# Buying a Cafelat Robot



## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

I'm thinking about buying a Cafelat Robot. I fancy buying it new, although if it turns out to be too much of a pain, I might advertise for a secondhand one that's already in the UK.

As far as I can see, there are two options available to me: either the Hong Kong Cafelat store, or the German coffee24.de site

Cafelat are charging quite a lot for shipping due to COVID, but presumably the import rules from HK haven't changed so this would be no different to ordering from HK pre-Brexit. Presumably it would just sail through, get picked up for customs, and arrive a bit slower than a pre-Brexit inter-EU order would have.

The coffee24.de site adds German VAT, and if I had to guess, they probably haven't registered for UK VAT, so there's a risk that I'd end up paying both German and UK VAT, making it quite expensive. I'm not quite clear, though, whether this £390 threshold applies to website purchases, or just customs when flying/training in to the UK. I did consider asking coffee24 if they could remove the VAT from the purchase as it would be applied in the UK, but I suspect they would just say no.

I'm veering towards buying direct from Cafelat, but unsure. What do people think?


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

I ended up contacting coffee24.de and they were really friendly and helpful. They told me that the site should remove the VAT for a UK delivery address, but it didn't work, so they let me order and then refunded the VAT. Wonder how long it will take to get it!


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## Akula (Oct 1, 2020)

Depends on the courier i suppose , i remember a few years back i had an xbox 360 that had to get sent away to Germany for repair, but they ended up sending me a new one .

It left Germany about 3pm, and travelled through Holland , and Belguim overnight and come over to UK the next day , it then took FOUR days to come from England to Scotland !


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## NikC (May 6, 2020)

I bought a Robot from cafelat.de last August, when it said they were available for immediate delivery. Date was around August 22 - It was nearly the end of September before it arrived. They were very responsive to my email in early September asking where my Robot was, saying it took time for their orders to arrive from Hong Kong - which left me bemused, but also reassured I would receive what I ordered. I'll be using it so well worth the wait!


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## NikC (May 6, 2020)

That should be I love using it - damn autocorrect..


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

Oh I didn't know they had a .de store. Oh well, I'm happy with the service so far from coffee24.de and my package is in transit via DHL. I just hope it makes it through customs etc at a reasonable speed.


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## NikC (May 6, 2020)

I think they may be the same company


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## salty (Mar 7, 2017)

Hey @wintoid ;

I've had a hip replacement this weekend and I'm going to be spending a lot more time at home and not working for the next couple of months which seems like an ideal time to make a purchase for me, and learn a new skill at the same time.

I may push the button before yours arrives - haven't decided yet if I'll go down the Hong Kong or Germany route - but please keep us updated on your Robot's arrival and getting to grips with your new arrival.

Cheers

Tim


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

Hi Tim@salty

Sure thing, I will do. Hope your hip isn't feeling too bad!

Simon


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## salty (Mar 7, 2017)

wintoid said:


> Hi Tim@salty
> 
> Sure thing, I will do. Hope your hip isn't feeling too bad!
> 
> Simon


Thanks Simon!

Definitely on the sore side but not terrible and just got back home less than 48 hours after the surgery, which seems incredible.

Cheers

Tim


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

Looks like it might arrive today. I ordered it Wednesday last week, but Coffee24 didn't set up the delivery until Friday evening, so DHL have actually been reasonably quick. I'm wondering if it's going to avoid customs (which isn't something I set out to accomplish).


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

Yup it arrived today. Don't seem to have been charged any customs.

I haven't been very successful so far, but it's all a learning curve. Every puck has been cracked. I'm not used to 58mm pucks. More effort required!


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## salty (Mar 7, 2017)

Yay that's great. Look forward to more reports and pics. Have fun!


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

Interesting. So far, the Robot likes my Feldgrind far more than my HGOne.


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## NikC (May 6, 2020)

Great to see it's arrived so quickly, and good luck with it. There's a huge thread on Home Barista with lots of discussion on using it - fun to read!


