Dave is rude and abusive. Read through 20 reviews and that becomes clear. The 1-star reviews call him for what he is. The 5-star reviews generously say he "doesn't suffer fools," which from my experience means the same thing. He's a self-styled genius who appears rather low functioning. In my case, he diagnosed the cause of my problem from his porch, while I was standing 20 feet away - the equipment I'd bought from him was fine, I was the problem. After 15 minutes of trying to guide him from his fact-free diagnosis, I literally had my hands in the prayer position as I begged him to please look at my machine. He'd agreed over the phone already before I drove the 300 miles with it in my trunk. The closest he came to that was saying "I guess I'm not going to win this argument!" Huh? He never did look at the machine he sold me (still under warranty by the way) and I left shell-shocked and confused. And disappointed I'd given this guy any of my money. I am by no means an expert, but every thing he said that day I had already learned while reading up on espresso machines the first few weeks. It was all so simple and obvious and... completely wrong. read more

Brought my VBM domobar back to life by sourcing a new CCA and pressure valve. Highly recommended!!!!

It's great having Dave service my Gaggia Titanium. He will take good care of your machine, and provides great service. When you come to pick up your machine, he will go over the items he addressed on the machine. I loved how he offered a cup of espresso and seltzer water. The espresso was on point. He's got a customer for life, thanks Dave! read more

Dave is great! He is knowledgeable, shares his knowledge and completely trustworthy.

We took our Alex Duetto to Hi Tech to fix an issue with the steam boiler. Not only did they fix the problem but the whole machine runs better than it ever has. The steam wand is more powerful now than when we bought it and all the levers and knobs feel like new. The price was very reasonable and the shop is a great space. It was fun talking espresso with Dave and the work they did was excellent. read more

I'm not a big coffee drinker, but Matt B. is about as addicted as they come. My mom gave him a big, fancy Saeco espresso machine when we graduated law school in 2010 (this was fully three years before we got married, but I think she'd already decided he was her son-in-law; also it was deeply on sale), and he's made thousands of coffees over the last seven years, saving some serious Starbucks money. Unfortunately, when we moved into our new house last year, Coffee Monster started acting up. It stopped working for a while, and Matt was boiling water and French pressing every time he wanted a cup of coffee; I only knew how to press the coffee button, so I lost my ability to offer coffee to guests. We finally decided to take Coffee Monster to the doctor, and found Hi Tech Espresso as soon as we googled "saeco repair los angeles." Hi Tech is a small shop run out of a basement in Los Feliz. It's not the easiest to find, and you will feel like you're trespassing, but once you locate the sign, you can tread confidently down to meet Dave. His basement is welcoming, with the behind the scenes look of an auto body shop, the walls lined with personal photographs and other office decorations, as well as coffee machines in various stages of the repair process. We called ahead and brought Coffee Monster in for a Saturday morning appointment. Dave had excellent bedside manner. He was friendly and informative, and treated Coffee Monster with the utmost care. He examined it thoroughly, opening it up and running some tests, and when he was done he declared that it was a fine machine with some good years ahead. He recommended that we invest in a water softener and use a different kind of outlet, and he replaced a magnet that needed replacing. As it turns out, Coffee Monster was actually fine and just didn't like the electrical set-up in our new house. Dave charged us $10 for the magnet, and nothing for his time. Coffee Monster is making coffee again, a very good development for Matt's general happiness. Dave was a big help, and I'm glad we went to see him. We'll use his services again next time our espresso machine is ailing. read more

Third time I had to bring in my Saeco Magic+ Espresso maker in 15 years. Each time a tune up, this time after descaling the stupid beads escaped in the water condition. By the way stop using these. Yes I had it fixed, but you know what? The machine is better than ever!! Dave always pretends he is the Maytag repair when I bring this machine in, but he does an excellent job! read more

I dropped off my machine to have the leaking PF fixed. A few days later they called and stated that a number of items need to be addressed. I agreed to a full service at a fixed price. Upon startup at home 2 weeks later, I immediately discovered the vacuum-valve was leaking, spraying steam all over the inside of the machine. I therefore had to drive back to have them fix it. A week later I discovered that the hot water spout was no longer working, as it had prior to initial drop off. I emailed them and received no response. Calling them up, what I presume to be the owner, aggressively declared it was scaling and then hang up on me. Used car dealers by the airport have greater integrity. read more

