What am i doing wrong...?")
These are individual posts, not measurements or search data. We don't know what was wrong with any of these machines, and we haven't diagnosed them.
New vs Certified Refurbished vs Private Used
Everything in this table comes from the manufacturers' published terms, checked October 22, 2026.
| New from an authorized retailer | Breville Certified Remanufactured | Private used (Marketplace, thrift store, auction) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer warranty | Breville: limited warranty, non-transferable, from the date of purchase. Bambino: 1 Year Limited Warranty. Bambino Plus: 2 Year Limited Warranty. De'Longhi Stilosa and Dedica Deluxe: 1-year included warranty, and De'Longhi says registering a coffee machine adds 1 year (some exclusions apply) | 6-month limited warranty from the date of purchase, non-transferable, covering the 50 US states, DC and Puerto Rico | Breville's warranty is non-transferable, so don't count on any manufacturer coverage. Whether De'Longhi's warranty passes to a second owner is not something we could find |
| Proof of purchase | Breville: an original or copy of the retailer's sales receipt or invoice showing the model number, payment and purchase date. Registering the product is not a substitute | Breville's claim process asks for the original or a copy of the sales receipt | Usually none that names you as the buyer |
| Who checked it | Factory new | Breville says each unit is fully cleaned, food-contact parts are sanitized, and it is tested so that defective components are replaced with original Breville parts | Nobody you can verify. You are the inspection |
| Condition | New | Breville says units may show minor cosmetic imperfections, such as scratches, marks or discolorations | Unknown. Scale, wear and past repairs are invisible from a photo |
| Where it comes from | A retailer | Breville or a Breville-authorized seller. Breville's refurbished warranty excludes products not bought from Breville or an authorized seller, naming non-authorized sellers online, auctions and eBay as examples | Whoever is selling it |
Two things follow from that table:
- "Refurbished" on a marketplace listing is not the same as manufacturer-certified. Breville's 6-month refurbished warranty applies to its own Certified Remanufactured products bought from Breville or an authorized seller. A listing that just says "refurbished" doesn't carry that warranty unless it is one of those.
- What's on offer changes. Breville's Certified Remanufactured store lists specific models, and stock comes and goes. De'Longhi's US site also has a refurbished section, but we did not find its warranty terms, so read them on the listing before you buy.
Before You Pay: A Checklist From the Manuals
None of these manufacturers publish an inspection standard for used machines. The checks below are drawn from what the US instruction manuals say a working machine should have and do, plus their troubleshooting tables. Do them in person, with the machine plugged in and the tank filled.
1. The rating label says 120 V
Breville lists the Bambino as 120 V ~ 60 Hz, 1560 W, and De'Longhi lists the Stilosa as 120 V ~ 60 Hz, 1100 W. De'Longhi's US page for the Dedica Deluxe lists 120 V. A machine built for another country's voltage isn't made for a US outlet, so read the label on the machine itself, not just the listing. While you're there, check that the model number and serial number are readable. Breville's warranties exclude products where the model or serial number has been removed, replaced, altered or made illegible.
2. All the accessories are there
Compare what comes with the machine against the list in its manual.
- Breville Bambino (BES450): stainless steel milk jug, 54mm tamper, steam wand tip cleaning tool (located under the water tank), single wall filter baskets (1 cup and 2 cup), dual wall filter baskets (1 cup and 2 cup), and descaling powder. The manual notes that the 54mm aluminum portafilter is not dishwasher safe.
- De'Longhi Stilosa (EC260): portafilter, measuring spoon/tamper, a 1-shot filter (suitable for ESE pods) and a 2-shot filter. Descaler is not included with the machine, even new.
- Bambino Plus, Dedica and others: we haven't listed these here. Download the manual for the exact model and check against its accessories page.
A machine that's missing its baskets or tamper still needs them, and they have to match the machine's size. For the Bambino and Dedica, see Breville Bambino and De'Longhi Dedica Accessory Size Guide for Beginners.
