CSME9 ?
Which supplied are there that does not charge you with the "restocking" fees ?
Thanks!

shutter-man,

Until CSME9 answers you...

Just go to the online websites of these stores/dealers and read their "Return" policies...there you'll find their official policy requirements for returns, restocking fees (how much of a % of the purchase price, if any), requesting a RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) number, and so on.

For the BEST policies, the major-player stores probably have those, meaning places like 1st Line Equipment, Seattle Coffee Gear, Chris' Coffee Service, Whole Latte Love, Stefano's Espresso Care and probably Clive Coffee -- these are the LARGER stores. Smaller "Mom & Pop" stores such as also well-rated Venia Coffee may have generous return polices, but I forget.

FOR SURE, however, stay away from one Mom & Pop store -- Prima Coffee -- as they do NOT accept returns of espresso machines or grinders once they are USED (as per what they state AND from my personal experience). So if you use it even ONCE, it's yours to keep forever...for better or worse. In MY case it was for the better, but still wasn't/am not happy with their "no hassle returns" policy -- it isn't. Had it been for the worse, I'd still have to keep it regardless.

Basically, you want a 30-day return policy, even if stocking fees apply. That will give you enough time to try out your machine/grinder and decide to keep it or not -- and for whatever reason...even "Buyer's Remorse!" So you KNOW up front that if you have any reason to send it back you CAN, not just that it has to be defective in order to be returnable.

So no matter what source you purchase from, be sure to read their "Returns" policy...just in case it DOES have to go back. When you pay that much $$$$ for a machine or grinder, you NEED to be able to return it...even if you DO have to pay a restocking fee. And restocking fees seem to be a way of life for businesses nowadays no matter what merchandise they sell, so read the policies to see what you will pay should you need to return it. MAYBE they'll give you a break (waive the restocking fee) if you want to exchange it for something else of equal/similar value or, if you want to exchange upwards (and pay the difference) for a more expensive item...but don't expect it.

Good luck,

-- BR

Hi,
Well - I did not send the machine back.. After everything said and done - the store did not accept that there is something wrong with the machine (movie clip of the 3-way they pointed me to original ECM that shows the same..) , and hence - all shipping and restocking fees would have billed to me ( some hefty ~$230 )

So - My wife and I sat together and went through our check list of the things that are good and bad, and whether it worth the price of the upgrade .. and ended up with me practicing making latter art with manual milk frothing... ... and ordering some mirror finish custom cut stainless to make my "anti spraying" ... add-on

The Good:
1) I can get very consistent and excellent coffee (sometime I even get a "blow your head off" shots, and the rest are simply very very good one... that is now - that everything is by the numbers: weight, grind, tamping, extraction time, temperature, warm up time) .
2) size and functionality: very compact, simple and "just the right size" according to my wife
3) My wife learned how to use it - and it is ok.

The bad:
1) The drip tray / "spurting"
2) Can't steam in any realistic/usable way (time &you will empty your reserve with the required water to cool it off after steaming).
3) Get very wet pucks (it seems like a characteristic)
4) Drip tray is too small

that is .. until my next birthday .. when I will upgrade ....

Okay...thanks for the update.

At least they WOULD take it back (for whatever reason) even if they applied charges for doing so (most places DO charge fees, as I said). And apparently, it's not worth paying $230 to you in order to get something else...I just hope the items in your "The Bad" list don't make your next year (until your next birthday) too frustrating.

Good luck...and let us know if things get better after you've more experience with the Classika...

-- BR

Thanks BR
I am sure that the list of bad things will not get any better with time. I am sure to get much better with the equipment I got, heck - maybe I'll start to like it (like a bad habit ) - at the end - as it is the case - you set out with a certain budget and than you step up (from the Expobar to the Classika it was a move from ~$1000 to ~$1350.. with the return cost etc - it would have been double of the original price .. so multiple mistakes cost ...

Thanks for the support !!

shutter-man,

We do the best we can making decisions with the facts/info and perceptions we have at that time, and even if a decision doesn't turn out well we can learn from them just the same.

In your case, it's not a total loss, as I think with some more experience things will at least get more tolerable. Being a home Barista takes a fair amount of time...even the "experts" were once novices.

Check in occasionally and let us know how it's going, especially any improvements. As you noted, your wife using it is a positive development in itself!

-- BR