Great operation! Resserected my no longer made Italian espresso machine, ultimately saving my life. I love coffee. And they even gave me tips to better care for it. Thanks! read more

Holy shit. This will be fun. Back in 2009 I bought a HX machine with a PID from Hi Tech Dave. Putting a PID on a HX was considered 'controversial' at the time. Dave defended this practice on various coffee message boards. He fought many battles, and he made lots of enemies. Some people think this is when he lost his mind. Not me. I just think he's an asshole. I was fine with a PID on a HX machine. I bought the machine, and it worked well for around 6 years when the PID started going nuts, like Hi Tech Dave. I brought it in, and he took a look, and decided that he didn't want to put the effort in to fix it. Hi Tech Dave is a busy man, and he'll let you know by being a dick. He lives in hipster cafe central and he's like the angry coffee troll you have to bring your machines to. He's the only one around who can fix this stuff, so now I have a $2000 chrome door stop, with a PID. This will probably get deleted due to the guidelines, but at maybe Hi Tech Dave will read it. Maybe he'll think, "hmm. maybe I AM an asshole. Maybe I DO treat people like garbage. Maybe I can CHANGE..... NAHHH!" read more

If you're serious about espresso and you are serious about keeping your gear in top running shape then this is the place that you must go to if you live in the Silver Lake or north east Los Angeles area. Getting espresso gear serviced is a important thing and you want the right people doing it . But this is not the place for your Mr coffee machine, this is the place you come to have your baby worked on. read more

Had a short interaction with them, twice. On both times they we're very direct and honest. In fact, they explained to me they could not help me with my issue and recommended another place. Even took the time to provide all their information. Much appreciated! read more

Five stars don't come lightly with me but.... Dave was awesome from start to finish. His price is fare And his job is thorough. My Rocket Giotto was leaking all over my counter and all I could think of was " i'm going to have to ship this thing to the manufacture" what a nightmare , Nope I found Dave ( hightechespresso@gmail.com ) on -line and with a great sense of humor he gave me his address and told me to come on down , which I did. In NO TIME my Machine was back to me working as it was brand-new. I don't want my machine to break again but if it does I know I have Dave to rely on ,thanks again Dave!! read more

HiTech Espresso - My Machine - Appliances & Repair Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Dave and Otto at Hi tech espresso were courteous, quick, and very kindly fixed our Rancilio grinder - which was stuck. Dave also gave me several pointers to avoid it getting stuck again. I had watched several YouTube videos and tried to clean it myself, but hit a point where I couldn't get any further in fixing it. So glad I finally had professionals help out or I could have made the problem worse and possibly broken the machine. They were recommended to us by 2 separate people so I knew I would be getting the best expertise. Thank you ! read more

I got in contact with David via e-mail and he was very responsive and said I should come by and drop off my Gaggia Accademia. When I got there we went into his workshop wich is the downstairs of his house. Another call came in and he talked to the customer for a while. When we got to my machine he just said it would take 10 days and $300. At this point he had not even looked at the machine to figure out what the problem was. I thought that price was steep but decided to go with it. When he filled out the paperwork for my order I looked at it and he said I should keep my distance because he has Covid. No mask and no mentioning of it before I entered his workshop. I took my machine and left. Unacceptable. read more

I was referred to Dave at Hitechespresso through a person who works in the industry and it was definitely a great recommendation! Dave's repair shop is efficiently dedicated to repairing both personal and commercial machines. My Saeco Exprelia Evo had been leaking through the bottom of the machine and Dave and his team pin-pointed the issue and installed a new blow down assembly as well as another part (I think it was the flow meter) that wasn't functioning properly. I really appreciate them taking the extra step and repairing an additional issue even though I didn't ask for it. That's great service! For the service, care, timeliness, expertise, and friendliness received, I thought the pricing was a great value! I will definitely recommend Hitechespresso to all my friends who have espresso machines in need of repair! read more

