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Advice needed for purchasing sub-$1000 machine

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  • #16
    I've used 3 different commercial machines but unfortunately the only home-style machine is my Sunbeam EM6910 - and I must say I am a fan. I can emulate what I did in the cafe and pub and in a couple of days I am producing better coffee than I got in almost every coffee place across 40 years.

    Any provider you go to should be able to pour you a coffee to try - if they can't at least send you down the street to a cafe they provided a machine to, I'd be looking elsewhere. Don't just take anybody's word for it, you need to try it out and preferably watch them using it.

    Read around the forums - some of the 'I love this' machines also have a learning curve that has many other people chucking them. For mine, if you spend time learning your machne (and you're not an idiot) and you STILL have issues making a coffee just how you like it, that machine is probably not for the average coffee maker.

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    • #17
      Having owned both the Sunbeam and the Silvia, I would say the quality of the espresso is around the same but the steam on the Silvia blows the sunbeam out of the park.

      Like many people, my Sunbeam died a very early death, but that's for another thread.

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      • #18
        Originally posted by Barry O'Speedwagon View Post
        No prob, Yelta. Perfectly fair point. But I wasn't meaning to imply that you have to buy purely on the testimony of the vendor, but at least you get to have a look at the kit, potentially see them in action etc. And while vendors will obviously promote their own products, the blokes I've dealt with won't push a product that is inappropriate/unnecessary for your needs.

        Nothing wrong with being a cynic....
        Morning Barry, I agree with most of what you say.

        However I've yet to encounter a retailer who's primary interest isn't to lever the cash out of your wallet and load a carton or two into the back of your car, said cartons containing products the retailer stocks and preferably has a high mark up.

        Perhaps retailers in the more affluent states are more altruistic in their attitude, unlike poor old SA where retailers are desperate for sales and will do almost anything to attain their objective.

        Told ya I was cynic.

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        • #19
          Advice needed for purchasing sub-$1000 machine

          Originally posted by Yelta View Post
          Morning Barry, I agree with most of what you say.

          However I've yet to encounter a retailer who's primary interest isn't to lever the cash out of your wallet and load a carton or two into the back of your car, said cartons containing products the retailer stocks and preferably has a high mark up.

          Perhaps retailers in the more affluent states are more altruistic in their attitude, unlike poor old SA where retailers are desperate for sales and will do almost anything to attain their objective.

          Told ya I was cynic.
          I think you'll find many retailers out there who are happy to play the long game by doing the right thing in the short term. Yes, of course their long term aim is to maximise sales, but many retailers are happy to do that by selling a lower price product in the short term if that's what's going to work best for their customer.

          Not all retailers of course. But my two local CS sponsors both strike me as that type of retailer. That said, I'm not sure there's a CS sponsor in Perth who does coffee machine retail?

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          • #20
            13bob is doing the right thing, he's asked a question less than 24 hours ago. Already there are 19 replies with some helpful ones. The question he has asked, has given him some opinions from people who own machines he maybe looking at getting eg. the silva. The next best thing for him to do is go and seek where he may be able to see one first hand. if thats not possible he may need to revaluate his selection or take a chance of buying one without seeing... Sometimes peoples opinions is enough to satisfy someones concerns on buying online. If he buys online he may not have the problem the last two post are talking about.

            If he wishes to see a machine first hand before buying, i'm sure he will work something out prior to buying. I would however prefer to buy through a site sponsor or someone who does sell these types of machines rather than going to an overpriced retail store.

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            • #21
              Thanks again for all the replies guys. I dont really have the luxury of going round to see / experience the machines in person, so in a way I'm relying on others opinions as a guide. I am happy to use the site sponsors to purchase through, only fair seeing that the forum is providing me with a wealth of information.

              I'm looking into the Sylvia and K3 grinder at the moment as this looks like it is around my budget and has been recommended the most out of all the other options.

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              • #22
                Originally posted by 13bob View Post
                Thanks again for all the replies guys. I dont really have the luxury of going round to see / experience the machines in person, so in a way I'm relying on others opinions as a guide. I am happy to use the site sponsors to purchase through, only fair seeing that the forum is providing me with a wealth of information.

                I'm looking into the Sylvia and K3 grinder at the moment as this looks like it is around my budget and has been recommended the most out of all the other options.
                Pretty good choice if that's the way you finally go 13Bob, I doubt you'll regret it.