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## salty (Mar 7, 2017)

Hey @wintoid ;

How's it going with your new toy? I noticed you're looking for a Kinu - what are you using in the meantime?

Cheers

Tim


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

Hi Tim

I love the Robot so far, but am still very much on the learning curve. I've finally accepted that my HGOne is incapable of making a good espresso grind, so I'm retiring it. I've been getting by with my Feldgrind in the meantime but planning to get a 1zpresso or Kinu or both in the long term.

The Robot is an incredibly well judged device. I prefer it to the Cremina I used to have. I think it's likely to be the last machine I buy. Hard to see what could go wrong.

Cheers

Simon


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## salty (Mar 7, 2017)

Hi Simon

This is great to hear, I'm really pleased you're enjoying it. I haven't pressed the button yet but hearing that you're happy with it takes me a step closer.

So tempted...

Cheers

Tim


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

So this is it I think. I received a lovely 1zpresso K-Plus from Bella Barista today, and I'm about 4 coffees in with the Robot using that grinder. Finally the workflow is effortless.

I've got a lot of respect for the designer of the Robot. There really is almost nothing to go wrong. There's almost no cleanup, and no descaling. There are no pressurestats to fail. Maybe the only thing you could screw up would be to bend the showerscreen by overzealous pumping (!) of the arms. I do wish I'd ordered a spare of that part, albeit accessories are much more expensive from coffee24 than from the HK Cafelat site.

Now I'm using a different grinder, the extractions are picture-perfect. I'm using a clipped keycap puller to do WDT, and so far I've been tamping quite gently, which seems to work well. I'm going to gradually up the tamp pressure a bit to see if that improves things further, but as things stand this is the best coffee I've made at home.

I recommend this kit!


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## Rabh (Feb 17, 2021)

@wintoid great to hear about your experiences. I'm in a similar boat, considering whether to go through HK or Germany.

Did DHL catch up in the end with regards to customs? Or did you get away with no VAT?


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

Amazingly, I got away with it. That sort of thing never happens to me! I use the Robot every day, and generally love it, although I'm frustrated that the spent pucks often show that something was unlevel. I don't know whether that's my mistake in distribution, in tamping, or whether the piston applies pressure unevenly.

Anyway, the coffee is good.


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## Stevebee (Jul 21, 2015)

They sell a 'levelling' Tamper which helps with the tamp as it's a much deeper basket design than a std one


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

Stevebee said:


> They sell a 'levelling' Tamper which helps with the tamp as it's a much deeper basket design than a std one


 That's what I'm using, unfortunately. One should never underestimate my ability to screw things up


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## NikC (May 6, 2020)

Apparently raising the arms too quickly when stopping the shot messes with the puck, or is it something else?


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

I've been pretty careful about that. The coffee gets better all the time, which is good. I watch the basket through the bottomless portafilter, and I can see that the stream isn't central.... it's always closer to me, if that makes sense. I've been trying rotating the basket post-tamp, and the stream continue to be closer to me. So I think there is something uneven about the pressure, and I don't think it's my prep. But the coffee tastes good, so I'm not bothered really.

I'm getting better at levelling the puck. That part is my fault, I think. I've been using my fingers inside the basket to push down the tamper, and don't use the handle at all now. The pucks are mostly level recently.


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## NikC (May 6, 2020)

Interesting about levelling the puck. I use the original tamper to level after tapping the basket a couple of times. Then use thumb's on top of the tamper handle to tamp, not to hard. Finally I put the metal filter on the tamped coffee and press it down lightly. Seems to work and the coffee tastes good. I haven't really looked to see where the stream is, but think it's mostly fairly in the middle.


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

NikC said:


> Interesting about levelling the puck. I use the original tamper to level after tapping the basket a couple of times. Then use thumb's on top of the tamper handle to tamp, not to hard. Finally I put the metal filter on the tamped coffee and press it down lightly. Seems to work and the coffee tastes good. I haven't really looked to see where the stream is, but think it's mostly fairly in the middle.


