admin wrote:
Actually would be interested to know what some of the more technically-minded [eg AM or FC] have to say on this one. Is there any reason why the newer materials/alloys that I assume are used in the more 'appliance'-type machines [for lightness] are in any way inferior to the ones that are used in the more traditional [Italian]-style machines or in fact, is there no reason why they should last any less well, durability-wise?
I wouldnt dream of commenting on anything to do with brevile. We are not service agents for the brand and I dont have any experience of the db and have never looked inside. That said, as we are service agents for 2 other appliance brands I can say this (remembering I am not saying it refers to brevile): I dont necessarily think materials used are a problem...eg nylon piping has been used inside some machines for yonks and I cant see a problem with it as long it is routed properly...ie if there is a problem, it would be a design problem rather than a material problem. In fact there is one particular applicance type domestic machine that uses copper pipe in one particular internal application....and it keeps failing. It is not the material, it is the design spec size of the pipe which is inadequate for the job it is supposed to keep doing ad infinitum. Some components dont seem to be as good as the european ones they are copying...again design spec not material. Hope that helps. One more comment: I think any diff between an "appliance" home use machine (perhaps built in China), and a traditional Italian coffee machine manufacturer home use machine, is in the older design of the Italian machines. They are in the main, simpler and made of "traditional" materials with european sourced components, perhaps as a result they are heavier, perhaps in todays day and age overbuilt, predominantly metal, etc etc etc. And that is probably why they will be expected to outlast an appliance model by a considerable time. Simplicity is good. The more you design and engineer the more service possibilities you design into the appliance. But there is no doubt that espresso machines are probably easier to use now than ever before. So perhaps a trade off is necessary. Older design machines are harder to learn to use, so there is more possibility of people giving up on them before they "get it". Newer design machines are easier to "get it", biut have a thousand more contriols and bits in them so are more likely to have inconvenient service difficulties over time... So I guess I'm looking at design spec rather than materials if there is going to be any diff over time in the durability of appliance type vs traditional type espresso machines.
