New Sunbeam Torino triple thermoblock

[tompoland]

I probably have to defer to caffeinator as being vastly more expeienced with machines that i am but FWIW I have a WPM milk steamer and it appears very well made and produces silky smooth microfoam.

[LeroyC]

Yes, same machine for all intents and purposes.

[Caffeinator]

Hmm. Polished turds on special this week?

[Ted2013]

Costco are selling a WPM Welhome Pro Espresso Machine with Triple Thermo-Block which looks very much like this. Is it essentially the same machine?

[t0fu]

Look at the past 3 pages. Spares/serviceability are questionable as theres little local support and alot of international variants. At that price 1k ish why not get a new breville dual boiler with the new fittings that should be more reliable. Brevillle is also Australian with service centres here and parts support.

[dnigro123]

Hi All,

Orginally I was looking at WPM Welhome Pro - KD-320 that Cosco are selling:
https://www.costco.com.au/Kitchen-La...Block/p/138661

But then saw this - https://www.davidjones.com/Product/20394369 - $1199 AUD (inluding the grinder)

When comparing the two, the Torino seems better value since the grinder is included.

I have read all these comments and was wondering if anything woud change your mind due to the price has dropped?

Or is a matter of staying away and look for something else?

Thanks

Daz.

[Caffeinator]

I'd want to do the Slayer mod too. Sell it and mod by installing a Slayer in its place!

[ktew407]

By slayer mod do you mean running the main grouphead water via the water tap/valve to adjust flow on the fly? I've looked into this briefly but I believe the water tap on the Torino is actually just a switch, not an adjustable valve. I've thought of adding a needle valve behind it somehow so that you can have the convenience of the existing handle to use it, but haven't really looked into how easy/hard that would be mechanically.
Otherwise you can do the dimmer mod on the pump itself, for a potentially similar effect.

Thanks for the quick reply. If you end up adding the needle valve I would love to see the result and hear your thoughts on the coffee that comes out of it

~coffee newbie

[corona]

Hey CS'ers. Does anyone know if it is possible to perform a slayer mod for the EM8000? If so, would this cause the machine to wear down quicker?

~coffee newbie

By slayer mod do you mean running the main grouphead water via the water tap/valve to adjust flow on the fly? I've looked into this briefly but I believe the water tap on the Torino is actually just a switch, not an adjustable valve. I've thought of adding a needle valve behind it somehow so that you can have the convenience of the existing handle to use it, but haven't really looked into how easy/hard that would be mechanically.
Otherwise you can do the dimmer mod on the pump itself, for a potentially similar effect.

[ktew407]

Hey CS'ers. Does anyone know if it is possible to perform a slayer mod for the EM8000? If so, would this cause the machine to wear down quicker?

~coffee newbie

[corona]

To be honest I still usually use scales too, the volumetric buttons are never super accurate, but they're handy if you just need to do a few shots back to back for a group of people.

[buderim11]

For anyone looking for spare parts for the Torino or any other sunbeam, this unofficial / unconfirmed relationship with WPM / Welhome means you can get parts from AliExpress quite easily.
I've had discussions with this store: "China Coffee Maker-Equipment"
https://a.aliexpress.com/_m0ZzLEe
They can supply the newer main board from the profiling ble version of the Torino for USD159, though I can see from the high res photo they sent it has some extra solenoid channels and the ble module is an extra thing that would need to be purchased - I didn't get around to asking for was price for that, decided not to proceed with attempting an upgrade.

Either way, can get spare parts that way, or things like bottomless portafilter or wooden replacement handles for the welhome version of the Torino can be easily purchased straight off aliexpress eg. https://a.aliexpress.com/_mP4DS6w

I think my Torino is now quite fantastic with a proper OPV, for the AUD$1050 I paid 3 years ago. It _needs_ the OPV though.

