18 hours ago, Jade S said:Well, my sister really likes the TF20 after watching some videos of similar machines so much so that she has asked me to order it. Has anyone used one or have used something similar?
I've used a different wheel machine briefly at a side gig. The constant motion can over-crystallize the chocolate quickly and make it thicken and build up on the wheel, requiring attention. But in truth there's always going to be some babysitting. We were molding with it and it didn't have a ton of room to dump the molds back in, but that is not a problem with the TF 20, as the full hotel pan size gives plenty of room. Finally, I may be the only person in the world with this quirk and it won't apply to you, but I found the vertical spinning visually distracting. Spinning on a horizontal plane like a kitchen aid doesn't bother me but vertical does 🤷♀️
Perhaps more importantly, understand that the TF 20 is not a continuous or automatic tempering machine, it is really just a melter. Adding the molding wheel will stir the chocolate for you but you still have to seed, adjust temperature and test the chocolate for temper. It really is only meant to create a fountain to pour chocolate into molds which saves time over ladling if you're molding, but you're not.
Looking at the website photos again, I realize that I have a TF 20 without a wheel, I picked it up used for an absolute steal. The heating element on the bottom is exposed and there is no insulation in the machine. The 24 kg Mol d' art is sleeker, insulated, and easier to remove the chocolate pan from so I prefer that and only use the TF 20 as a back-up. I started out with one 6 kg melter, then upgraded to a 24 kg melter & EZ temper, recently got a Selmi, at the moment all of those plus the TF 20 have different chocolates for different projects in them. It's a slippery slope 😂
