[kelw22]

“ It was all acidic and awful, probably because the machine had never been cleaned since it was installed god-only-knows how many years before.”

This. This was your problem. I have a $2k Rocket Milano (not the fanciest, but not bad), and I clean it thoroughly every couple weeks. It makes a world of difference each time I do, and the first pulls after putting in the effort are wonderful.

Of course, I also spent nearly a year before I found decent beans near me.

Cheers and good luck!