I just received an invoice for US Customs duty on my Aillio Bullet R1. This is imported to the US from Taiwan and shipped by TNT Shipping. TNT claims that only industrial coffee roasters are exempt from US Customs duty under the code: 8419.81.9080. The 8419 codes are only used for industrial and manufacturing devices, they claim. Instead, they used the code: 8516.71.0020, which is the code for "Electric coffee and tea makers" because these are intended for domestic use.

I believe that the shippers are incorrect. Can Huky and Quest users who bought direct tell me - did you get a bill for customs duty?

Slightly OT but I'm going through this headache now as I try to figure out what Canadian tariff codes apply to an espresso machine imported from Europe. Two exist :: one code that simply applies to 'coffee machines' and another that applies to 'hot beverages'.

Talking with a local importer of the same brand (La Marzocco) I was informed that espresso machines for COMMERCIAL use should be duty free in Canada, but ones used for personal use have 9% duty applied.

I think - in the long run - if you have a business or tax number you could supply to the government you would likely get off without having to pay, but if you don't have that information you might get dinged duty. It may be worth starting a business and getting a number just for that purpose, then shutting it down when it's sorted out?

chrisbodnarphoto wrote: Talking with a local importer of the same brand (La Marzocco) I was informed that espresso machines for COMMERCIAL use should be duty free in Canada, but ones used for personal use have 9% duty applied.

That is such a complex topic! I did import a Londinium L2 for commercial use and i got something like $4-500 of duty to pay. I also did import a coffee roaster for commercial use and again i had to pay some duty. And my business is incorporated with a commercial broker account so i have no idea but i always figure some duty fees when i import something! However for a business this is not a big problem as most of the duty fees are taxes that i get full refound, i only have to pay the smaller portion for the broker to deal with the paperwork. Not that bad.

pbleic wrote:Can Huky and Quest users who bought direct tell me - did you get a bill for customs duty?

No duty when I purchased my Huky. However, I did pay when I purchased my Strietman CT1!

Here is my cost for importing a North TJ-067 five years ago..
$2,935 Roaster delivered to Port of NYC

Customs Entry $100.00
Single Entry Bond $ 45.00 Min.
ISF Entry $ 35.00
ISF Entry Bond $ 30.00
Customs Duty/Tax $ 28.38
Airport Messenger $ 25.00
---------------
$263.38
Outlays for Trucking
Fox Global Handling $150.51 NYC to ATL
Fox Global Exam Fee $ 12.85 NYC to ATL
HWC Logistics Hdl $125.50 ATL to Door
HWC Logistics Del'y $127.97 ATL to Door
--------------
$416.83

Total Due Broker: $680.21

I would have picked it up 20 miles away for $250 if I known the cost..
The $125.50 was signing docs at customs warehouse and the $127.97 was the delivery..
If I had known I would have drove over to the customs warehouse and signed for it myself at the very least..

No duties when I imported my Rostbiene. I did have some on my CT1, though they came over a month late.

There is a difference between duties/tariffs and brokerage fees or taxes.

Many times you'll have to pay a brokerage fee and/or some taxes but you might not be paying duties/tarrifs.

There were no customs charges on my HUKY when it shipped from Taiwan two years ago.

When I imported the Bullet into Thailand recently we had a similar issue of the wrong tariff code being applied by the shipper (TNT a nightmare of a company). I think TNT originally used 8516.71.00 but as the duties were quite high I looked into this and contacted a friend of a friend in Thai customs who I knew to be fair and learned.

After reviewing with him what the item did, he believed the proper tariff code was 8419.81.10

In the tariff code database this is described as follows:

84.19
Machinery, plant or laboratory equipment, whether or not electrically heated (excluding furnaces, ovens and other equipment of heading 85.14), for the treatment of materials by a process involving a change of temperature such as heating, cooking, roasting, distilling, rectifying, sterilising, pasteurising, steaming, drying, evaporating, vaporising, condensing or cooling, other than machinery or plant of a kind used for domestic purposes; instantaneous or storage water heaters, nonelectric.

8419.81
- - For making hot drinks or for cooking or heating food:

8419.81.10
- - - Electrically operated

Thai customs are famous for collecting their duties and really putting the hurt on if you get it wrong or trying to sneak something past them. So if it was the wrong tariff code, there's a really good chance it would not have gone through as it did.