Shipping via USPS a bad idea?

[BeRad]

Need opinions as to whether shipping a Mini via USPS (US Postal Service) Priority mail would be too big of a risk in terms of the potential for damage.

I’d like to purchase a Mini from Chris’s Coffee but while my home is in the US, I currently work in Germany supporting the military. To get it over here I would have to ship it USPS priority mail to a military base. The USPS serves the bases here just like if we were in the US, so it would be air-shipped at normal postal rates and I pay no customs/duty. The box would be handled by both military personnel and USPS employees, no telling who would be rougher but I'm sure I can count on it being dropped at least once along the way. Shipping via FedEX or DHL is unfortunately cost prohibitive.

Given what you know about the build quality of the Mini, would any of you consider shipping your own machine this way or is it just too fragile to risk it? You can assume it would be double-boxed, still in the original packaging, etc.

Also, does anyone remember the shipping weight of their machine? The machine itself weighs around 62lbs but I would need to keep the total shipping weight under the USPS 70lb limit.

Why not just buy a 230VAC machine, you ask? Well, I'd like to have a machine I can keep for some time and running a 110VAC machine off of a transformer while in Europe seems easier than having to deal w/ a 230VAC machine back in the States. The Mini is rated 50/60Hz so I’m assuming that using a transformer on 230VAC 50Hz won’t degrade performance, is this assumption correct?

Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

[chas]

Sounds risky. How about driving down to Milan and picking one up from the factory?

[BeRad]

Thanks for the response. No doubt that will be the general consensus.
I also pinged CC about this and got no response, so I'm pretty sure I know how they feel about the idea.

Driving to LaSpaz to pick up a 110VAC version is definitely an option. Any idea if they sell direct from the factory?

[chas]

You need to call or write Anna Maria at the LaSpaziale factory. Her e-mail is probably just annamaria@laspaziale.com but if that doesn't work info@laspaziale.com should. She's the right person to talk to for this kind of question and it also one of the few that speaks English at the factory. So I am pretty sure an e-mail to info@ would get directed to her.

[BeRad]

Thanks again. That would be great if they can help me out.
Coincidentally, I'm going to be in Munich this weekend where there's a LaSpaziale dealer. It seems like they only deal w/ S5s and commercial clients but maybe they can put in a special order for me.

Hopefully I can figure something out soon... my wife is starting to get cold feet about upgrading.

[greenkiwi]

It would be interesting to know whether the 230V/50Hz would work in the US at 240V/60Hz. Many kitchens have 240V service for stoves.

[chas]

It would be interesting to know whether the 230V/50Hz would work in the US at 240V/60Hz. Many kitchens have 240V service for stoves.

Yes, the S1 can work off either.

[peter]

When CC shipped my unit via UPS, the packaging was superb. I don't doubt it would survive a trip to you, but it sounds like you may have a less circuitous (and more fun) route.

[BeRad]

Peter, Thanks for the input. At least now I feel like it wouldn't be a completely bad judgement call to ship it this way.

I'm sure it would be fun to take a new machine off the assembly line and load it into the trunk of my car but I'm not holding my breath on a response to my e-mail. For one thing, the entire LaSpaziale factory is probably on holiday until September w/ the rest of Europe and given what I've read on other forums it sounds like AnnaMaria is likely to just refer me to one of their distributors. Besides who would handle the warranty, etc... I'll keep my fingers crossed though.

Regarding the 230VAC, part of me thinks just get the 'right tool for the job' and get a 230VAC machine while I'm in Europe and then sell it (hopefully) and buy a 110VAC machine when I go back to the US. Taking a 230VAC w/ me wouldn't be pracitcal. In my townhouse there would be no way to get a dedicated 220VAC line run to anywhere I'd want to put my machine and I don't want to be one of those guys who has his espresso machine and grinder sitting on top of his clothes dryer in the laundry room or sharing space with my tools in the garage. Tapping into the circuit for the range is probably out as I believe NEC code requires all 240VAC apliances to be on a dedicated circuit.

Thanks again for the input.