 I am getting better gradually. The thing about coffee is that I personally can only really take 1-2 espressos per day, so learning is slow. The only time I'd pull more than that in a day is if one pull is so obviously dreadful that it goes straight down the sink.

I've been drinking mostly brewed for some time now, and usually that has meant a Hasbean subscription. Since playing with the Robot, I've temporarily cancelled my Hasbean subscription whilst I experiment with other coffees. Apart from anything, I don't want my bean to change every week. My impression is that choice of bean has an effect on how easy it is to get a good extraction from the Robot. At the moment, I'm getting very good results from Black Cat's Signature blend.

The key to a level tamp with the self-levelling tamper (!) for me has been to apply pressure with my fingers to the 3 wings (can't find a better word) of the tamper inside the basket, and no pressure on the handle of the tamper. I'm also gently lowering the screen onto the coffee bed, and not pressing it down at all, although I may experiment with this.


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## NikC (May 6, 2020)

Think you're right about the beans. I'm using Monmouth Coffee co beans from Brazil - medium dark which the Robot seems to like.


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## Rabh (Feb 17, 2021)

wintoid said:


> Amazingly, I got away with it. That sort of thing never happens to me! I use the Robot every day, and generally love it, although I'm frustrated that the spent pucks often show that something was unlevel. I don't know whether that's my mistake in distribution, in tamping, or whether the piston applies pressure unevenly.
> 
> Anyway, the coffee is good.


 Thanks for the info @wintoid. I ended up getting it from Hazel & Hershey in HK, as I wasn't confident I'd get your good luck from Germany!

Will be pairing with my Comandante grinder, and I'm expecting a learning curve before any good coffees come out...


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## Rabh (Feb 17, 2021)

I meant to say, I also ended up getting a levelling attachment 3D printed (about £10 from https://www.treatstock.co.uk). Fingers crossed it fits the included tamper. I couldn't quite bring myself to spend the £50ish that the official Cafelat one costs.

I found it on Thingsiverse


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## TomR (Feb 2, 2020)

Rabh said:


> I meant to say, I also ended up getting a levelling attachment 3D printed (about £10 from https://www.treatstock.co.uk). Fingers crossed it fits the included tamper. I couldn't quite bring myself to spend the £50ish that the official Cafelat one costs.
> 
> I found it on Thingsiverse


 id be interested to know if this worked, and if it made things better?

thanks


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## Rabh (Feb 17, 2021)

TomR said:


> id be interested to know if this worked, and if it made things better?
> 
> thanks


 I pretty much use it exclusively now, though unfortunately I can't tell you if it made any difference, as I've only used the tamper without it once. I can't see too much channeling...

I think it cost about a tenner, and I don't think it could hinder, so might be worth getting hold of one to find out first hand.

On the topic of 3D printing, I've also ordered a print of this to help with WDT: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4735341/files


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## TomR (Feb 2, 2020)

Rabh said:


> I pretty much use it exclusively now, though unfortunately I can't tell you if it made any difference, as I've only used the tamper without it once. I can't see too much channeling...
> 
> I think it cost about a tenner, and I don't think it could hinder, so might be worth getting hold of one to find out first hand.
> 
> On the topic of 3D printing, I've also ordered a print of this to help with WDT: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4735341/files


 I glued some hypodermic needles onto a cork - looks pretty similar, does a good job


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## SamUK (Apr 18, 2016)

Does anyone happen to remember how much pre-Covid shipping to the UK was? Currently Robots from the HK store cost $79 shipped to the UK via FedEx Priority, and that is the only option offered.

I'm just trying to figure out what the premium for getting one now is, compared to waiting for normal shipping to resume.


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

Sorry to resurrect this thread, so what does it end up costing when bought from the German site? I notice it adds 19% tax, is that the German tax that gets refunded and then it's just a case of will/won't you get British VAT added on arrival? Thanks.


