Anyone else notice that 1st line was testing a new machine?

[Pyment]

It is on their Facebook page.

They have a video of the Gee espresso machine in action. Sounds like they were impressed.

Looks like a SBDU with a PID

programmable temp + volume + pressure.

Adjustible pre-infusion

3 way solenoid

500 ml stainless boiler

I am guessing there will be a 110v version for the US.

http://www.gee-coffee.com/coffee_machine_products/espresso_coffee_machine.html

[Gime2much]

Bill Crossland has some connection with rebranding and importing these from what I've read.

Dan Brewer

[MonkeyK]

1st Line noted that it has a boiler for brewing and a thermoblock for steam.  I guess that makes it a DB.

[Nucer]

Any chance on a group buy for us???  I didn't see a contact email.  I might be interested in one if the price is right.

(star in my eyes in Benbrook, Texas)

[Tex]

Without laying my eyes on it I can tell it's worthless for those of you that like frou-frou! I've yet to see a thermoblock that can deliver solid steaming performance.

[Pyment]

the manual says "steam boiler"

http://www.gee-coffee.com/download/Espresso%20Coffee%20Machine_en.pdf

http://www.gee-coffee.com/download/coffee_machine_instruction-en.pdf

of course there isn't a volume listed for the steam boiler.

[Tex]

the manual says "steam boiler"

http://www.gee-coffee.com/download/Espresso%20Coffee%20Machine_en.pdf

http://www.gee-coffee.com/download/coffee_machine_instruction-en.pdf

of course there isn't a volume listed for the steam boiler.

It's the 1100 watt rating that gave it away. And 700 watt for the brew boiler? Achieving inter-shot temp stability is going to be a lengthy process. I do like the large s/s boiler - ~10 ounces is above par for home machines (hopefully the insulated it?).

[MonkeyK]

I read 1100 watts for brew boiler (water boiler in the pdf) and 700 watts for steam.

1100 watts for a 1/2 liter brew boiler (16oz) is quite a bit.  By comparison, the Vivaldi II is 800 watts for a 1/2 liter brew boiler.

I don't know how to evaluate the steam.  700 watts to vaporize a continuous flow of water seems low, but I would like to see it in action.

[Pyment]

1st line was going to do a steaming eval.

there is also a steaming video here:


http://www.gee-coffee.com/coffee_machine_video.html

[Pyment]

Bill Crossland has some connection with rebranding and importing these from what I've read.

Dan Brewer

Saw that.

The real info is buried in this thread:

http://coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/machines/480801?LastView=1278954877&Page=1

[Pyment]

Found what I was looking for

From Bill C:

To clear up a few things about the GEE machine.  This is a machine that is manufactured in Taiwan and I will be importing to the USA.  There are quite a few changes to the machine you have referenced in this thread.  Most importantly PID and Steam capacity.  A few more are being accomplished as we speak.  When I saw this machine some time ago I thought it was a worthy machine that had place in the US market.  For me to put my name on it however I needed to add some features that I knew would add value in the US market.  We are still working on accomplishing a few.  Also we are beginning the safety listing for the USA.  Anyone who has ever gone through this knows it can be unpredictable (with time).

and

The reason the machine(s) were at the SCAA show was to test a small market to see if I should proceed with this machine.  With the information I received I am planning on moving to production.  I am off to Taiwan this week to discuss supplier and production issues with some friends there.  I cannot set a release date yet since I have not yet secured financing.  I hope to be able to lay out a release schedule in a couple of months.  I don't post too often so I don't bore people with too many details of the progress.  I will probably be quiet for a couple of months or when I have time to give the prototype to someone for testing.  If you need to purchase a machine in the next 4-5 months I would not wait for this one.  Maybe you can be in on the first 100 limited edition production run. 

So the machine 1st Line has may be either the one before the Bill C mods or the after. It looks like improved steam capacity was a goal of the mods.

There is also some infor buried on http://www.espressomyespresso.com/ in his write up about the SCAA meeting in April.

This is a single boiler, dual use machine like Silvia, but has a built in PID, real time temperature display, and stainless steel boiler. All functions are controlled from the two dials and the LCD display on the front. Specifications at this time include:

- 500cc stainless steel boiler
- 2 liter reservoir
- H-15" W-12" D-19"
- Power - 1110 watts 120 Volts
- Portafilter 58mm
- Volumetric programming
- Electronically controlled, user adjustable boiler temperature

[MonkeyK]

1st line steam video is up.  It does not look good.  The test used a small Espro Torroid pitcher and the tester still had trouble making anything happen.

[Tex]

I read 1100 watts for brew boiler (water boiler in the pdf) and 700 watts for steam.

1100 watts for a 1/2 liter brew boiler (16oz) is quite a bit.  By comparison, the Vivaldi II is 800 watts for a 1/2 liter brew boiler.

I don't know how to evaluate the steam.  700 watts to vaporize a continuous flow of water seems low, but I would like to see it in action.

Right - I misread it. It may be that this does have an actual boiler, but its capacity isn't listed so I'm suspicious! And if it is a thermoblock boiler then a 700 watt element is pitifully low wattage.

IF it does in fact have a real boiler...

A real steam boiler could probably get by with a 700 watt element, if the boiler was large enough. It's the high temp & volume of steam that gives you all that lovely dry steam.

A 700 watt element may take longer to get to steam temp, but once it does the element plays little roll from then on. Of course, it would take a 700 watt element a while to get back up to temp for the next round of frou-frou.

[MonkeyK]

From 1st Line's facebook post:

Other Quick Notes: The boiler is bigger than expected and has a thermoblock for steam. Warms up VERY fast and recovery time seems to be quicker than I can manage to knock out the old shot. Maybe I'll put a Scace on it...

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Manalapan-NJ/1st-line-Equipment/56127299135?__a=6&ajaxpipe=1

[John F]

I don't see why a T-block for steam should be a problem.

I'm no ME but this design sounds reasonable to me to use a boiler/pid for brewing and T-block for steam......why not?