I previously installed a Breville OPV which improved it a bit, but the pressure still wasn't that stable and the opv eventually started leaking. Turns out any internal leaks are caught by special channels that bring the drips out under the front of the machine so you see it really quickly!

I replaced that with a fluid-o-tech opv, plumbing the return back to the pump inlet, after the fluid meter.
Now the pressure is rock solid stable every time, and the dosed shot buttons work properly, usually within a gram of the set amount. I've written up details about the opv here: https://notes.alelec.net/blog/post/a...ino-EM8000-OPV
With OPV and the noise damper it's quieter than most vibe pump machines, and the damper smooths out the pulsing in the pressure somewhat which I think helps reduce puck cracking under from excess pulsed pressure. Either way I get very little channeling.

With my grinder upgraded to an alicorn aligned Vario and fresh Proud Mary or Sensory Lab beans I'm getting amazingly good espressos out of the Torino very consistently, as good if not better than most of the great cafes near me in Melbourne.

Even without a better grinder, you can cut out the silicon exit chute flap on the Torino grinder and use the hopper lid like a bellows to seriously reduce the retention dramatically. That improves the flavour day to day a lot, though you might want to grind into a bin rather than the portafilter as static does cause it to spray around a bit.

Thanks for the update and the detailed blog. I fitted the Breville OPV following noidel22's guide and agree with you the Torino makes a good coffee with the OPV mod , I am using a Mythos grinder.

The OPV return after the flow meter you are using is a great idea , mine goes back into the water tank , I will change this to your mod and connect it after the flow meter so I can use the preset shots , at the moment I use scales to measure the shot.

[corona]

For anyone looking for spare parts for the Torino or any other sunbeam, this unofficial / unconfirmed relationship with WPM / Welhome means you can get parts from AliExpress quite easily.
I've had discussions with this store: "China Coffee Maker-Equipment"
https://a.aliexpress.com/_m0ZzLEe
They can supply the newer main board from the profiling ble version of the Torino for USD159, though I can see from the high res photo they sent it has some extra solenoid channels and the ble module is an extra thing that would need to be purchased - I didn't get around to asking for was price for that, decided not to proceed with attempting an upgrade.

Either way, can get spare parts that way, or things like bottomless portafilter or wooden replacement handles for the welhome version of the Torino can be easily purchased straight off aliexpress eg. https://a.aliexpress.com/_mP4DS6w

I think my Torino is now quite fantastic with a proper OPV, for the AUD$1050 I paid 3 years ago. It _needs_ the OPV though.

I previously installed a Breville OPV which improved it a bit, but the pressure still wasn't that stable and the opv eventually started leaking. Turns out any internal leaks are caught by special channels that bring the drips out under the front of the machine so you see it really quickly!

I replaced that with a fluid-o-tech opv, plumbing the return back to the pump inlet, after the fluid meter.
Now the pressure is rock solid stable every time, and the dosed shot buttons work properly, usually within a gram of the set amount. I've written up details about the opv here: https://notes.alelec.net/blog/post/a...ino-EM8000-OPV
With OPV and the noise damper it's quieter than most vibe pump machines, and the damper smooths out the pulsing in the pressure somewhat which I think helps reduce puck cracking under from excess pulsed pressure. Either way I get very little channeling.

With my grinder upgraded to an alicorn aligned Vario and fresh Proud Mary or Sensory Lab beans I'm getting amazingly good espressos out of the Torino very consistently, as good if not better than most of the great cafes near me in Melbourne.

Even without a better grinder, you can cut out the silicon exit chute flap on the Torino grinder and use the hopper lid like a bellows to seriously reduce the retention dramatically. That improves the flavour day to day a lot, though you might want to grind into a bin rather than the portafilter as static does cause it to spray around a bit.

[andrewbat]

Hi
Just wondering if you know of someone in Victoria, I'm in Ballarat, that may be able to do the OPV on a Sunbeam Torino that you speak of.

Wondering if you can point me in the right direction

[sancor]

Sunbeam Torino and Saeco SE-50 - nearly identical twins.



