Repair Is a Spiritual Practice

Kanen Coffee started in 2011 with a broken La Pavoni Europiccola and a phone call. A family member asked Sam Kanenwisher to fix their espresso machine. He picked up the phone, called the manufacturer, and taught himself the repair. Word spread. More machines showed up. A business was born.

Kanen Coffee repair workshop in Berkeley

From the Coast Guard to Coffee

Before coffee, Sam spent four years as an Electronics Technician in the U.S. Coast Guard, repairing radars, radios, and air traffic control systems aboard a cutter in the Caribbean. After his service, he earned a Bachelor's in Social Work from Augsburg University and a Master of Divinity from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

That combination — technical precision and a deep care for people — is what Kanen Coffee is built on.

Why We're Different

We know which machines are worth buying because we're the ones fixing them when they break. That repair-first perspective shapes everything we sell and every recommendation we make. When we say a Lelit Bianca will last, it's because we've rebuilt the internals on hundreds of them. When we recommend a Eureka grinder, it's because we've seen how they hold up over years of daily use.

15+

Years in Business

5,500+

Repair Videos on YouTube

4.7★

Google Rating (233 Reviews)

5

Full-Time Team Members

What We Believe

Every machine that comes through our shop gets treated with respect. We diagnose before we quote. We explain before we charge. And we send a video of your machine running before you pick it up.

Sam calls repair a spiritual practice. It's not a marketing line — it's how the shop actually runs. Take the time. Do it right. Treat people well.

Watch Us Work

We've published over 5,500 repair videos on YouTube — real diagnostics, real fixes, no shortcuts. See exactly how we work before you bring in your machine.

Watch on YouTube →

The Team

We're a small crew of dedicated technicians who fix machines every single day. Meet the team →

Book a Repair Shop Our Machines Get in Touch

Meet Sam

Fifteen years of repairs, sales, and dialing in machines for Bay Area baristas.

Sam Kanenwisher, founder of Kanen Coffee Berkeley

What we do

Three things, done well.

  • Espresso machine repair workshop in Berkeley

    Repairs

    Espresso machine diagnosis, rebuilds, gasket and boiler service. Drop off in Berkeley or ship from anywhere in the US. Repair is a spiritual practice — every machine deserves another decade.

    Book a repair
  • Espresso machines on display at Kanen Coffee Berkeley

    Sales

    Authorized dealer for Lelit, Breville, Eureka, Baratza, and Mahlkönig. We only sell what we'd service ourselves — and we service everything we sell.

    Shop espresso machines
  • Single-boiler espresso machine in showroom

    Help

    Not sure which machine fits your kitchen, café, or budget? We give straight answers over phone, email, or in the shop — no upsell, no jargon.

    Get advice
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Espresso machine repair workshop in Berkeley

Why repair-first

Most espresso shops sell first and service later. We do it backwards on purpose. Fifteen years of pulling apart Lelits, Brevilles, La Marzoccos, and everything in between taught us which machines age well — and which ones don't. So when you buy from us, you're buying from people who'll still be here in five years to fix it.

Repair keeps machines out of landfill, keeps your money in your kitchen, and keeps the craft alive. That's the work.

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Who we serve

  • Home baristas

    From your first Bambino Plus to a Lelit Bianca on the counter. We help you pick gear that matches your skill, your kitchen, and your morning routine.

  • Specialty coffee shops

    Linea Mini and Linea PB service, gasket and boiler work, full rebuilds. We keep Bay Area cafés pulling shots when something goes sideways.

  • Berkeley locals

    Walk in, talk to a human, leave with a machine that fits you. We carry Zolo Coffee — roasted by our Berkeley neighbors — so your beans don't travel far either.

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Mamazolo's Classic Espresso Roast 12oz bag

Berkeley Roasters Since 2020

We've been working with Dave and Nick and their team at Zolo Coffee since early 2020. We met as neighbors and supported each other through the pandemic — two small Berkeley shops figuring out how to keep going while everything else was shutting down.

That partnership never stopped. We still collaborate on fixing machines, taking care of customers, and pointing people toward whatever they actually need. We share the same priorities: coffee worth drinking, machines that are running right, and treating people well when they walk in the door.

Shop Zolo coffee
Kanen Coffee shop interior, Berkeley California

Veteran-owned, Berkeley-rooted

Kanen Coffee was founded in 2011 by Samuel P. Kanenwisher, a veteran. The shop lives at 2319 4th Street — a few blocks from the Bay, in a neighborhood we know well. We work with people we trust: Zolo Coffee next door for beans, the small importers and parts suppliers we've leaned on for over a decade, and customers who keep coming back.

If you're nearby, come say hi. If you're not, we ship.

Visit the shop

Three ways to work with us

  • Visit us

    2319 4th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
    510-859-4425

    Get directions

  • Ship a repair

    Book your machine in from anywhere in the country. We'll send a quote before any work starts.

    Book a repair

  • Shop online

    Machines, grinders, and accessories from brands we trust. Free shipping over $99.

    Browse machines

Authorized Dealer of Lelit, Rancilio, Eureka, Baratza & More.