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

I emailed them directly and they agreed in advance to refund the VAT for me. I then didn't get charged VAT on import, although I can't say what will happen to you. The package was disclosed correctly for customs purposes, as far as I am aware.


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

wintoid said:


> I emailed them directly and they agreed in advance to refund the VAT for me. I then didn't get charged VAT on import, although I can't say what will happen to you. The package was disclosed correctly for customs purposes, as far as I am aware.


 Thanks, I emailed the German site and they confirmed that German VAT will be removed (or refunded). He said total cost will be 402.31 + 25 euros added for shipping; so 427.31 euros or £367.49. Then UK VAT might get added to make it £440.99.

Currently the Cafelat site is selling the barista for $370 (USD presumably though they say it's shipping from Hong Kong, £263.63) and shipping is $79 (£56.29), so £319.92. A basic import duty/tax calculator is suggesting £74.37 to be added, so £394.29 total.

I think the shipping cost from Hong Kong is currently higher than usual, as mentioned by @SamUK but looks like direct from Hong Kong is the cheapest option *but* current orders are for July delivery. with a lower delivery cost for HK, say halved, you would save significantly to order from there. Saying that, if you can get away with no VAT from Germany, then it's not too bad and they have stock of all colours. If you get away with no import tax/duty from HK then you're laughing, but no idea how likely that is...

Apologies if I've got the maths wrong, I've not imported good before!


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## SamUK (Apr 18, 2016)

I just ordered mine from the HK store, shipping starts at $79. It's a little bit more if you add some extras, I think mine ended up being $92.

I ordered earlier this week, and it's supposed to arrive early next week according to FedEx, but I have no idea if it will be delayed at customs. From recollection FedEx are pretty fast, so we shall see. I'm fully expecting a hefty VAT & duty bill with it, but at least the 'handling' fee should be a small percentage.


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

SamUK said:


> I just ordered mine from the HK store, shipping starts at $79. It's a little bit more if you add some extras, I think mine ended up being $92.
> 
> I ordered earlier this week, and it's supposed to arrive early next week according to FedEx, but I have no idea if it will be delayed at customs. From recollection FedEx are pretty fast, so we shall see. I'm fully expecting a hefty VAT & duty bill with it, but at least the 'handling' fee should be a small percentage.


 Hey Sam, did it say that it was for July delivery for you or did you sneak in there before that note was added to the site? Thanks


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## SamUK (Apr 18, 2016)

newdent said:


> Hey Sam, did it say that it was for July delivery for you or did you sneak in there before that note was added to the site? Thanks


 From here?: https://www.cafelatstore.com/products/robotpowdercoating

I don't see any messages about July delivery, there is message about '10 working days', I think that's been there for a long time, but mine shipped in 2 days.


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## Rabh (Feb 17, 2021)

I ended up buying mine from Hazel n Hershey in Hong Kong, and it came in about 5 working days, which I thought was pretty good considering the distance. Shipping was still expensive though.

On a somewhat related note... if anybody is placing an order, I'm hoping to get a second basket and some filter papers to go with mine. Mainly because there are times when I want to leave the hassle of basket cleanup till the end of the day, so it'd be handy to have one to rotate. But I can't quite stomach the shipping fees for such a small order, and can't really find any closer sources.

If anybody is happy to add those to their order, and ship them to me once they arrive in the UK, of course with me covering all fees, then that would be much appreciated. Equally I understand that's extra hassle, so won't be completely disheartened if nobody is able to do this.


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

SamUK said:


> From here?: https://www.cafelatstore.com/products/robotpowdercoating
> 
> I don't see any messages about July delivery, there is message about '10 working days', I think that's been there for a long time, but mine shipped in 2 days.