3. It isn't asking to be descaled
- The Bambino's manual says the machine flags when it needs a clean: "The 2 Cup button will continuously flash," meaning it needs cleaning and descaling.
- De'Longhi recommends descaling the Stilosa "about every 200 coffees."
Ask the seller when the machine was last descaled and what water they used. Either way, plan to run a full descale yourself after you bring it home. The steps are in How to Clean an Espresso Machine in a Small Kitchen.
4. Water comes through
Run water through the group head with no coffee in the basket.
- Bambino: the manual lists "Water doesn’t come through (the machine makes a loud noise)" and gives these causes: the water tank is empty, the tank isn't fully inserted and locked into position, or the machine needs to be cleaned and descaled.
- Stilosa: for "No coffee is delivered," the manual lists no water in the tank, a dirty filter, and limescale in the water circuit, which calls for descaling.
If the tank is full and seated and water still doesn't come through, the manual's next step is a descale. That's something to do after you own a machine, not a reason to accept one that won't run in front of you.
5. No leaks, especially around the portafilter
- Stilosa: if coffee drips from the edges of the portafilter rather than from the spout holes, the manual lists two causes. Either the portafilter is inserted incorrectly or is dirty, or "The espresso boiler gasket has lost elasticity or it is dirty." For the gasket, the manual's fix is to have it replaced by Customer Services.
- Bambino: the troubleshooting table lists "Water leaking" with the cause that the water tank isn't fully inserted and locked into position.
Seat the tank and lock in the portafilter properly first. If it still leaks from the portafilter edge, assume it needs a gasket replacement.
6. The steam wand steams
The manuals don't give a pass or fail test for a used steam wand. The basic check is to watch it produce steam. If it only sputters or doesn't steam at all, you can't confirm it works.
7. No home repairs or modifications
- De'Longhi's Stilosa manual says: "Don’t attempt to repair or modify the machine, doing so will void the warranty."
- Breville's warranty excludes damage from accessories, replacement parts or repair service not authorized by Breville, and from alteration, modification or repair by anyone Breville hasn't authorized.
Ask whether the machine has ever been opened, repaired or modified. A machine fixed up at home may have no warranty left even for the first owner.
8. You can walk away
If you can't do checks 1 to 7 in person, or the seller won't let you run water through it, treat that as a no. The cost of a machine that doesn't work is the whole amount you paid.
When Buying New Is the Better Deal
Buy new, or certified refurbished from the manufacturer, if any of these are true:
- You can't see the machine run water and steam before you pay.
- Baskets, the tamper or other accessories in the manual are missing.
- There's no receipt and no way to return it.
- The label isn't 120 V, or the model or serial number has been removed or can't be read.
- It leaks around the portafilter, or the seller says it has been repaired at home.
- You're new to espresso and won't be able to tell whether a problem is the machine or your technique.
That last point is common. The May 29, 2025 eBay post above is a good example. For "Espresso only drips from the portafilter spouts or not at all," the Bambino Plus manual's troubleshooting table lists causes that include coffee ground too finely, too much coffee in the basket, coffee tamped too firmly, a blocked filter basket, and a machine that needs descaling. A new machine with a warranty lets you work through that list knowing the hardware isn't the unknown.
Fit It to Your Kitchen First
A secondhand machine needs the same space as a new one. Measure your counter depth and the clearance under your upper cabinets before you go to see it. See the Espresso Machine Size Guide and How Much Counter Space Do You Need for an Espresso Setup?
A private sale usually comes without the original box. Empty the water tank and drip tray before carrying it home.
After You Bring It Home
Treat a used or refurbished machine the way you'd treat a new one, then add a descale.
- Read the manual for your exact model, and download it if one didn't come with the machine.
- Do the manual's first-use rinse before your first coffee. The full first-week routine is in First Week With a New Espresso Machine in a Small Apartment: A Setup Checklist.
