Do you take ECM machines from small cafes and offices on Shattuck or 4th Street?

Yes, as long as the machine can travel. The process is the same as for a home machine: pickup, bench diagnosis, a written quote, then repair and return. Tell us your opening hours so pickup and return fit around them.

How often should the group gasket be changed on a home ECM?

Go by use and heat, not the calendar. It is due when the handle locks further over than it used to, the gasket feels hard, or water sprays around the basket. We check the gasket on every machine that comes onto the bench.

Should I backflush my ECM with detergent?

Only if the manual for your model calls for it. Detergent backflushing cleans the group valve but also washes grease away from the lever cam, so do it sparingly. If you are unsure what fits your model, ask when we return the machine.

ECM · BERKELEY

Service · All ECM Models

ECM Espresso Machine Repair · Berkeley, CA

ECM group head, gasket and lever repair for Berkeley homes and small counters on Shattuck, Telegraph and 4th Street.

$150 pickup deposit. Pickup, bench diagnosis, and return are included. The deposit is not credited toward the repair. Repair work is quoted separately.
Bench diagnosis: up to one week. Most repairs: 3–4 weeks.
Same-day pickup may be available. Same-day repair is not offered.
CSLB #1136642

Call (925) 999-4095

ECM in Berkeley

ECM in Berkeley kitchens.

The group head takes the most wear on an ECM. On machines with a lever group, every shot heats and cools the gasket, turns the lever through its cam, and pushes water through the shower screen. In a North Berkeley or Elmwood kitchen pulling a few drinks a day, that wear builds slowly. On a small cafe or office counter along Shattuck, Telegraph or 4th Street it builds a lot faster.

The signs are easy to spot. The portafilter has to swing further to seal, water sprays around the basket, the lever feels stiff, or the group keeps dripping after the shot. We pick the machine up from the house or the counter, take the group apart on our bench, and send a written quote first. No part is replaced until you approve it.

$150 pickup deposit. Pickup, bench diagnosis, and return are included. The deposit is not credited toward the repair. Repair work is quoted separately. Bench diagnosis can take up to one week; most repairs take 3–4 weeks. Same-day pickup may be available, but same-day repair is not offered. 6 months on parts and labor; 90 days on consumables.

Common repairs we do

What we repair on the bench.

Portafilter locking too far or leaking at the basket. A group gasket hardens with heat and loses its seal, so the handle swings further each month and water escapes around the basket. We replace the gasket and shower screen, clean the group, and check that the handle locks at a normal angle with the basket you use.
Stiff or grinding brew lever. The lever turns a cam that works the valves inside the group. Dried grease and worn parts make it stiff, and forcing it wears the cam further. We strip the group, replace worn springs, seals and cam parts as needed, and lubricate it with food-safe grease.
Group that drips or spits after the shot. When the lever comes down, pressure should release through the drain and the group should go quiet. If it keeps dripping or spitting, a valve seat in the group or the release path is scaled or worn. We clean or replace it and run repeated shots to confirm a clean stop.

Models we service

ECM product lines.

espresso machines

Pricing and warranty

What it costs. What we stand behind.

$150

Pickup deposit. Pickup, bench diagnosis, and return included. Repair quoted separately.
3–4 weeks

Most repairs. Bench diagnosis can take up to one week.
6 / 90

6 months on repair parts. 90 days on consumables.

Recent work

ECM jobs we have closed.

Walnut Creek, CA · Home Espresso Machine, E61 Group

ECM Espresso Machine in Walnut Creek: Scale-Blocked Valve Replaced and Full Maintenance

A Walnut Creek home barista's ECM espresso machine had one of its boiler valves blocked solid with scale. The fitting behind it was crusted shut, so the machine could not do what that valve is there for, and the rest of the water path was on the same track.
Read case →

See all case studies →

Nearby cities

ECM service in neighboring cities.

More cities

ECM across our service area.

FAQ

ECM in Berkeley questions, answered.

Do you take ECM machines from small cafes and offices on Shattuck or 4th Street?

Yes, as long as the machine can travel. The process is the same as for a home machine: pickup, bench diagnosis, a written quote, then repair and return. Tell us your opening hours so pickup and return fit around them.
How often should the group gasket be changed on a home ECM?

Go by use and heat, not the calendar. It is due when the handle locks further over than it used to, the gasket feels hard, or water sprays around the basket. We check the gasket on every machine that comes onto the bench.
Should I backflush my ECM with detergent?

Only if the manual for your model calls for it. Detergent backflushing cleans the group valve but also washes grease away from the lever cam, so do it sparingly. If you are unsure what fits your model, ask when we return the machine.
What does the ECM pickup deposit cover?

$150 pickup deposit. Pickup, bench diagnosis, and return are included. The deposit is not credited toward the repair. Repair work is quoted separately.
How long does ECM bench repair take?

Bench diagnosis can take up to one week; most repairs take 3–4 weeks. Same-day pickup may be available, but same-day repair is not offered.
What warranty applies to ECM coffee-machine repair?

6 months on parts and labor; 90 days on consumables.

Need ECM service in Berkeley?

Tell us what the machine is doing. We will confirm pickup.