Not the best historical price but still decent ($389 in 2019 without accessories)
Price Match through Noel Leeming live chat with https://folders.co.nz/products/sunbeam-barista-max-espresso-… ($449)
Accessory kit is obtained through redemption: https://www.sunbeam.co.nz/promotions/sunbeam-fathers-day-cof…
Are you sure it's this exact model? $398 is the lowest it's been according to pricespy and can't find this model on briscoes
I am checking it on priceme unless they are wrong https://www.priceme.co.nz/Sunbeam-EM5300/p-899959153.aspx#Pr…
Interesting.. That is a crazy mark up indeed!
Just be aware that Priceme isn't the most accurate of websites. Items are often listed with the wrong title. So if you see a crazy price difference, there's a high chance that one store is just selling a part that fits that machine. Or a machine with a similar title. Just unfortunate that they get lumped together. Amazon US listings pop up now and then too, but their price isn't converted over to NZD.
Lowest price in your link is Appliance Plus. The machine they have listed isn't the EM5300. It's the Sunbeam Mini Barista.
I think PriceMe is confused and has mixed it up with the EM4300 AND the EM5000.
Based on the Price Trend it looks like Briscoes regular price for the EM5300 is $250.
And it lists AppliancePlus as increasing to $349, which also happens to be their price for the EM4300:
https://www.applianceplus.co.nz/em4300
It also lists JBHifi as increasing to $299, which also happens to be their price for the EM5000:
https://www.jbhifi.co.nz/home-appliances/sunbeam/sunbeam-caf…
I wouldn't trust PriceMe.
@danvelopment: Wow, learn something everyday.
How is this compared to the breville barista express? I have only noticed that this machine comes with a 58mm portafilter but no pressure gauge. The price is better though.
@ppbnb1: Breville have done good things with their "Smart Grinder" development, which is what they've shoved into the Barista Express and I like that the tamp has a functional place to be kept. The smart grinder makes it easy to find the ideal grind and repeat it over and over without having to pay attention. Also makes it easy if a friend visits and uses your machine as you've already got it set perfectly and they don't have to learn your grinder or beans.
Whereas the Sunbeam is a manual grinder (set grind size inside the grinder, and push the head down until you have the right amount) and I guess you just leave the tamp on the bench next to it.
Pressure gauge is useful to get your grind and tamp correct, and quickly indicate when you got it wrong, but it's a shame they don't have an internal electronic pressure sensor with PID control over the pump like they do with temp. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch for either to implement to compensate for mistakes, seeing as they're already doing it with temp control, but I guess they would then need to overspec the pump (more cost) and it wouldn't teach you to get your grind right.
Personally I use a semi-automatic (manual milk) machine because I'm lazy.
If you were to increase your budget for the Breville, then I would instead go for the Delonghi EC9335R.
Their smart grinder, an interesting semi-automatic tamp and dual thermoblock for simultaneous milk and coffee.
Interestingly they've overspecced the pump (19 bar) but still include a pressure gauge, so I don't know whether they have the thing I pined for earlier (PID pressure control) but it will be more forgiving on mistakes where density is too high, but less forgiving when density is too low (ideal pressure is 9 bar, home machines usually go 15 bar at the pump to achieve 9 bar at the head, whereas this is 19 bar at the pump, perfect if it's PID controlled but no mention of that).
Right now I'm building an automatic home coffee roaster, but maybe I'll look into making my own espresso machine once I've finished that and fix all the things I want to see on domestic machines.
@danvelopment: Thanks for the detailed write up. I have actually just ordered a eureka mignon online so that might change my options of coffee machine now. I am thinking of continuing using the BES820 but invest in a bottomless PF with a unpressurized basket.
Regarding the pressure gauge, it’s probably the best to detect what pressure you are achieving in head? Would you suggest a way to assess whether an optima pressure has achieved on a low end machine like mine? Thanks
@ppbnb1: It should take just under 30 seconds to get a shot of espresso.
If your grind is too fine or your tamp too hard, the density is too high and it requires more pressure to maintain the right volume in that timeframe, at the same pressure it will take longer to get your coffee.
If your grind is too coarse or your tamp too soft, the density is too low and it requires less pressure to maintain the right volume in that timeframe, at the same pressure it will take shorter to get your coffee.
The finer the grind the more surface area, so the better the extraction, but the smaller particles means smaller gaps, higher density and more pressure required for extraction at the same tamp pressure.
So you have to play with both. You want as fine a grind as possible for optimal extraction, but the finer the grind the smaller the tolerance of tamping pressure. So get the timing right, then shrink the grind, then adjust your tamp to get the timing right, then shrink the grind etc etc until you can't get it right. Then go back a level.
Harvey Norman is running the same $449 deal on their black one, but not the silver ($499).
I bought one from Folders (can't stand the Warehouse Group), but they're out of stock, so I requested a refund and they got back to me with a confirmation within 30min
https://www.harveynorman.co.nz/home-appliances/coffee-and-be…
The markup for this item is insane. Pretty regular deal from Briscoes for $199