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I agree that this machine has potential- however, when you get owners reporting that they are on their 3rd machine, one has to consider that the problems with this machine are not isolated- and for this reason, I will not recommend the machine to anyone on any budget. That may perhaps change in the future.
In addition, thermoblocks are really chuckaway type propositions once they die....and I cant see Sunbeam supporting owners forever. No commercial machines run on thermoblocks and I doubt that much will change on that front...
You buy a Sylivia, Bott or HX machine and its going to be around in 10 years- with some simple care and cleaning- perhaps you might replace an element, pressurestat or maybe even a control box but these are low cost items ($50-150) and easily repaired.
So at this stage, the jury is out on this one IMHO. It will be interesting to see if any of them are still working in 5 or 10 years. Ultimately, I think its still a case of you gets what you pays for. They make good toasters tho! ;D
Originally posted by 2muchcoffeeman link=1154489886/15#16 date=1155164417
In addition, thermoblocks are really chuckaway type propositions once they die....and I cant see Sunbeam supporting owners forever. No commercial machines run on thermoblocks and I doubt that much will change on that front...
You buy a Sylivia, Bott or HX machine and its going to be around in 10 years- with some simple care and cleaning- perhaps you might replace an element, pressurestat or maybe even a control box but these are low cost items ($50-150) and easily repaired.
Bare in mind that a Silvia element is brazed on to the boiler. So if you kill an element, you kill a boiler. Last time I checked, Silvia boilers arent that cheap.
Some HX brain boxes are quite expensive, especially those for autodosing machines.
I expect the Sunbeam thermoblock to be cheaper to replace than either the Silvia boiler or a brain box. Also you cant easily fry the element on a thermoblock, as they can be run without water without harm, unlike a boiler.
Thermoblocks are used in high end laboratory and chemical processing equipment. Its not bad technology. In fact it can provide better temperature control than a boiler, if properly implemented.
Nevertheless, I agree on the reliability front. Too many machines being replaced and quite a bit of evidence for some major cost engineering. The problem with cost engineering is that you generally dont see where the compromises have been made.
Originally posted by Sparky link=1154489886/15#17 date=1155166295
Originally posted by 2muchcoffeeman link=1154489886/15#16 date=1155164417
In addition, thermoblocks are really chuckaway type propositions once they die....and I cant see Sunbeam supporting owners forever. No commercial machines run on thermoblocks and I doubt that much will change on that front...
You buy a Sylivia, Bott or HX machine and its going to be around in 10 years- with some simple care and cleaning- perhaps you might replace an element, pressurestat or maybe even a control box but these are low cost items ($50-150) and easily repaired.
Bare in mind that a Silvia element is brazed on to the boiler. So if you kill an element, you kill a boiler. Last time I checked, Silvia boilers arent that cheap.
Some HX brain boxes are quite expensive, especially those for autodosing machines.
I expect the Sunbeam thermoblock to be cheaper to replace than either the Silvia boiler or a brain box. Also you cant easily fry the element on a thermoblock, as they can be run without water without harm, unlike a boiler.
Thermoblocks are used in high end laboratory and chemical processing equipment. Its not bad technology. In fact it can provide better temperature control than a boiler, if properly implemented.
Nevertheless, I agree on the reliability front. Too many machines being replaced and quite a bit of evidence for some major cost engineering. The problem with cost engineering is that you generally dont see where the compromises have been made.
Cheers,
Mark.
Agreed Mark- which is why we INSIST that the boiler be primed with water at the end of each texturing event.....that way, you dun kill the element!
Baskets look different. I replaced mine with standards shortly after I bought it.
Thanks for the pdf instructions. Thats a great help. My seal is black - def not the bright blue.
I wonder whether mine is an update one though. I always overdose the standard (euro) basket but filling, tamping and then filling again so that it goes up hard agains the screen. The puck always has the imprint of the phillips head screw and shower screen. It therefore requires some elbow grease to get the portafilter to move to the right, but it makes for reliable extraction (always JUST into the black - just) - time after time.
Mine however has never poped screws (because there is no movement in the head). Also my extraction guage is accurate and the steam wand seems to work well with dry steem after a small initial purge, and it seems to look the same length, although I will measure it.
Originally posted by ozscott link=1154489886/15#21 date=1155175142
Baskets look different. I replaced mine with standards shortly after I bought it.
Thanks for the pdf instructions. Thats a great help. My seal is black - def not the bright blue.
I wonder whether mine is an update one though. I always overdose the standard (euro) basket but filling, tamping and then filling again so that it goes up hard agains the screen. The puck always has the imprint of the phillips head screw and shower screen. It therefore requires some elbow grease to get the portafilter to move to the right, but it makes for reliable extraction (always JUST into the black - just) - time after time.
Mine however has never poped screws (because there is no movement in the head). Also my extraction guage is accurate and the steam wand seems to work well with dry steem after a small initial purge, and it seems to look the same length, although I will measure it.
Cheers
No worries at all...
I hope you never get the "pop" either...
Your dosing method is exactly how they show me at the appreciate course that Sunbeam ran... While I was confident in pulling a good shot, it was the milk texturing that needed help... which is now on its way to perfection.....Ill post a rosetta when I get a fresh pic...
Ill be getting the EM0480 grinder in a few weeks (waiting for some converted credit award points to DJ vouchers to arrive).
Well done. I am yet to book in for mine. I am getting good microfoam, but have not lobbed onto the highway of late art yet. The pop I take it, is a pipe coming off the brew head.
Anyone know if the red ones (EM6900R) which I understand have only recently been released, have the improvements listed above (filter basket, blue liner, wand)? Im desperate to get a new machine and the red version is available with Commonwealth Rewards :P!
I have the red one. It has the long steam wand, but seems to have extra large baskets and black seal - although I was told that it was a later version, and its been running very well.
Thanks ozscott. If I could open the box in the shop, Id d get one now, but seeing as itd be sight unseen from Rewards, Ill have to wait till October. Although I reckon that the Rewards Programme wont be selling the 6910 version for a while after that
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