hi,

any comment(s) on the espresso maker brand "welhome WPM"?
just mulling over the kd-135b ...

thanks

thanks for your valuable input.. yes, we have extensively read about the sources of these machines.. not sure if you've noticed that the company, welhome is also the producer of commercial espresso machines such as la-cimbali and casadio.. wpm is just for their home series of espresso machines.

apart from comparing with other entry level machines such as the rancilio silvia, what other comparable machines that have such value for money for noob espresso beginners like us?
currently we're using a generic 15-bar, pressurized filter machine and we noticed the air-infused crema is a bit fake.. and hence we're looking at something better.

yes, we're contemplating at either importing a unit directly from china or taking a look at dankoff (the recently concluded MBC 2015 @chinwoo, dankoff also showcase the wpm KD-210S2, which we're also eyeing).. we're glad to see a few welhome machines at MBC 2015 too.. so currently it's either the KD-135b or KD-210S2 coupled with a WPM ZD-12 grinder to boot..

fyi, we import our fresh beans from china too..

This post has been edited by Tikietic: Jan 27 2015, 04:25 PM

hi,
may i know where did you source that bes870 at rm2599? can share?
thanks

thanks.. didn't know lazada carries it
alternatively if you want to have opinions about other m'sia available espresso machine, you can head on to Dankoff Coffee Specialist they're located in sri kembangan(kl).. for the budget around <rm3,000 ... you may also consider WPM(welhome professional machines).. take a look at kd-210s2. if you went to the MBC-2015(m'sia barista championship) dankoff had a demo unit there too..

all in one espresso machines are really convenient.. but i can't really say much about the built in coffee grinder of the bes870.. a good grinder is very important.. where do you source your coffee beans?

p/s - the bes870 comes with a stainless steel 54mm portafilter.. if you're ok with it.. then it should be fine.. else, i'd go for a 58mm brass handle..

This post has been edited by Tikietic: Jan 27 2015, 05:01 PM

parts were made in china and their presence in hong kong is much more for sales and marketing..
yes, china do import beans for roasting.. we get the roasted beans.. roasted, packed, sent and reached us within 5 days to a week(from roasting date)..
tested one with ethiopian origin (didn't state clearly if it's from the 3 regions; harar, sidamo, yirgacheffe).. now testing some samples from columbian origin (without specific regions again)..
have read somewhere before, that china do grow coffee trees, not sure if it's the arabica or the robusta types.. it's mostly for local consumptions though..

we're not looking for commercial machines.. too expensive.. looking for less expensive alternatives with good boiler and pump.. with a brand that has been around at least for a while.. that was how we spotted wpm(welhome)
do you think for the price, the kd-210s2 is a better alternative to say... a gaggia baby/rancilio silvia? (not looking at simonelli as of now).. the breville looks good initially.. but stainless steel..
may i know what is your view?

sunbeams are at australia and i doubt they're solely made in australia.. am not too nit picking about the brand.. more on the built.. good group head, boiler and pump, portafilter.. the rest are chassis and electronics(?)
any machines that you can recommend for beginners that is available in malaysia? (less than rm3k?)

there are 2 models which we're comtemplating.. twin boiler, twin pump(kd-210s2) and the twin boiler, single pump(kd-135b)..
my contention is.. the kd-210s2 has a hot water dispenser(pulse) in which we would hardly use.. if you're familiar with sunbeam, it's the em6910 machine.. the price difference between the 2 welhomes are about rm700++ in your oppinion, is it worth the difference for a twin boiler, twin pump with a hot water dispenser?

yes, have read about the silvia since v1 to v3.. noticed how it has cut cost throughout the iterations over the years..

hi,
where did you sampled that wpm made latte from? mbc-2015?... thinking of importing one from china.. it's a much better alternatives to retail/supermarkets/harvey's stuff..

you're right, it's running on thermoblock. read about the differences between a boiler/thermoblock.. descaling is thus very important on a thermoblock..
on a budget perspective, the entry level for a single boiler is still very much higher than this wpm..

actually the em6900 carried more issues prior to em6910.. some of the issues are electronics in nature, others are materials (e.g leaking grouphead caskets).. it's definitely a caveat emptor to all buyers..
for below rm3k, would have a complete espresso machine and a proper cornical burr grinder..

thanks for your views though, i learnt something new..