 Oh yes, you're right. I've got it completely backwards, it was the Flair 58 that was a July delivery. I think I need an early night tonight... 😅


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

Rabh said:


> I ended up buying mine from Hazel n Hershey in Hong Kong, and it came in about 5 working days, which I thought was pretty good considering the distance. Shipping was still expensive though.
> 
> On a somewhat related note... if anybody is placing an order, I'm hoping to get a second basket and some filter papers to go with mine. Mainly because there are times when I want to leave the hassle of basket cleanup till the end of the day, so it'd be handy to have one to rotate. But I can't quite stomach the shipping fees for such a small order, and can't really find any closer sources.
> 
> If anybody is happy to add those to their order, and ship them to me once they arrive in the UK, of course with me covering all fees, then that would be much appreciated. Equally I understand that's extra hassle, so won't be completely disheartened if nobody is able to do this.


 Did you get stung for duty and VAT?


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## Rabh (Feb 17, 2021)

newdent said:


> Did you get stung for duty and VAT?


 Unfortunately so&#8230; I think it is pure luck really.


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

Thanks, I think it's probably more likely when ordering from China. I've bought small things from China without realising before (ebay) and almost always get hit with duty and vat.

Sounds like Germany might be the best bet for getting away with vat but £25 more expensive if you don't get away with it.

Such a shame the robot isn't cheaper, it would probably be the type of thing many would buy in addition to their pumped machines but at £400 I'd imagine it's one or the other for most people. I'm still on the fence... would love to pick one up second hand and compare side by side to the silvia for a bit. The flair 58's are delivered in July, so maybe some robots will come up for sale then.


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## eyeabee (Mar 5, 2021)

Rabh said:


> I ended up buying mine from Hazel n Hershey in Hong Kong, and it came in about 5 working days, which I thought was pretty good considering the distance. Shipping was still expensive though.
> 
> On a somewhat related note... if anybody is placing an order, I'm hoping to get a second basket and some filter papers to go with mine. Mainly because there are times when I want to leave the hassle of basket cleanup till the end of the day, so it'd be handy to have one to rotate. But I can't quite stomach the shipping fees for such a small order, and can't really find any closer sources.
> 
> If anybody is happy to add those to their order, and ship them to me once they arrive in the UK, of course with me covering all fees, then that would be much appreciated. Equally I understand that's extra hassle, so won't be completely disheartened if nobody is able to do this.


 I'm considering the same and exchanged a few messages with Paul Pratt about shipping charges recently. He said that the Cafelat U.K. shop is very much in the pipeline for later in the year (domain and warehouse have already been sorted), it's just another consequence of the pandemic that he hasn't been able to open over here yet.

So it's just a matter of waiting I guess - shipping is still $40 for a small package from the Cafelat store.


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

eyeabee said:


> I'm considering the same and exchanged a few messages with Paul Pratt about shipping charges recently. He said that the Cafelat U.K. shop is very much in the pipeline for later in the year (domain and warehouse have already been sorted), it's just another consequence of the pandemic that he hasn't been able to open over here yet.
> 
> So it's just a matter of waiting I guess - shipping is still $40 for a small package from the Cafelat store.


 That's great news! Thanks for sharing that.


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

eyeabee said:


> I'm considering the same and exchanged a few messages with Paul Pratt about shipping charges recently. He said that the Cafelat U.K. shop is very much in the pipeline for later in the year (domain and warehouse have already been sorted), it's just another consequence of the pandemic that he hasn't been able to open over here yet.
> 
> So it's just a matter of waiting I guess - shipping is still $40 for a small package from the Cafelat store.


 Yes, great news.


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## NikC (May 6, 2020)

Great news. I'd like to get an extra screen, and it's too small an item to make the shipping cost worthwhile.


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## Cafelat UK (May 4, 2021)

Hi everyone just wanted to share great news with you that Cafelat UK is now opened. We are excited to welcome any UK and EU customers! 

We are an official authorised shop in the UK, closely partnered with Cafelat Limited which Paul will continue to provide support.


