Happy Vending Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Is this a good machine? I know very little about coffee machines, but this machine has been offered to me for 100$ (havent seen it myself but supposedly in great condition). Are coffee machine relatively easy to maintain? I have tried searching around the forum, but haven't really found much about coffee vending machines in general. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 For only 100 bucks it sounds like you are about to buy someone else's problem. Coffee machines require regular cleaning and maintence and if not done ..... Well lets just say make sure you have camping gear so you can save time by sleeping there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Vending Posted March 19, 2013 Author Share Posted March 19, 2013 For only 100 bucks it sounds like you are about to buy someone else's problem. Coffee machines require regular cleaning and maintence and if not done ..... Well lets just say make sure you have camping gear so you can save time by sleeping there. That's what I had figured. If it sounds too good to be true... Thanks again Mission, you're the best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Is this a good machine? I know very little about coffee machines, but this machine has been offered to me for 100$ (havent seen it myself but supposedly in great condition). Are coffee machine relatively easy to maintain? I have tried searching around the forum, but haven't really found much about coffee vending machines in general. Hi Happy, The USI 3178 is an HBA14 model which is the freeze dried coffee version. It is an older USI model but they use to sell for around $5000 so if it is still in good condition you would be getting a real bargain for $100. Here is the service manual http://www.vendnetusa.com/wfdata/files/4211416f.pdf but you will need to find out if parts are still available from vendnetusa.com as I could not locate the HBA14 parts manual on their website. I would buy it personally.. but because you don't have any experience in coffee machines you may want to consider weather doing coffee is right for you because as mission said "they do require more cleaning maintenance" than other types of machines. Also.. will you do this maintenance yourself or will you need to pay someone else to do this for you? I am not trying to put you off from doing coffee & I guess for $100 its not a huge investment to risk to find out if coffee vending is right for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Kiwi beat me to saying the same thing. Here's my take: The USI 3178 is also known as the HBA12/14 depending on whether it used freeze dried coffee or ground coffee. It's a pretty decent machine and has been sold in the last 10 years. It's not in production any longer as it's been replaced by the Geneva coffee machine. In order to be successful in coffee vending the key is to keep the machine clean and to be on the lookout for any water leaks so they can be fixed ASAP. Surprisingly USI doesn't have the parts manual for this machine on their website but the service manual is there. You should download it and look through it to see if you are interested in working with a wet machine. Parts should still be available and my experience has been that they aren't too hard to work on. If you have a tech in your area who has been working on USI stuff for a few years, they should be able to repair it for you. Mission is correct that you may be buying someone else's problems, but then they can probably be fixed pretty easily by a good tech. Don't buy it, though, if you don't have a place to use it. Coffee machines don't like standing idle in storage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Kiwi beat me to saying the same thing. Great minds think alike.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walta Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 The last one I worked on was a brewer model. USI would not sell brewer parts but would repair it for 500.00. The water valves leaked and were only 200.00 each. The real problem it earned 10.00 a week in the winter and less in the summer. It is not on location anymore. Walta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 The last one I worked on was a brewer model. USI would not sell brewer parts but would repair it for 500.00. The water valves leaked and were only 200.00 each. The real problem it earned 10.00 a week in the winter and less in the summer. It is not on location anymore. Walta Hi Walta, Was the HBA series manufactured by USI or outsourced to another hot berverage manufacturer? I know some later model USI coffee machines were manufactured by Coffetek & distributed under the USI name.. Coffetek were also the distributors for USI snack & drink range in the UK a few years ago before they were acquired by Azkoyen. I also think Coffetek manufactured some of the AP line of hot beverage machines so I would think most parts would be compatible with other makes & models that were made around the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Hi Walta, Was the HBA series manufactured by USI or outsourced to another hot berverage manufacturer? I know some later model USI coffee machines were manufactured by Coffetek & distributed under the USI name.. Coffetek were also the distributors for USI snack & drink range in the UK a few years ago before they were acquired by Azkoyen. I also think Coffetek manufactured some of the AP line of hot beverage machines so I would think most parts would be compatible with other makes & models that were made around the same time. It was my understanding that USI built all their coffees up through the HBA 14, then imported the Geneva line of machines from Europe - I thought Italy. You're tossing out other names I've not heard of before. You must see some different European stuff down under, eh? I've never heard that AP outsourced their coffee machine manufacturing since they did it when they bought RMI and kept the remote factory running. After the Crane buyout I assumed that the new AP coffees were built by Crane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Vending Posted March 20, 2013 Author Share Posted March 20, 2013 Thanks guys, I dont know what I'd do without this forum. I think I'll stay away from coffee machines for a while. I'm still too new to this to be taking on more. It can just be hard to pass up what seems like a good deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamvend Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Luckily, I've never had to deal with one of these machines. To me it almost seems that these machines are almost obsolete. All the new fancy single cup brewing systems that can brew everything under the sun with a much smaller footprint and lower maintenance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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