G'day Colin from Canada, welcome to Australia! Facts: 1) The Atomic coffee maker is no more than a stove top espresso machine with a stunningly beautiful shape; 2) I can buy a similar sized traditional shape stove top coffee maker (admittedly without steam function) for about $25.00 Australian, to the $385.00 Australian they were recently selling NEW Atomics for. 3) If I was looking for a truly quality coffee maker and not a piece of art, I could get one for not all that much more than the prices being charged for new or clapped out Atomics, which are not good coffee makers. 4) As with all stove top espresso machines the Atomic burns the coffee very nicely...but it does look great while its doing it! 5) The Atomic is stunningly beautiful classic design (kind of like a 1970 Triumph Bonneville motorcycle) and if one happened upon my door step at a "fair" price I would buy it for my mantle shelf...but certainly not as a coffee maker. 6) There are some out there that think the Atomic is a good coffee maker (????) 7) The prices are totally out of control (whether in terms of it being a coffee maker, OR a collectable piece of modern art) and if there is one thing I fear as an individual, with anything I buy, it is that I fear the possibility of being the LAST OWNER. This is where I am the last one to buy something, at the highest possible proce, immediately after which interest in that item wanes, the price falls through the floor, and I cant off load! I think this about sums up the Atomic phenomenon, and I think what I mean, is that I dont understand the Atomic phenomenon at all, and that I think its a non issue, but to others it certainly does seem to be an issue. Che? Regardz, FC.
