Just moved to the US for 2–3 years and am looking to spend some cash on new equipment (Breville Dual Boiler + Baratza grinder). I'd prefer to give my money to an independent online store rather than Amazon. Any recommendations?
I'm in Houston TX if there happens to be a good store close to me.
I don't know of local to you stores but any of the vendors who are advertising on this site are great and i would buy from in a second.
Welcome to the board!
I would think many times before looking at a BDB as they are famous for disposable counter top appliances, not quality products. They have made several design decisions that to me are very questionable such as not being able to do preventive maint on the machine yourself, high quantity of proprietory parts etc.
There are several people that have them here and like them. For MY money, I would wait and see what kind of quality and issues the machine has before spending more money on that machine than other, well proven machines that do not have all the GEE WIZZ features. YMMV!
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
You know those people that want to tell you how to raise your kids but have none of their own? That is how i feel when someone with a kitchen appliance tells me how the merits or dis-merits of my machine or how to use it.
Thanks for your quick replies! I'm so oblivious to ads on websites these days that I didn't even think to check them out :S
calblacksmith Said:
I would think many times before looking at a BDB as they are famous for disposable counter top appliances, not quality products. They have made several design decisions that to me are very questionable such as not being able to do preventive maint on the machine yourself, high quantity of proprietory parts etc.
I know I'll only be in the US for 2–3 years, so long-term maintenance isn't an issue as I won't be able to take it back to Australia due to the voltage difference. My previous machine in Australia was the Sunbeam E6910 which I quite liked. To be honest I never drank coffee until 2.5 years ago when my wife and I bought the machine with wedding gift money. I just really enjoyed the process of making a good coffee for my wife until eventually, not being able to make *only* one per day, I started making coffee for me also. And here I am! (as a side note, my friends and I got machines at the same time, so had a challenge to see who could make the first decent rosetta: clicky which was a lot of fun :)
Back on topic: I need something reasonable for a few years, and now I'm used to a double boiler (I'm impatient), I'm looking at the Breville. I'll sell the machine and grinder when I leave the US, and will look for something of better quality and maintainable when I'm permanently back in Oz.
I am not sure what you mean when you say you are impatient as the BDB will take about the same amount of time as most any other machine to warm up, about half an hour to an hour. Any machine on a timer is able to be warm for you when need and the speed of production is the same with DB or HX when you are referenced to a SBDU, yes it will be quicker!
You might want to join the board http://coffeesnobs.com.au/ they are based down under and you might feel a little closer to home. DO stay here too, we want you to join in!
Here is to having your stay with us be a good one!
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
Hey, no problem. I didn't take anything as sarcastic! I probably should have put a :) after "thanks for the warm welcome". I actually meant that!
What I meant by impatient was I could steam milk while the shot was being poured. My friends who participated in the latte-art off (link in my previous post) had a smaller machine, and they could steam only after their shot had poured. In the literature for my Sunbeam machine, it touted the benefits of double boiler (or thermoblock, now that I think of it) was I could pull and steam at once. Hence the reason for the Breville. Also because it seems like a more advanced version of what I had previously.
I'm not sure what HX means, but I sense it might be one of those rabbit holes I tend to fall down when I get stuck into the nitty-gritty of things. I love that people are as passionate about coffee as other people are about their cars!
In terms of voltages, I emailed Breville about it. Here's the response:
There are two different versions of the product, they are not interchangeable nor would it be recommend to use an adapter on a machine of this sophistication. If you are moving permanently to Aus I would wait and buy it there.
Plus warranty is only valid within the country of origin and on a purchase like this you want that coverage inside and outside of the 1 year.
All of our machines are built under safety specifications with American 120V outlets. We do not recommend use of our machines overseas as it may not be safe, and if you are so inclined to use our machine overseas, you may want to contact a local electrician for assistance with a possible converter, adapter, or special accommodation to allow for a 220V connection. Small electrical appliances have to be manufactured specifically for the country of destination in order to comply with local product certification requirements and other import regulations.
I'm not fussed with selling after my US stint is over; it'll be one more thing to add to the many things we'll pass on after we leave. I have done this a few times times before and while I dislike buying things for the sake of buying them — preferring to buy quality once and use it for a long time — I think the opportunity of living temporarily in other countries outweighs this. Also, the people who we offload stuff to for cheap or free probably don't mind either ;)
You could also buy a 110-230V transformer for use in either direction - I'm running my UK spec Gaggia Classic on one here, and it can also do 230->110V. It'll cost about $90 or so for a 1500W one.
Now, in terms of what kind of machine to get, there are the usual Standard Questions: 1) What kind of drinks do you like/want to make? (This will tell us what you need in terms of a machine's capabilities.) 2) How many drinks, on average, do you see yourself needing to make at ay one time? (This will tell us what you need in terms of a machine's ability to work continuously.) 3) How many drinks, on average, do you see yourself making in any given week? (This will tell us what you need in terms of a machine's durability.) 4) Can you plumb a machine directly into the water supply, or do you want/need a pourover machine with its own reservoir? 5) Do you have a 20-amp circuit available, or only a (standard) 15-amp circuit? 6) What is your budget for a new machine? Does that also include a grinder? If not, what is your budget for a grinder?
And in terms of where to buy, I think you'll find that many people here have purchased equipment, and been happy with the service both before and after the sale, from (in alphabetical order):
bkpr Senior Member Joined: 19 Sep 2012 Posts: 10 Location: Houston TX Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Thu Oct 4, 2012, 12:04pm Subject: Re: Good espresso machine supplier recommendation?
Hey Jason. Thanks for all the info!
The reason I'm pretty set on the Breville (at this stage) is it looks to be a very similar machine to what I had in Oz: Sunbeam 6910. It had a "Twin pump and twin thermoblock - TPTT™ System" which allowed me to steam and pull a coffee at the same time. I don't know if this is an actual double boiler or HX machine. The Breville seems to be a step up form the Sunbeam, at least in terms of features, so I feel it'll be a quick learning process to make a decent coffee.
To answer the standard questions:
1) What kind of drinks do you like/want to make? 99.9% milky ones: lattes or cappuccinos + the occasional long/short black for friends, or a shot for an affogato :) 2) How many drinks, on average, do you see yourself needing to make at ay one time? 1–4, but mostly 1 or 2. 3) How many drinks, on average, do you see yourself making in any given week? ~20 4) Can you plumb a machine directly into the water supply, or do you want/need a pourover machine with its own reservoir? Needs it own reservoir 5) Do you have a 20-amp circuit available, or only a (standard) 15-amp circuit? I'm guessing it's the standard circuit in the house we'll be renting 6) What is your budget for a new machine? Does that also include a grinder? If not, what is your budget for a grinder? We don't really have a budget, but I'd say the $1200 (for the Breville) is at the top of our budget for a coffee machine given we'll be in the US for 2–3 years. I'll get another Baratza grinder (separate cost) because I liked the previous one I had.
I guess I'm a typical domestic user, with average needs, which is why I'm leaning towards the Breville. My wife reckons I make better coffee than what we've found so far in Houston :) so while I'm happy to check out any other suggestions, the familiarity of the machine appeals to me greatly right now.
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