Dave really knows machines. Brought in a Rancilio Silvia to see if it could be rebuilt and he's a true professional. Prices are fair and reasonable and turn around is better than expected during a global pandemic. Dave suggested adding a PID temperature controller to the Silvia to make it more consistent. Great upgrade and the guy clearly knows what he's doing. Looks a lot better and less cheap than the Auber PID mod, too. Very sleek and looks like a native part of the machine, not some silly aftermarket add on. Take a peek at his handiwork and you'll notice the wiring is very professionally done. Offered a little sheet of advice about water and coffee beans to purchase as well. He's a no bs kind of dude, but listen, you're just there to get your espresso machine fixed right? So, why bring bs in the first place. read more

These guys are the best! After spending the majority of my morning on the phone with Seattle Coffee Gear going round and round to no avail, I gave these folks a call and literally diagnosed my Rocket.issues in 60 seconds. Now that I got the machine back it's working excellently. read more

So I bought a PID modified Rancilio Silvia form Dave 4 years ago. It worked like a charm until about a month ago. Not sure why but machine misbehaved temperature wise...maybe one of my guest messed with the PID-I don't know. Anyways, brought machine to local outfit in Seattle for inspection. They couldn't recreate the problem but suggested I service the machine. So I did. It cost me $180.-. Got machine back and issues started to happen again. I called them and wrote a long email. I described the issues which I thought related to PID and they told me they aren't familiar with that PID so they can't help unless I replace the PID for another $200.-!!! Needless to say I was disappointed and I didn't want to do that. I decided to try to give Dave at Hitechepresso a call. To my surprise he answered the phone. We talked and he assessed the problem. He decided to send me a little replacement wire at no charge. Once I received it he guided me through a step by step repair process over the phone (about 5min). It went well. Machine still wouldn't work the way it should. Dave then explained to me how to reset the fuse and talked me through all the settings on the PID step by step. He easily must have spent another 10-15min or so helping me over the phone. At the end all worked again!!!! Unbelievable! Honestly, this type of service is rare these days. Dave didn't need to do that for me yet he did. Very much appreciate all the help and the Rancilio keeps on brewing! read more

Took in my machine (Lucca M58) for a checkup. Had made a repair on my own (wasn't sure I nailed it) and David who is a wealth of knowledge on machines was great to deal with. He clearly knows what he's doing and offered insights on my machine and grinder. This guy is a gem and one of the few in LA who can take care of machines and does it with care. Its 10000% a mom and pop (him and some cats). Definitely recco if you need your machine fixed (not Breville) to bring it here. 5/5. read more

Hitechespresso was recommended to me by Chris' Coffee and they did an amazing job on my Alex Duetto III machine. I needed a pipe to be replaced and the hot water wand repaired, and got my machine back in 10 days. Dave seems to be an expert on these machines, I noticed another Alex Duetto being repaired when I picked mine up today. Excellent customer service, highly recommend if you are in SoCal. read more

HiTech Espresso - Repaired Alex Duetto III machine - Appliances & Repair Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Here's the deal. Good coffee takes effort and often money. I took my Ms. Silvia in for service. Was it expensive? Yes. Does it take time? Yes. Is taking your high-end machine for service to Dave and Otto a good idea? HELL YES. Dave is straight shooter and by the looks of it here, it bothers many. Bedside manner is not everyone's skill. But know this: if you do what Dave suggests in regards to your espresso machine (especially Rancillios) you will get the BEST home espresso anyone can get. He certainly knows what's he's doing. The PID is an expense but definitely worth it as well. Otto is a very kind person so if you're looking for a more gentle hand then perhaps deal with him. These guys are solid and worth the time. Highly recommended. read more

HiTech Espresso - Rancillio Silvia with PID. - Appliances & Repair Near Me - Los Angeles, California

When your coffee machine breaks in the peak of a pandemic, it's a true emergency. That was the situation we found ourselves in a few months ago when our 6 year old Saeco Intelia decided to fail because of a faulty sensor for the service door (over engineered, overly computerized machine,grrr). Dave had it fixed quickly and for a fair price. He is passionate about quality coffee, and I think it is important for people to appreciate that. Don't be deterred by the basement: this is a real, old school workshop where craftsmanship and quality are valued. read more

Dave is the best. A man who knows his coffee and espresso machines. Well worth the drive. And a cup of espresso to boot. Quickly got my sweet old Gaggia titanium (15 years old, 11,000 cups of coffee) a up and running and back home to me!!!! read more

