Stone Espresso Machine

[StoneLover]

Hi all.. Took the plunge and ordered a Stone Mine this week, ETA Wednesday from Italy to SYD which is confirmed a door to door express service. Went with the retailer mentioned in other threads based on their customer service on someones Rocket machine recently. They even offered a little extra discount on the listed price sans VAT which was nice. Despite what some might say on here, it's not too difficult to order from O/S, (and deal with the GST when it lands. Just remember that domestic machines are liable for an automatic 5% duty waiver, as long as they are tariffed correctly) and the savings in this case make it worthwhile.

[ddhytz]

Meanwhile… back to the machine itself 😜…
- No ability to alter the OPV. If that’s the case what the factory-set pressure at the puck?

- No user control over brew temp? If that’s the case, that’s a disappointment at this price point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNGfigIUFGA&t=371s

This YouTube video shows the internal structure. OPV and pstat are there so it can adjust brew pressure and boiler pressure. One guy says the body is electrically heated but I could not see wires that lead to heating cartridges if any.

[Caffeinator]

Hmm... It is a HX machine with a ~$2.5k street price.

Temp control: You'd need user adjustable control the to active heating on the group to get that...

As for user adjustable OPV- The old Expobar stuff comes to mind, but you otherwise need to get inside of pretty much everything else that comes to my mind.

[javafox]

Meanwhile… back to the machine itself 😜…

I saw the Stone at MICE - looked pretty good. Compact footprint.

None of the marketing material or web reviews - including Coffee Parts’ latest YT vid - say anything about the OPV control or brew temp.

I’m therefore assuming:

- No ability to alter the OPV. If that’s the case what the factory-set pressure at the puck?

- No user control over brew temp? If that’s the case, that’s a disappointment at this price point.

If anyone has drilled into these details with an agent or Overseas site please report back.

Thanks!

[StoneLover]

Wow. It's the espresso inquisition! lol... but I get it: 'support local', is definitely the theme on here. I do when it's appropriate, but it's ok to research options as people are entitled to do. Sometimes it's worth it. Sometimes not I guess. With old mate Tony, and an expensive machine like his that seems quite involved with all the doodads and complicated computer bits built in, he's obviously got more things that can go wrong i guess. He's unlucky, but also lucky he has a retailer who is working with him. As you would expect to happen with an AU store. No point in shipping back and forward if it can be dealt with in other ways. I'd guess he's still a couple of K up.

Lots of Q's from you there - For brevity, UPS shipping was inc. in the best quote i got from one particular retailer (who is easy enough to find with a quick google) which is door to door. Just pay the GST and customs entry fee on landing. No Duty, or transaction fees, as pay with PayPal and use my card which has no intl trans fees. In fairness, i did get that quote a couple of weeks ago when the Eur/Aud was in the 1.40's. a little higher now. Factor in another $70-80 for that. Still bringing it in at 30% less to the AU RRP. I'm not quite one to have spreadsheets compiled and crosschecking every penny, but for any purchase over $1000, its worth looking in to all options isn't it?

But like you say, this whole thing has been brought up on here before. You guys must be bored with it by now!

[EspressoAdventurer]

Hi all.. Been following the Stone range for a while and thought I'd chime in here with my findings regarding price etc... I'm about to step up my coffee game and for some reason this looks like a unique offering.

Could you provide more detail to confirm your statement...How long for instance have you been following Stone Espresso?
What can you share?
BTW whats you current setup? What area of Oz? are you located?

Have been reaching out to some of the retailers in Europe and a couple have quoted just over 1000Euro including DHL or UPS shipping to Aus. (this is with the euro sales tax excluded of course) - Landed costs would be around 12% with GST plus the costs. So looking around $1750AUD to ship one in. Quite a saving.

Who in fact? How many retailers in Euro? Further info?

Is there anything i may be missing here as to why there is such disparity from Euro to AU pricing, even accounting for the above mentioned factors which the Euro sellers would also have to bear?

Well Yes there is ! Please do a quick search here as this subject has been done ad-finitum prev.
Last count is just short of say around a 1000 posts And All those (so called by others) urgers have the same modus operandi when theoretically pricing up a self import landed machine! And That is......
Talk in rounded down / estimated / low ball / quick check purchase prices ex Euro.
And then never post factual stated $ from a stated seller ex Europe with factual real landed costs to the door here in Oz.
As you say .....So Just over 1000euro! But How much? 1001? or 1050? or 1080 ?

1 Euro today is AUD 1.56...So how much is the Exchange Service fee you calculated into the theoretical purchase?
1% ? 3% ? more likely Or even more likely a minimum transaction amount in AUD like $50 or even $60.
Almost all here wont have a current and pre-existing account with a forex dealer.

What about the real port costs associated with self import? You skim over this and skip straight to an all up Aust price landed with little detail explained !

So I quote ..... for the uninitiated - true facts.
"Port fees can be charged at either end of the journey, i.e the port of origin and the destination port. Some of the typical fees charged include; Port Service Charges. Terminal Fees. Terminal Handling Charges. Port Service Fuel Surcharge. Documentation Fees. Bill of Lading (B/L) Fee. Terminal Weighing Fee. Vehicle Booking System Fee"......
True and real costs as enquired from a real Aust Shipping Agent. 8 possible lines of fees (not all tho!) and these are usually presented by the shipping agent at the point of your goods are ready for release - Here Is Your Invoice !

