I'll just post the info here. I don't want to say it's good or not (since I haven't receive it or tried myself) and there's not much info on the web, so judge by your own.

You can order via @thegluons on instagram/Facebook, their Malaysia page is J Coffee Enterprise (same owner, same people behind it). Current price is around RM1399 for the basic steel burrs. Next batch is around late March delivery.

Some Europeans have received and have some short reviews, just use google translate:
https://forum.wszystkookawie.pl/index.php?t...21498#msg221498
https://www.espressoman.ro/forum/Thread-R%C...50656#pid150656

Yes.. but this design is probably better than the SJ clones in terms of single dosing and low retention. Also has local supplier!

How much is the shipping? Do you use a forwarder to ship from HK?

Hi bro, you also bought from the gluons?

I also ordered from them.. Did you pay extra for the air shipping? Mine also this batch, I actually ordered earlier but dunno why still delayed.
Can't waittt

not yet. how about you? I messaged them 3 days ago, they said in the port already. not yet get contacted to pick up my grinder.

Personally, I would go with the Flair route, despite more work. Here's why:
1. it's good for learning espresso, I learnt a lot using my first gen Flair signature.
2. there's no components that will spoil easily, only the gaskets/o-rings which is the same for any machine. For the Gemilai, it is hard to predict how long the components will last, as it's a budget machine
3. If you decide to upgrade to a prosumer grade machine in the future, the flair is still a good complement, and it can still fetch a decent second hand price. Not so sure about Gemilai.
4. No need to worry about scaling problem or cleaning of the machine, until you're ready for it - must do diligently for prosumer machines

But of course you will need to steam milk separately and it doesn't feel like a typical "pulling a shot" with portafilter.

I owned the flair for close to 2 years before I upgraded to a Lelit MaraX... I am not a fan of machines like Gemilai, not because it's cheap but it's not making sense in the long run - the parts will break down sooner or later and there's no parts to replace. Might as well channel the money to something worth while. The flair can literally last decades.

I beg to differ, once you get used to the workflow you will have a routine. For my case, I managed to get the right timing to do some processes concurrently e.g. the stovetop milk steamer is heating up while I grind, puck prep and boil water.

My average workflow for a cup of flat white from stepping into the kitchen to end of all cleaning was 10 minutes.

But of course, at the start when I was still learning, definitely takes some time to get used to it - but same with using a machine, I spent 20 minutes each session on my first few days of using the MaraX, now also takes 10minutes including cleaning.

If you dip in the specialty coffee community a bit more, you'll know that not all coffee beans are the same. There are cheap, commodity grade green beans used by supermarket pre-ground brands and also specialty grade beans coming from a specific farm with good quality control; and anything in the middle.

The former costs only RM20-30 per 500g while the latter can costs RM60/200g or even up to RM150/100g depends on the rarity and many other factors.

As far as I know, SOL uses relatively low grade beans compared to other specialty coffee roasters, hence the price. Don't be fooled by their "Single Origin" label. Yes it's still single origin (meaning from a single country/region like Colombia) but it is not a high grade S/O.

The raw/green beans could be a different variant of colombian beens BUT on second thought I think it's also because green beans have less demand in the general consumer market.

ben_ang cheewooi
Yeah no doubt at the end of the day, as long as you're satisfied, no one should tell you what beans to buy (or not buy).

I was just addressing another guy's comment about the pricing, and to point out that there are many grades of beans.

To be fair, the general Malaysian public who likes coffee usually prefers "kao" coffee with milk, which means darker roast will suit the taste more. Hence, average brands like Mister Coffee or SOL still taste good (for the preference above) because the roast level is relatively dark enough to cover any bean or origin defects.

For myself I am used to medium and medium-light roast beans and the quality difference is much more distinct.

But at the end of the day, great specialty beans is not cheap, not everyone wants to pay RM3-5 per espresso just for the beans cost alone.

hi bro, ya it has been running perfectly. welcoming its 4th year anniversary. I consistently maintain it and use proper water, so far there's zero issues. Temperature is still on point.

The only trivial stuff that I would like to have if I ever upgrade:
- Rotary pump (more silent and pleasant)
- Dual boiler (better temp stability if make more than 3 shots back to back. I don't need now cuz I only make 1-2 cups in one go)