Dave and Otto did an excellent job in repairing my Saeco Xelsis. They said it would be ready in a week and it was. Dave was nice enough to invite me in for a coffee and conversation. I can't remember the last time I was treated so well by a repair shop. Yes, it is in the basement of a home but it is a business like workshop, manned by two professionals who know what they are doing! When the repair was completed, I was notified it was ready, it was actually ready when I arrived, I was given the defective parts and was thoroughly educated concerning the fault. Take my word for it, my Saeco was in another shop (ahottelatte) for close to a year and even then, after retuning home, it had a faulty grinder error (which was not the problem I took it in for!). Don't take chances . I did and it cost me $$ and a lot of stress (and 11 months without my machine). Just a warning concerning other repair shops. Do not pay until repairs have been completed and it is demonstrated as functional. Also, do they answer their phone during business hours? Are their doors (storage unit in ahottelatte's case) open during business hours? Is there even anyone there during business hours? These are red flags that I failed to recognize and it cost me. Unlike my experience with the aforementioned repair shop, my experience with Hitech Espresso was nothing but honest, straightforward and professional! read more

By far one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever had! The guy was rude and short with me, couldn't take two seconds to answer any of my questions and when I got my espresso machine back it still didn't work. Never again! I would rather have a bus mechanic work on my espresso machine. read more

Dave is THE Espresso Sensei! I wanted to upgrade from a Breville 920XL (which I've replaced a handful of times). I figured "Who better to ask than the pro repairing these things?" Duh. Luckily in LA, we have the amazing David. I wanted a machine I could pass down to my children (seriously). After discussing my budget and needs, he helped me pick out an espresso machine (Spaz Dream S1) and a new grinder (Mazzer Mini). I'll tell you, even when not properly dialed in...this combination is leagues better than my previous Breville/Rancilio combo. I really didn't think it would make much of a difference in the cup. I was wrong. Also, Dave won't just fix or sell you a machine, he's passionate about this stuff. He'll cut the crap and give it to you straight. Not only will he show you the innards of the machine but he'll tell you how it works and compare/contrasts them with others. He will inform you on how you could take better care of your machines or find a machine that fits your price/lifestyle. Overall, he's just a freakin' awesome guy. If you're looking for expert advice on an espresso machine and amazing customer service, look no further. read more

HiTech Espresso - Appliances & Repair Near Me - Los Angeles, California

My year-and-a-half-old Rancilio Coffee Grinder just stopped working - kaput! I took it to Dave and Hitechespresso, it was miraculous! Dave listened to me and asked a few more questions. He opened the grinder, took it apart for a look-see, mumbled to himself and figured out the problem. It was a faulty switch. He somehow had the exact replacement a drawer and lickety-split, I kid you not, fixed in 15 minutes as I stood there watching!!!! Dave gave me one other recommendation: that a little rubber gasket was missing and I should order it. That is the reason is was oddly leaking grinds from the bottom all over the counter and I could never figure out why. So there you go, see Dave and Hitechespresso for all your speicalty coffee machine needs!! read more

We are very lucky indeed to have Hi Tech Espresso in our neighborhood. David runs a veritable laboratory here offering expert work on any qualifying machine. My Expobar Brewtus was 12 years old and barely hobbling along and my in-laws, missing their wicked espressos, were threatening to buy a new one for me at around 2k. Instead i took the old girl here, where she was completely overhauled with new valves all around and pump. It only took about 2 weeks to get it back in action. And it is rocking. I'm getting the best shots ever and pushing 12 bars pressure. Like I said I am happy to have them close by as I noticed they do a lot of repair via shipping and we know how heavy these machines are. THANKS GUYS! Postscript : Dave calls a week or two in just to make sure all's well. read more

I like to feel good about where I spend $271, but I really don't. Yelp brought me here, and I'm confident the repair was done well, but I was treated so poorly by the owner. My experience reminded me of the Seinfeld episode called "Soup Nazi". Upon entering the business, my older Pavoni was laughed at as well as how I cared for it. I was given a sheet of paper with the ultimate guide to making espresso. When I asked for a receipt to acknowledge my leaving the unit and the price quoted, he said he doesn't give one! If it wasn't for the kindness of his assistant Otto, who gave me a business card, I would have taken my unit and left. I was told it would take two weeks to repair. Almost a month later I tried to reach them by phone with no luck. I emailed to inquire, and received a brief message "we will CALL you when it is ready". Surprise, two days later I was called to come pick it up. Even though I would have liked to ask some question, I really didn't want to engage with him much. I paid him more than he originally quoted with my credit card, as soon as he finished swiping my card he said "and I'll sign it for you"! He then proceeds to write my initials, with me saying "I can sign my own name"! He then proceeds to send the receipt to my landline, telling me he'll send the receipt to my email address in a couple of days. I'm not sure if he treats all people like he did me, but I sure didn't think his behavior was professional, and I'd like others to know. read more