I have the Saeco SE-50. The functionality and no doubt the mechanics are the same as the Sunbeam Torino but there are minor differences. Main one is the location of the pressure gauge which is quite frankly quite poor on the Saeco as it is located low on the left-hand side. I believe the Saeco has been in production for many years and this may be something that Sunbeam had fixed on their version.

The following feedback may help people considering the Sunbeam Torino or a similar machine such as the Saeco SE-50.

I like the hot water on the left and steam on the right which is the opposite of the Torino. Funny but I much prefer it the other way around on the 2-group machine I use in a semi-commercial setting. This is of course a personal thing. I love the compactness of the machine; however, that can also be a bit of a compromise as there is a lot tucked into a small operating space. The buttons are not the easiest to read when not activated. There should be a low level of back-lighting when the machine is turned on.

The machine is good overall; however, the coffee puck tends to be a little on the damp side compared to a commercial machine and also very prone to sticking to group shower head if even the slightest overfilled. The baskets are designed for 7g and 14g. I assume a standard 58mm triple basket will fit the portafilter if you prefer to use 18 to 21g.

Like many espresso machines, it is not built for mugs or glasses. It is a pity that the group head is not mounted higher and a stand supplied for espresso similar to the DeLonghi La Specialista although I have made a work-around by removing the drip tray fill indicator (it is a huge drip tray and doesn't need it) and then by removing the drip tray grate, I can place a mug or glass on a small stand or similar. Works a treat and you should be able to do the same with the Sunbeam.

The machine makes a good coffee. I normally produce a doppio-risetretto using 14g of coffee, a long black or cappuccino and my wife's special (cross between a weak long black and a flat white). I believe the Sunbeam comes with some double-floor filter baskets (I picked some up) and while they do give more crema - I don't think they are necessary.

Milk frothing is somewhat slower than on a commercial machine and less consistent too. I think I need to explore this more and maybe try with changed menu settings.

The grinder supplied with the Saeco SE-50 is identical to the one supplied with the Sunbeam. It does a good job and despite claims in some reviews that it does not produce consistent output. I haven't found this to be so and rarely need to adjust the grind other than when changing to different beans. Main problem is the "auto" setting isn't anything of the sort and is just a more convenient way of turning it on (which is good for topping up a grind). With no dosage control or timer, you have to judge the filling of your portafilter by eye, a separate timer or counting down to yourself. I use a separate scale which is zeroed for the weight of the portafilter.

The machine (and I am sure this applies to the Torino) is very fussy about the amount of coffee in the basket (previously mentioned), the tamping pressure (I now use a calibrated tamper) and the grind itself. Far more fussy than the commercial machines I have used. If you cannot manage that, then that's possibly where the use of the double-floor filters will come to the rescue. With minimal practice, I don't think double walled baskets are necessary. Note the supplied tamper (identical to the Sunbeam one) is too light which makes it more difficult to get a level tamp or knock down the loose bits. Cannot see the point of supplying the measuring scoop either.

Although 95% of the user guide is the same as the Torino, Sunbeam has provided some really useful info on the various coffee styles and some other useful info for novices.

I love using the machine. I got my machine and grinder for $1070 but the price has gone up since and is slightly more expensive than the Sunbeam. I think the Sunbeam Torino and grinder is still $1199 or thereabouts and represents better value than the Saeco SE-50 as you get a few little extras with the Sunbeam. One other point to note is the Saeco SE-50 and grinder are supplied with European plugs which need to be changed out. This is pretty poor from an Australian supplier and as the machine is made in China quite silly.

While I love the machine I don't think it is suitable for espresso novices. If you know what you are doing, the Saeco SE-50, Sunbeam Torino or similar is fun to use and looks great.

hi, I cant decide between a gaggia classic pro and a Saeco SE50.
Do you have the chance to experience a gaggia? would you consider your SE50 a better machine?
Thanks!