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

Cafelat UK said:


> Hi everyone just wanted to share great news with you that Cafelat UK is now opened. We are excited to welcome any UK and EU customers!
> 
> We are an official authorised shop in the UK, closely partnered with Cafelat Limited which Paul will continue to provide support.


 EDIT: I asked what the web address was but found it on the .com website, thanks


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## Cafelat UK (May 4, 2021)

newdent said:


> EDIT: I asked what the web address was but found it on the .com website, thanks


 .co.uk


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

NikC said:


> Great news. I'd like to get an extra screen, and it's too small an item to make the shipping cost worthwhile.


 Your lucky day now the .co.uk shop is open


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## Rabh (Feb 17, 2021)

Cafelat UK said:


> Hi everyone just wanted to share great news with you that Cafelat UK is now opened. We are excited to welcome any UK and EU customers!
> 
> We are an official authorised shop in the UK, closely partnered with Cafelat Limited which Paul will continue to provide support.


 Great news @Cafelat UK, at long last.

Can I ask if the shipping calculator is working correctly on the site? The cheapest shipping option is £10.96 when I select just the pack of paper filters, which seems quite high for something so small and light.


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## Cafelat UK (May 4, 2021)

Rabh said:


> Great news @Cafelat UK, at long last.
> 
> Can I ask if the shipping calculator is working correctly on the site? The cheapest shipping option is £10.96 when I select just the pack of paper filters, which seems quite high for something so small and light.


 Hi there, thanks for letting me know the error. It's all sorted.


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## Rabh (Feb 17, 2021)

Cafelat UK said:


> Hi there, thanks for letting me know the error. It's all sorted.


 Great service, thanks for sorting out so quickly. Order placed, looking forward to receiving it.


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

Received my robot from cafelat uk today. What a lovely bit of kit.

I envision a bit of a learning curve though, there's a lot to try and pay attention to in such a short space of time. I got the regular version but think a pressure gauge is going to be pretty essential to achieve consistency. I did order some small gauges (23mm) but these are too small. They might look tidy but you'd have to have hawk eyes to monitor and the graduations are small between each bar. Luckily I have a 50mm portafilter gauge, which I plan to hook up to it. Won't be pretty but I'll have that side facing the wall when it's not in use.

Looking forward to getting into it though and think the pumped machine will be up for sale to make way for this one!


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## Rabh (Feb 17, 2021)

Rabh said:


> Great service, thanks for sorting out so quickly. Order placed, looking forward to receiving it.


 Order placed on Sunday night, received on Tue morning. Great service.


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

newdent said:


> Received my robot from cafelat uk today. What a lovely bit of kit.
> 
> I envision a bit of a learning curve though, there's a lot to try and pay attention to in such a short space of time. I got the regular version but think a pressure gauge is going to be pretty essential to achieve consistency. I did order some small gauges (23mm) but these are too small. They might look tidy but you'd have to have hawk eyes to monitor and the graduations are small between each bar. Luckily I have a 50mm portafilter gauge, which I plan to hook up to it. Won't be pretty but I'll have that side facing the wall when it's not in use.
> 
> Looking forward to getting into it though and think the pumped machine will be up for sale to make way for this one!


 To be honest, consistency isn't a problem. More or less no matter what you do, the coffee seems to come out good. I have the pressure gauge, and I could now do without it easily, because I know what 9 bars feels like. I also no longer aim for 9 bars.


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

wintoid said:


> To be honest, consistency isn't a problem. More or less no matter what you do, the coffee seems to come out good. I have the pressure gauge, and I could now do without it easily, because I know what 9 bars feels like. I also no longer aim for 9 bars.


 It was a tasty shot. A smidgen less crema than usual but have a feeling I was at more like 7/8 bar using archaic bathroom scales accuracy. I definitely picked up on flavour notes stated on the bag of coffee which is not managed before on my pumped machine.