[yokomist]

Just to offer some experience on shipping a S1 with USPS,

I recently shipped my personal machine from the US to New Zealand (much further than Europe) without any damage at all.

Although very expensive priority mail did the job and I only had the machine single boxed (CC sends them out double boxed for extra protection).

Still very risky and it is likely that I was lucky this time.

On another note I am running the 110v machine off a converter from 230v and feel like my steaming capacity is less than in the States... very strange!

Bevan

[BeRad]

Bevan,
Thanks for your input. I'm not so sure I am as brave as you are to send it single boxed but at least it gives me some hope.

How much weaker is the steam and what size transformer are you running it off of? Is it still usable? One of the selling points to my wife was that she would be able to enjoy 'proper' milk drinks. I would hate to have to tell her she's stuck w/ espresso only.

-Brad

***************
Here's an update on my search to procure a 110VAC machine for anyone interested...
Contacted LaSpaziale directly: No surprise that I never got a response.

Contacted Mary @ CC: Got everything ready to place the order but asked her to wait a few days while I finalized some things.
During this time I ran across "BobUSN's" detailed unboxing photos and realized that the dimesnions for the double-box must be about 24x24x27 meaning it's too large for priority or express mail and that it would have to go parcel post (truck + ship). Even though the packing looks excellent, I'm not sure how a 60lb machine would stand up to 4-6 weeks on a ship. However, I would still like to find a way to give CC my business as they really seem like an 'involved' dealer that stands behind and supports their products.

Searching some of the European forums I ran across a dealer in Austria that people rated highly. I contacted them about ordering a 110VAC machine and they said it could probably be done but it would take 6-8wks. This seems promising.

I also came across a coffee roaster about 1hr from my home that also sells/repairs prosumer machines including LaSpaziale. I spoke with them and they offered to contact their distributor for me but they haven't heard anything back yet. This seems like the best option as they are somewhat 'local' to me. No word on what either of these two places would charge for the Mini.

I'm still also considering a 230VAC machine (this would be a great way to ensure I get transferred back to the US in a few months). These must not be really popular in Europe as I see that the few places that sell them have them marked down as much as 500euros (which still puts the price above $2,000USD). They also look like 'older' versions with the platsic cup tray. I can only guess that the distributor has had a bunch of these sitting in his inventory for a while that he is now trying to unload. Even if the changes are only cosmetic on the newer versions, I feel like if I'm spending that much money I should get the latest thing to come off the assembly line.

I enjoyed a nice espresso today at the shop near my home. They sell Quickmill, ECM and a few other brands. I'd love to give them my business, unfortunately I'm just not a fan of all that chrome. I guess it's just a matter of preference, I mentioned LaSpaziale to a friend who said he would never even consider something w/ so much plastic on it.

[yokomist]

Hey Brad,

The machine is still amazing, I have worked with commercial machine in cafes for more than 10 years and come home and fine the machine to be great.

As far as the diminished steam goes I would say that If I am steaming enough for 2-3 milk drinks at the same time in a 20 or 32oz jug, that I need to use all the steam the machine has available to get the milk nearly there, then set it down, pull my shots and then the steam supply is build back up and is ready to finish the milk off. I do not ever remember the steam supply running out so fast in the states.

I am running the machine + a mazzer SJ off a 3000w transformer which should have plenty of juice as I doubt both boiler and the grinder would all be under use at the same time. I know I have a slight leak at my vacuum breaker on top of the steam boiler but I don't think that has any effect on steaming, more just cycles the steam boilers heating more often.

In saying that the machine is still fully usable and I really only have problems steaming larger amounts of milk.

The reason I had the machine only single boxed is that I was planning to take it on the plane with me as checked luggage. This seemed like the olny way I could afford to get the machine to NZ. At the last minute I got too afraid of the airport luggage handlers and decided it would be better to pay the extra and ship it usps where I could at lease purchase insurance. It probably would have been ok going through the airports though as my grinder, kitchenaid mixer, 2 desktop computers, 300w transformer and lots of other fragile stuff all survived in suitcases!