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                • #23
                  Agreed, you wont go wrong with either. Hope they serve you well

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                  • #24
                    13bob,

                    Speak to Simon from Dimattinas (Osborne Park) and he will give you a good price on the K3.

                    Have a look at Coffee A Roma. Silvia is priced better than last year. And there's discounts on accessories to be had.

                    To make it easier/harder for you, some easter goodies included with the purchase.

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                    • #25
                      My Sunbeam EM6910 is going well after 3 years, I feed it fresh ground beans, have the dose down to an art, know exactly what pressure to apply to the tamper and it makes a pretty good coffee, certainly better than the coffee shop at Fingal Beach - the collar was replaced 6 months ago. I will be upgrading to the EM7000 when this machine dies.

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by Yelta View Post
                        Morning Barry, I agree with most of what you say.

                        However I've yet to encounter a retailer who's primary interest isn't to lever the cash out of your wallet and load a carton or two into the back of your car, said cartons containing products the retailer stocks and preferably has a high mark up.

                        Perhaps retailers in the more affluent states are more altruistic in their attitude, unlike poor old SA where retailers are desperate for sales and will do almost anything to attain their objective.

                        Told ya I was cynic.
                        In many markets (whether defined on geography or product) I reckon you're largely right (memories of working at Waltons/Norman Ross as a youngster emerge....). But, for retailers of specialised, pricey, durable goods (with mechanical parts in them), I don't think that it is necessarily in the retailer's interest to maximise cash from current customer at all costs. As well as the likelihood of repeat business with that customer, there are flow-on reputational benefits. Two of my colleagues had dealt with the long-established local firm (site sponsor) before and were really happy with the informed and 'non-pushy' pre-sale advice (both ended out Silvia / Rocky....so they were hardly 'upsold'), and after sales service/communication....made it an easy choice for me. These reputational effects are probably more obvious considerations for the owners of 'single outlet' businesses, because there is no spill-over to, or free-riding by, other chain store owners / franchisees.

                        Anyway, to the OP, sounds like you are going to do well.

                        Cheers
                        BOSW

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                        • #27
                          I have zero regrets on my purchace of a Silvia, and a month or so later a Rocky grinder to accompany it.

                          I ended up buying both from Coffee Aroma as I couldn't find a bricks and mortar stockist in Adelaide.

                          Very happy with the accessories etc I got with the silvia. Ended up buying the Rocky via a ebay auction that Coffee Aroma had up. Saved myself a bit of cash over the retail price on their website. Not sure, but they may also do the Silvia in auctions too. Might take a while to win one at a good price, but worth a look and maybe a bid or 2 if you're looking to keep the costs down.

                          After sales support from Coffee Aroma has been good too.

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                          • #28
                            Even after reading the comments about Sunbeam troubles, I am still impressed with the EM6910. It produces excellent milk in quick time, beautifully textured and easy to get the timing right so it hits right temp and right texture simultaneously. Being able to steam and brew at the same time is a big plus. And I'm getting the grind right (or righter ) now so I'm getting crema about a cm or a bit more on top.

                            Most of the coffee I wasted was in trying to get the EM0480 grinder working - see the "My New Machine" thread for details :lol: so given what I had read on here about how difficult it can be to get to making good and reliably consistent coffee on the less expensive machines, I am very happy. And it was cheap - I got the 6910 and 0480 2nd hand for $350 and got given the EM0450 as exchange for some PC work.

                            And I haven't even gotten around to programming in my favourite shot yet...

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                            • #29
                              I'd respectfully submit that separate brewing and steaming systems may be over-rated. As soon as I stop the pour on my Silvia, I flick the boiler to steam, retrieve the milk jug from the freezer, get the milk out, load the jug, and return the milk to the fridge. As long as I spend about 30 seconds doing that, I now have a good head of steam and may start stretching the milk immediately.
                              If another pour is required soon after steaming, then I put a cup under the group head and flick the brew button until the thermostat comes on in ~20 seconds. Now it's ready for another pour, subject to the usual delay for temp surfing if you're into that.
                              Honestly, I doubt that a separate boiler would make much difference to the efficiency of the process. I would buy a machine that is simple, reliable and has a fair weight of brass in the boiler and group head.

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                              • #30
                                Originally posted by 13bob View Post
                                The more I read the harder it gets.... I want a simple machine without 100 different functions that i will not use. Saeco? Gaggia? Sylvia?
                                Three single boiler/dual use machines. I don't know how much you can get a gaggia for, but other than price, I think the primary advantage of the non-silvia machines is faster heatup.

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