To keep it brief-- a 2150 is not a "washer/dryer" but a tabletop b/w roller transport processor. It's not really small, but not huge either. Very simple to maintain, but somewhat expensive to run if you don't use them frequently, because the chemistry is unreplenished and used to exhaustion within a two week timespan. You get two weeks or 1000 8x10s whichever comes first. If you only make a few prints within this period, the cost per print is fairly high. The chemistry is sold in a kit (dev & fix) that costs about 50-60 bucks. Although other machine chem can be used, if you figure out the correct dilution ratios.
The machine is fast--runs about 60 seconds dry to dry at 95 degrees F, and it has about the best infrared dryer on the market. Max. print size is 20 inches wide (tight) and the smallest is a 5 inch length--you can run test strips etc. It's pretty easy to set up, I can describe how to do this if you decide to get it. Mke sure you can get a manual with it, especially a parts manual with the diagrams if they had one. Also there's a wrench that's handy to have--a metal pipe of sorts--that works on the standpipes to replace the o-rings and do maintenance. Any kind of spare parts as well...
that's about it I guess. the previous post is sorta correct about support for the machines--it seems a little better than it was last year, but there really isn't any service support available for it. There is a former employee in the US who is the source for parts and maybe some limited consultation. But the days of calling Ilford and getting phone support or field service are long gone, and even when it did exist, it was very expensive to do so without the service contract. With or without the contract, it was never that great to be honest--mostly from the business end, but the field techs from both Ilford and later SERCO were always top notch.
That said--I would be careful (leery) of getting one used if I had no experience with it, or a similar machine. They require a certain amount of routine maintenance, and you should expect to have to replace parts and make repairs yourself. on a side note.... there were a number of defective machines that were sold at one time. the body caves in on itself and causes all sorts of problems (fatal). we had one of these machines and it was a bear to deal with. so--buyer beware--I'll just leave it at that. If this 2150 is a relatively new machine, you probably don't need to worry about it.
p.s. if you decide to pass the machine up, please contact me with the info. on where the school is. I wouldn't mind having a second parts machine.
Thanks & hope this helps--let me know if you need more info.
KT
my opinions only/not my employers
I also have the owners manual, the parts manua and the stand pipe wrench!