Where can I buy ECM machines in WA?

Dinsdale · June 2016

Hi gize, I'm shopping for a best price on an ECM Technika IV. I can't even find a seller in WA. Would I be better off buying in the eastern states and paying freight?

Help needed. Tia, Dinsdale.

askthecoffeeguy · June 2016

Hi Tia, Check out the site sponsors and see if they can help you If that doesn't work try Dibartoli coffee I've bought from them before and they have fantastic customer service Best Pat

Dinsdale · July 2016

Well, it's past tense now. A shiny new Profitec Pro 700 arrived today, from Jetblack Espresso in Sydney. I've had about 6 hrs so far playing with my new toy. So far so good! It'll take me a little praccy to reach an acceptable level of proficiency but if it's as good as it looks we'll have a long and lustrous relationship.

Dry_bean. · July 2016

on 1467713906:

Well, it's past tense now. A shiny new Profitec Pro 700 arrived today, from Jetblack Espresso in Sydney. I've had about 6 hrs so far playing with my new toy. So far so good! It'll take me a little praccy to reach an acceptable level of proficiency but if it's as good as it looks we'll have a long and lustrous relationship.

Congratulations, Great looking machine Dinsdale with very impressive specs :thumb: Lets have some pics, keep us informed as to your progress. What type of grinder do you have?

Cuir Beluga · July 2016

Congratulations Dindale :coffee2:. As Db said....piccies please ;D.

Brett H · July 2016

What a great machine! Pictures mate or it never happened

Dinsdale · July 2016

on 1467763269:

Congratulations, Great looking machine Dinsdale with very impressive specs :thumb: Lets have some pics, keep us informed as to your progress. What type of grinder do you have?

Well :-[ I still have my Breville Smart Grinder. However, that'll be next for replacement.

Dinsdale · July 2016

on 1467791790:

What a great machine! Pictures mate or it never happened

I guess it never happened then! I have no clue how to post pix here.

Dinsdale · July 2016

Another query if I may: I was always under the impression that when the steam wand causes to milk to "squeal" very loudly that the steam was too hot, causing localised (right at the steam wand nozzle) boiling of the milk. Is this so? Is it desirable, neural or undesirable to have the milk screaming above anybody's ability to hold a conversation? If it's undesirable, how do I prevent this from happening? This is the first machine I've ever used which causes it to happen. It produces mega-steam and there is negligible control between steam on and steam off. It has a 4 hole nozzle and heats 2 cups of milk in just about 20(ish) seconds. I can, however, adjust the steam boiler temperature. It's still set at its default of 127°C. I'd like to slow the steaming process down a little (at least for a while whilst I get used to it) but I don't want to cause the steam to become excessively "wet". Cheers Dins

mycuppa · July 2016

The noise is that of a proper machine designed for steaming a decent jug and should be no cause for alarm. A machine that does not make such a noise has inferior steaming power, or may take too long. If you jump onto YouTube, there will be videos depicting how to improve your technique. Or, you can experiment yourself by allowing the tip to breach the surface for a micro second a few times in the initial stages of steaming (when the noise is most annoying) - will quieten it down considerably. Of course, being careful not to spray or shoot milk everywhere !. This jiggling method is an acquired skill and difficult to explain. You will need to develop your technique around the steam power - it's all about getting used to things and the challenge you are experiencing is not uncommon when you move up in gear performance - I would tend to leave your boiler alone and focus on improving your technique to dampen the noise. Another quick remedy to reducing power, but not steam quality is try blocking 1 or 2 holes on your steam tip with toothpicks to reduce it from a 4 hole to a 3 or 2 hole

BUT

be careful not to allow the toothpicks to work loose as they will end up in the coffee and make sure you can undo your tip to remove them ! I don't recommend this toothpick idea as a long term solution (more than a few days) as bacteria will develop. An alternative is to look for a steam tip that is compatible with your wand and machine that might have fewer holes. It's quite normal to replace a 4 hole tip with something else that has fewer holes - especially if you are accustomed to using smaller jugs and/or less milk each time.