In a world of pretentiousness that often accompanies the high-end espresso culture, Dave from Hitechespresso is a breath of fresh air, and was a pleasure to work with. He answered all of the questions I had on equipment and offered great down to earth advice. In my search for the best equipment to suit my needs, I scoured the internet and read up on a number of forums and was still confused. After giving Dave a call and discussing briefly he was able to put all my concerns to rest. My situation was that I had an old Nemox Café Del Opera that stopped working and was hoping he could help. He was eager to try, and even diagnosed the issue free of charge. However, as the Machine was old and probably not worth continuing to repair, I decided it was time to upgrade my current setup (or at least it was a great excuse to do so). Dave gave me a great deal on a double boiler machine (quick mill vetrano), after answering all the questions I had. He was also still willing to repair the machine I brought in, however my upgraditis would not allow, and it was just time for a new machine. When picking up the new machine, he invited me in for a shot of espresso as we talked about coffee stuff in general. Again, this was a pleasant experience in an espresso world that can be often snooty. This was a couple months ago that all of this happened, and I'm happy to report I'm still satisfied with my purchase and the process of dealing with Hitechespresso. It is reassuring to also know that should anything arise in the future I'll be able to give him a call and he'll advise in his no-nonsense style. read more

I have never been so appalled by any business owner's service in all my years. For note, I purchased my espresso machine from Mr. Blane 2 years ago, paying him additionally to install the machine. In those 2 years, my machine needed cleaning and was shutting off the electrical panel. I had no idea why. I called David. David picked up my machine for service 11/10, and quoted me $180 to fix my water line, clean the machine, and fix a leak. He told me that the machine may be ready by Friday, before I was leaving for Thanksgiving. I sent him an email mid-week to ask about the status of the machine. He sent me a reply the following day saying that the machine had serious issues based on long term water leakage. He had to remove a foot from the machine to resolve. No advisement on additional price. I responded immediately asking about the status. No reply. I responded again 11/25 asking about the machine again, any additional cost, and when it would be ready. He responded the following day with a price quote of $386. I responded and agreed for him to proceed at that price. We agreed on delivery for Saturday 12/1. A few days before, I sent an email asking what time he would be visiting my home. He responded that the machine was even more serious and again never mentioned an additional price. I responded that I would see him Saturday and would have my credit card ready for the $386 I owed him. He aggressively responded the day before arriving at my home saying that he would not get into a debate on price and that the invoice would follow. In essence, he proceeded with additional work at an additional cost WITHOUT asking my approval. He then tried to strong-arm me on delivery of the machine. I responded that any additional cost was unacceptable given that he had not sought my approval. He responded aggressively hurling insults that I had "abused" my machine given the leak. Even though I had no need to explain myself, I went on to tell him that I had called an electrician and a friend at Intelligentsia to come over and look at the machine BEFORE Mr. Blane. That said, he also told me that mineralization in the machine was causing the issue and advised a new water filter in addition to the one he installed when he installed my machine. If I abused the machine with bad water, Mr. Blane is surely in line for that "abuse" (note heavy sarcasm in this sentence) I responded that his insults were ridiculous and like a bad car mechanic, I wouldn't be strong-armed on price when he never sought my approval. He arrived 45 minutes with his assistant before our agreed apt at my home. I was in the middle of vacuuming at the time. He installed the machine and opened conversation with "So you're not even going to speak to me?" I responded that I was appalled by his business practice, wanted to pay him what I owed, and have him leave my home. He began insulting my abuse of the machine yet again. I told him his business demeanor was egregious. Back and forth ensued. I asked for a receipt. He wouldn't give me one. I told him that was unacceptable ESPECIALLY given what can only be described as deceptive, or at the very least careless, behavior. He threatened to take back my machine and tried to push by me. Now, I'm a single girl with 2 men in my home. Does that sound RIGHT to you? I threatened to call the police if he took one more step and blocked him. His assistant pulled him back, I wrote my credit card # on a receipt with the agreed-upon amount of $386, and signed. He still didn't give me a receipt but I wanted him out of my home as quickly as possible. I will NEVER do business with Mr. Blane again and suggest you don't either. read more

