RedditRecs
Espresso Machines / Illy
137 in Espresso Machines

IllyX1 Gen 1 (Aluminium Boiler)

Running these analyses costs money. Buy through my links to support the site! I may get a small commission for some links, and it doesn't cost you anything. Thank you!

Reddit Reviews:

Filter by Topic:

13
1
5

Based on 1 year's data from Mar 20, 2026 How it works

Reddit Iconbrodyqat 1.0
r/BuyItForLife • I bought this espresso machine used for $25, 20 years ago. Still works great! →
12 days ago

Francis Francis X1 espresso machine. They retailed new for about $900, 20 years ago. It's a tank, I can't believe it's still chugging along. Pictured with this morning's espresso in a cup I made. :)

Reddit Iconcall_me_tank 1.0
r/BuyItForLife • I bought this espresso machine used for $25, 20 years ago. Still works great! →
12 days ago

I had a gen 1 Francis Francis X1 with an aluminium boiler. The heating element died in 2020. When I opened it up to diagnose the problem I found a manufacturing date stamp of 1998. Spare parts for my model were not available so I had to let got of it. It made me some awesome cups of coffee. If yours has a brass boiler you're in a better position if something breaks.

Reddit IconCharlesinrichmond 1.0
r/BuyItForLife • I bought this espresso machine used for $25, 20 years ago. Still works great! →
11 days ago

yeah, looking cool was their best quality, I don't miss mine.

Reddit IconConfident-Ant-3763 1.0
r/BuyItForLife • I bought this espresso machine used for $25, 20 years ago. Still works great! →
12 days ago

I used to have this as well.

Reddit IconFit-Nectarine5047 1.0
r/BuyItForLife • I bought this espresso machine used for $25, 20 years ago. Still works great! →
11 days ago

I have this but in chrome! Found it on facebook marketplace 😂

Reddit Iconglennis_pnkrck 1.0
r/BuyItForLife • I bought this espresso machine used for $25, 20 years ago. Still works great! →
12 days ago

I got a pink one off ebay a dozen years ago! Love it.

Reddit IconGullible-Housing9413 1.0
r/espresso • Which espresso machine represents the point of diminishing return for you? →
8 months ago

In my mind, one can hit the diminishing returns of cup quality with machines pretty early. Less so with grinders. But the **diminishing returns with machine workflow and consistency are a much longer trail**. I started on a very old and used Francis Francis from Facebook Marketplace. Occasionally made great espresso with it, but it was really frustrating to monitor and maintain. Now? Thanks to a house move and kitchen renovation, I am unboxing a La Cimbali DT1; plumbed in and hooked into our reverse osmosis water and a drain pipe. It will make consistently excellent coffee and the workflow (I'm hoping) should be incredibly efficient. And I've learned to save bucks by home roasting green beans I buy for $7/lb on a FB Marketplace-bought roaster. Yes, I know that's time consuming; I roast on weekends when I have the time and inclination, but when I want really good coffee at 6:30 am I don't have time to fuss with a fussy machine.

Reddit IconIceMelonTree 1.0
r/BuyItForLife • I bought this espresso machine used for $25, 20 years ago. Still works great! →
12 days ago

I got the same in black, my first espresso machine i love it.

Reddit IconIndividual-Newt7266 1.0
r/BrevilleCoffee • I promised myself that I will get myself a nice espresso machine once I finish university and get my first salary. Today was that day. →
9 days ago

i just got a BBpro and love it! I had a 20 year old Francis Francis X1 before it and am able to draw decent shots with it and texture the milk also. :)

Reddit IconNastynugget 1.0
r/BuyItForLife • I bought this espresso machine used for $25, 20 years ago. Still works great! →
12 days ago

My mom owns a coffee shop and I took one of these up to college with me years ago. Good way to meet ladies in the dorms.

Back to Top Espresso Machines