This post has been edited by Tikietic: Jan 30 2015, 02:48 PM

hi,
which wpm grinder did you get? maybe can ask about your feedback..
your current espresso machine is?

competition grade basket..

with shipping and handling to m'sia included, there're loads of alternatives already for both small electric burr and/or hand grinder..

where did you buy your zd-15 from?

it's pasturized.. if you start pressurize the milk, ppl will start asking.. how many bar/psi?

if not mistaken, local(m'sia) grown coffee is towards the robusta type.. deswai local kopi can be very strong oo

got this piece of advice from dankoff m'sia..
coffee machines, e.g espresso machine weighing more than 60kg(commercial class/type) are 100% tax free.. too bad that most consumer types weight less than 60kg a pop..
that's what the folks said..

so, what espresso machine you're planning to get?

wouldn't exactly say a rebadge for sunbeam.. if you noticed all the subtle details.. sunbeam em6910 is vis-a-vis kd-210s (not s2). this earlier iteration do have lots of issues (as compare to the later s2). the other similar machine to em6910/kd-210s is krups xp618050(available in the usa).. since these are thermoblocks, it's certainly cheaper than boiler types machine.. for the price you pay in m'sia, it's a bit pricey..

we're getting our kd-210s2 directly from china and we have confirmed that parts are available should the unit requires fixing (dankoff m'sia do accept wpm machines, not sold by them, for fixes).. our white kd-210s2 + wpm grinder comes in at about less than rm2.2k with shipping

and if you're picky enough, you may also stumble upon lots of negative reviews from almost all the consumer brands espresso machine (sunbeam, silvia, you name it).. btw, kd-270 is not newer.. it's just more expensive with added sensors and electronics..

guess the main and honest question is, how much are you willing to plonk down for your setup?

if you're planning to pay >rm2k for an espresso machine, at least avoid those plastic pannarello wand.. just make the setup looks toyish.. btw, what's the reason/factor for considering the gaggia classic?

since you already knew taobao, there're plenty offers to consider there too.. you may even spot some e61 machines there as well..

being someone who probably drinks 2 cups of coffee a week.. i find it hard to quantify the kind of cost you'd want to spend on such indulgence.. mind you, the path towards this coffee aficionado can be very mind boggling and costly.. at every stage of investment, be it material(hardware, beans, etc), time and skill.. it may bring you away from actually enjoying a simple cup of coffee to a near manic-state of being a perfectionist.

that being said, you decide on your own path.. any espresso machines do have it's strength and weakness.. preferentials can be had over:
1. the type of boiler/heater used
2. the type of group head at dispensing the extract
3. the type of materials(brass, nickel, composite, etc) of all the internals and peripherals(that includes the portafilters, etc)
4. the aesthetics and functions(which includes the electronics)

for whatever machines you found on taobao, your outmost leverage, is it's cost.. retail prices here in m'sia has quite a fat margin to begin with.. since it's your 1st machine, you can spend some time understanding all the intricacies of #1-4 and perhaps you can also avail yourself to some coffee-related expo/exhibition.. something like the mbc(m'sia barista championship), fhm and one upcoming at matrade, called cafe malaysia which happens to be on may-2015(next month). there are lots of samples you can try and appreciate from these events.. unlike those you try on cafes which may brew you some not-so-fresh beans.

then you can comfortably decide, what type of espresso machine you may want to invest given your frequency of usage and the cost and time you're willing to invest in it.

at this point of time, why an e61? is it because somebody said so? can you discern the difference? if you're born with a insensitive taste buds, you wouldn't tell the subtle differences from the roasted beans extracted from different machines.. not all e61 are made the same..

machine and grinder are just part of the equation.. how about coffee beans, where are you planning to source them?

when we're at dankoff the other day, the particular salesman brewed us a terribly bitter espresso.. it wasn't a committed sales pitching, just routine perhaps.. so a good espresso machine too can produce a terrible drink.. lol

wpm zd-12 .. heard of it? all the stuff should be arriving within these few weeks i suppose.. the grinder is surprizingly good, given it's price (it's just a fraction of all those grinders that you mentioned earlier).. consistency is good for a low volume grinder. that's what we liked..

fake or not.. pay attention to the wattage and weight of the machines.. that's the hint. unless they pack "bricks" inside.. #3(material) can be substantial in weight.. and to generate a good extraction, you'd need a certain wattage to generate the kind of pressure/heat.. don't be surprize that an espresso machine will probably be the highest wattage rated appliances in your home if you're considering a good machine.. 3,000 - 5,000 watt can be the norm.. if it's below 1,000 watt.. we'll look away.

jason loo got bumped out?