Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Disappointed - Bonavita variable temp kettle

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #16
    Originally posted by Banjo.au View Post
    Wow!

    I thought the exchange rate was around A$1.00 = US$0.93, but a comparison of the offers on the US and AU nuwave sites shows it to be more like A$1.00 < US$0.25!

    In the contiguous US, US$100 gets you TWO cooktops and a bunch of cookware. S&P not included.

    In Australia, A$300 gets you ONE cooktop and less cookware. Another $120-160 gets you the rest of the cookware (dunno the price of the 9" frypan lid), but still only ONE cooktop! P&H not included.

    Oh the poor Australian importers, wholesalers and retailers. I had no idea the cost of doing business in Australia was so-o-o-o expensive!
    ________

    If Andy can sell the Behmor 1600 Plus for so little markup compared to the US model, what's going on here?
    Ha ! is that a stick i see in your hand poking at a hornets nest ??

    Comment


    • #17
      Originally posted by Banjo.au View Post
      Oh the poor Australian importers, wholesalers and retailers. I had no idea the cost of doing business in Australia was so-o-o-o expensive!
      Trust you're speaking from your first hand experience of importing a specific 230V version, organising electrical compliance and then establishing a parts inventory, support network and then a distribution network- knowing that sales will only ever be a tiny percentage of US volumes. Or....is it just hot air?

      Comment


      • #18
        Well that didn't take too long, did it?

        Chris, I thought even you would be embarrassed by that level of markup, but perhaps not. Your response was predictable.

        Your reasons might justify some sort of markup on the hotplate, but surely not by a factor of more than four!

        I also can't see any such "justification" for the cookware markups. Some examples:
        - Pressure cooker - US$80, AU$195
        - Cast Iron Grill - US$30, AU$95
        - Ultimate Cookware set - US$70, AU$170
        - 9" and 11.5" frypans with lids** - US$110, AU$245 (** US and AU sites combine frypans and lids differently)

        Oh wait! How silly of me! It's an induction hotplate, so the cookware also has to be electrically complianced by a NATA lab!

        With markups like that, it's no wonder they'll only ever sell in Australia a tiny percentage of the US volumes.

        Comment


        • #19
          Originally posted by Banjo.au View Post
          Wow!

          I thought the exchange rate was around A$1.00 = US$0.93, but a comparison of the offers on the US and AU nuwave sites shows it to be more like A$1.00 < US$0.25!

          In the contiguous US, US$100 gets you TWO cooktops and a bunch of cookware. S&P not included.

          In Australia, A$300 gets you ONE cooktop and less cookware. Another $120-160 gets you the rest of the cookware (dunno the price of the 9" frypan lid), but still only ONE cooktop! P&H not included.

          Oh the poor Australian importers, wholesalers and retailers. I had no idea the cost of doing business in Australia was so-o-o-o expensive!
          ________

          If Andy can sell the Behmor 1600 Plus for so little markup compared to the US model, what's going on here?
          They may not be as cheap nor as high quality as presented. Along with many reports of jacked up and multiple billings for P&H, to the tune of hundreds of dollars in some cases, this one caught my eye:

          NuWave PIC Giving My Family Headaches
          On: May 31, 2014
          By: Bailey
          Reported Loss = $100.00

          Ever since we have been using it we have been getting frequent headaches.

          It wasn’t until about 3 weeks until we started discussing our own discomfort and realizing the headaches are the worst the day after using the PIC cooktop.

          Every time we would ‘sear’ something we all would have to leave the room because it gives off the most painful high frequency pitch that we can feel in our brain.

          This can’t be good.

          Java " NuWave Oven - 197 Customer Reviews | Complaints List " phile
          Toys! I must have new toys!!!

          Comment


          • #20
            Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
            He informs that there have been issues with about 5 units of 2000 sold to date (0.0025%).
            You mean 0.25%

            sorry, thats my anal retentiveness coming out there

            Comment


            • #21
              Originally posted by Banjo.au View Post
              Well that didn't take too long, did it?
              Banjo,

              I'm sure that with an inflammatory comment, you expected a response.

              Pots and pans at 300% US price? I agree- it's BS. Appliances however are subject to different laws and cost structures. That's just the fact and until there are changes (for example, blanket adoption of CE standards as being electrically compliant for Australia), we sometimes have to suck it up.

              There are however examples of massive markups. I'd love to know what it costs for Sunbeam to build an EM7000 or to land a Breville at the Australian docks for that matter. When appliance retailers can sell at way less than wholesale, there's clearly plenty of fat.

              The reality though is that for the European gear many of us buy and sell here, those margins simply do not exist.

