Costco is apparently doing the clearance on the WPM-related machine, and the price for this coffee machine dropped $300 compared to the previous deal. I would think it is a decent deal for the beginner's machine.
WPM Welhome Pro Espresso Machine with Triple Thermo-Block $499.97 Delivered @ Costco (Membership Required)
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Vitus16 on 07/11/2024 - 15:46 costco.com.au (1449 clicks)
Last edited 07/11/2024 - 15:55 by 1 other user
Last edited 07/11/2024 - 15:55 by 1 other user
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15bar would just be the maximum pressure the machine can produce though, no?
15 bar is what generic Ulka pumps produce in basically all home coffee machines.
Normally there is a t piece with a piston/ spring inside (Over Pressure Valve), that purges any water above the spring tension into the drip tray. So you need to dump the drip tray regularly.
This annoys me, so I added a simple motor controller/ dimmer on the pump which reduces the output to 9 bar electronically (ie, turn a knob that reduces voltage to the pump).
This is what I would do with this. Costs about $8.
As for the triple thermoblock…well that is a mystery. Why?? (guess you can pour a shot, cup of tea and steam milk at the same time) Putting it at 3300w - the 10A plug wouldn't make code (needs to be a 15A plug).
Agree. Don't opv/spring mod, steamer goes all limp and too much in drip tray. The early breville express had the same issue. Dimmer mod solves this.
Not a mystery the third thermo block controls temperature of the group head where the portafilter handle is inserted and is controlled electronically via a PID on the main board.
I would be surprised if a retail domestic coffee machine comes with 15 amp rating. The Torino ran off a normal plug and the machine probably cycles thermo blocks and pumps on/off.
There are a few threads online about fitting an OPV valve to Torino which should work on this machine.
Pressure is built up based on resistance. If you hit 15bar, then your puck is too tight. If your puck is tight enough to reach 15 bar, then reaching 9 bar just means little to no flow.
If I choke my BDB, it shows about 10.5 bar Max pressure. You're right. It never hits 15bar.
Oncw the puck erodes, the pressure gradually drops.
it looks like a dishwasher to me.
looks like first gen Dalek .
Here is a review from Costco.
TLDR: This machines set the bar far too high; in a bad way.
Sydney
2 out of 5 stars.
No OPV - No Good
a year ago
Although the WPM Welhome Pro Espresso machine looks the part, in reality it produces a below par espresso. The good: You can steam and produce a shot of espresso at the same time because it has three separate thermoblocks. The steam pressure is excellent and can get your milk to 65deg in under 30 seconds. The bad: No Over pressure value, which essentially means if you try to produce a 36gm shot from 18gm of coffee between 27-30 seconds, your bar pressure will hit between 14-15bars - which is way too high. The standard for espresso is 9 bars. In order to hit 9 bars, you will produce 50gms of coffee in around 14 seconds. Although it means your grinds are far too coarse, this ends up tasting better than the 14 bar pressure version with the correct grind size. The steam wand and espresso shot leaver are on the same side which make it annoying to use. Previous to this I had a Breville Barista Touch and even that made better espresso than this. There's not a lot of information on this product online, however upon some research, it's clear that WPM is the OEM manufacturer for Sunbeam's Torino coffee machine, where you can find more info - and generally disgrunted customers having the same challenges.Looks all hat and no cattle.
All boots and no cowboy
Power (Watts) 3300W
You need 15amp plug for itLooks very similar to a Sunbeam Torino PU8000. I wonder who copied whom.
Internet says these guys are the manufacturer of the torino
The Sunbeam is a copy of Italian machine.
Si, correcto.
WPM made all Sunbeam's last machines, they're just white label
call me old fasion, but i would avoid any fake e61 espresso machine.
Why is it fake?
it's not a real e61, just looks like a e61 without the water circulation system in it that keeps the temp stability
User above states that the group head has it's own thermoblock and PID.
Well that sent me down a rabbit hole. I understand now.
Even though not an e61, it's still a heated group head and equivalent in gestures to the trusty breville dual boiler but at a fraction of the price.
The real ones have a preinfusion chamber coming out the bottom.
Thanks op, bought one to try. Specs and hardware too hard to pass up for this price, plus costco returns is easy.
I'll prepare a dimmer mod which should solve the pressure issue.Certainly worth having an experiment.
godspeed
I have had this machine( sunbeam torino) for a few years. You just cannot pull decent shots due to the high preassure. Without an opv it is pretty bad… The opv is fairly simple to install. And makes a very remarkable difference.
Link below that I followed to install opv.
https://notes.alelec.net/blog/post/[email protected]/Sunbeam…ahh interesting. You can plumb it back into the pump so the volumetric sensor is still accurate.
I have the Sunbeam Torino PU8000, which is basically the same as the WPM, except the steam wand is on the left side, away from the lever.
TLDR: For anyone interested, this is a really robust machine for the price. Compared to what you can get for $300-$500, it produces nice, bright, full-bodied espresso shots consistently, with excellent steam pressure for making latte art.
My Experience
• I've had the machine for 3 years and made around 4 coffees daily for my family
• Bought second-hand for roughly $650, including a Torino grinder.
• Previously used a Breville Express Single Boiler at a similar price.
• Used the machine at community church events 3 times for bulk coffee orders, and customers said it produced café-quality coffee!Pros:
• 58mm stainless steel group head.
• Good clearance for mid-size coffee glasses, with removable metal grill for taller glasses.
• Fast heat-ups.
• Triple thermal block for simultaneous steaming and extraction during bulk orders.
• Manual control lever is amazing and a must have for me (buttons just don’t have the feel)
• Options for brew temp settings, steam flow, and pre-infusion.
• Excellent features compared to what you can get in other entry model machines under $500.
Cons:
• Bar pressure can be confusing. At 9 bar, a 14-second shot with 18g in and 36 out seems under-extracted.
• No OPV, but enjoying shots pulled at 13-14 bar for 34 seconds, resulting in thicker, full-bodied shots.
• Uncertain if the machine measures pressure differently than others.Here are the settings I use:
• Brew temperature: 92°C
• Pre-infusion time: 4 seconds
• Steam wand flow pressure: 3
• Grinder: Timemore 078s, grind settings mostly between 1.8-2.0, 1000rpm
• Coffee Beans tried on this machine (all with good results): Kai coffee, Inglewood, Airjo, LimeBlue, Pablo Rusty, Coffee on Cue
• Portafilter: Bottomless portafilter
• Basket: VST 18g basket
• MHW Bomber Puck screen and tampersFinal Thoughts:
The espresso shots pulled have been consistently great for me, and the steam pressure is strong, creating smooth, silky milk for latte art. With all the adjustable settings and manual lever, I would definitely recommend this machine for $500.
Note that 15 bar is too high for ideal espresso extraction. 9 Bar OPV does not appear to be a feature in this machine.