After trying to contact me almost everyday with 6 phone calls & 7 E-mails filled with abusive & sarcastic remarks, you're posting a Yelp rebuttal just today?!! You must not have had anything intelligent to say... which is probably why you feel the need to use big words. First, if my comments were "petty" why does it bother you so much that you tried to contact me almost everyday for the past week? Second, I never claimed I didn't have time to leave a message. I said "it would take too long" as in it would be inconvenient to explain the problem in a voicemail. In fact, to warn everyone who intend to use your services the creepy business owner they're about to deal with I will take as much time as necessary. But that probably isn't too difficult to see based on your responses to the other negative reviews you received. read more

Thanks for proving my point Dave. If you dislike people that much maybe you should hire a receptionist. Best of luck to you. read more

Recommended by Saeco as the local repair shop, we expected to drop off our beloved machine and get a call to pick it up in 3 weeks. Not only was David super fast (same day) super knowledgeable but thoroughly cleaned our machine. He gave us tips on where to buy the best local and fresh coffee beans. He shared with us his personal view on the best beans to use, which is to roast our own. Where to get the green beans and the best roaster available. I felt like we made a new friend and left inspired. No kidding, HitechEspresso is as good as it gets. read more

Our Gaggia Platinum had been on the job for a little over a year when someone in our 15-person office mangled the steam feature, causing us to seek repairs. Reviews were sketchy - except for HiTech Espresso. Make no mistake: I'm childless, but if I did have a child I doubt I could love it more than I love this machine. I brought the machine to David and crossed my fingers. About a week later, I can assure you David is friendly, competent, fast, funny, and reasonably priced. He runs a clean shop and is happy to answer any questions you may have. I'm thrilled to be able to recommend him and add him to my list of Top Flight Pros. Plus, if you're nice, he may offer you a delicious espresso! (just don't park across the street on Friday morning - street cleaning) read more

We had our Rocket Evoluzione machine serviced about 2 weeks ago. When we brought it to the shop, Dave was very friendly and helpful. He told us the standard rate for a tune up, and he explained what that entailed. Although he told us it would take 2 weeks, (he had a lot of machines ahead of us), we received a call that the work was completed a week later. When Otto called, he explained all aspects of the services completed, and when we picked up the machine, that was repeated and shown to us on the machine. Our Rocket is working better than ever thanks to Dave, Otto, and the rest of his team. I highly recommend Hitechespresso if your machine has problems or just needs a good cleaning and a tuneup. read more

I'm a gearhead and a science geek. I'm a serious espresso fiend. I care about how things are made. I think about the thought and effort that goes into manufacturing and design. I don't spend $ foolishly. These and other factors led me to David Blaine and HiTechEspresso. If you wanna be "sold" by marketing people, there are plenty of places both in person and on the web to get that. If you wanna be INFORMED and use the accurate information you receive as part of the process of making an intelligent decision, there is no better resource than HiTechEspresso. I ultimately bought a QuickMill machine from Dave... better price, better service, better everything than just ordering it online. He opened it, made sure it worked perfectly, and made me a bottomless portafilter. He also roasts his own beans and makes a rather perfect espresso -- more reason to stop by and pick his (rather fully packed) brain if you're in the area. read more

Hitech espresso did not disappoint. David was very helpful from the start for our repair of our brasilia machine. He made sure the machine was serviced properly and for the long haul. He is very knowledgeable with espresso machines and the art of espresso, he is super friendly about it. We came out with a great working & super clean machine and have some piece of mind that the work was done well. read more

Our experience may have been colored by what was perhaps a completely unrelated experience - having fraud on our credit card immediately after Dave's assistant wrote it down on a piece of paper. We took our machine in as it was not heating. Dave charged $235 to replace a coil and a group head filter that really just needed cleaning. I admit the machine looked really good after they were done - but it was still not heating. Three trips later the machine is working again, but only after buying a new water tank ($80) - the magnetic sensor was out, which is apparently a common issue with this particular machine. read more