FreshCoffee2 · July 2016

Just to add... We dont know anything about your expertise or knowledge as a barista....make sure your squealing sound isnt from placing the end of the steam nozzle right down into the bottom of the jug (almost against the stainless steel). If that is the case, then you certainly will get a horrendous squealing sound, plus you will only heat the milk without buildiing textured foam. To get textured foam, you need the steam nozzle just below the surface of the milk.....where it wont "squeal" in that way. Four hole tips are for machines with very large (full commercial size) boilers, and allow a large volume of steam to be used in a very short time. That's ok in a machine with a minimum of say a 14 litre boiler trying to texture milk in a 1.5 or 2 litre milk jug, but not for machines in the semi commercial range (usual size around 2 litres or less) working with 400 or 600 ml milk jugs. Putting it another way, 4 hole tips allow a very large and quick release of steam capacity so in machines with small boilers not only will that result in it running out of steam quickly, it will allow very fast heating up of small volumes of milk (as in for the home) very often before the desired micro foamy milk texture has been achieved i.e. not allowing enough available time for a new machine owner to develop some kind of technique for the new equipment... Most commonly the only reason 4 hole tips end up on semi commercial machines is because they come standard when a manufacturer buys a batch of commercial sized steam pipes. Manufactureres may fit the same pipes to their machines no matter whether they are full size commercial or much smaller semi commercial machines. In my experience unless a manufacturer has been advised by a particular importer that it wants a different (more appropriate?) steam tip fitted to its particular production of semi commercial machines, the machines will be delivered with the tip that was on the steam pipe when it was purchased... A two hole tip really is the way to go in terms of good compromise for semi commercial machines ( ie compromise between good steamability/steam capacity vs enough time to learn good "frothabilty" for the individual machine). However I am loath to suggest you change anything on a machine that you havent yet become familiar with...FIRST you need to get to know it well, only after which can you decide if you want to change anything. Hope that helps.

Brett H · July 2016

I love you guys!! I had no way to succinctly explain this which is a shame because it's an excellent question. Thank you both!!

Koffee_Kosmo · July 2016

For steaming you can try the Koffee Kosmo method Developed to work consistently so the new barista in you does not get frustrated It's in my blog - http://koffeekosmo.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/koffee-komo-method-to-creating-great.html Also please see the video KK

K_Bean_Coffee · July 2016

on 1468063169:

For steaming you can try the Koffee Kosmo method Developed to work consistently so the new barista in you does not get frustrated It's in my blog - http://koffeekosmo.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/koffee-komo-method-to-creating-great.html Also please see the video KK

Good work KK. That's a great guide

Dinsdale · July 2016

Hi Gize, back again. Sorry for my unavoidable absence. Well, firstly, thanks for the replies. Kosmo's description and video are great. I've taken heed and am starting to make some headway. My barista skills are definitely very pedestrian and this new semi-pro machine has highlighted my lack of skills very well :'(. 98% of all my coffee making forays involve 400ml of milk (2 x 200ml cups). I've seen instant improvement since taking each person's advice - mostly saying the same thing in multiple different ways. I do think, after reading "Fresh Coffee's" post that 4 holes in my steam wand is a bit ambitious of Profitech, and I think there is a 2 hole tip available for it. Heating just 400ml of milk causes the steam temp to drop more than 15°C and the steam pressure to drop more than 0.5bar. I must admit that my wife and I like hot coffee, so I'm heating it to 75°C. The machine itself is a pure delight to behold, despite a few minor design gripes. It all works a-treat, but there are a couple design "features" that leave a little to be desired. On the +ve side: 1. Fit and finish is beautiful ^-^. 2. The rotary pump is quiet and very powerful. I reckon it'd force water concrete if I tried. 3. If one is only making water based drinks the steam boiler can be switched off, independent of the water boiler. 4. All the stuff to plumb both inlet and outlet come standard, or you can use the 3l water tank. 5. It makes more steam and hot water than the "Flying Scotsman". On the -ve side: 1. There 2 electrical switches on the front panel below the lip of the spill tray. They do their job, but position .... ? 2. On electrical switches, the on/off switch is also on the front panel below the various water outlets. 2. Filling the water tank is a little difficult, especially as my machine is in a purpose-built nook. 4. There are several example of "Germlish" (like English, but in German) in the book which give misleading info, and in some cases completely wrong info. However, not-with-standing that, I'm in love!!