- Descale it, following How to Clean an Espresso Machine in a Small Kitchen.
- If something seems wrong, work through the manual's troubleshooting table before deciding the machine is faulty. If the Bambino switches off mid-use, its manual says the safety thermal cut-out may have activated because the pump overheated. Switch it off, unplug it, let it cool for about 30 to 60 minutes, and call Breville Support if the problem continues.
If you're unsure whether a pump sounds normal, see Is a Compact Espresso Machine Too Loud for a Thin-Wall Apartment? Pump, Steam, and Puck Knock vs a Manual Lever.
Machines Mentioned in This Guide
These machines appear in the forum posts above or have the clearest US manual details for the checklist. This is not a ranking. The links go to new listings on Amazon, so check that the listing says new and who the seller is.
- The Breville Bambino has the most complete accessory list and descaling prompt in this guide, and Breville lists a 1 Year Limited Warranty. See Breville Bambino for Apartments.
- The Breville Bambino Plus is the machine in two of the forum posts. Breville lists a 2 Year Limited Warranty. For how it compares with the Bambino, see Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus: Which One Fits a Small Kitchen?
- The De'Longhi Stilosa has a simple accessory list and a 1-year included warranty, plus 1 year with product registration, per De'Longhi. Its descaler is sold separately. See De'Longhi Stilosa for Apartments.
For the Dedica, the machine in the June 28, 2026 post, see De'Longhi Dedica for Apartments.
FAQ
Is a used espresso machine a good idea for a beginner?
Usually not as a first choice. A beginner is the person least able to tell a worn machine from a technique problem, and a private sale typically has no warranty or returns. Our default is new or manufacturer-certified refurbished. Consider private used only if you can check everything on the list above in person.
Does the warranty transfer if I buy a used Breville?
Breville describes both its new-machine warranty and its Certified Remanufactured warranty as non-transferable. Breville also asks for a sales receipt as proof of purchase, and says product registration is not a substitute.
What about De'Longhi?
De'Longhi lists a 1-year included warranty for the Stilosa and Dedica Deluxe, and says registering a coffee machine adds 1 year, with some exclusions. We could not find whether that warranty passes to a second owner. De'Longhi says warranty details are in the manual or a separate insert in the packaging, so check that document or ask De'Longhi.
Is certified refurbished worth it over new?
It's a middle option. Breville says its Certified Remanufactured units are cleaned, tested and repaired with original parts, and they come with a 6-month warranty instead of the new-machine warranty. They may have minor cosmetic marks. Whether that trade is worth it is your call. Either way, you know who checked the machine, which isn't true of a private sale.
What's the first thing to check on a used machine?
That it runs. Fill the tank, seat it, and run water through the group head with no coffee in it. Then check the steam wand and look for leaks around the portafilter. If it won't do those in front of you, walk away.
Sources
Checked October 22, 2026.
- Breville, warranty page
- Breville, About Breville Certified Remanufactured products and 6 Month Certified Remanufactured Limited Product Warranty
- Breville, Bambino BES450 product page and US instruction book
- Breville, Bambino Plus BES500 product page and US instruction book
- De'Longhi, warranty information
- De'Longhi, Stilosa EC260BK product page and EC260 US instruction manual
- De'Longhi, Dedica Deluxe EC685M product page
- De'Longhi, US refurbished section
- Reddit r/espresso posts dated June 28, 2026, July 19, 2025 and May 29, 2025, linked above
Bottom Line
For a first espresso machine in a small kitchen, buy new or buy certified refurbished from the manufacturer. A private used machine can work out, but only if it passes every check in person: a 120 V label, a full set of accessories, water and steam that come through, no leaks around the portafilter, no home repairs, and a seller who lets you walk away. If any of those fail, the better deal is the machine that comes with a warranty.
Apartment Barista uses Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability can change at any time and should be checked on Amazon before buying.