Now what about local Aust delivery costs Ex the Port / Bond Storage facility? With respect You don't show any of that costing!
As these goods are well above 15kg and strapped to a skid (small pallett) pls don't expect delivery to your door say in the basket of the local AusPostie in their new 3wheeler elect scooter.
So Lets say $80 delivered to your door on a a hydraulic liftgate courier. TBC!

So My calc = circa $1920 in reality.
A long way from the back of the cafe receipt guestimate shown above.
And thats still before you self insure for any wty issues on supply Ex Europe.
As you know you posted on another thread here regarding another CS'er doing just that right now - self repair on a COCB machine (Currently Off the Coffee Bench) whilst waiting for replacement parts Ex Euro.

Now I'm no soothsayer and I do have a Rocket machine and would purchase another in a heartbeat.
Nor am I a sympathizer or online operative.
Well made good quality machines.

Mine was purchased direct from Rocket Espresso Milan via the Aust distributor who oversaw the accredited Local retailer who -
- checked the machine out of the box.
- bench tested the machine, supplied with verification records before shipping.
- correctly drained and repacked, transported it safely (tho truly once in the courier its dependant on good packaging on a skip!)

And I'd buy again the same way, as support thru the Aust network has been as expected. Supportive helpful and there when you need them.

As said prev.....long term'ers here have seen this topic come up many times before - in the 2010's with near Aud parity it was like every 3months ...but same old same old ...the price saving never outweighs the risk / reward quantum.

Oh And welcome to the forum SL...hope you get as much out of it as 1000's before you have including myself.

PS the true story here is?.....Total cost of ownership...i.e. cents per serve as a cost over the life of the machine.
Thats how I see it. Plus Im prepared to add a premium per serve to ensure every day when I turn on this machine Its very highly likely to kick into life.
No ifs buts maybe's

[StoneLover]

Well that answers that then. I hope your day gets better! 😐

[Caffeinator]

Ok- I'll make it easy for you champ. Seeing as you know it all, why not ring the Australian importer? You can surely teach them how to suck eggs.

[StoneLover]

Hi, I couldn't quite decipher this salad of words you just posted, despite reading through a couple of times. Not sure if you were trying to answer the question being asked on here regarding the pricing disparity, or venting?

[Caffeinator]

StoneLover So, the sole importer for Australia is CS site sponsor Espresso Company Australia.

Given your self-appointed expert status, why don't you call CEO Charles and explain why as a bricks and mortar Australian establishment of over 20 years- they're doing it all wrong. Tell them that they're wasting money here as a CS sponsor too. Advise them that they should sack all their staff and take the entire business to India or some other suitable destination.

You can also inform them that they have just wasted tens of thousands bringing their entire team down to Melbourne to launch the Stone to the Australian market at MICE. Whilst in discussions, why not suggest that you can put them in touch with tax-evading, GST avoiding inner city grey importers who sell out of their little box apartments, provide zero aftersales service and support, but who do provide complimentary freshly vegemited warm toast to all prospective purchasers who navigate their way past granny's bedroom and the dog toys in the lounge room to the kitchen (demo) bench beside the steak knives and dish rack?

Just make sure that you have thought about some possible responses should he suggest that a bloke in South Asia would be happy to outsource your job for you at 25% of what your current employers are paying you and that said bloke will do it faster and better too.

You're not kayhasbeen reincarnated (again) or his workmate (again) are you?

[StoneLover]

And right on queue, Pedro from Coffee Parts drops a cool video of the Stone on youtube.

Not sure if i'm allowed to link it on here, as a previous post wasn't approved. Easy to find though.

Great example of a retailer doing it right. Like I said above, perception. It’s almost enough to make me want to spend the extra coin and buy from them! haha. And funnily enough, just noticed that the little retailer who has the Stone at $2499 has just updated their site to say they have a 1300 number on the way! Is that a coincidence?

[StoneLover]

And right on queue, Pedro from Coffee Parts drops a cool video on the Stone.

https://youtu.be/LIGmmfjv9tU

Great example of a retailer doing it right. Like I said above. Perception.It’s almost enough to make me want to spend the extra coin and buy from him! 😆

[StoneLover]

Looking at Stones site, seems like there is only one AU importer and they obviously make their coin as well as all the stores selling this brand too. Hence the Australian markup. I'd guess that all the Euro stores have to do the same in regards to offering support etc. I wonder where the extra $1000 per machine goes?

And not quite sure what you mean with the phone thing there. Looking at all the different places stocking the Stone, (like the mob linked and mentioned above), if you was going to spend money at a retail store, fact is nowadays people look at things like how their website appears, what digital presence they have, including social media and make their mind up based on that don't they? A professional looking website with a 1300 number, easy contact options. good content and a healthy following on the social pages all go a long way to sway a decision if one was in the market to purchase from a retailer here. No hot air. It's just perception.

[Caffeinator]

Depends on importer and support structure. Setting in place a national support network don't come cheap. It's totally different to the importer reseller model where it's more likely a bloke in a shop somewhere. As for phones, they reality these days if that in almost all interactions, you'll be speaking to someone on the other end of a mobile no matter what # you called. Nothing to see here IMHO.. If you want to find out whether someone is legit, you pick up the phone or use means other than silly, hot air speculation. #aintthathard

[amberale]

Ya pays ya money,ya takes ya chances.