Koffee_Kosmo · July 2016

Consider yourself on "L" Lerner plates at present After a bit of practice you then move on to "P" Provisional Then you move on to your open licence in coffee making - but you never stop learning The moral is - Practice makes perfect :thumb: KK

mycuppa · July 2016

I really don't understand why people do this..........the appropriate approach is to take up any matters with your supplier outside of a public forum, preferably directly via their contact methods. That supplier is not a sponsor on this forum and therefore unlikely to visit. Comments (or opinions) about a company's performance will influence prospective customers and therefore it's unfair upon that business if they do not know about alleged negative experiences or consequences - they deserve a fair opportunity to respond or resolve without it being played out in the public arena....whether it's warranted or otherwise. Please re-consider your post. That supplier has a history of serving customers well.

Dinsdale · July 2016

on 1469755453:

I really don't understand why people do this..........the appropriate approach is to take up any matters with your supplier outside of a public forum, preferably directly via their contact methods.

Sorry MyCuppa, I had no intention to offend. The supplier hasn't answered me for several weeks, and I'm a bit miffed by that.

on 1469755453:

That supplier is not a sponsor on this forum and therefore unlikely to visit.

That particular supplier proactively contacted me as a response to my original post in this thread, where I was asking if anyone knew where I could buy an ECM machine in WA. Clearly he does visit this forum.

on 1469755453:

Comments (or opinions) about a company's performance will influence prospective customers and therefore it's unfair upon that business if they do not know about alleged negative experiences or consequences - they deserve a fair opportunity to respond or resolve without it being played out in the public arena....whether it's warranted or otherwise.

Your point is valid, if you can contact them, or get a response from them.

on 1469755453:

Please re-consider your post. That supplier has a history of serving customers well.

Yes, that's fair. I see you've already re-considered my post for me so consider it done.

FreshCoffee2 · July 2016

Hello Dinsdale, and Admins. Regarding point 2 of the last post. That's unfortunate but I don't know if there is anything can be done? If a commercial entity contacts prospectives directly by PM (obviously by use of a private forum membership) to make sales, then perhaps the entity should be "asked" to take out a sponsorship and then it would be free to do as it pleases...within the confines of forum rules. Other sponsors do pay a fee (I do) to participate and help members and of course to be able to openly ply their trade if they wish. Why should non payers be able to do that (specifically in this instance, in terms of using the PM system to directly solicit sales)? That said these are just rhetorical thoughts not requiring any form of reply (frankly I'm glad its not my headache), and I don't have a problem with and do enjoy the informal ambience in this forum. Oh and for what its worth I should say, I agree with the post from mycuppa.

mycuppa · July 2016

on 1469765993:

Yes, that's fair. I see you've already re-considered my post for me so consider it done.

I have not modified your post (I can't because I don't have access rights) and I certainly did not refer your post to moderators - it's been done by someone else.

Dry_bean. · July 2016

I deleted the company name in Dinsdale's post. Best to take issues up with the company involved rather than naming them publicly.

Brett H · July 2016

Well done DB et al! I've been pretty busy with work so I missed it. I do feel for you Dinsdale that you've spent a considerably large sum and are not getting a reply to a query after several weeks. I certainly don't have time presently to phone anybody during office hours so appreciate email as a form of contact... It's a pain when it doesn't work: I know.

Dinsdale · July 2016

I have now had contact and all's well. I had no intention of stirring up a hornets' nest. My apologies to the company concerned.

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