I think that flow monitoring is probably going to be more useful than watching the pressure. The geek in me is pretty excited at the prospect of being able to tinker. The potential is there to profile in much the same way as the decent machines do and you can even use the decent software if you add a Bluetooth enabled pressure transducer and scale.

I'm sure purist lever users will read this and roll their eyes but I'm a bit of a data nerd, ha!


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## Rabh (Feb 17, 2021)

newdent said:


> It was a tasty shot. A smidgen less crema than usual but have a feeling I was at more like 7/8 bar using archaic bathroom scales accuracy. I definitely picked up on flavour notes stated on the bag of coffee which is not managed before on my pumped machine.
> 
> I think that flow monitoring is probably going to be more useful than watching the pressure. The geek in me is pretty excited at the prospect of being able to tinker. The potential is there to profile in much the same way as the decent machines do and you can even use the decent software if you add a Bluetooth enabled pressure transducer and scale.
> 
> I'm sure purist lever users will read this and roll their eyes but I'm a bit of a data nerd, ha!


 I can completely relate to what you're saying - the geek in me would love to have a whole bunch of data out of my Robot. If it were cheaper I'd seriously consider this: https://www.naked-portafilter.com/product/smart-espresso-profiler-for-machines-with-an-e61-group-head-new-stock-expected-end-of-november-copy/


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

Oh and my girlfriend loves the look of it and is pretty excited at the prospect of the silvia leaving the kitchen!


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

Rabh said:


> I can completely relate to what you're saying - the geek in me would love to have a whole bunch of data out of my Robot. If it were cheaper I'd seriously consider this: https://www.naked-portafilter.com/product/smart-espresso-profiler-for-machines-with-an-e61-group-head-new-stock-expected-end-of-november-copy/


 Yes, spotted that!

There's no reason why a £10 pressure transducer couldn't be hooked up to a wireless enabled arduino/raspberry pi. Would be less than £50 total.

Also, instead of scales you found fashion something with a load cell like this guy did; https://www.home-barista.com/levers/zeebra-cafelat-robot-scale-t61574.html

I think he spent a lot of money on fancy materials but you could definitely knock something up much cheaper as the load cell itself was $3 apparently. His interface is great. Starts a pre-infusion timer as soon as his scales are tared and then switches to a separate timer on first drop THEN has a gram per second reading to monitor weight rate of change (basically flow).

Otherwise you're looking at £250 for a scale and $500 plus taxes and shipping for the logger. Saying that, both the logger and the scale could be used on any future machine upgrades so it wouldn't be a complete waste...


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## Rabh (Feb 17, 2021)

newdent said:


> Yes, spotted that!
> 
> There's no reason why a £10 pressure transducer couldn't be hooked up to a wireless enabled arduino/raspberry pi. Would be less than £50 total.
> 
> ...


 Oh, I hadn't spotted that. That is very neat. I'm still on the hunt for a connected scale, with a lack of time to roll my own, I'm still tempted to get an Acaia some day. In the meanwhile my very cheap scales haven't stopped me from getting some great shots with this, especially since I upgraded to a Helor 106 grinder.


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

Rabh said:


> Oh, I hadn't spotted that. That is very neat. I'm still on the hunt for a connected scale, with a lack of time to roll my own, I'm still tempted to get an Acaia some day. In the meanwhile my very cheap scales haven't stopped me from getting some great shots with this, especially since I upgraded to a Helor 106 grinder.


 Indeed, probably very little return for the extra time and money invested! Fun though (probably?)!


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## newdent (Feb 20, 2021)

Oh my only gripe with the robot is I can't understand why they choose to very almost be standard 58mm but not quite. For example, my magnetic 58mm magnetic funnel won't attach for loading grinds into the basket. I've ordered a new dosing cup and hopefully that works with it. I think I'll miss being able to use my distribution tool for levelling before tamping. Not heard great feedback on the expensive levelling tamper so think I'll try a 3d print to use in conjunction with the original tamper.


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