Using American 120v espresso machine in Japan 100v - Page 2

#11: Post by **Jeff** » September 28th, 2023, 7:47 pm

A 120 V espresso maker may work on 100 V. Typical heaters will run about 70% lower output. Vibe pumps may not have enough pressure (worse yet with a 60 Hz pump on 50 Hz).

#12: Post by **Mike-R** » September 29th, 2023, 7:20 am

CoffeeInJapan wrote:Does anyone have a success story using an American machine in Japan?

Yes, I have many years of successful experience with three different 120V machines in Japan.

I recommend using a transformer to supply 120 V to your machine. Although a US machine will probably work on 100 V, but it's not ideal. For example, the heating element will only work at just under 70% power. Also, some components will have shorter lifespan.

BUT, in practice you will be severely limited in the power of machine you can use. The Bambino, for example, is rated for 1560 watts, which pulls 13 Amps on a 120 V circuit. But that same Bambino machine will pull 15.6 Amps through your home wiring in Japan when you operate it with a 100 to 120 V transformer. This will exceed the rating of your outlet and your circuit breaker.

In practice, you need to ensure that the combined wattage of your espresso machine, your grinder and any other device on your branch circuit is less than 1500 W to keep the max load under 15 A. Japanese homes typically have fewer branch circuits, so you need to check if your refrigerator, microwave or other appliances are on the same circuit.

And another challenge is choosing a transformer. There just aren't many good quality transformers on the market for 100 to 120 V. If you let me know the combined wattage of your machine and grinder, I will be happy to recommend one.

You also mentioned that the manufacturer recommended to buy a model intended for the Japan market. There is a lot to be said for this to avoid problems. This can be somewhat limiting since not all manufacturers make 100 V models, but the selection is getting better. I was at the SCAJ Conference today and got to play with a 100 V Linea Micra which will (finally!) be available in a couple of months from now.

I'm happy to answer any further questions that you may have.

September 29th, 2023, 8:59 pm

Thank you for the detailed explanation. Sounds like you know your stuff.
The Linea Micra looks great but I can't justify spending a thousand or more on a couple espressos a week.

The transformers I have seen online are both pricey and large, so that route won't work.
My grinder is just 100w, but my wife's kettle uses the same circuit, so that might be an issue. We'd just have to be careful.

I'll need to look at the other appliances in the kitchen and get back to you.

September 29th, 2023, 9:01 pm

Jeff wrote:A 120 V espresso maker may work on 100 V. Typical heaters will run about 70% lower output. Vibe pumps may not have enough pressure (worse yet with a 60 Hz pump on 50 Hz).

I am in western Japan, so I have the 60Hz.
The milk steamer works great, but it seems the pressure isn't enough to pull a good crema. Could be a temp issue as well I guess.

#15: Post by **Mike-R** » September 30th, 2023, 12:25 am

CoffeeInJapan wrote:The Linea Micra looks great but I can't justify spending a thousand or more on a couple espressos a week.

I just did a quick check to see what brands are available in Japan that are rated for 100 V power. Found these two from Solis which may be in your price range. I don't know much about them, but they look very similar to some of the Breville machines.

Solis Barista Perfetta SK1170S (Solis website, Amazon, Yodobashi)

Solis Gran Gusto SK1014 (Solis website, Amazon Japan, Yodobashi)

September 30th, 2023, 4:31 am

That looks very promising. The video on the Japanese site convincing too.
Having it sold here means the right voltage, support, and no 50% shipping premium/markup.

Now I need to figure out whether Perfetta is worth the ¥27,000 premium over the Gusto.400w more power and a gauge are the obvious differences.

According to some info, Breville is the same company as Solis.

I found it listed online at Costco Japan. They have the Prefetta for just ¥17,000 over the Gusto.
Costco's return policy is a real plus too.

Prefetta is ¥67,800 (¥10,000 less than Amazon.jp)
Gusto is ¥52,800 (more than Amazon.jp)

#17: Post by **Mike-R** » September 30th, 2023, 5:08 am

Also, if your refrigerator is on the same branch circuit, make sure to check the rating of your circuit breaker to see if it can accommodate the Perfetta's 14.5 Amp draw if your refrigerator is running at the same time. If not, maybe the Gusto is a better choice since it only draws 10.5 Amps.

I'm lucky to have 20A breakers and my refrigerator is on a separate branch. But most apartments are 15A breakers and fewer branch circuits.

#18: Post by **Jeff** » September 30th, 2023, 11:00 am

The Prefetta looks similar to the Breville Bambino, which is considered a good, entry level machine.

https://www.breville.com/us/en/products ... es450.html

October 1st, 2023, 3:12 am

Mike-R wrote:Also, if your refrigerator is on the same branch circuit, make sure to check the rating of your circuit breaker to see if it can accommodate the Perfetta's 14.5 Amp draw if your refrigerator is running at the same time. If not, maybe the Gusto is a better choice since it only draws 10.5 Amps.

I'm lucky to have 20A breakers and my refrigerator is on a separate branch. But most apartments are 15A breakers and fewer branch circuits.

I am in a house, and we have 20A, three different ones for the kitchen so we should be safe.

#20: Post by **PeetsFan** » October 10th, 2023, 8:18 am

Nobody ever wants to waste money. But if you spend to little, you're throwing money away, because you won't use the machine.

If you want steamed milk in the drinks (cappuccino, latte, macchiato), then the Breville Bambino Plus is excellent. It has a heating system which quickly switches between brewing and steam mode. Most other machines have a very long delay when switching. Solis and Breville are not the same company. Solis is Swiss and Breville is Australian. I have seen positive reviews on Solis products, but I don't know them well.

Also, you said you have a grinder, but you did not say which one. The grinder is very critical to getting the espresso right. With espresso, there is no paper filter, and so very small differences in the grind have very large effects.

I owned a Breville for a while and it was fine. I sold it for the amount paid and then upgraded to a large dual boiler machine. It was expensive, but every morning my wife and I really enjoy our coffees. We never go out to cafes because my coffee is better. With the bambino and the right grinder (and a scale), you can achieve this as well.

Espresso is not like drip coffee; it's not as tolerant of variance. It is very easy to get a badly bitter or sour shot of espresso. This is why we are encouraging you to carefully choose your entry-level espresso maker. You don't need to spend $1,000 but there are some terrible machines at the sub-$500 and even at the sub-$1,000 price.