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Date: 22 Jan 2007 22:59:38
From: Lara
Subject: Aussies: Considering Sunbeam EM6910R espresso machine
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Hi all! So we've been playing around with our moka pots and gold filter cones for a long long time now, and the hankering for a new espresso machine is just about coming to a head. I'm seriously considering the Sunbeam EM6910. <http://www.sunbeam.com.au/products/product_details.cfm?rec_id=661&sec_i d=79 > review of the previous version: <http://www.coffeeco.com.au/articles/sunbeam.html > and I've poked around at CG. It looks like they're ironed some of the bugs out of the first version, and the reviews seem rather good. Simultaneous brewing and milk steaming appeals. "No user serviceable parts" is fine by me, I'm not a tinkerer. For those who don't know me, we already have dual Sunbeam conical grinders, the ones with the Lux burrset (one for decaf) and an Imex roaster. Any thoughts? Issues to consider? Other machines to put on the short list? Places to buy at a discount? (I'm in Perth.) Many thanks Lara
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Date: 27 Jan 2007 16:43:22
From: Lara
Subject: Coming to you live, was: Re: Aussies: Considering Sunbeam EM6910R espresso machine
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Lara <{nospam}@waawa.cx > wrote: > I'm seriously considering the Sunbeam EM6910. Update: http://www.waawa.cx/noindex/sunbeams.jpg Very nicely thought out, I must say. It's great to buy a machine that comes with most of the bits and pieces you need, and even some you don't: steaming jug, double and single portfilter spouts (will put the single on when I have a tamping tube platform built), four different baskets (single, double, and single and double dual-floor), a cleaning disk, teeny pok-er things to clean filter basket holes and steam wand hole, and a good tamper. I yanked out the black fungus-collector in the base of the portafilter while unpackaging, and threw it away. The finish is good, too: you can programme the single and double shot times and the temperature, the steam and hot water knobs feel nice and firm, the drop tray locks into place. There are little features that impress, like the red widget in the drip tray that floats up to notify you when it's full, twisty levelling legs, little clip thingos to safely grasp the steam and hot water wands, and a bright unignorable flashing low-water light. Plus, it's pretty. The manual is thorough and reads like someone who knows coffee wrote it (Paul Bassett, I imagine), which is refreshing. There is thinly veiled contempt in the text for pre-ground coffee and dual-floor filters, while acknowledging that perhaps some buyers might want to use them now and then. My quibbles so far are particularly minor. The angled parts on the very tip of the steam wand are a little hard to clean, and perhaps don't have to be that angled. The "ready" light comes on before things are really heated up (not a drama). We're still getting the grind figured out; suffice it to say that the grinder manual's estimate of setting 12-15 for "espresso" must be based on some other kind of espresso. Perhaps moka pot, though I used a finer grind for that also. The beans we're using up were roasted a week or so ago, so with super fresh beans perhaps we can back off on that a little. Overdosing and a pretty firm tamp seem the order of the day. Lara
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Date: 22 Jan 2007 17:35:42
From: Robert Harmon
Subject: Re: Aussies: Considering Sunbeam EM6910R espresso machine
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Not to hijack this thread but are the Sunbeam Espresso machines sold in North America? My daughter recently had a friend from Australia visiting who raved about her new EM6910. It sounds like it has two thermoblocks similar to the Kitchenaid Pro. Robert (Just curious.) Harmon -- http://tinyurl.com/pou2y http://tinyurl.com/fkd6r Remove "Z" to reply via email.
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Date: 23 Jan 2007 11:53:01
From: Jack Denver
Subject: Re: Aussies: Considering Sunbeam EM6910R espresso machine
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IIRC, some of the low end Sunbeam models (the ones with plastic group heads) also appear in the US with the same internals as Mr. Coffees or Brevilles. AFAIK, the equivalents to the double thermoblock model don't sell here (yet). Sunbeam AU is under different ownership than Sunbeam US but they have these things made for them in China and I don't know to what extent the Chinese factory has the right to sell "similar" machinese to other makers or if the EM6910 is an "exclusive". "Robert Harmon" <r_h_harmon@Zhotmail.com > wrote in message news:Xns98C075F4E3645rhharmonZhotmailcom@207.217.125.201... > Not to hijack this thread but are the Sunbeam Espresso machines sold in > North America? My daughter recently had a friend from Australia visiting > who raved about her new EM6910. It sounds like it has two thermoblocks > similar to the Kitchenaid Pro. > > > Robert (Just curious.) Harmon > -- > http://tinyurl.com/pou2y > http://tinyurl.com/fkd6r > Remove "Z" to reply via email.
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Date: 23 Jan 2007 21:51:10
From: Natalie Drest
Subject: Re: Aussies: Considering Sunbeam EM6910R espresso machine
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"Robert Harmon" <r_h_harmon@Zhotmail.com > wrote in message news:Xns98C075F4E3645rhharmonZhotmailcom@207.217.125.201... > Not to hijack this thread but are the Sunbeam Espresso machines sold in > North America? My daughter recently had a friend from Australia visiting > who raved about her new EM6910. It sounds like it has two thermoblocks > similar to the Kitchenaid Pro. > > > Robert (Just curious.) Harmon It's my understanding that the Kitchenaid Pro espresso machine is basically 2 Gaggia boilers in the one chassis- no thermoblocks. The EM6910 has 2 massive stainless-steel-lined thermoblocks, the brew block's temp is tightly controlled, and is settable in 2 degree increments. Pro 58mm brass group head & handle, they've really tried to do everything right. QC problems with the original release, the EM6900, were supposedly addressed in the update, but it's early days yet. More info: http://www.sunbeam.com.au/products/product_details.cfm?rec_id=660&sec_id=79&home_id=2 I don't have one. I have had one of their lesser domestic espresso machines; not very good at all. I do have one of their grinders, the EM480. It is, as we say down here, a little ripper: http://www.sunbeam.com.au/products/product_details.cfm?rec_id=587&sec_id=79 Same burrset as the Lux, 1/2 the price. Faema Family- now steaming beautifully! Sunbeam EM480 Anybody wanna buy a Gaggia Evolution?
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Date: 22 Jan 2007 10:38:52
From: jggall01
Subject: Re: Aussies: Considering Sunbeam EM6910R espresso machine
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On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 22:59:38 +0900, {nospam}@waawa.cx (Lara) wrote: >Hi all! > >So we've been playing around with our moka pots and gold filter cones >for a long long time now, and the hankering for a new espresso machine >is just about coming to a head. > >I'm seriously considering the Sunbeam EM6910. > ><http://www.sunbeam.com.au/products/product_details.cfm?rec_id=661&sec_i >d=79> > >review of the previous version: ><http://www.coffeeco.com.au/articles/sunbeam.html> >and I've poked around at CG. > >It looks like they're ironed some of the bugs out of the first version, >and the reviews seem rather good. Simultaneous brewing and milk steaming >appeals. "No user serviceable parts" is fine by me, I'm not a tinkerer. > >For those who don't know me, we already have dual Sunbeam conical >grinders, the ones with the Lux burrset (one for decaf) and an Imex >roaster. > >Any thoughts? Issues to consider? Other machines to put on the short >list? Places to buy at a discount? (I'm in Perth.) > >Many thanks > >Lara Perhaps you are already aware, but there is extensive and ongoing discussion regarding this machine at http://www.coffeesnobs.com.au Jim -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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