              As for the specifics of the gear in this thread, Bombora have been amazing at getting stuff to the Australian market at very close to US prices and I for one commend them on this.
              Last edited by TC; 26 June 2014, 03:29 PM. Reason: typo

              Comment


              • #22
                Yeah Chris, I could have put a smiley on that comment, but sticks are useful for stirring as well as poking hornets' nests.

                I suspect there are too many vested interests for blanket adoption of highly quality overseas standards to occur any time soon, not least of which are the extraordinary costs able to be charged by some labs for testing in the name of safety. Where volumes are low and margins are tight and we just have to have it, we may have to take it but we don't have to like it.

                Also I don't think punters should be expected not to pipe up when they see examples of egregious markups like this, which we don't have to take. Javaphile's input also speaks volumes.

                We should all applaud and support those who manage to import and sell goods in Australia at reasonable prices and who also provide great service, like Bombora and Andy and Joe Behm. I'm sure there are plenty of others.

                Comment


                • #23
                  Banjo, I'm interested in your theory as to why, if super-normal profits truly exist so prevalently in Australian merchandising, there isn't a massive influx of capital to this sector? What is the barrier to entry? To the extent that exclusive dealerships/licenses inflate our prices, that is the choice of the upstream firm deciding to segment their world market and charge each bit what they reckon it can bear.
                  Last edited by Barry O'Speedwagon; 26 June 2014, 04:23 PM. Reason: too many whys

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Just adding to this, a colleague and I have 3 of these kettles between us.

                    We bought them at different times, each within 12 months old and all of them have rust forming in the bottom.

                    Given our success rate of 100% it would take a lot for us to buy that brand again.

                    Unsure what to replace it with, there's not much else with the same features within even the same ballpark price.

                    Call me old fashioned but cost effective shouldn't mean prone to rust while still under warranty.

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Originally posted by rustla View Post
                      Just adding to this, a colleague and I have 3 of these kettles between us.

                      We bought them at different times, each within 12 months old and all of them have rust forming in the bottom.

                      Given our success rate of 100% it would take a lot for us to buy that brand again.

                      Unsure what to replace it with, there's not much else with the same features within even the same ballpark price.

                      Call me old fashioned but cost effective shouldn't mean prone to rust while still under warranty.
                      Interesting to hear your experience rustla. Along with the two defective units I have had there's 5 faulty units, plus two others who have noticed rust after reading this, mentioned in this thread alone, which is intriguing given the supplier's defect rate of 5 in 2000 stated above. I can only think there must be more out there.

                      I'm with you - I won't be trying another Bonavita product. I Have a set of their scales which I purchased before the kettle. I'm happy with the scales, but will stick to other brands for the rest of my gear.

                      As for the kettle, I've moved to the Hario Buono. I miss having the temp control feature, but the kettle pours nicely and is thus far rust free! Unfortunately, it seems you need to make a choice as to whether the gooseneck spout or the temp control is the most important feature for your use...

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Originally posted by walrus84 View Post
                        As for the kettle, I've moved to the Hario Buono. I miss having the temp control feature, but the kettle pours nicely and is thus far rust free! Unfortunately, it seems you need to make a choice as to whether the gooseneck spout or the temp control is the most important feature for your use...
                        Such a shame, the gooseneck is crucial for pouring but having the kettle able to keep perfect temp for an hour while I get ready for work or while I'm getting caught up in work is nothing short of a miracle!

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Originally posted by rustla View Post
                          Such a shame, the gooseneck is crucial for pouring but having the kettle able to keep perfect temp for an hour while I get ready for work or while I'm getting caught up in work is nothing short of a miracle!
                          Have found that using an inexpensive portable Induction Cooktop in conjunction with the Hario Buono, works a treat. Just set the cooktop to hold the temperature at ~90C and you're ready to go when it suits you...

                          Mal.

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Originally posted by Dimal View Post
                            Have found that using an inexpensive portable Induction Cooktop in conjunction with the Hario Buono, works a treat. Just set the cooktop to hold the temperature at ~90C and you're ready to go when it suits you...

                            Mal.
                            Oh wow. I hadn't thought of that. Thanks! The Buono's not susceptible to rust?

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Originally posted by rustla View Post
                              Oh wow. I hadn't thought of that. Thanks! The Buono's not susceptible to rust?
                              Not a sign of anything after many, many brews (and I doubt there ever will be); plus, the Buono is a delight to use...

                              Mal.

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                I've had my bonavita for a year now and despite empting and drying it after every use, i'm already starting to see what looks like the beginnings of rust on the edges of the heating plate. a little disappointed considering how much it was!

                                Just out of curiosity, with the rust free claim for the buono, do you guys leave water in there between uses or is the unused water tipped out and kettle left to dry after every use?

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X