Coffee fix

I fixed our ten-year-old “Lady” Gaggia Classic. Two weeks without espresso was two weeks too long during the most intense work period of the last few years. I’ve often regretted that I’m not someone who dismantles and repairs things, and all I’d ever previously done with the machine was upgrade the steam wand. But learning to fix old tape machines has given me some confidence.

The issue was almost certainly accumulated scale and a clogged three-way solenoid valve. I’d watched a video demonstrating the necessary teardown and it terrified me, and so I put it off. But, working endless days on knotty client problems forced me into impromptu Saturday night action. I went for it.

I’m documenting this because of how I went about things. In these situations, I’ll typically be impatient, become frustrated and start swearing. But, I made sure I had the right tools and products, and addressed each step methodically. I maintained my composure, stayed organised, and followed the video precisely.

The old machine could still benefit from a new pump and gaskets for optimal performance, but... I got it working and we have espresso again. I don’t know, I guess I was proud of myself for doing things slowly and carefully, and I learned something about how to tackle these things going forward.

• food & drink